What makes some cast iron cookware more valuable than others?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “big name in cast-iron cookware“
About Amelia
Written by: Amelia
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What makes some cast iron cookware more valuable than others?
You can check the answer of the people under the question at Quora “big name in cast-iron cookware“
About Amelia
It comes down to weight and finish. Some older skillets are finely finished and when properly seasoned and cared for are a virtually non stick surface. many are lighter in weight which is also a desired feature when handling it. There are newer pebbled preseasoned skillet but I definitely prefer a smooth surfaced skillet.
Calphalon 10-Piece Pots and Pans Set, Nonstick Kitchen Cookware
Old cast iron cooking ware is highly desirable as it has “seasoned in” .
How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet – Field Company
“””” Seasoning is the black patina that builds up on your cast iron skillet with regular use, a non-stick surface that’s slick enough for eggs to skate across the pan , but tough enough to withstand the blazing heat needed to properly sear a steak. … Seasoning will develop layer by layer, every time use your skillet “”””, fieldcompany.com › pages › how-to-season-cast-iron-pan-skillet .
BELLA 21 Piece Cook Bake and Store Set
As usual: art, craft and service.
Let’s take a Le Creuset and a no-name cast iron pan.
(Top: Chinese bulkware, bottom: Le Creuset)
Both are roughly 28cm in diameter. Lets start with the form. Aside from the enameling, there are two important differences in the form: the spout (or the absence of it, repectively) and the height of the walls.
Let is come to the spout, first. Cast iron pans are pretty heavy. And even more so, if loaded. With the Chinese pan, you do not have a secondary handle, which would relegate you to using two hands on the main handle to use the spout. Manageable, but really, really unstable. For comparison: the Le Creuset, even without a snout, has a secondary handle to make handling more comfortable . And all Le Creuset with a snout do have a secondary handle, as well — to make its use more comfortable, too.
As for the walls: The Le Creuset walls are just high enough that you can use it as a sautée pan in a pinch. The higher walls also prevent your stovetop from getting greasy all over the place (only to a degree, ofc, but still). The walls of a Chinese pan are lower (making the snout even more useless) and have an angle, so that any grease that wants to exit the pan does not meet any resistance.
Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, but not only do I find the enamel of the Le Creuset more beautiful, but it does make cleaning the pan much more easy. Cleaning the outside of full body cast iron pan without enameling is tricky: If you use soap, the pan needs to be reoiled at least, lest it will rust. However, then it is a bit oily…
Service: Something gets broken in my Le Creuset, I go to the next shop and get the pan fixed or replaced. Try that with your bulk import pan.
If you know about those qualities, the admittedly quite high price of the Le Creuset becomes much smaller. You simply get more bang for the buck.
Non-Stick Cookware Set, Pots and Pans – 8-Piece Set
Name on it & quality of it. Not that there is better cheap cast iron goods for a much lower price than the name brands. In Mao’s great leap forward, At the end of the Korean war, after the end of the Vietnam war. & other such events. Scrap iron is collected. Melted, & turned into cast products. Many of these pots, skillets would crack in use. Do to so many inpurities & mix of metals in them. After the Korean war even motor blocks in vehicles had this problem do to the mixing of different scrap irons in the cast. From the battle fields. Were name brand makers kept iron standards higher. Today I think that made in Japan is best. Very high standards in all. Better than Lodge or some other name brands. But cost more. But you can still buy here some made in Maya mire or were ever very cheap. But the first year in regular use. 1 out of 10 will crack open. The pan & pot lids will not fit as tight, other minor problems. Also some older brands have gone under & became collectors items.
10 Pcs Non Stick Cooking Set w/ Frying Pans & Saucepans
What makes some cast iron cookware more valuable than others?
One thing makes some cookware more valuable and that is nothing other than “quality”. Nothing else matter, not the branding, endorsements, appearance … nothing.
Now, “value” should not be directly equated with “price” because price is most often determined not by value, but rather by arbitrary factors which are typically nothing beyond sales hype. For example, there are three brand names of cast iron cookware most commonly associated with very high prices, yet their actual value is no higher than any other brand or non-brand of equal quality. Rest assured, neither the food nor the fire cares a hoot about what brand name is on the cast iron.
Thus, the real “value” lies solely in what the user expects from the cookware because the truth of the matter is that a $15 skillet will cook the same and last just as long as a $280 skillet. – MarkKw
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized Nonstick 17 Piece Cookware Set