Lodge12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder – Pre-Seasoned Frying Pan for Stove, Oven, Grill & Campfire – Made in the USA – Durable, Nonstick Cast Iron Cookware – Black

After seeing my Lodge 10-1/4" cast iron skillet, which is decades old and in perfect condition, my grandson requested one just a little bit larger for his Christmas gift. He wants to use it on his Traeger grill. After checking to see what sizes were available, this 12" skillet is the next size up so I ordered it. I like the second helper handle on a skillet this large and heavy. It also includes a removable silicone handle cover.I didn't consider any brands other than Lodge. Lodge is the traditional heavyweight cast iron cookware and these are still made in Tennessee, USA. With minimal care they last forever; one of mine was my mother's. They come pre-seasoned, but I always season them again in the oven a couple of times before I start using a new one. With repeated use the finish gets black and smooth, and you know they're perfect then. Hand wash only, dry promptly, and don't let it soak in the sink. To season, wipe all surfaces evenly with a paper towel that has some canola or vegetable oil on it. Apply only a very thin coat of oil, not nearly enough to run or puddle or it will turn out sticky. Bake at 450 for an hour or more and leave it in the oven til cool. Works like seasoning a Blackstone griddle. The more you cook in it the better the seasoning becomes.I was hoping the skillet would be packaged in a Lodge box, as it's for a gift, but it arrived in an amazon box which is no big deal and doesn't affect the skillet at all. The insert, helper handle, and bottom all say Lodge. It looks great and the quality seems the same as my very old ones, a rare thing today. It's a good value, not expensive for what you're getting.

I had some misgivings when buying this skillet. I was concerned that food would stick. Fortunately, this didn't happen.The skillet is advertised as being seasoned already. This is true, more or less. They had done something, but it wasn't effective in preventing sticking. I found it necessary to season the skillet myself. Once I did that, the surface was truly non-stick. Seasoning is not difficult, but it's inconvenient. Fortunately, you don't have to season the skillet often. I only had to do it the first time; since then, it's worked nicely.This skillet is *heavy*. That's something I overlooked, though upon reflection it should be obvious that a 12-inch cast iron skillet is going to be heavy. There's an "assist" handle opposite the main handle, so you can use both hands.A cast-iron skillet has a few features or quirks you need to consider. First, its weight as I mentioned. Then there's the fact that it responds slowly to changes in heat. When you put this on a high flame, it takes a few minutes for the skillet to get hot enough to cook. And when you're getting close to the end of cooking, you need to turn off the flame a bit early, because the skillet is going to stay hot longer than most pans. You get the hang of it quickly, though.This delay may seem inconvenient, but it's the reason why this skillet heats evenly.Another consideration is that the whole thing is made of iron, so the heat is going to travel into the handles. When that happens you'll need to use oven mitts or hot pads to protect your hands. If you forget, you'll get a sharp reminder.You can wash this skillet with soap and water, despite what some people claim. Gentle cleaning won't do any harm. If the skillet was properly seasoned, there won't be much to wash away anyway. Once you've washed it, you need to put a thin coating of oil on it to prevent rust. This coating can be very thin, just barely covering the surface. It's not there to avoid sticking, but only to keep it from rusting.Overall this skillet requires a bit of effort and getting used to. It's not as convenient as a Teflon pan, and as I said, you need to adjust your cooking times a bit. But the benefits are great. You can have a non-stick surface that isn't destroyed by using metal utensils. If you do damage the surface, you can reseason the skillet. This skillet could become a family heirloom, because there's almost nothing that can destroy it. And this surface, unlike Teflon, doesn't shed plastic into your food.

Awesome skillet and will last a long time. People complain about the weight but it is a big piece of iron. It has the assist handle on the other side if weight is an issue so you can use 2 hands. The silicone hot handle is loose so if I have to pick it up I use a towel or oven mitt.

I bought this for my daughter and she loves it. The handle cover is also nice to have.

Love this skillet. Says it has already been seasoned but I still seasoned it.

Lodge products are useful and practical. However we returned this item because the silicone handle was not sent with the item. Could not get the issue resolved or even listened too. Took one star off because of hassle not quality.

I am so glad I bought this!! What QUALITY. Looking to buy 2 more as gifts. My steaks will definitely taste fantastic!!Thank you :)

i only use iron skillets to cook in this pan is great