Crock-Pot Artisan 111988.01 vs Lodge Pre-Seasoned 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

These pans are very heavy. Heat distribution is great because of cast iron. I have had them for six months. Food sticks and the paint is starting to come off by the handle and it is starting to rust

I’m able to do steaks for the whole family, deep dish pizzas and of course, big breakfasts. It’s well finished and consistent with Lodge quality. The only challenge that I have with it is that it is thick and heavy. The short handle makes it unwieldy so you need 2 hands to move it around

I am glad I started with a smaller pan because these pans are heavy. I think larger (and heavier) sizes would be too cumbersome for me to handle. This one is about my limit.

This one becomes a little difficult to manage when it's hot as it really needs two hands, so a hot pad has to be added to the equation. I've added a full sized dinner fork and another common kitchen amenity to give this a bit of scale: if you need a big pan, this is definitely perfect for paella or another large skillet type meal. If you are looking for something more general purpose, the next size down might be a better bet.

This evidence leads me to believe that Amazon deliberately shipped damaged goods... in Terrible packaging

The only cast iron cookware that I find to be of better quality than these are those manufactured many decades earlier. I have a couple of smaller Griswold cast iron skillets made around 1930-1940 and there's a definite difference. Good quality vintage cast iron cookware is generally thinner walled and slightly lighter in weight. Many of the older pieces also have a raised bottom ridge, or smoke ring