I've been cooking on iron for years and find the heat retention, sear as well as fry capability makes it superior to stainless, nonstick and carbon steel. The fact that seasoned cast iron has a rustic beauty is just a bonus. It is heavy and making omelettes and other sautes that require pan movement can be quite difficult due to weight which is what drew me to Smithy. I purchased the Chef's Set, as the 8" & 10" chef's pans looked unique and the smooth finish, curved edges and reduced scale looked to bridge the gap. I was right, when the pans came they looked just as they seemed online, heavier than normal saute pans but lighter build than a skillet. I knew they would be perfect for fish, steak, vegetables and other dishes where I would want to move the pan some comfortably. Their copperish color is quite beautiful and gives it an upscale look. And, although they come pre-seasoned, I couldn't wait to start building up some additional season and patina on them before using, so on the stove and in the oven they went several times darkening the finish some as I broke them in.
I've so far used the 12" skillet to brown some roasts and cook some steaks and the 10" chef's pan to sear some tuna and chicken. They performed as expected and the option to pull out the chef's pans rather than my standard saute pans has been a nice change of pace.
So if you're looking for something to accompany your "old faithful" cast iron, I would definitely recommend Smithy.
I would say that some covers for the skillet and both chef's pans would be a nice feature as turning off the heat and covering the dish to finish slowly would be a great option and a common practice of cast iron cooking.
Maybe one day they will be available.
Brian in Charleston.
