Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have a way of bringing out our most lavish selves, but filling your cart with practical, truly last-a-lifetime products is an even more satisfying strategy. That’s why this Cyber Monday, if you’re going to buy anything, you should buy a Lodge cast-iron skillet, griddle, Dutch oven, or five-piece cookware bundle.
Cast iron is the do-anything-anywhere metal of the cooking world, and Lodge, founded in 1896, makes cookware that’s virtually indestructible as long as you know how to treat it — never use soap and always dry immediately after washing to prevent rust. At home, I have a pair of Lodge skillets in two sizes (the 8-inch and the 10.5-inch). My boyfriend and I use them for every meal we cook and (despite our habit of burning things and our occasionally reckless cooking styles) they look better now than they did the day we bought them. I am particularly fond of the smaller skillet, which is perfect for frying a single egg, or, as I found out last week, baking one miniature sweet potato pie.
If it’s seasoned well — by rubbing the surface in shortening or oil and heating it in the oven for an hour or so — cast iron is naturally nonstick. But buying a Lodge means you don’t have to do the work of seasoning your new skillet before using it and today, they’re seriously discounted. You could easily outfit an entire kitchen for less than $100. Personally, I have my eye on the grill/griddle combo so I can work on my pancake skills, but any of the following products from Lodge would make a useful and memorable gift this year.
The best deal by far is this 5-piece cookware set, which includes a griddle for pancakes or crepes, my favorite 8-inch skillet, a 10.25-inch skillet, and a 10.25-inch Dutch oven, perfect for baking crispy sourdough bread or roasting a chicken.
This pair of convertible skillets is great for the college student who needs to save space or the no-knead bread enthusiast. The griddle can be used on its own for cooking or as a lid for the deep dish skillet.
Good for dads who love grilling even in the winter and pride themselves on perfect pancakes.
At almost 60 percent off, this set of two skillets costs less than the groceries you’ll need to cook in them.
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