2 stars

Reviewer:  C. Bullard  (Raleigh, NC USA)  See all my reviews

I read all the online reviews and read (and followed) all the care instructions enclosed in the box. Still, my grill didn't perform as well as I would have liked. Grill marks weren't impressive, my meat stuck (despite generously greasing the grill with veg. oil), it was difficult to clean, and started showing rust after the first use. I took it back to the store for a refund the next day and purchased the Kitchen Essentials from Calphalon Styleware Nonstick 12" round grill instead and I LOVE IT!! The grill marks are impressive, it heats up perfectly, the grill grooves are high which allows grease to run down into the pan easily. And what an easy cleanup!

5 stars

Reviewer:  KS  (OH USA)  See all my reviews

This is absolutely wonderful. We clean it with a stiff brush and oil it after each use (no soap), and it will probably last forever. We use the flat side for eggs or pancakes, and the ridged side for meats. Everything tastes better on this. Grilled cheese is divine. It does get hot, so be careful about touching it while cooking or right after, and it is very heavy. But that's true for any cast iron. It's truly one of the best things we've ever purchased for the kitchen, and we use it constantly.

5 stars

Reviewer:  Brenda  (Minnesota)  See all my reviews

This grill is great because of the wide spacing between grill ridges, making it MUCH easier to clean than other grill pans I have owned. Put some oil or butter on it after each use and put in the oven for a few minutes on the warm setting, and you shouldn't have any "sticking" problems". Eggs and pancakes slide right off on the griddle side. I would never buy anything other than LODGE ever again!!

5 stars

Reviewer:  Liane Allen  (USA)  See all my reviews

If your cast iron gets rust spots on it, don't worry. It just means you need to re-season it. Seasoning cast iron = putting warm oil on it.

How to:

1) If there's very little rust in a few spots, I just wash, wipe with veggie oil, then use it to cook - worst case, you'll get a little extra iron in your diet that day.

Or

1) If there's a lot of rust, wash with soap & water and a scrubby.

2) Dry it thoroughly.

3) Put vegetable oil or butter on it, then spread it around with a paper towel until the whole thing has a thin film of oil on it (top, bottom, sides, handles, everything). If the oil is thick enough to drip or butter is thick enough to appear yellow, just wipe off the extra.

4) Warm it in the oven on low for an hour or so.

5) When you take it out (carefully - it's HOT), if there's oil puddled on it, let it cool for a few minutes until it's safe to quickly wipe it with a paper towel, then wipe it with a paper towel to remove any puddles of oil.

Two secrets:

Cook extra greasy stuff (like bacon) on it for the first couple of uses, so oils can sink deep into the pores. If you can't do that (like if you're a vegetarian), season it once or twice before use. Pre-seasoning makes it less sticky than unseasoned iron, but it isn't fully seasoned, yet.

Don't put it in the dishwasher! That washes off all the protective coating created by the warm oil, soaks it with water, and provides the perfect warm environment to encourage rust.

5 stars

Reviewer:  Satisfied Buyer "Jess"  (Twentynine Palms, CA)  See all my reviews

It's a rare occasion that I use my outside grill! You can cook everything from eggs and pancakes to steaks and burgers on this. Great investment! I don't know what I'd do without my cast iron!

5 stars

Reviewer:  Simplify "Simple Chef"  (Lubbock, Texas)  See all my reviews

I cooked eggs on this griddle and they do not stick! After using it, I wipe it down with paper towels and re-oil it while the pan is still warm. My whole breakfast is cooked at once.

5 stars

Reviewer:  K. Negrete  (San Jose, Ca)  See all my reviews

Well, actually it IS heavy because it's cast iron but that's a given. I originally bought it for my hubby for Xmas (he's so easy to buy for) to grill Ahi but stole it to do pancakes and best of all, hash browns. (Yum.) The grill side can be a little tough to clean since it doesn't have any non-stick coating (remember the cast iron part?) but so what. Armed with a sturdy brush, it comes clean. Bonus: Because of it's weight, I get a complimentary workout every time I use it. :o)

5 stars

Reviewer:  Big calves in Illinois  (Illinois)  See all my reviews

this is a great little secret for your kitchen....we never take ours off of our stove....it is the most used kitchen item that we have....my husband, kids and I cook on this most of the time....it reminds me of cooking on a flat top restaurant grill.....just heat it up and it is ready to do the job....I keep mine heated and add water on the top to clean it....makes it an easy clean up....eggs, pancakes, potatoes, veggies on one side and meats on the other....great value plus get some iron for your diet..

5 stars

Reviewer:  RetroGrl "RetroGrl"  (CA)  See all my reviews

Lodge has been around since the 1900s and is great to cook with. The other reviewers who said that it was a mess to clean or it was heavy?! First of all, its going to be heavy, its cast iron! And its easy to clean and it will rust if you dont season it after you cook with it. Its the best stuff to cook with because it retains heat wonderfully. Great for searing steaks or vegies. I love Lodge cookware and have pieces my grandmother used from the 1920s! Now thats a sign of good cookware.

5 stars

Reviewer:  beege "bonj"  (Houston, TX USA)  See all my reviews

Got my griddle super fast and it is a wonderful addition to my cookware. There was a label stuck to the smooth side of the griddle and this label had the directions for care on the back - the glob of rubber cement-type glue covered these directions somewhat. However, the enclosed booklet contains even more detailed directions for care as well as re-seasoning should it be necessary. There should be no reason for "rust" spots on cast iron if the DIRECTIONS ARE READ and FOLLOWED. I have the cast iron skillet that was in the household when my grandmother set-up housekeeping in 1920 - it still looks great and cooks great! How much more simply can it be said - just read the directions and you won't have a problem!