Cast Iron Pans

[BUDFORCE]

I'll start off by saying I am not actually seriously considering buying one of these as that is a serious amount of cash, but something did interest me.

Le Creuset Cast Iron Signature Saute Pan with Wood Handle, 28cm, Satin Black

Buy Le Creuset Cast Iron Signature Saute Pan with Wood Handle, 28cm from our Chef & Saute Pans range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

I believe the above link is ok as afaik OCUK don't sell frying pans, but basically the product description states:

Enamel interior
The pan is coated with a black enamel finish that protects it for high surface heat use and will not wear off.
It comes with a lifetime guarantee for complete peace of mind.
How would this actually work in practice though? I cannot believe that the cooking surface (if enamelled) would last forever? If you bought it, then say in 20 years time, the surface was a but scuffed or whatever, you could return it and get a new one?

So I googled Le Creuset UK's T&Cs under the warranty:

The lifetime guarantee covers faulty workmanship and/or materials when the product is used in normal, domestic conditions and in accordance with the care and use instructions provided. It does not cover normal wear and tear, commercial use or misuse of the product.
So basically if the pan becomes worn through use, which it no doubt will...at some point....that counts a wear and tear?

I was looking for a cast iron pan becuase carbon steel (IMO) is too high maintenance and cast iron is so much easier, all be it expensive.

I did tspot this one though I am somewhat tempted, as far as I can tell, unlike the Le Creuset there is no enamel layer, just cast iron, so in theory lasts forever provided you take basic care of it:

Skeppshult Cast Iron Deep Frying Pan with Wood Handle, 28cm

Buy Skeppshult Cast Iron Deep Frying Pan with Wood Handle, 28cm from our Frying Pans & Skillets range at John Lewis & Partners. Free Delivery on orders over £50.

www.johnlewis.com

£145 is a lot of money dont get me wrong, but your probably looking about the same cost over 10 years of buying other pans that will wear out.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Yeah trying to find one for less, need minimum 28cm, ideally 30cm, depends how the pan is tapered because the diameter is usually measured from the top edge not the bottom cooking surface.

 

[BUDFORCE]

There is this one the handle looks nasty though.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pre-Seasoned-Skillet-Frying-Cookware-Outdoor/dp/B08X66XV2T/ref=pd_rhf_d_se_s_pd_sbs_rvi_sccl_2_2/259-9533800-2815713?pd_rd_w=NwBaq&content-id=amzn1.sym.172aea50-8ae8-47a0-805c-c0e1e5d5d710&pf_rd_p=172aea50-8ae8-47a0-805c-c0e1e5d5d710&pf_rd_r=S907GWGRRSFGTYFZDMX5&pd_rd_wg=Di61v&pd_rd_r=5ae73e14-0372-47ad-ad34-ebc97146c032&pd_rd_i=B081RVZ1QG&th=1

I could I could fabricate me own handle as an extension on that one, would be easy enough I think.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Kind of.

I can't speak for the enamel, but I have some non-stick Le Creuset purchased directly from them, and it's now damaged. I spoke to them about it, and they said that if it's damaged it must have been misused

I will probably fight it at some point but just can't be bothered right now.

Yup I was reading through it and thinking the whole lifetime guarantee thing is a joke.

It basically covers the workmanship or design faults or whatever, but they caveat it does not cover wear and tear.

Well I am not being funny but it isnt like there are many components are working parts to a frying pan, there is literally nothing that can break/go wrong, other than wear and tear. If you buy the pan and its cracked or whatever you can return that as part of your statutory rights anyway, so their "lifetime guarantee" is effectively meaningless.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Unless you have specific recipe that uses that shape and aize of cast iron pan, I would not get it. It is too heavy to do any kind of pan flip with your hands, unless you are a massive body builder.

Instead, get a carbon steel, it has pretty much the same heating and cooking properties as well as durability as cast iron, without the weight.

I know because i have a cast iron pan that size, don't really use it, i use the carbon steel a lot more.

Problem I have is I just cannot get a good season on the one I have.

It's a De Buyer mineral b, so should be a good pan but whatever I do it'll stick then char on crust.

I even completely stripped it, tried building up so very thin/light season layers but soon as I tried to use it, nope. Tried every YouTube method, everything.

I reckon it's how my induction hob transfers the heat through the pan, because you got like a hot ring in the middle then cooler around the edges.

I have a carbon steel wok, and that one is fine, although that one I only use on an outdoor gas burner, so maybe it is my hob. I also have a cast iron wok and the thing is just so easy to maintain, I even occasionally wash it in hot soapy water, and after re-season it's good to go, and that is on the induction. But it's put me off trying another carbon steel.

I think cast iron is a lot more forgiving, maybe better for induction.

 

[BUDFORCE]

I don't think cast iron is really any better for induction than carbon steel, at least in my experience. You're right that it's basically impossible to season either properly on an induction hob, and you'll get the same uneven heat distribution with cast iron - maybe it's just not a problem when you're using the wok.

Have you tried seasoning the De Buyer pan on your outdoor burner? I have one of those pans, and once I got a gas burner I was able to get a decent seasoning on it.

Yup, did the first time, as soon as it went on the induction hob it stuck and burned on.

We have no mains gas here, but when we eventually get around to getting a new kitchen I'll install a gas burner, run off a gas bottle, I'll run the line through the wall.

Induction is great for sone things, anything liquid in a pan, like boiling pasta, but really anything like that, stew etc, it'll boil water faster than gas, I'm sure more energy efficient, safe and easy to clean. But anything where you need to fry and it's useless really. If I use non-stick pans, usually they'll get warped, plus they are bad for the environment anyway.