I reiterate the praises that other reviewers have given to this skillet. It is so well-priced for what you get--a highly reliable performer that is indestructible and that will outlast all of us. This skillet goes from the stovetop into the oven or broiler--or into a crackling fire--with no problem. The more I learn about and experiment with cooking, the more I appreciate that versatility. (Just be sure to invest in a silicon or other good quality, high-heat oven mitt or pad to protect your hands when using it in an oven or campfire.)

As much as I love All-Clad products, I've switched primarily to cooking with cast iron, and when I think about all of those Teflon-coated pans I've gone through in the last 30 years that must be filling up landfills somewhere, I wish I had never even heard of Teflon. If you can manage the weight of the cast iron, which most people should be able to do, there is nothing better and longer lasting.

Whether you get the preseasoned version of this skillet or not, the ritual of seasoning the iron with vegetable oil and coarse (kosher) salt is one that I always enjoy, and it requires very little time.

I was always skeptical about Cast Iron pans, because they just sounded like so much work to keep up with - seasoning, don't do this, do that -- For years I just stuck to my regular pans thinking I wasn't missing anything. Boy was I wrong!

The pre-seasoning part was also a big skeptical point with me, but true to words, it is. I love this pan. It's heavy, but thanks to the helper handle I never feel like I'll drop it. Cleanup is so much easier than I thought, and it really keeps it's tempature, even on a flat electric stove.

I have yet to make something in this pan that didn't come out great. From pan searing steak to frying chicken, I've had nothing but a consistantly good experience.

Every serious cook needs a 12' cast iron skillet. Properly seasoned, it is totally non-stick, cleaning up with a casual flick of a paper towel. If need be it can be scrubbed down to bare metal and reseasond. Try THAT with teflon! I have been known to over use the "high heat" setting, and happens that from time to time, billows of smoke emerge from my kitchen. If that's from a cast iron pan, it's merely a ruined meal. If it's my late, unlamented teflon-coated wok... it goes in the garbage WITH the ruined meal.

This particular design is a perennial for many reasons. It would be found hanging from the side of chuckwagons and in the kitchens of great homes. It works equally well on gas, charcoal, wood fires and electric stoves, so it's a camping essential.

It's rim is high enough to use as a saucepan - and that's where the term "pan gravy" comes from. Controllable, even heat is the secret to good gravy - and of course, meat juices.

It's equally at home in the oven as on the stove - unlike many composite-handled stainless steel skillets. The crust of a pie baked in cast iron is equal to or superior to Pyrex.

A twelve-inch steak and whatever pie, four inches deep will feed six to eight people easily.

It will also fry six eggs at a time; doing duty as a griddle.

All told, this skillet is one of the most generally useful items in the kitchen. Mine never leaves the right front burner of my stove.

Cast iron is excelent for general purpose cooking, and Lodge Logic makes good stuff. Plus, the fact that it comes seasoned means it's ready to use straight out of the box.

Cast iron is naturally non-stick, and so minimizes the additional chemicals that your food comes in contact with. Plus, the lack of an artificial nonstick coating means you can use a metal spatula or fork to stir and not worry about it reacting with the surface of the pan.

It's not perfect for every situation, though. Searing and other fast-heat techniques require a thinner metal, so I still have a copper-bottomed pan around just for that. But It's in a dark corner of the kitchen, and the Lodge Logic is right on the stovetop.

The only thing that holds it back from a perfect score is that, in my experience, the pre-seasoning is a bit shoddy. I lost the origional seasoning just a couple of weeks after getting the pan. Noticed the distinct metal-taste in whatever I cooked. But, of course, a couple quick coats of crisco, a couple trips through a hot oven, and it was back up to 100%.

Every cook should have a good set of cast iron. Even, gentile heat is perfect for most every cooking situation. And it can be used as a very handy weapon in case of intruders or bears.

I bought this last year as a fluke after hearing about cast iron on cooking shows. Well I must say that the performance of this pan outshines my other pans (Calphalon Commercial NSF that I have had for over 10 years. The old style made in the USA). Pros:
1- Pre seasoned, but I added another seasoning layer myself.
2- Even heating- it comes to temperature and stays there.
3- Easy clean up with a little boiling water, a brush, and if its really dirty I brush in a bit of salt.

Con:
It is heavy.

I heartliy suggest that everyone get one of these pans.

After trying it out, I bought a 5qt. Dutch Oven from Lodge. It too is a fantastic pot for the price.