It’s hard to beat the price of Lodge cast iron pans. You’re right, though. For them to be non-stick they have to be really well seasoned. If they are not, good luck getting the gunk off them.
I seasoned mine with flaxseed oil. I coated them lightly, but completely and put in the oven, then let them cool. Then I repeated the process 6 times. Now they are smooth as a baby’s butt. And they have a nice glossy finish.
Yup, if you can find old cast iron, they’re the best but lodge is pretty decent, affordable and readily available.
Once you get enough seasoning on them so that it looks like a satin/semigloss black paint job, you can fry an egg in them without it sticking. And yes, just like paint, multiple thin coatings work best. I re-season them once or twice every winter on the wood stove if needed.
Sometimes I take to them while they’re warm with kosher salt and a piece of rag to take off the high spots and smooth them. Acts like sandpaper. I don’t use any particular oil. Veggie or olive is what we keep on hand.
Been married for 19 years and for the first few years, I had a lot of maintenance and repair to do to the seasoning. Finally told the wife Do Not Touch my cast iron. I’ve had them since I was single. She wouldn’t clean them right away. Would leave something that had water content. By the time I noticed, there was rust. It’s only been the last couple of years that she’s been allowed to use them again. I can finally call them OUR cast iron.
To clean, either when still good and hot or reheat hot enough to make a little water sizzle/boil/steam, run a little water in them(hottest faucet water - without getting a steam burn) and hit them with a plastic brush. I have an infrared thermometer gun so I get them to 270-300 degrees or so. Rinse, wipe and set back over a hot burner or upside down on something that allows air to get to the inside or if the oven’s hot, upside down on the oven rack. In winter, they go upside down on the wood stove to dry.
Do NOT put more oil on or try to re-season until absolutely dry or you’ll just trap moisture under the oil.
Love my 12 inch cast iron skillet. Would love to find a 12 inch square skillet but I don’t even know if any such thing has ever been made. My wood stove is made of plate steel and has a nice flat top. On a nice cold morning, I use the 12 incher to make bacon, hence the desire for a square one. No hot spots in the pan. Just perfect, free heat.
I have a small cast iron skillet that was machined smooth from the factory but was never able to get a coating built up on it. Made in china so that might be the issue.