Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This was my first time using cast iron cookware, and it was almost the last. After my first attempt, I was very disappointed. The second the food contacted the pre-heated pan it stuck to the it, and I mean really stuck to it. I had to tear the chicken breast from the pan, literally! The clean up was a nightmare. Everything was burnt on. It probably took me close to 20 minutes to clean the pan. I thought about trashing the grill. I thought cast iron cookware was a joke. Well, a couple of days later I decided to give it another shot. I looked up cast iron cookware on the web and clicked on a random link (unfortunately, I do not remember the link, but it was an old article). The website article explained (if memory serves correctly) that there is a difference between pre-seasoned and seasoned cast iron; it takes many uses to develop a good seasoning of the cast iron utensil; pre-seasoned just means that the first step was already started. It also stated that one should never use any soap or scrub with anything harsh; a plant-fiber brush is recommended because the goal is to get the particles off the pan, not clean off all the used oil left behind. I'm thinking I should have read the directions that came with the pan before I used it instead of assuming it was good to go. I decided to give it a few more tries. I purchased a cast iron scrub brush to use for cleaning, and spent more time cleaning it before my second use because there was still a lot of burnt on food still stuck to the pan. After a few more uses, I started noticing that food wasn't getting stuck as often, grill marks are looking better and what was burnt on the pan was very easy to clean off with the brush and hot water. About a dozen uses later the pan has developed a smoother, more glossy surface on the cooking surface. Now the food (even fish) just glides off the pan. A quick rinse with hot water and most of the burnt on stuff just flakes off. A quick pass with the brush and the pan is clean and perfectly smooth, in fact, this is the easiest pan to clean in my kitchen. After use (while the pan is till warm but not hot), I just rinse with hot water and a quick pass with the brush, dry it, lightly coat it with oil, and store it for next use. And the brighter side to this.....it is starting to impart some flavors on the food that makes it taste fantastic! The grill marks are clean and consistent, and it cooks everything evenly. To the folks who had bad luck with using this for the first time, give it a few more tries before you write this off. It did not work for me at first because I did not read the directions and assumed that using cast iron was no different than using any other type of cookware.