03/16/2026
I believe people put too much emphasis on what brand of cast iron they should buy. Some folks will see “MADE IN TAIWAN” stamped into the bottom of a pan and instantly turn up their nose at it. I’m guilty of this myself. I prefer vintage iron over most of the modern stuff and get excited about finding what is considered a high end piece. However, that doesn’t mean a large logo Griswold will sear a steak better than a $10 Walmart Mainstay. Yes, the Griswold will probably have a smoother cooking surface and feel much better in your hands than a cheap Chinese pan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be better to cook with. The simple fact of the matter is, all cast iron cookware will get the job done. Just as a Hyundai Elantra will get you from one place to another the same as a Mercedes S-Class. Some folks are on a budget and can’t afford a $250 Smithey skillet or spend $100 on a classic Wagner. Others feel it’s a waste of money to splurge on a utilitarian piece of cookware when a Dollar General Lodge will do just fine. My wife is one of those people. If I didn’t restore cast iron and run across these hidden treasures, there is no way she would pay for a high end skillet. As a matter of fact, her favorite pan is an ordinary BSR Century with a freaking crack in it! I have tried numerous times to trade out that pan with a much more valuable piece, but she won’t let me. I’m talking about gorgeous Wapaks, Favorite Piqua Ware and Chicago Hardware pans. The number of Wagners, Griswolds and arc logo Lodges I wanted to keep and she said no to is just crazy. She loves her BSR and won’t let it go. One of these days I will put my foot down and say, “Listen here woman! We’re gonna…” Yeah, that’s not going to happen, but anyway, she really likes her cracked pan. Says it cooks just the way she wants and doesn’t need anything fancy. So the point I’m trying to make, other than my wife is a bu****le, is how a pan cooks is much more important than the name stamped on the bottom. Find one you like, take good care of it, and pass it down to the next generation. It doesn’t have to be a high end piece to be considered valuable ❤️
