STAUB Cast Iron Fry Pan, Black, 26 cm

My pan arrived today - 2 days after ordering. It was very well packed (Amazon) and came in its Staub box within.May I please be presumptuous and write the following for those who maybe have not cooked with cast iron before? I advise doing some internet research before choosing the right product for you. There are many manufacturers available and prices range from cheap to expensive. Remember that you get what you pay for and although you may consider the cost of some pans as being sky-high, you will be paying for quality and reputation. The top manufacturers are Le Creuset and Staub and these are used by top chefs for being consistently reliable with excellent heat retaining properties. The downside is that they are heavy - very heavy - and when you add in the weight of the cooked contents, this may be prohibitive for anyone with arthritic hands, elbow joints, and shoulders. There are spun cast iron pots and pans sold here in Britain (see internet) and, being spun, are considerably lighter. They are of good quality, come pre-seasoned but will require re-seasoning from time to time.There are definitely some do's and don'ts with cast iron cookware, the most important being the initial heating and the use of oils. Personally, I use rapeseed oil which is healthy and can be heated to safely high levels as opposed to olive oil which is used mainly for dressings. Bring your pan SLOWLY to heat on a MEDIUM heat for approximately 3 - 5 minutes and pour a little oil into the pan before bringing it up to heat. NEVER heat a pan without oil. I suspect that some complain their items stick in the pan because they haven't used their pans corectly. Removing the pans from the heat source before the end of cooking time will save energy and allow the food to continue cooking due to the pans' heat retention properties.The second most important thing to consider is cleaning. If you don't carefully read the instructions on how to clean your pan, you could be inviting trouble. ALWAYS read ALL the instructions and familiarize yourself with them before using your cookware. Please always keep in mind that paying additional attention to the rims of your pans will keep them in good order: rub in a little oil after washing and drying and never store a badly dried pan.I humbly submit that if you follow this advice, you wil enjoy many years of happy, successful cooking in cast iron cookware - whether enameled or not. An excellent book of instructions comes with every Staub item you buy.

Nice size for one- or two-person portions. So far, from the first use, nothing has stuck. We use it frequently. Love this pan.

I deliberately waited until I had used it a few times before leaving a review as I was extremely disappointed when I first started using it as food stuck quite badly, even though I used plenty of oil. On the plus side it's a good size and having two handles is great. In wanting to be healthier I decided to give up my non-stick pans and ordered this instead of buying a cast iron one as I hoped the enamelled surface would make it easier to use and clean, but I was disappointed to find that I am having to treat it the same as cast iron. I should say that I have a Staub Cocotte which is also enamelled but food doesn't seem to stick quite as bad as it does with this pan, but then again, I use it for cooking different dishes... After cooking I let it soak in water for a while to soften any food that's stuck on, followed by a wash in water and with a brush if necessary. I then dry very well and oil it, place it on heat to let the oil coat the surface and then let it cool, wipe off any surplus oil before storing ready for next time. I have continued to do these steps for several weeks now and food doesn't seem to stick as much as it did when I first used it.

This is an excellent pan, like all Staub pans. I am surprised by some of the reviews. I have never had anything stick in this pan, the key is to heat it up, then add olive oil, then cook. I have Lodge pans as well, but this is much better if you want to make a tomato or wine based sauce etc. I don’t put it the dishwasher but soak in hot water and mild detergent if necessary. You can boil it up with vinegar if it is looking very discoloured. Always remember that cast iron is slow to conduct heat, but once hot, it will store the heat brilliantly. Having an Aga mine are mostly used in the ovens.The glass lid is an excellent addition, but cheaper to buy as a unit from A German company called Koch Form. I did buy the lid separately from them. It was a speedy delivery.I also bought the grill pan. Also non stick. The lid could be used on the grill as well.I think I’ll purchase the smaller pan as well.

Really nice to use, cooks things beautifully, looks great on the table, and is really easy to clean. Perfect.

This pan is a ‘Will last you a lifetime’ pan .. food tastes better when cooked in it, easy to hand wash and well worth the money. Money well spent.

I love it, no doubt. it's much better than Le cruest iron pan. I bought another bigger size as well.

Very satisfied with the purchase