Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First off I enjoy quality kitchen tools. I never minded paying for a quality tool. But when you get prenium quality at a rock bottom price, well it just doesn't get any better than that. Also any of the cast iron products from Lodge will easily last a lifetime or two, with minimal care. I previously owned a 7 quart duch oven and loved it. But my daughter finally has moved out, and it's just the wife and I at home now, so I downsized to a 5 quart dutch oven. I was happy to see Lodge offer a dutch oven with side handles instead of a wire bail, because we do most of our cooking at home in our oven, not at a campfire. The 5 quart dutch oven and 10 inch skillet would be a perfect gift for someone just starting out in life. They probably would not realize the value of what they recieved, until they are cooking a pot roast or a pot of chili for their grandchildren thirty years later. Update May 2011. I just purchased another Lodge 5qt. dutch oven to give to my daughter's boyfriend as a birthday gift. We gave him a 12" Lodge cast iron skillet a few months back, and he loves it! Our daughter tells us he uses it every single day. So we thought we would add to his cast iron collection, by giving him a 5qt. dutch oven. At the very least he can learn to make chili and pot roast. By the way, I got an exception deal on this dutch oven on Amazon.com. The lowest price I have ever seen on this item, and free shipping too. I hope he learns to love this Lodge 5 qt. dutch oven as much as he does his Lodge 12" skillet. Once you learn to use your cast iron dutch oven, your crock pot will never get used again. Our grandparents knew something that many people today don't know. Cast Iron cookware works well, and works for the long run.