10 Best Cast Iron Griddle For Gas Stove: Expert Picks for Superior Cooking

Customer Review: I have been cooking on cast iron for over 20 years. For those unfamiliar with cast iron, you simply don’t know what you’re missing. The flavor is second to none and the pans are virtually indestructible. I only had 2 10″ skillets and I have wanted to buy some new pieces for quite some time. In particular, I have wanted to buy a 12′ skillet, a dutch oven, and a griddle. I was actually hesitant to buy from Lodge based on the price being so low. How often does something like that happen? Anyways, after doing an ample amount of research I decided to pull the trigger and I ordered 2 pieces, this griddle and the 12″ skillet. To say I am impressed is a massive understatement, especially when you consider the price. Lodge cast iron could very well be the best deal going in the entire cookware market. I certainly can’t think of its equal, at least not that has this price point. My biggest concern was with the pre-seasoning. Its not that big of a deal as seasoning cast iron is very easy but I didn’t know if that was something I was going to have to do or not. I was pleasantly surprised as these pans really are ready to go right out of the box. Cast iron has never been this easy. The first thing I cooked was eggs using the 12″ skillet and the flavor was just as good as my 20 year old pans, something I wasn’t expecting. I then cooked up some pancakes using the griddle and they were nothing short of amazing. Of course, having a griddle of this size is great as it allows me to cook 6 pancakes at a time. I used to have to cook one or 2 at a time depending how big I made them. By the time you got three plates worth done, the initial pancakes were already cold. Well, say good bye to that problem. I also love that this griddle doubles as an indoor grill. I openly admit, I was initially only looking to get a griddle but the fact that this doubles as a grill is just amazing and it ultimately makes this pan just that much more indispensable and that much more of a bargain as your really getting 2 pans in one, 2 bigs pans at that. We tried the grill side out by cooking up some burgers and some asparagus and red and orange peppers. Once again the results were amazing. We have since cooked on both pans multiple times and each time the results were top notch. I had my doubts about the Lodge pre-seasoning but no longer. Its top notch and is really quite ingenious. Its important to note that this pan is extremely heavy. I would estimate that it weighs roughly 20 pounds. Its one big piece of cast iron! So if lifting heavy objects is a problem for you then you might want to consider that before buying. For those new to cast iron, just remember a few simple rules and your pans should last forever. When cooking, bring the heat up slowly and when using the griddle, make sure you heat both sides evenly even if your only using one side. In regards to cleaning, always hand wash with a stiff nylon brush. Never use detergents or soap and always use hot water as rinsing a hot cast iron pan with cold water can actually cause your pans to crack. Follow these rules and your pans will most likely outlast you. Bottom line – I am absolutely blown away by Lodge Cast Iron. The quality is amazing, the price is amazing, and the pre-seasoned pans are literally ready to go right out of the box. Again cast iron has never been this easy. This grill/griddle is easily one of the nicest pans I have ever come across. For those that have never tried cast iron, what are you waiting for? With Lodge’s pricing, what do you really have to lose? As I stated in my 12″ skillet review, I will be recommending Lodge Cast Iron to everyone I know, right after I order a few more pans. 5 Stars and then some!!!

Customer Review: Some months ago, we went on a bit of a spree and purchased a whole bunch of Lodge Logic cast iron cookware items from Amazon. Our family had been using some pretty awesome Calphalon (aluminum/nonstick) cookware for fifteen years or so. The Calphalon was (and is) still holding up quite well (nothing, and I mean NOTHING can destroy that cookware), but we wanted to make the move to cast iron for all the usual reasons. Cast iron requires a bit of care – especially early in the relationship. Lodge Logic cookware comes pre-seasoned, which is nice, but you’re probably going to want to treat it out of the box, anyway. There are innumerable website and videos (i.e. on YouTube) showing how to properly care for and season cast iron cookware. The effort is minimal for the payoff and you can take some solace in the fact that each time you use it – and subsequently care for it properly – it gets BETTER. It bears mentioning that I did not always “get” the concept of cast iron cookware and the black carbon coating it develops. Many, many years ago, I did a college housemate a “favor” and scrubbed his perfectly seasoned cast iron skillet down to the bare metal. It was CLEAN (and temporarily destroyed). I was a moron and my housemate let me know it, but, cast iron being what it is, it was possible to re-season it and get it back on the road to awesomeness. Lodge Logic items are sold at many common brick-and-mortar retailers so you can get a first hand idea of the size and weight of many of their items before ordering online. At the time I purchased these items from Amazon, though, the prices could not be beat and – absurdly enough (this stuff is HEAVY) – Free SuperSaver Shipping was available across the board. Now, for this particular item: Lodge Logic LPGI3 Pro 20-by-10-7/16-Inch Cast-Iron Grill/Griddle UTILIZATION – We have a typical four burner glass-top stove (with a warming element, too). The left side burners are “small” burners with a “bridge burner” between. This is where we use the griddle. – For cooking most things, we’ve settled upon setting all three burners (front/back/bridge) to about 6 out of 10. If you have a Spinal Tap stove that goes to 11, maybe try a 7. Put the burners on and let it heat for a little while. You’ll know when its ready to roll (water beads, sizzles, and evaporates the same on different parts of the grill). – On the flat side, we have cooked pancakes, french toast, sausage, scrapple, grilled cheese, cheesesteaks, and hamburgers. – On the ribbed griddle side, we have cooked rib-eye steaks, filet Mignon, London broils, kielbasa and peppers, chicken breasts, and pork chops. – This item works great with the Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Round Cast-Iron Grill Press. We purchased two of them. When cooking steaks, chicken, burgers, etc…, having the presses reduces cooking time, reduces splatter, and keeps the food from curling up on the sides. CLEANUP – If you can wash it while it is still warm, all the better. Hot water + a plastic scrub brush (no SOAP!) works great. If you’re just using the flat side, cleanup takes seconds. When using the ribbed griddle side, it can take a bit longer, obviously, because of the grooves and the types of things cooked on that side (meats). We lucked out and found a plastic kitchen scrub brush with a handle…the hard plastic head of which fits PERFECTLY within the grooves to scrape out the stuff that settles there. I once cooked steaks on the ribbed griddle side and left it on the stove until the next evening (oops!) and it cleaned up with hot water almost as easily as it would have the night before. – Dry it thoroughly and, with a paper towel, apply a very thin layer of vegetable oil everywhere. If you happened to use your oven to cook, throw it in there while the oven cools. The heat will be enough to get rid of any residual moisture and do a bit to expand the metal to allow further seasoning to occur. PROS – The griddle heats very evenly. I’ve filled it with meat from stem to stern and, with very little rotation, consistently end up with evenly cooked meals. – You can use whatever kitchen utensils you like with this puppy…kid gloves are not required. I’ve got a metal spatula that was in drydock for much of the Teflon era that has new life. – People love the ribeye steaks I make on the outdoor grill. The results indoors are different, for certain, but are absolutely outstanding. In fact, the results you can achieve with this item indoors may be more reminiscent of the high end steak houses (i.e. Ruth’s Chris or The Capital Grille) than what you can get grilling outdoors. – It’s big. You can accomplish things on this griddle that you cannot with a frying pan. For example, we buy those big bags of boneless/skinless individual chicken breasts from [a box store] and you can get eight or nine of those things jamming at once (so nice…throw them – frozen – right on the grill and season them for quick dinners). – It’s cast iron. ’nuff said on that. CONS – It is HEAVY. That’s not a problem for most people, but, in my case, my wife refuses to manipulate this griddle on her own. She asks me to set it up for her because she fears the weight and composition (a giant chunk of iron, baby!) combined with a glass stove top is a recipe for potential disaster. She is a wise woman. No big deal, really, since I do most of the cooking. – Fire up that range hood fan! This thing will throw off some serious smoke, especially when cooking meats. You’ve been warned. – Cleanup will suck if you don’t have the right tools to do it. It’s tempting to whip out the green scrubbies and get between those grooves, but you don’t want to scrape off that precious carbonized coating. As I mentioned, a sturdy plastic kitchen brush is your best friend. – We bought separate, darkly colored dish towels to use on all of our cast iron cookware. When drying after cleaning, the towel may pick up some of that dark residue, which is fine because scrubbing all of that off would be pretty stupid. Don’t ruin your nice white kitchen towels. IN THE END – This is a five-star item. The “CONS” are more warnings than anything…I would not recommend this item for your 88 year old grandma who doesn’t have a range hood. Warnings aside, the results are consistently delicious. The product is well-built, works as advertised, and, if treated right, will still be in use by your great-grandchildren and beyond. How cool is that? EDIT: Almost 3 years with this griddle and I still love it. I use it all the time. At this point, it is perfectly seasoned with a healthy coat of carbon and NOTHING sticks to it. I clean it easily with a dishwashing brush and hot water. I shake off the water and put on the bridge burner on the glass-top stove and turn it on high for about 90 seconds and turn it back off – that gets rid of any water. It never rusts. My wife still hates it because it is heavy, though. Meh.

Customer Review: This reversible cast iron grill and griddle is hands-down one of the best purchases I’ve made for my kitchen. The quality is exactly what you’d expect from Lodge—heavy-duty, durable, and built to last. I love that it’s pre-seasoned, which made it ready to go right out the box (Although I seasoned it again. I’ll give instructions on what I did at the very end of this review in my “PRO TIP”, if you’re interested in doing the same.). I’ve used it for everything from searing steaks and flipping pancakes to grilling veggies and making breakfast sandwiches, and it performs beautifully every single time. The heat retention is unmatched, and I love how evenly it cooks no matter what side I’m using. It turns an ordinary stovetop or campfire into a professional cooking surface, and it’s become one of my go-to tools whether I’m indoors or out. Cleaning it is surprisingly easy, especially if you care for it properly, and it just gets better with time. Like, seriously! Lodge just never disappoints, and this piece is no exception. If you’re serious about your cooking or just want to elevate your meals with that classic cast iron flavor, this is the one to get. It’s reliable, versatile, and honestly—an absolute joy to cook with. And now for my “PRO-TIP”… PRO TIP:: Give it a little extra oiling and bake it a few times when you first get it though (if interested, I’ll tell you how below) — you’ll fall in love with the results. Use an oil with a high smoke point and that forms a good layer of seasoning, like canola oil, Crisco (vegetable shortening), or grapeseed oil. I’ve used vegetable oil too. Avocado oil, I think can be used too, but don’t quote me on that particular one as I’ve never used it. But if I take a guess, I THINK it can be. But the FIRST thing you do even before oiling it and baking it is wash it thoroughly as soon as you get it with a teeny-tiny bit of soap and hot water, EVEN IF IT SAYS IT IS PRESEASONED! But ONLY DO THIS ONCE! After this first wash, you won’t have to use soap ever again! This is to remove any of the factory residue. But you are then to dry the pan completely. Then with a think layer of oil (I pour a bit on the pan and then take a paper towel and wipe it completely with oil in all of the nooks and crannies inside and out and the handle with an even coat of whatever oil you choose to use. Place it upside down on your top oven rack and put a baking sheet (or if you want to line the bottom rack with foil you can do that instead of the baking sheet) on the bottom rack to catch the excess oil that drips off the pan. Bake this @ 450 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Then turn the oven off and let it cool completely inside the oven to allow the oil to set. Now, for a smoother, non-stick finish, it’s BEST to repeat this process 2 or 3 times, BUT you don’t have to. I like to though, but who knows…maybe it’s because I’m extra. Then, BOOM! Your brand new cast iron is ready to make some magic happen!! Enjoy!!

Customer Review: Bought a new gas oven and stovetop with a center burner. The dealer wanted a lot of money for the center burner griddle. I declined and started looking for a substitute. What better cast iron can you get than Lodge? I found this one in similar dimensions to the OEM Whirlpool and am sure that it is twice the quality. It’s heavy and once I seasoned it to my liking, it has done diner quality ham and potatoes, made pancakes and quesadillas. It has a slight lip that helps prevent grease spills, washes easily and will probably outlast the stove.

Customer Review: Finally, the perfect size grill to cover two stove burners (in length and width) with no gaps or a burner flame under a handle. This is a heavy grill, not a skimpy one, regardless the country it was made in. Obviously was made solid and of good quality at the seller’s request. This grill is heavy, but not to heavy for a senior lady’s small hands to move it around, it has two nice handles and a all around channel for drippings. This grill is two-in-one. Nice and reversible, one flat side for pancakes, eggs, etc. and the other side for grilling burgers, chicken and other grilling foods. The flat side is also great for grilling eggplants and bell peppers for canning, you can fit 15 large peppers which is a lot to grill all at once. The grilling was pretty fast and without smoke inside the home! It comes pre-seasoned and ready to go. For this size and quality, the price of $ 27.99 is unbeatable! As with any other dishes or skillets made from cast iron, maintenance is key! After each use, clean it, dry it and wipe a thin layer of oil on it.

Customer Review: We just set it on our Kenmore propane grill, close the lid and get it hot; then, we cook a complete breakfast on the smooth side (pancakes, ham, hashbrowns, and eggs), and the following weekend I cooked steaks on the side with the raised edges which gave the steaks the identical grill marks as if I had not been using the griddle. I believe it improved the steaks (my wife and our guests raved) because the heat was perfectly distributed and my seasoning did not drip into the grill or dry out the meat. I rubbed a little oil on the steaks before putting them on the grill for 6 minutes per side (155 degrees with meat thermometer which I used because I didn’t want to take any chances with ruining $35 in steaks since I had not used a griddle before). Well, with both meals it passed it’s inaugural test with flying colors. It is also `pre-seasoned’, whatever that means – to me it appeared to have some sort of anti-stick coating, but that’s not it because food will definitely stick if you don’t apply a little oil or Pam spray before using it. Either way, the griddle feels like a top quality, chefs kitchen item and it is made of cast iron, not aluminum. The only thing that keeps me from using it more often – and, I greatly enjoy using it – is cleaning it after using the side with the raised grooves. My primitive, but effective method is to spray it off with the garden hose on the side of our home, then generously drizzle Dawn dish soap on it and spray on enough water to cover the entire griddle surface then let it soak for awhile. Its a little heavy as cast iron griddles are, and I don’t want to scratch up our sink, or have any grease residue go down our drain. I then use a few paper towels to rub it down and rinse it off with the garden hose. It does NOT absorb any soap for anyone taught not to clean a cast iron cooking implement with soap because of the pre-seasoned coating it has – and, anyway if avoidable I don’t ascribe to using crusty cooking implements, so its probably another reason this is a top notch griddle in my book because you have the option to go `old school’ if desired.

Customer Review: I’m very happy with this purchase. The product arrived on time and was well packaged. It matches the description perfectly and feels well made. Setup/use was straightforward, and it performs exactly as expected. I’ve been using it for a while now and haven’t had any issues. Overall, it offers good value for the price, and I would definitely recommend it to others looking for something like th.

Customer Review: Just as described and very heavy a very good product.

Customer Review: I used this inside a 20×40 cook chamber in an offset smoker. 1st picture is it sitting in the pit. Weighs about 20 lbs, very sturdy. Definitely has nonstick coating over cast iron. Watched youtube videos about nonstick/ceramic griddles. Learned important stuff. Keep temps medium, like you would any nonstick pan. I put it over 1.5 chimneys of briquette charcoal and it got hotter than I even expected it to. Even heat, tremendous heat retention. It stayed hot enough to cook on for well over an hour. No warping, no peeling. I cooked 4 burgers and mushrooms as a test run. Came out awesome. Picture 2 is during cook. Picture 3 is burgers pushed to side jut to melt cheese. You can have a cooler spot if you leave an end over part with no charcoal. Took 4 minutes/side then about 90 seconds to melt cheese. Another tip from videos: only use silicone/nylon utensils. Pit Boss makes a nice set for under $40 on Amazon. Steel utensils may scratch the nonstick. May not, but I don’t want to chance it. The silicone stuff worked great. The no stick surface performance was excellent. Cleanup was incredibly easy. Only challenge was waiting long enough for it to cool. Picture 4 is after just using a nylon scraper to push stuff into grease trough (youtube hack: put paper towels in grease trough and it makes cleanup even easier. When it was just warm to the touch I wiped it with a paper towel and it looked like it just came out of the box (picture 5). That was all I did to get it to look like that, wiped it with a paper towel. You can wash it like a pan if you need to. No need to season, you can wash it with disb soap, it’s strong and sturdy. Great non stick, even hear with greatheat retention. I think the negative reviews either got lemons or there was user error. Excellent option to convert a charcoal pit to a griddle, and good alternative to the rolled steel griddle tops (which are also awesome when used properly) because if the nonstick. Super easy cooking and cleaning. I recommend. Especially if you take a little time to educate yourself on how best to use this type of surface.

Customer Review: Solid and exactly as described. Heavy, with nice detachable handles. I purchased the uncoated version and it’s exactly what I was hoping for. A no frills, cast iron, uncoated flat cookbook that delivers on what matters, and doesn’t add unnecessary features at the cost of it’s primary purpose.

Customer Review: As a chef, I’m seriously impressed. This griddle heats evenly and holds temperature beautifully—no hot spots or warping. The enameled surface feels premium and cleans up faster than raw cast iron. I’ve used it for searing meats and cooking breakfast for my family—it performs like professional cookware.

Customer Review: Excellent product easy to clean easy to use cooks very evenly.

Customer Review: I purchased the Lodge Cast Iron Round Griddle, and it’s been a fantastic addition to my kitchen. I use it almost every day for eggs and other flat-cooking needs, and it performs flawlessly. The pre-seasoned surface is excellent—eggs never stick, which is a huge plus for everyday cooking. The griddle heats evenly and handles everything from eggs to tortillas and pancakes with ease. The low sides make flipping effortless, and the classic Lodge quality is evident in how well it’s held up with daily use. At $19.90, this is an incredible value for a piece of cookware that’s genuinely heirloom-quality and built to last generations with proper care. It’s become one of my most-used kitchen tools, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for reliable, affordable cast iron.

Customer Review: This is by far the most low maintenance pan I own. People don’t believe it when I say it; because most people who don’t believe it don’t know how to cook. I am sorry if it sounds harsh; truth often is. Now that we have gotten that out of the way; I will try to be as helpful as possible below. As I am an Informations Major; apologies in advance; old habits are hard to break; I will try to put in more information about a cast iron griddle than you ever wanted to know; and more information than you will ever need to know. ~~~~~~ Treatise on Lodge L9OG3 Cast Iron Round Griddle ~~~~~~ 1) The Background on why when done properly, cast iron is very non-stick I make the blanket statement that if you are spending more than 30 seconds cleaning this griddle; you have screwed up. I literally spend less than 10 seconds cleaning this griddle; I use this and the 10.25″ (L8SK3) Skillet so often that there is actually no place for them in my cupboard (on purpose), they live on the stove permanently. Before we get to the cleaning; we need to get to the non-sticking. Let me explain how cast iron seasoning works, and why when done right it’s more non-stick than teflon. Cast iron, as the name implies is “cast” into shape. They make a mold (usually out of sand) and then molten iron is poured into the cast. When it has cooled and formed; the mold is removed; and you have (in this case) your griddle. Because the iron is poured in liquid form; there are tiny bubbles and imperfections on the surface. Years ago; Lodge use to sandblast as a final stage to smooth out the surface; they do not do this anymore; but it does not make it any less non-stick. When you pour oil on the cast iron; as it is porous; some oil gets absorbed into the nooks and crannies of the cast iron surface. When you cook something with a fat in it; (or any hydro-carbon) and you overheat it; you essentially burn it. All the gunk burns off and what is left is near pure carbon (why a well seasoned cast iron is deep black). So when you season cast iron; that is what you are doing, you are putting some sort of fat onto it; letting it burn, and leaving only the carbon footprint on the surface. This black surface is called a Patina. Carbon bonds are pretty tough; and so a good Patina will essentially leave the surface of the cast iron with a very thin layer of pure carbon. In a horizontal lattice structure; the bond is strong horizontally; and forms a slippery surface. So before we begin even talking about cleaning; you have to have a good Patina on your griddle. Google “how to season cast iron” and you will come up with a thousand articles and a few thousand Youtube videos. 2) Making your griddle non-stick is the first part of easy cleaning So you have done your homework; and you have seasoned your griddle. Good! Now here is the secret that nobody is going to tell you but me. Let’s say you wanted to make pancakes on this griddle; here’s what you do; and if you follow my instructions to the letter; I GUARANTEE you the most non-stick griddle you’ve ever used. Let’s talk oils: You want something that can hold up to high heat. Extra Virgin Olive oil is a HORRIBLE choice. Do a search on “smoke point of oil” and take a look at the chart. If you are asking me for a recommendation as far as oil; it would go: Ghee (485F), Pig Lard (370F), Avocado Oil (520F). In that order. You want something that has no solids (so no butter, it burns) and something that has a high smokepoint. Most people use something like grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil etc.. and they all will gum up; making your griddle very sticky. Stick with the 3 oils I mentioned above; and you will be fine. (I personally use ghee if available when I cook meats; all other times I use Avocado Oil. If I’m deep frying though; I prefer Lard). Now here’s what you do (Seriously do EXACTLY as I say): You’ve decided you want pancakes; great. Take your oil or lard, and pour it on the COLD griddle. COLD. Take a paper towel, and rub it all around until its even; a thin light coating. Now go ahead and put the griddle on the stove; and fire it up; on low/medium low heat. With the back side of the same paper towel; as you start to see the griddle sweat oil (and it will) wipe it like you are buffing a car with car wax. Small circles; making sure there are no pools of oil anywhere. Once you think the griddle has stopped sweating; add a little bit of oil (I know, it sounds counter-intuitive as I just wiped oil off; but it’s not) and cook your pancakes. They will be SUPER non-stick. Here’s why it works. Remember I said that the cast iron is porous? So when you rub oil on it COLD; the oil will not seep into the crevices. It will sit on top of those crevices. As the griddle gets heated however; the oil will become much lower in viscosity, and flow in and fill those porous surfaces. The excess is seen as “oil sweat”. When the griddle is hot; and you’ve wiped it down well; what you don’t see is a very thin layer oil on top of the surface, this is now your non-stick surface! When you add oil; it lubricates the griddle so when you pour pancake batter or something; it will be less likely to stick. So you are wondering, how is this different than heating up the griddle then adding oil to it? You can answer this for yourself. Heat up a stainless steel pan if you have one. When it’s hot; throw a few water drops on it; you will see the water drops dance around. Why? Because the pan is hot; and so when the water touches it; the bottom side vaporizes and causes a mini explosion, sending the droplet into the air. Now what if you had water in the pan and heated it? You’d see the water sizzle but not jump around. When you heat the griddle; and then add oil; there is heat (and perhaps a little moisture) trapped in the porous surface; and trying to get oil into that surface will NOT happen. The nooks and crannies have hot air trapped in it; so oil can’t penetrate into it. So you have a dry griddle with oil floating on top; and when you pour pancake mix; the oil actually PARTS and now you have pancake batter on a hot dry griddle. No wonder your pancakes stick! Doing it my way will super-non-stick your pan. Incidentally; you can do this to a stainless steel pan and get the same effect! 3) Stiff Nylon Brush and Hot water is your friend If you have followed my instructions above; and have not turned the heat up so high or so long as to burn the griddle completely; and you are finished using it; then cleanup should be a 10 second affair, and not more. Because what you fail to realize until now; is that if you used the method above; you are SEASONING your griddle AS YOU ARE COOKING. So when you are done; the color will be a deeper black; and the griddle will be non-stick (more non-stick!). At this point; go ahead and get hot water running in the sink. When the water is hot; take your griddle over; and under hot running water; scrub vigorously with a stiff nylon brush for 10 seconds. You shouldn’t use soap.. EVER! Soap will strip the Patina and possibly rust your pan! If you have done as I taught; your pan will be completely clean in 10 seconds. I know for a fact because I do this everyday. If there is a hard to clean spot; it means you haven’t done as I said! Don’t worry; pour a little bit of baking soda on that area; and scrub with the nylon brush. That’s it! If you ran hot water while doing this; then turn off the water; shake the excess water off; and with a clean paper towel, wipe it dry. While the griddle is warm; go ahead and rub a little bit of oil ALL AROUND (that means bottoms and handles too!) making sure every surface is coated with a very thin layer of oil. Let it sit and rest. Next day; you can if you so choose; wipe off the excess oil as it too will sweat a little bit of oil. That is it! We eat 20 meals a week at home, and this griddle is involved in at least 18 of them. Do you think I have time to scrub scrub scrub until my elbows creek? Of course not. If the food doesn’t taste good cooked from it; then the pan is a fail; regardless of price. If it’s not easy to clean; then the pan is a fail. If it doesn’t last, it’s a fail. If food from it is unhealthy; it’s a fail. This pan scores and scores well in all these categories; but ESPECIALLY cleaning! People come over to eat; and see my cast iron skillets and they literally feel bad for me; thinking I’m going to be scrubbing until the cows come home; and are amazed that no pans I own take more than 10 seconds on my part to clean. Having owned cast iron; I can’t imagine owning regular pans simply because of the cleaning involved! 4) Why Cast Iron So we’ve talked about cleaning; but we haven’t talked about why cast iron. If you take a google at the list of thermal conductivity, you will be surprised. Aluminium scores in the 200’s, Copper scores a 385, Silver scores a 405, and stainless steel scores a 16. Granite scores a 2. Cast Iron scores a very low 55. So what we can conclude from this information is: There’s a reason why a lot of chefs like copper bottom pans; it conducts thermal activity well. There is a reason why some of the stainless steel skillets add an aluminium sandwich core; to increase the thermal conductivity of the pan overall. With a score of 55 though; cast iron is not very thermally conductive. That means it’s slow to heat up; but that also means however; once it heats up; it won’t cool quickly. This is what you need essentially when you sear something, or if you want to gently heat something. (Tangent; from the chart; this is why a lot of people swear granite rock steak is the best on earth.) Because cast iron heats slowly; you should really never use anything past a medium heat; heating it too quickly can cause it to crack. So low heat and more warm up time is the better way to go. So what does all this mean if I’m cooking a steak? Well, it means if I throw a piece of cold meat (incidentally; you should NEVER put a piece of cold steak onto a hot grill or griddle; the meat should be room temp or slightly colder than room temp). It means that when you throw your piece of meat on the griddle; because of the ability of the cast iron the retain its heat; it will not “dump” all the heat into the steak quickly; and the pan itself get cold. This is also why if you cook a steak in an aluminum pan; it scorches. What happens is; when you heat an aluminum pan; and then put a piece of steak on it; with the great thermal conductivity of aluminum; all the heat leaves the pan quickly; so the pan is now cold. The fire underneath then is struggle to bring the pan back up to temp; and by it time it does; the steak has lost all it’s moisture through evaporation and there is no searing or browning, you end up with a tough piece of dried steak. Because cast iron does not dump all it’s temp right away; when you put food on cast iron; the surface temperature does not drop dramatically. This means cast iron makes a great material for stir frying as well as deep frying pots. For our review of the griddle here; it means that when we pour cold pancake mix onto this griddle; the surface will not drop in temp dramatically; yielding you perfectly uniform pancakes. If you go to someone’s house and they make you pancakes; and the center is very dark and the edges are very light; chances are they used a cheap pan. (My guess; an aluminum bottom with telfon top) This is because as the batter mix is poured into the pan; the pan “was” hot; when the batter touched; the pan dumped all its heat into the initial point of contact with the batter (in this case, batter runs outwards in a concentric circle) so by the time the batter spreads; the pan is already cold, so the flame will attempt to bring the pan back to temp; and thus burning the part that was hot already (the center) and leaving the edges undercooked. This is also why people think pancakes at pancake houses taste better than homemade; because they use a big griddle at the restaurant. Well, now you can do the same. The other item two items that cast iron offers are something that has come in more of the limelight in the last few years than a few decades ago; and that’s health. Cast Iron is made of 100% iron; and so if you have something leech into your food; it would be iron; an essential mineral. Granted it might color your food taste; as well as the actual color; but it is essentially healthy for you. The other item cast iron provides for you is the knowledge that it’s a safe product. Compare that with some of the non-stick pans that will give you cancer when you eat it (hey buddy; those aren’t pepper flakes, they are scraped up teflon!!) Or aluminum pots and pans; that will give you Alzheimer. No thank you! 5) Low and Slow Because this griddle is round; and most heating (be it gas or electric) is round; you get very uniform heating. Couple that with the fact that cast iron is fairly uniform heating itself; and this makes for a good pan to heat something that you need heated evenly. I don’t own a toaster; why would you if this makes toast that comes out much more uniform; and tastes 10x better? In most toasters; there are strips of wires (heating elements) that run horizontally. They get red hot; and that’s is how your toast is toasted. You can see evidence of this by the burn streaks on your toast. When you heat your bread on this griddle however, you have uniform surface contact (assuming your bread is sliced uniformally) and thus you get very good crunch and very even crunch. Couple that with the fact that the bread is being heated on the entire surface all at once; instead of by a few red hot coils; and your toast actually toasts faster on this than in a toaster, and more uniform and more delicious. Put a little butter on it and sprinkle a little bit of garlic powder (or fresh garlic!) and you get garlic bread! Delicious! This is also perfect for tortillas; which I do every morning. We usually freeze our tortillas; and so coupled with a meat press; I take a frozen tortilla out; put it on this griddle; and press it flat with the lodge meat press. I flip it over in a minute; and give it another minute; put some cheeze on it; a little avocado and whatever leftover meat from dinner; and presto! Taco breakfasts. With the great even cooking surface; my wife likes to make egg tortillas; crack an egg and beat it; then pour into the skillet and then cover it with a piece of tortilla. The egg will stick to the tortilla and not the griddle! Flip it over; let it cook alittle bit; roll it up; breakfast egg rollers. Reheating pizza is something I do often on this; I put the pizza on and then put a small piece of aluminum foil over it; have it on low heat; and let it heat low and slow. I cook hamburgers patties on this; and they always come out perfect. Because of the shallow edges; it’s not a good idea to cook anything that has a lot of “juiciness” to it; but anything bread related; this is it! Reheating bread is a cinch; as is heating sandwiches. 6) Accessories I will recommend a few accessories that pairs quite well with this item. The first recommendation is the lodge meat press (LGP3). Like I said above; I use this to press everything from tortillas to hamburger patties. If you heat it first on the open stove top; you can then cook both sides together at once; like a panini without the grill marks. The second recommendation is a glass lid. I have 6 pots that are between 10.25~10.5″ in diameter. I found a very nice glass lid at the thrift store for $1. I changed the knob on it from the plastic to a metal one. This lid fits on all 6 of my pots! The glass allows you to look into the food without lifting the lid, while the lid is quite useful on the 10.25″ skillet; I use the lid on this griddle mainly to prevent slashes. My wife uses it when she reheats bread so the bread doesn’t dry out so quickly. Remember, while you are heating up the griddle or skillet and you know you will be using the lid; then heat up the lid as well. My third recommendation is the silicone hot handle holders. They help. 7) Full Circle ~ Let us begin at the beginning So we are back full circle; let me encourage you to buy this piece of kitchen equipment. The price and value in unbeatable, When you first buy this; and ONLY when it’s new; I do encourage you to use hot soapy water and a stiff nylon brush to clean the pan thoroughly. It comes out of the factory with a thin film of wax so it doesn’t rust, and so that requires a bit of soapy water to get off. Then go ahead and google and follow directions on how to season your pan properly; and season it; and you are ready for action! Most recommend your first official item cooked on this be bacon; and I agree! I do want to stress though what I said above; Ghee; Lard, or Avocado Oil as the three cooking oils of choice. Most vegetable based ones have a low flash point; meaning you will easily burn your oil which becomes carcinogenic, or else they will add a funky taste to your food. I have quite a few pieces of Lodge cookware and I fully intend to Will them to my grandkids. They are beautiful; durable, cooks beautifully; browns beautifully; makes food tastes much better, and the cost is near nothing for what it provides for you and your family. You owe it to yourself and your loved one; and your health and your loved one’s health to buy one. If you do what I tell you to do above; you will have the nicest; most non-stick griddle in the world. 8) Bonus: How to save a rusty pan So a lot of you for some reason have decided to put this in the item in the dishwasher… and now it’s super rusty.. never fear, I’m here! How to save your rusty griddle. Go to Walmart; and buy a 2-Liter bottle of regular Coke. (not the sugar free or diet one; regular Coke). Plug your sink up; put the griddle in it; and pour and cover with coke. Set your timer for 5 minutes if it’s kind of rusty; and 10 minutes if it’s super rusty. When the timer beeps; grab your roll of aluminum foil; about 1 square foot. Now ball it up into a ball. Take your griddle out of the coke solution; 90% of the rust should be gone already. Dab and scrub with the aluminum foil until no more rust. Drain the sink; get the hot water running; and scrub with the stuff nylon brush under hot running water. Congrats, you now have a new griddle! Now season it as you would; and go about your life. 9) Super Bonus: When to clean your pan There are 3 points in time when you should clean the pan: 1) Right after you cook; while the griddle is ridiculously hot. The food has not stuck onto the pan; and so it’s a great time to clean. But ONLY if there is no food left on it. 2) If there are bits of food on the pan, I’d actually wait until the food is almost cool on the pan to scrape and wash the pan. The reason is this: Remember cast iron is low thermal conductivity? Well, when the food is stuck on there; ironically the cast iron continues to slowly cook the food even after you’ve turned off the heat. Because you aren’t adding more heat; the air temp is now cooler than the temp of the pan; so as the moisture slowly leaves the food item because the cast iron is still heating it; the food will CURL UPWARDS because the air is cooler than the pan and that will be the direction of the shrinkage; as well as the pan is slowly burning the food’s bottom. So when the food is almost cold; you will find that it isn’t stuck so badly as it initially was; because it’s dried a bit and now might “flake” a bit when you pick at it, so a hard plastic pan scraper will easily scrape it off. Scrape the large chunks off with the scraper; and then again; back to the stiff nylon brush under hot water. 3) The only time cast iron is super difficult to clean is if there was burn sugar involved. Three ways to attack this: while the griddle is hot; pour some warm water (not cold, you will crack the griddle) on it; let it bubble; and then scrape right away. Second way is to reheat the griddle; let it start almost burning again; and pour some warm water on it; let it bubble for a bit; and then scrape it right away. The Third method is a strange two-stage method. Scrub with a stiff nylon brush; under the hottest water you can. If the sugary parts scrape off; great! If not; don’t fret. Stop scrubbing; and dry it with a paper towel. The pan should be warm to the touch still. Leave it on the stove top to cool off overnight; do not put it into a cupboard. The next morning; take a dry pot scraper; and scrape it. The sugary parts will flake and come off. When the pan was warm, it was again slowly drying out the sugars stuck on it. As the sugar dried; it hardened and so next morning; you can “crack” the sugar and remove it easily. 10) Notes, hints, and personals I recall staying at a relative’s house one time; and my wife usually has eggs for breakfast. So the only pan we could find was one of the wunderbrick non-sticks; and so she cooked an egg with it. It tasted so bad that she threw it out. While ingredients make obviously a big difference; a less obvious one is the pots and pans used to cook it. The ability to go from stove to oven without transferring the vessel used; is not to be looked upon lightly. The fact that it will outlast most other pots and pans should not be looked upon lightly either. Our health depends our ability to cook healthy foods and not eating out; and the right pots and pans is a big part of it. If it’s difficult to use or produces inferior results; then you will not use it. We have become a people of instant gratification; instant this; instant that. But I have yet to eat at any restaurant; food equal to that which I cook at home. I have control over every aspect from procurement of ingredients to pots and pans used. A lot of people buy cookware because it looks pretty; that is their prerogative but the priority really should be, what does it do for your health? A piece of cookware that is pretty AND functional is great; but if not; I’ll settle for functional over pretty any day. What’s the point of having a pan that’s pretty but burns all your food? What’s the point of a pot that is easy clean up but gives you cancer? Like I noted in the beginning; this was not a review; but a treatise. What we are talking about essentially isn’t a piece of cookware; we are talking about quality of life. And a good quality of life begins with health. And health begins with healthy cooking. And healthy cooking begins with a piece of cookware that you are willing to use. One that will provide for you and your family delicious food day after day; week after week; month after month; year after year, generation after generation. I rarely give a product such a glowing endorsement; I have not been paid by anybody; and I bought mine with my hard earned money because I wanted the best for my family. Tortillas and farm fresh eggs for breakfast; this is the cookware we wake up to every morning. It has been an essential part of our lives and I couldn’t imagine for the price of a few beers; a better way to build great health for you and your family.