Lodge Logic L17SK3 Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, 17-inch

With proper care this pan will last more than a lifetime. Most of the Cast Iron pans made in the late 1800's are still floating around. This pan can last that long too. While this pan is hugh and can cook lots and lots of food. It is better suited for outdoor cooking on a Campfire or a Turkey fryer base than useing in a kitchen. It is pretty big for a stove as you can have two burners heating it at once. I am glad I bought this pan. I also bought a smaller skillet for use on my home stove.

But for campfire cooking this is one of the most versitle pieces out there, you can fry in it, use it a a griddle and make monster pancakes. You can even whip up a big batch of Chili. If you likecamping or even backyard cooking this is a must have. I like to use mine with a Turkey deepfryer base as the heating element it works great.

I bought this specifically for making my homemade pizza. I've found that baking pizza in a cast iron skillet that was generously coated with shortening yielded wonderful results, whether one preferred thick (my choice), or thin crust (my wife's choice). It turns out a pastry-like crust that my extended family raves over. (Be sure to use a generous amount of olive oil in the dough..4 tablespoons per two cups of flour..)Baking it at 500 degrees is also part of the secret. The problem was that I previously had only the smaller 12" cast iron skillets, but this big boy allowed me to make a hearty pizza main course for four to five hungry adults. The cast iron also retained heat for quite a while, once out of the oven, so that my pizza stayed warm until the last slice had been eaten. Clean-up was a breeze..just wipe the pan out with a paper towel and give it a spray of cooking oil.

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It's big, it's black, it's cast iron! I had the 15in skillet in my wish list for a long time when this one showed up in my gold box. I didn't even mind paying the higher price for a pre-seasoned piece which is a bonus for a skillet of this size. The two smaller handles on this one make it even easier to get in and out of the oven, not to mention giving it a better fit. It works just find on the stove top but will over hang the side a bit. A damp towell on the counter will help if your counter is not high heat proof. If you cook big meals for big crowds you're probably already in love with cast iron. Put this one on your list. And thank you Amazon; not many companies will wave shipping on somthing as heavy as cast iron.

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This pan is an invaluable accessory on the burner you use for your turkey fryer.It's great cooking outside with this pan and the two loop handles make it easier to carry.And you'll need two hands to carry this pan. Also, the absence of the typical frying pan handle prevents it from being knocked or moved on the burner when working around it. If you're looking to cook large quantities of food quickly, don't hesitate to buy this pan!

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The Pre-seasoning makes this pan so easy to maintain and a dream to cook with. Nice large capacity, high heat cooking without worrying about toxic teflon chemicals absorbing into food. This is healthy cooking with easy non-stick clean up.

I love making pan pizza in this skillet, everything just tastes better. You won't be dissapointed. Just brought my expensive set of teflon down the basement and am replacing with Lodge Logic.

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Starfrit Light Cast Iron Fry Pans

Based on the good reviews on Amazon, I picked up the 12 inch stir fry pan and I just gave it its first test run making curry.

In general this is an excellent pan, it's a good weight, meats brown and vegetables saute quickly, it cleans easily, and it is very responsive (i.e. it heats and cools quickly as you adjust the burner).So it makes a very good alternative to a stainless steel or anodized aluminum skillet or saute pan for everyday cooking.

That being said, it does not completely replace a standard cast iron skillet because it is so responsive...if anything, this pan heats and cools a wee bit too fast. Traditional cast iron heats and cools slowly because of its mass, making it very good for certain types of cooking that need the temperature to hold steady like deep searing meat, stir frying vegetables, shallow and deep frying, and braising.

I also wonder if the ceramic surface will hold up.As anyone who cooks on terra cotta or stoneware knows, ceramic in general makes a tough and easy to clean cooking surface, but Cook's Illustrated recently reviewed Starfrit's ecological cookware and said the ceramic surface began to quickly degrade.However, the base of that cookware is aluminum which has very different thermal properties than cast iron.Since ceramic and cast iron are more similar, I hope this pan does better.Only time will tell.

P.S. If anyone from Starfrit is reading this, I would love it if you made this pan in a 13 or 14 inch, 6ish quart size. The wider base and extra volume would make this more useful, especially when cooking for four or more.Even though I appreciate the lighter weight, a bit heavier of a gauge of iron would be good too and resolve the sometimes too rapid heating and cooling issue. A lid would be nice too.

UPDATE: After a few weeks of use, It's my pleasure to say these pans (I eventually bought the 11 inch skillet too) are more versatile than I originally thought.The 12 inch stays hot enough to do a very decent job at stir-frying. Sure, my Staub wok does a better job, but it must be three times the weight. The skillet sears steak like no one's business. My only issue is I wish both were a tad larger...a standard 12 inch for the skillet and 13 inch for the stir fry.

The pan itself works great the non-stickiness quite good (although you do have to use some oil with it).

For the first time in ages I don't have to soak and scrub the eggs off the pan, which after years of hassle with LeCreuset pans feel borderline miraculous.

HOWEVER, my biggest problem with this product is that the picture shows a different pan altogether the stirfry pan, and not the regular fry pan, which is more shallow and does not have the wok-like shape that the picture suggests. For me it was a huge disappointment (especially since apparently amazon does not carry the stirfy model at all, at least at the time of my writing it).

Plus, the main reason for my buying this pan was it's supposed non-toxicity. Call me crazy, but when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

I truly do hope that the non-stick coating is 100% safe as they claim, but still, I have my doubts.

That being said, the pan does work great. I'd give it 5 stars, but the picture deception really got on my nerves.

UPDATE:

Part of the non-stick covering on the pan simply wore off! As a result it sticks like crazy. I've heard of other safe-pans retaining their non-stickiness for only a couple of months, but I was hoping this one would be different. No such luck. What a bummer. Wasted money aside, I'm concerned that whatever the protective covering of the pan was, it obviously ended up in my food.

Also in the non-sticky frenzy of my first review I forgot to mention that the bottom of the pan was not perfectly leveled the middle part of it was slightly raised, which was a bit of a pain, as the oil would glide over to the edges of the pan.

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I picked up the 11-inch version of this pan because the old cast iron pan (one of the really heavy ones) I had used was reclaimed recently by my mother after a long term loan. I think having a cast iron pan around is essential, but I have to admit, that super heavy model was somewhat of a pain to us. Which is why I wanted a more versatile one, and one that wasn't as tough on the wrists. This pan fit that bill perfectly. It has the heft and strength of character you'd want in cast iron, but more maneuverability. The stay cool handle is nice, too, when you're cooking on the stove. Last night though I was making a savory bread pudding in here, and started it on the stove, and then moved it into the oven. Luckily, I remembered at the last second before pulling it out of the oven that stay-cool or not, the handle was going to be hot after being in the oven. So, be careful in that situation, which will come up because of the pan's ability to go from stovetop to oven easily. That, plus the lightness, will really let you expand how you utilize cast iron.

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I have the 9.5-inch Starfrit Light cast iron fry pan, and it's become an indispensable part of my cookware collection. I've always been wary of cast iron because it's heavy and requires a lot of care. Not so with this pan! It's pretty light and easy to carry in one hand (especially with the neat stay-cool handle). The pan itself come pre-conditioned so you don't have to mess around with cooking oils before you use it. The pan heated up really quickly, and retained heat/kept food warm once I took it off the burner. The pan is the perfect depth for wok-style frying of veggies, but shallow enough to use for eggs and pancakes too! Cooking was relatively non-stick (I almost always add a dollop of olive oil), so despite frying tons of sticky veggies in it, the pan cleaned up quickly and easily.

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I am very happy with the weight and the non-stick ability of this pan.But the bottom of the pan is only about 4 1/2 5" diameter.OK for 1 or 2 eggs.The top rim is 8".I would have given this 5 stars if it was an actual 8" pan.This to me is a little deceptive.You cook on the bottom of the pan, not at the rim!

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Bene Casa Frypan N/S 6" w/ Glass Lid

I use this small lidded skillet every day to cook my breakfast.I put a teaspoon of butter in the bottom and a slab of turkey ham and a chunk of cheese on top of that.Around the periphery, I put half-slices of mushrooms or squash or tomato or a combination, making a flower design.Then I cover and cook on medium-low heat (3.5 of 10)for twelve minutes.Then I add two eggs, pepper and sometimes basil or dill, and cover and cook for seven minutes more.Then I remove it from the burner, let the concoction settle for ten minutes and breakfast is served.Perfect every time.

Prior to purchasing this pan, I used a Calphalon 6-inch omelet pan that they don't make anymore with a lid from the thrift stove that fit just inside the lip.It worked well enough, but looked junky.Having a fitted glass lid with a vent is better.Not just in the looks department.The vent allows some of the steam to escape and being glass you can see if the eggs have firmed up without removing the lid and losing steam and heat.

I have no idea about the long term durability of this product.I have been using it daily since I got it four or five weeks ago and I see no signs of wear.

I love this little plan. It is great for sauteeing onions, grilling a sandwich or frying eggs. I bought it to replace a small frying pan my daughter took to college, but this one is even better because of the lid.

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This pan has one major flaw that should rule it out:it falls over because the handle is so much heavier than the pan itself.When the pan is empty or has a few lightweight items in it (e.g. an egg or a small onion), it WILL fall over, nearly 100% of the time--even if you put it on a flat countertop.The only conditions under which it won't fall over are if you are holding the handle, if the glass cover is on it, or if heavy food items are inside.

Quality is otherwise pretty good.Non-stick works great, well-made lid fits nicely, and it cooks acceptably well.The imbalance issue makes it a "don't buy," because in most common cooking use, at some point, one will need to lift off the counterbalance of the glass lid, or let go of the handle; and a hot pan containing hot food or oil could cause injury, damage to the fallen pan or at least a total mess of the stove.I love the hard-to-find 6 inch size and the fact that it has a nice lid, and will probably not spend the time or the cost of returning it.I'll find some very limited, and CAREFUL, use of it.For safety reasons alone, I would not recommend it.

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I bought this item as a gift and she loves it. As a single person she didn't need a large skillet in cook in so it is perfect for her.

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we need a little pan with a lid and it's not easy to find one so we are happy that we find this one

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Lodge Enamel 11-inch Skillet

This handy little skillet is actually a HEAVY WEIGHT! It has the durability of cast iron, and the convenience of non-stick coating. I hesitated when ordering because I have had teflon skillets that would flake after a while, but this is not like the non-stick of old. It has a 25-year limited warantee!

Since I have an electric stove, it took some time to learn how to adust the stove because it retains the heat so well. I finally started turning the stove off the last 10 minutes or so. That works great for me. Also, if I'm cooking a steak, I sear it good on one side, turn it, and finish cooking in the oven at 450* for another 10 minutes. That's another thing I like...the fact that the skillet can go right from the stovetop to the oven. Careful, because the handle does get very hot, and also the skillet is HEAVY because it's cast iron, but it's a good heavy!

After using this skillet I can state that it has all the features of the French Le Creuset line at a quarter the price. No need to say more than that.

If you like using cast iron cookware you will be well served with this line of Lodge Enamel which however, unlike the original made in USA products, are now made in China. Though I prefer to buy American, I am so satisfied that I went ahead and ordered the Lodge Enamel 10 inch Grill Pan as well. These products have an enamel coating on both the outside and the inside surfaces and, unlike the original Lodge products, require no seasoning.

Cast iron cookware works extremely well on induction plates as the temperature can be adjusted in very fine increments and the entire pan heats evenly through magnetic induction without any hot spots. The combination of cast iron and induction yields great results.

Four stars instead of five as the inside enameling should be applied in a thicker coat to better hide the casting grain.

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This product is a nice idea but designed and executed poorly.You would be far better off buying a regular cast iron skillet and "season" it.I bought this pan thinking that the inner ceramic finish would make it a breeze to cook with.In fact, the "Use and Care" instructions that come with the pan make no mention of it needing any seasoning.The only recommendation was to use a little oil to prevent sticking.Don't get me wrong; I love my Lodge Dutch ovens.The quality of the ceramic finish on the inside and outside of the Dutch ovens is extremely smooth and provides a very stick-resistant surface.That's how I was suckered into buying this pan. Boy was I in for a surprise. The food surface finish is very rough.In fact, it looks exactly like one of their "pre-seasoned" regular cast iron surfaces, maybe even rougher.The first time I tried to fry some eggs in it (and they were literally floating in oil) the eggs stuck down so badly that I had to rip and scrape them out of the pan.So now I have an expensive, yet worthless frying pan that I have to be really careful about putting into water when it's hot and dare not put over a strong flame (such as a campfire) that has a "ceramic finish" on the cooking surface that is way, way, way, worse than a properly seasoned regular cast iron pan.No thanks.Sometimes you win by buying the cheaper brand (Lodge Dutch oven vs. Le Creuset) sometimes you get stung.

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I love cast iron and could not imagine cooking without it.I can not use my original Lodge on my induction cooktop. I wanted a replacement and an Enameled cast iron product was a great solution.Le Creuset is the highest rated however,a very expensive choice compared to Lodge.I was excited to find a Lodge enamel at Target and purchased mine about 3 mos. ago.It began chipping alomost immediately, mostly around the handle(s) and rim.Now large chunks are coming off the bottom.It is unusable.I am going to try to take back to Target and will purchase a Le Creuset as soon as possible.

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Did extensive research before buying this skillet. Knew that there were some unhappy folks out there, but also figured there are ALWAYS people ready to give negative reviews about anything whatsoever. Plus, I'm pretty careful and conscientious in the kitchen; I'm not going to go banging this pan around.

Today makes one week that I've owned this pan. After using it all afternoon to make bechamel sauce on medium low heat, I noticed that there's a chip in the enamel, where the handle meets the body of the pan.

This pan has never seen high heat. It's been babied for the whole week I've owned it. And it's chipping.

On one hand, it WAS only 1/3 the cost of a comparable skilled by Le Creuset. (Trying to remain upbeat, here.)

On the other hand, there really is no excuse for this. I can see chipping after a year... or even six months of heavy use and occasional carelessness. But come on.... one WEEK?

It's disappointing. I wanted so badly to love this pan.

I guess I'll use it as long as I can and never get another Lodge ceramic enamel product. I wouldn't recommend this product to my friends. Or even to my enemies.

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All-Clad Stainless 14-Inch Open Stir Fry

For a flat bottomed, Western style wok that will work on flat ranges / stove tops, this is an excellent wok.

Recommended if you can afford the it!

For it:

Excellent heat distribution / conductivity / diffusion thanks to aluminum core. This wok heats quickly throughout the flat bottom and heats gently up the sides.

Grips food well enough when pushing food up the sides to lower temperatures.

Low heat retention compared to thick cast iron.

Excellent All-Clad build quality. This wok is sturdy!

Cleans up easily with hot water, soap, and light scrubbing.

18/0 magnetic stainless steel bottom works great on induction range.

No non-stick coating. You can get this wok very hot for proper stir frying!

Wide. Ample space for a large stir fry. This is both a pro and a con since it will consume a lot of space on your range.

Against it:

Heavy (about 5 pounds or 2.3 kg). Weak arms may not be able to lift this easily. If you're a chef and/or accustomed to a cast iron wok, you'll have no issue lifting and flipping food.

Awkward stick handle. The long stick handle protrudes almost straight out of the wok, is rather thin, and has a ridge. If you normally use a shorter, wide, cylindrical stick handle, or the dual loop handles, you may not like this wok's handle. It's it's a negligible design flaw though.

If you're looking for the feel and handling of a thin, relatively light, carbon steel Chinese wok, this is not it!

Shallow. This is shallower by about 5mm or more than an average Western flat bottom wok.

Higher heat retention than carbon steel.

High price relative to carbon steel wok.

Conclusion:

This is an excellent Western wok and is a must have if price is not a concern. If you're looking to avoid caring for carbon steel or cast iron (seasoning, rust, breakage), need to use soap to clean up (hygiene requirements, restaurant work), or just prefer leeching nickel from the stainless steel rather than the extra iron from cast iron, this All-Clad wok is a great choice. If you have no such concerns and are equipped with a gas range and wok ring, grab a more authentic round bottomed carbon steel wok instead, but be sure it's multi ply.

I did not find a problem with the balance, as previously mentioned by another reviewer. The only thing a potential buyer needs to be aware of is, that if they are planning on tossing their food, they had better be strong because this unit is heavy! Other than that, it proves to be very useful for large portions. It heats quickly, heats evenly, holds the heat and leaves plenty of room to stir. Yes, it does heat evenly and allows the heat to drift up the sides. The purpose of a stirfry pan is to allow heat to move the sides of the pan to allow food touching the sides of the pan to cook as well. Now keep in mind, there isnt a perfect stirfry pan out on the market if you are cooking on a traditional gas top, flat top or coil range. True frying ala Asian style is done on an open flame!

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I order this for my husband's birthday.He is quite a chef and likes to make Asian stir fry, but his old wok was in need of replacement.Most of our cookware is All-Clad so I ordered this for him and he loved it.I expected great quality from All-Clad and it delivered.Not only does he love the way it cooks but it also cleans beautifully (I know, I do the dishes!).I highly recommend this item.

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We received this wok as a wedding gift years ago.It is our most used pan that we own and we own a lot.We absolutely love it and use it for many different recipes outside of just stir frying.The long handle and All-Clad grip assists in maneuvering this heavy duty wok.It heats quickly and evenly given the proper heat source.You will never have to buy another wok because it will last forever.

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Love All-Clad products. If you treat them with care, they will last a lifetime. Great size and shape for any cooking/frying. It is a little heavy to toss food but I have no problems using a spatula for cooking. Great heat distribution.

A little hard to store in my small apartment because it is so wide but overall, great product. Slowly replacing all my cookware with all-clad.

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Hamilton Beach 31605 HealthSmart Indoor Grill

I wanted to replace my George Foreman grill and happened upon the Hamilton Beach Indoor Grill at this site.After reading the ratings from other consumers, which I think is a fantastic idea for Target.com, I was ecstatic!All of the things I disliked about the GF grills were mentioned by others, especially the task of cleaning them.Cleaning my HB grill is far less difficult because everything except the electric probe is immersible.I was a bit concerned about grease splattering because the HB grill isn't covered but that turned out to be a non-issue.Not to mention, it costs less than 1/2 the price of the comparable GF grill!Thank you Hamilton Beach for making such an outstanding product and thank you Target.com!

Have used the grill many times and it works great.Very little smoke.The challenge is cleaning the unit without ruining the grill.Foods have a tendency to stick and even with a sponge and much elbow grease it is very difficult to keep perfectly clean.I just used a portable steamer to clean it and that did the trick.

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Checked the reviews before i bought this grill.. and was quite impressed... although i got it cheaper at target ... so pays to check the local stores before buying it online!... no more broiled steaks!... come out awesome.... and do not dry out... in this grill.. and cleaning is a snap.. just dump the thing... into the dishwasher... assuming you've lightly rinsed it out.. after cooking... highly recommend it.

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I got this as a shower gift a few weeks ago.It works great!The heat is even, cleaning is easy, and no smoke.The package said using sauces could cause smoke, but we never had a problem.My only advice is don't cook meat on the bone on this grill.It took forever to cook a few chicken legs, and they were still raw in the center. If if had a lid to hold the heat in maybe it would have worked a little better.I'm going to stick to burgers, shrimp, veggies, and boneless chicken.Those all turn out great.

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Alright, for those that says clean up is a breeze, notice how most of those reviewers have a dishwasher.But for those folks without one, this item is by no means a "breeze" to clean.The item is simply too large to fit in a regular kitchen sink (or at least the one I have).So soaking it is out of the question.The nonstick coating does absolutely nothing.If you try to grill anything with a sauce or marinate, be prepared to spend hours trying to scrap off gunks congealed sauce residue.And because of the nonstick coating you cannot use a metal scrubber.

And if you think about it, Teflon doesn't recommend the use of their pans over high heat, for the teflon coating would melt and wear out.So why would anyone have a teflon coated grill, where the process of grilling probably necessitates the highest temperature out of all cooking methods?

I've learned to work around with it.Such as covering it with a disposable aluminum pan while it preheats so it heats up faster.And placing foil in the drip tray so clean up is easier.But the size and grate-cleaning problem persist.

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Tramontina Gourmet Cast Iron Covered Casseroles

The price can't be beat! $45 with free shipping is a great value regardless of what I write in this review. I was excited to open the box, and loved the color immediately! I continued to be impressed by the weight of the pot. But after completely un packing, I placed the lid on the pot, and looked at my wife and said, this is why a Le Creuset is $245, and this was only $45. The lid does not seal tightly, and you need to rotate the lid to find the position where it seals best, though it's still not 100%, closer to 90%.

Would I buy it again? Probably. Would I have bought it in a store, where the faults were clear before making the decision to purchase? Probably not. I just cannot justify the $200+ dollars for the "real deal".

I hope this helpful.

UPDATE: After using this dutch oven many times for a variety of dishes, I would increase my rating to 4 stars. The initial dissappointment of the ill fitting lid has faded, and what remains is a pot that does its job well and even out on my bakers rack, next to a Le Creuset, holds its own in terms of looks.

I've used Le Creuset for years, but as my family grew, I wanted to get a larger Dutch Oven.I was hesitant in forking over the money for a 7 qt. Le Creuset, but when I saw the 6.5 qt. Tramontina for a fraction of the cost of the Le Creuset, I figured I couldn't lose especially since there was a Lifetime Warranty.I used this Dutch Oven for everything from braises, stews, to bolognese.My only qualm was that the interior would stain which I expected after reading the little manual...no big deal.I noticed that the enamel interior wasn't as thick as the Le Creuset, but I didn't care as long as I can cook with it.I liked the heft of the pot and its heat retention ability.

The fact that you can't use this pot at a setting higher than medium was ridiculous to me, but I complied so that my warranty would not be voided.I seared my meats in a stainless steel pan and then transferred the meat and deglazed the fond into the dutch oven.This was a bit of a pain, but it didn't really bother me that much.

Well, the lack of all the layers of enamel that Le Creuset uses that Tramontina skimps on came to haunt me in what I now regard as an obvious inferior product.The old cliche definitely rings true in this case, "you get what you pay for."After making a pot of beans, I soaked the pot.When I went to hand wash the pot, there were several raised bubbles underneath the layer of enamel.My pot was not chipped on the inside, but there were discolored "veins" that ran on the inside of the pot.These veins were actually cracks that allowed water to get under the thin layer of enamel.This was not cool.This pot is now absolutely useless!I'm afraid of rust problems under the enameled layer and the idea of chunks of enamel cracking into my food is not very appealing.

I contacted Sam's Club and they had someone at Tramontina contact me.They seemed helpful and sent me a return label and promised a replacement after inspecting my dutch oven.I miss having a large Dutch Oven.I'm willing to give the Tramontina another try hoping that maybe my pot just didn't have enough layers of enamel on it and I'm waiting for my replacement pot.If I run into the same problems again, I will write the product off for good and just cough up the $300 for the Le Creuset (which I've owned for 20+ years and have never seen this issue).A year ago, I would have given this product 4/5 stars because of it's excellent value and ability to serve my needs, but with cracks surfacing, I can't recommend this inferior pot.

Update: After over two months, I just received a shipping e-mail confirmation from Tramontina that my pot is going to be shipped back to me.Here's hoping everything pans out and that my problems were a batch quality issue.I'm changing my rating from 1 star to 3 stars because the company stands by their lifetime warranty and is trying to stand by their product.Excellent service from Tramontina makes me feel a bit more confident about this dutch oven.I'll see in a year or so if the pot stands-up to actual use in my kitchen.

Update 01/25/11: I got my pot back at the end of May 2010.They ended up sending me a brand new pot.I actually liked the look of this pot better because it was a solid cherry red color instead of the one red color blending into another deeper red color.I've used this pot a handful of times to make some ragus, marinas, and pot roasts.As expected, I experienced some minor cosmetic staining on the inside which of course is not a big deal.The pot also suffered a chip on its exterior near the handle(I don't know how this happened because I've never dropped the pot) which does not affect its performance and of course is not a big deal.The heat retention is excellent (I'm able to keep a gentle boil at a medium-low heat for my braises).I have not put this pot through the oven yet this time but I don't expect any surprises.

The only "issue" I've noticed after over 6 months of use is that the texture on the bottom of the pot is different than the texture closer to the top.It has a matte feel and look and does not have the gloss of the enamel.I experienced the exact same thing last time with the change in texture and I think because there were dimples in the enamel on the inside (uneven layers of enamel), these became such weak points that it lead to the enamel cracking (this is just my theory, Tramontina never commented).No cracks in the interior of the pot yet for water to seep through and raise concerns about rust.

At this time I don't think the change in texture will affect its performance.I still think it's great that Tramontina will stand by its product so you don't have anything to lose to give this product a try.I'm still leaving the product at 3 stars because of it's great performance ability and its excellent value, but I'm still unsure about the quality of the interior's enamel and how long it will last since I can already see obvious changes.I'll continue to use this pot as long as I don't get any dangerous cracks.

Update 05/27/12: This pot has been put through the works and performs beautifully (average usage is roughly 2-3 times per month).It has been in and out of the oven without any issues.I did have it scorch on me a couple of times because I made thick "bechamel" based soups and forgot about it (left the lid open and too much liquid evaporated), but an overnight soak and a paste of Barkeepers friend or Bon Ami (cleaning detergents similar to Ajax or Comet but not as harsh) cleans the pot right up.The enamel on the inside's bottom is nice and even, but the lustered gloss is definitely gone.As I mentioned before, the bottom is matte now and it has remained that way.The interior's walls are still glossy, only the bottom has lost its gloss.With the lustered gloss, the pot would stick less and be easier to clean.With the matte pot, once the fond or brown bits develop in the pot, they are easily scraped up with a wooden spoon when you deglaze it with wine, chicken stock, water, etc.So I have bumped the rating of this product up to 4 stars because it performs well and is a great pot to have in your kitchen.I can't give the product 5 stars because the interior bottom's gloss doesn't remain which leads to a few minor issues.As long as you use this pot for the appropriate techniques, you'll be quite satisfied in its performance.Definitely do use this pot on lower heats to prevent sticking and scorching.I recommend this pot as a budget friendly alternative to Le Creuset's pot.Both pots are HEAVY, but this is a favorable must for heat retention in making braises, pot roast, stews, etc.As I pointed out, the only issue I see with the Tramontina Cast Iron Enameled Dutch oven is its loss of gloss after usage over time.This does make the pot a bit harder to clean, but its not like you can just wipe the Le Creuset pot clean either.I'm okay with having to use a little extra elbow grease once in awhile if I accidentally scorch this pot.Do expect the matte part to stain more than the glossy part, but stains on the interior of the pot doesn't bother me since it doesn't affect performance.

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I bought this pot about a week ago and was amazed at just how sturdy (around 20 pounds in weight!) and versatile it is!I plan to use it to fry chicken on the stove and to bake bread in the oven.This pot was highly recommended by Cooks Illustrated so I feel confident that it's going to work like a charm!Couple things to note...the lid is only good to 400 degrees due to the knob, not 450 like the product description states.I purchased a Le Creuset knob to replace the Tramontina knob, but the screw for the Le Creuset knob is shorter and skinner than the one that comes with this pot so I'll have to get a new screw before I can make the swap.Oh, and you'll have to season this pan before you use it.That was no big deal really...just put a little shortning on the top of the pan where the lid rests and then stick it in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees and you're in business.All in all, I'd say this pan is terrific and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a versatile pan in the kitchen to use on the stove or in the oven.It's a tremendous deal when you compare it to it's cousin, Le Creuset, that costs around $300!!!

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I have shopped at Amazon for years and have been very satisfied with most of my purchases, this is the first time I was so impressed that I had to write a review.We have wanted a cast iron/enamel interior dutch oven for quite some time.I bought a Martha Stewart at Macys and returned it immediately due to a defect in the enamel interior.We decided to try this Tramontina and love it.I made Chicken Catchatori tonight and it was amazing.Tomorrow we're making beef stew and the next night......

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I discovered this item in an "America's Test Kitchens" cookbook with recipes for dutch ovens that can be used on stove-top & in ovens. It was recommended as a less pricey alternative to LeCreuset with the same features. Based on other customer's reviews I also purchased the LeCreuset stainless steel replacement knob to replace the plastic one on the Tramontina item (recommended). I had to get a different length & circumfrence bolt (screw) from my local hardware store to adapt but it only cost me 19 cents! This item must be hand washed (no dishwasher)but it's a breeze to clean up no matter what you cook. So far everything I've made in it was fantastic!

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Circulon Symmetry Chocolate Hard Anodized 12" Covered Stir Fry Ultimate Pan

We purchased the Symmetry eleven piece cookware set plus this piece to replace our old mismatched cookware that we have had for years.I can only say that we are not only pleased with the quality of Symmetry but also how well it preforms.The cookware is thick hard anodised aluminum, which is actually harder than steel and conducts heat much better.Thicker means better heat distribution and no "hot spots".The non stick is a three layer coating called Autograph 2,it is one of the newest and best available.It can be cleaned in the dishwasher or simply wiped clean, which is what we do. The coating is tough enough that metal utensils can be used--we still use non scratch as most of ours were used on the older pieces of cookware.

Stir fry is a favorite of ours so this pan gets used a lot.Have found that we do not need the high heat as much as in the older pan, and that because of the thick construction the heat is more even from the bottom and up the sides.I need to also mention that sometimes we use a portable induction burner and all of the Symmetry pieces work fine including the Stir Fry pan.

The glass lid makes this piece useful for a lot more than stir fry--have a small rack that fits in the bottom of the pan that makes it great for steaming.This piece is a wonderful addition to the set and one that gets used a lot in our kitchen.

Just an afterthought:Fried eggs in the eight inch pan, no oil, no spray etc. they slid out onto the plate with no help--the best non-stick ever!

My daughter and I don't know how we managed without this pan. It is light weight and easy to use. The lid is great

but it does steam up so we can't see the cooking food. Other than that, this pan is perfection..

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It works wonderful he is still working on different food eggs was awesome, frying great . I love the handle it grips good wish it was on the whole handle so if you have small hands it would be good if you don't then is fine too. It just as I saw in picture was pretty big like I wanted for my husbands was exactly what he was looking for. Have. It try the oven yet so don't know how good it will be.

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i bought this item separately from my 13-piece Hard-anodized Cookware Set Chocolate Stainless Steel Base (unfortunately, it wasn't included in the set). The cookware set in itself is amazing and I have to also say that this separate piece was equally amazing. I'm so satisfied that I made this separate purchase. It is an easy cleanup and such great quality. I really have no complaints.

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KitchenAid Stainless Steel Nonstick 8-1/2-Inch Skillet

This pan arrived on time. It was purchased to replace another KitchenAid non-stick pan that was damaged and has been used frequently to make eggs since we received.

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Evriholder Silicone Pot Handle Holder, Colors may vary

These arrived promptly.They make it easier to grip my cast iron pots and pans, (Lodge).They are a good reminder that the pan handle IS hot if I remove it from the stove, (or oven), and leave it on.These may be too long for most of my cast iron pots, but they don't affect the grip at all.I have problems with gripping and holding things that are heavy bad hands.And these help me maintain my grip.

The nice thing is that if the pot handle holder or the pan handle does get wet it will not scald my hand the way a combo cloth only, or a cloth and silicone pot holder does, plus it is easy to wipe dry on the outside.

Picking up a cast iron skillet, and trying to twist my wrist to pour out of it is slightly difficult with the pot handle holder on BUT it is MORE difficult using a regular pot holder, and this pot handle holder makes it easier in that I don't have to struggle with my grip plus trying to keep a pot holder wrapped around the handle.So at least half the battle is eliminated with this Pot Handle Holder.I can concentrate more on trying to maneuverer the pan and keeping a good grip on it rather than making sure a regular pot holder doesn't open up and burn me.I suspect this issue is due to my bad hands, and the fact my hands are rather small.For small hands, this Pot Handle Holder beats ANY regular pot holder by leaps and bounds.

I like how it snuggles right up against the pan enabling me to get a closer grip there for picking up the heavy pots and pans.I found out if I put the pot holder handle with the hole down, (it has a hole on the edge for hanging up on a hook, and also it is where the label is connected when it arrives), it snuggles very close to the pot, protecting my fingers from accidentally touching the side of the pan while gripping the handle.

I chose the color red to remind me the pan handles are hot, plus it makes it easy to find.

The inside of this item has ribs, which help grip the handle, (and peel garlic, see last paragraph below).If you leave the handle holder on the pot, yes it will become uncomfortably hot, the same if I put a pan in the oven with this holder on the handle.Luckily the grip is easy to slide on and off of the Lodge cast iron pan handles.It is also useful to hold the pan handle while stirring and frying.If they get too hot for comfort, I pull it off, and let it cool down 30 seconds or so when I pull them off the pan, they start cooling down immediately.Very nice.I like the ease with which I can slide the Pot Handle Holder on and off my Lodge cast iron pan handles due to the generous width of this pot handle holder.

Best of all, I love the price.And I love how it can fit all my other pots and pans' handles,(Kenmore line).

This particular pot handle holder also has another unique use I discovered.I can use it to peel garlic!Have you seen those garlic peelers that they sell that are rather expensive for just being a tube of silicon/plastic?You put in your garlic, then you roll it around on the counter top with the palm of your hand putting a slight pressure on the garlic inside as you roll a few back and forth rolls, and the garlic is peeled!The garlic skin is easy to remove out of the Pot Handle Holder because the holder is an even width from the opening all the way through to the end.Pretty nifty!I've been wanting to order one of those garlic, but now I don't need one.This pot handle holder works perfectly for peeling garlic.: )

I already own several Silicone based pot holders.None of them conduct heat as well as this one.In this case, as its stated goal is to not conduct heat, I would count this as a failure.

Its not without use, however you cannot leave the pot holder on the pan for any period exceeding a minute without it becoming excessively warm.

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Not at all protective! It could burn you in just a few seconds! I used this Pot Handle Holder on an iron skillet that was only being heated to 350 degrees. I put the holder on, then immediately removed the skillet to place it on the stovetop not more than 10 feet away and it was already hot enough to feel very uncomfortable. My thumb was actually very pink from the excessive heat, but did not thankfully blister.

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Doesn't fit any of my pot handles tight, but it works okay if you're careful. Also, if you try to use it on cast iron skillets, to gets too hot to pick up the pan. And I slipped it on the pan right before I wanted to move it, so it didn't have more than a minute to get that hot. So much for the high temp. it's supposed to be good up to.

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This product is very big and awkward.It slips over handle but when you go to pick it up it allows the pan to slip and not turn it.It feels very insecure in my hand.I think it would work better for a cast iron pan or something with a big and thick handle.

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