ok, if you want to go name brand, then Lodge is the way to go. Nice smooth finish and all ready seasoned.
But if you season it correctly you can make them all smooth finish.
But here is my thinking, Im taking it camping, and to the beach and everywhere else. Im tossing it in the fire, and giving it regular abuse.
Do I want to do this to a expensive pot/skillet or a basic "if it get's ruined I wont die over it."
So I went the cheap pan, but then I seasoned it with course salt and oil.
I rubbed it in really good and slow baked it. cooled and redid it all again.
I season four times before I actully use them.
By then they are black and smooth and ready for use.
Maybe that is why I have had good luck. They need to be seasoned really well. Like breaking in a new car. You dont jump to 80MPH right off, you have to slowly break in the engine.
I never use metal utensils, always wood as to not score the pans. Never use soap to wash as this does in the seasoning and you have to start again.
I will say this, I have a set of REVEREWARE for pots and pans. Copper bottom. They are my EXCLUSIVE set of pans. They cost $50.00 for the full 11 piece set.
I have one original REVEREWARE pot Grandmother owned, 1905,? giving to my mother 1940's, that was passed to me in 1970. I still have and use this pan. Thats a 100?year old pan? My REVEREWARE pans are from 1970 when I bought them with my marriage at the time. This is 2006 and Im still useing them. 35 years later and they dont show age. My 105 year old pan looks the same as the 35 year old pan.
My cast iron I have is I'm thinking 6 years old now, and the other one is older, and they are fine.
Maybe its about the care you give them and the seasoning. I know to season will make them tougher. So that might be the secret here.
Back to you
Raven
Measure life not by the breath you take, But by the moments that take your breath away.