Awesome video and thanks for the mention!!!! Love your channel and videos.

BTW, cast iron vs. carbon steel.... cast iron has to be casted from molten state because it becomes rigid and brittle when cooled. Carbon steel is malleable and can be cold-worked with rollers and forges. Steel pans are made by presses that stamp out the final shape from steel sheets.

Huge fan of De Byer Mineral B carbon steel pans. Absolutely love them. We even fry fish, eggs & Omelettes in them (induction stove top). Great quality

I used acid on my carbon steel pan all the time. I even seared chicken then deglaze with wine and lemon then finish it in the oven for. It’s fine don’t sweat it so much. Just simply oil it after cleaning.

(I'm french) Matfer is excellent. So does De Buyer. I recommend the Element B Pro , with the stainless steel handle. Of all my pan collection of different types, this DeBuyer is my fav.

Ah yes. Made-in. Yet another one of those companies that buys up all the KZfaq sponsorships. Good to see a genuine, unbiased review. Misen did the same thing, but some reviews I knew were unsponsored also liked those, and then I got a Misen pan (albeit one of their nonstick ones) and after coming up on two years of pretty punishing use, it's still going strong!

I use a very thin application of grape seed oil for seasoning cast iron (Lodge) and carbon steel (De Buyer): heat up the pan (but not too hot); drop some oil; spread oil thinly with paper towel; heat pan until smoking; and let it cool down. The "not too hot" allows me to spread the oil with paper towel without burning my fingers.

Oh my god I wished I’d washed this sooner! I SWEAR I’m not buying one freaking thing advertised on FB this year. I’ve wasted so much money because of slick marketing tactics. I’m sharing this video with everybody I know. Thank you, Helen.

3:35 also, the way they are manufactured is different. Cast Iron pans are made by poring liquid metal into a mould (like pouring batter to make a pancake) whereas Carbon Steel pans are stamped or extruded (?) from a solid sheet of metal (like rolling out dough into flatbread). I learnt the batter vs dough comparison maybe a year ago, and it helped me understand the difference easily

I ignore the maker's instructions, and start conditioning by running my pans through a cleaning cycle in my electric oven. That removes whatever gunk they applied, and leaves a nice clean metal surface to work on. That's good for carbon steel or cast iron. Unless the pan has a wooden handle!

I like carbon steel for eggs much better than any other non-stick pan I've used for eggs. I own one carbon steel pan and I use it pretty much just for that.

I have to confirm that I had the same issues with a Made In pan. I went on a seasoning kick when I got my Made In where I simultaneously did all my cast iron pans from scratch, plus a new carbon steel wok in my oven the slow, careful way. I did half a dozen seasonings - major overkill - and I did all the pans together - same oil (flaxseed), same technique, same time and oven temps. All of the cast iron pans and the carbon steel wok came out brilliantly! All of those looked like they had been lovingly used and cared for for many years when I was done. They now have a base that with proper care should last a lifetime. The final results were perfect and passed all the tests. But the Made In pan did NOT, and failed the fried egg test even after 6 rounds of seasoning. It is possible there was something I happened to do wrong with just that pan, but that is about as scientific as I could make it. I wish I knew what was different in the Made In pan, but that test seem to rule out that non-uniform temperature, annealing schedule, oil or techniques is the issue. That just leaves the metal and/or original coating. One suspect is that I needed to really nuke the pan harder before I started. I'm sure it is possible the pans come from the factory sometimes with extra protective coating. I used soap and scrubbing first according to the Made In instructions. If it wasn't that then it has to be an issue with the Made In alloy itself. I'm going to nuke it with vinegar and try again at some point.

My madein is my workhorse and I kinda can’t stand my Matfer. But I have to say that I definitely use the madein way more than the matfer so that could be a part of it too. It’s almost funny to me how divisive the conversation could be about what’s better and how to season. But that’s also my favorite part about this kind of cookware as long as it cooks good food for good people anyway is the right way.

I stopped trying to use my Made In carbon steel as a non-stick and after a year of building a very thick patina - it works great and cooks evenly and quickly.

THANK YOU!!! Your honesty is appreciated!

Enameled cast iron pans like Le Creuset take care of cooking those acidic foods. I say "use the pan for the recipe". I have cast iron Hard Nitriding pans that solve the uneven heating, they come pretty much non stick, seasoning every so often is all that is needed or naturally season by cooking. They are made of a thin material so they are much lighter than most cast iron pans. Brandani-made in Italy and Lehmans makes them. They are hard to find in the US but if you see them in Home Goods or Marshalls, scoop them up as they are rare finds. I have also found in Home Goods these Brandini skillets and Wok's that have the non stick thin cast iron Nitriding with no toxic chemicals in the coating. The pans with the non stick coating work great for acidic foods. Because they are thin cast iron they cool off much faster than my Le Creuset pans. Love all my cookware but the Brandini Hard Nitriding cookware checks all the box's. Oh and FYI-I did research carbon steel pans but in the US they kinda did not take off and were hard to find. Glad it happened that way as those Hard Nitriding pans were available shortly thereafter.

Excellent, thorough, review and comparison; thanks!

I have a Made-In 12.5" carbon steel fry pan, and it has resided on my stove for several weeks being the only pan I have been using. I agree that the steel is too thin, and the base has crowned a little, and it hasn't seasoned as well as my 10" Matfer. But I love the Made-In's vast surface area--I can cook a burger and have the patty, onions, mushrooms and buns all warming together. I can comfortably make a generous serving of fried rice without hauling out the wok. The seasoning is adequate to cook eggs, given enough butter. Plus it's not terribly heavy (thanks to the too-thin steel), and the handle stays cool. So it's not a perfect pan, but it has been serving me well.

3:00 there are also carbon steel pans which have handles that are made in one piece with the body of the pan. Darto and SolidTeknics are two brands that use the one piece construction.

I bought my first deBuyer carbon steel pan about 5 years ago and have since bought 2 more. They are very well made, and the handles don't get very hot (although they are pretty heavy). I agree that it's very annoying that you can't really use them when you're cooking anything acidic.

I’ve had a 10-inch matfer pan for about 2 years now, and use it pretty much every day. I’ve cooked acidic things in it a few times, and I do feel like I lose the top layer or so of seasoning, but I just wipe it down with a little oil after cleaning it and heating it back up, and it’s usually back to nonstick after 1 or 2 uses. I’m also glad you shouted out Uncle Scott’s channel! As much as I love the pan, I had a flat-top electric stove and couldn’t get the damn thing to hold seasoning with the factory instructions when I got it. His advice to season it in the oven like cast iron really saved my experience with the pan.

Great video with loads of information. Thanks Helen.

Thank you for your informative video, it is much appreciated. Please keep up the great work you do.

Something very pleasant about this lady’s presentation style. Great video and nice credit for Uncle Scott’s Kitchen.

Great explanations and methodology, Helen!

Another steller video, thank you for sharing your thoughts and guidance

Very well-thought-out presentation and informative.

You answered so many of my questions. I agree on the Made In. I like mine because it's the first time for me using one. For me it's not just the price I paid but the space it takes up when I could have better one in it's place. I am definitely going to watch more of your videos. Thank you!

Sooo many good points - Thank you Aunty Scott! I have a massive 4 year old Matfer Bourgeat 14" lip to lip but 11" diameter cooking area. Beast!

Yeeees, this makes so much sense. Great to hear comprehensive breakdown based off of your experience of both!

Tremendously helpful and informative.

What's the deal with modern cast iron pans being bumpy? I've been a long-time user of vintage cast iron pans, and I can't believe that *most* youtube videos on cast iron pans don't even point out this problem with modern pans. As far as I am concerned, modern cast iron pans are completely unusable until they are sanded smooth. Good on you for being one of the few people to point this out.

Helen, this was a very informative video! Thank you do much. ❤

I bought a carbon steel fry pan in an antique store for $30. As far as I can tell by the shape of the pan, the cast iron handle and the way it was riveted I would say this is a late 1800's french pan. I have a flat electric cook top so I had to use the Hydraulic press to smooth out the bottom so I would sit flat. Not to much shape change. All I have to say I love this pan. The smooth slops and for some reason the handle stays cool. It is for the most part none stick and combined with the radiant cook top the heat is even. It is so easy to use and clean I use it everyday. Totally amazing and don't think I could get something like this today.

Very useful and entertaining. Thank you very much!

I love Uncle Scott's channel; so amazing. Thank you Helen for sharing your experience. I have carbon steel pans from De Buyer and am very happy with the seasoning. 🍳

Uncle Scott is a great resource, so is Jed at Cook Culture. Thanks for your input, it is always appreciated :)

I'm giving a shout out for Samuel Groves carbon steel pans from Birmingham here in the UK. I bought one of their very affordable basic ones with the pan and handle all made from the same piece of metal. They come "pre-seasoned" but I gave it a light rub down with emery to make it a bit smoother and re-seasoned it a couple of times in the oven. I've been using it as my daily use pan for almost everything and I absolutely love it. It's built up a great seasoning that is almost maintenance free now. It really only gets the odd quick stove top seasoning when necessary. A forever pan to pass on with my cast iron ones when I'm gone. From my cold, dead hands ....! 🙂

I've been referred as Chef professionally I've been cooking and baking for over 40 years from Hotels, Hospitals, opened restaurants and I worked overseas in 2003 during war thousands of meals for our soldiers and I've learned to adjust my cooking methods but unfortunately the apartments that I lived in all have electric stoves.

Really good points. My Matfer 11 7/8" is probably my favorite all-around pan, but I also really like my 10" Smithey Cast Iron "skillet". The Matfer 15 3/4" carbon steel paella pan is fantastic.

Extremely informative. Thank you!

Hi Helen, you are a fantastic teacher this is the most informative explanation I have seen regarding pros and cons of this type of cookware with easy to understand explanations, when you want to grips with something, you want the basics, no crazy editing and "fluff" to supposedly to "entertain" - I want nitty gritty and straight to the point... you certainly deliver that - keep the videos coming, I have subscribed today - thank you :-)

Thank you for the info you put out. I bought a FINEX cast number 10 about 6 years ago and absolutely love this skillet. It has a polished bottom and a stainless coil handle that never gets hot, the big draw back it weighs almost 7 lbs and the price. Im a relatively strong male and it is heavy when washing but absolutely love my cast iron FINEX pan.

Man, I respect the hell of of Helen, she always brings good information and tasty recipes. And I love seeing one KZfaqr shout out another, big ups to Uncle Scott's Kitchen. But I don't know if I've disagreed more strongly with this POV. I use carbon steel every day. I have a 19 year old getting ready to move out and the first pan I bought him before he goes is a carbon steel skillet. In my house, particularly that kid, he loves homemade quesadillas. No pan in the arsenal gets you better results. I make pancakes regularly, in the carbon steel. I make the best brownies you'll ever eat, in my cast iron, and I make cornbread in both. I wouldn't simmer pasta sauce in my carbon steels, but I've used them for carbonara with no issue. I sear hot dogs regularly, I make burgers, steaks, pork chops, and I shallow fry dumplings, fritters, latkes, scallion pancakes and naan... and this is all before I mention the serious rock star in my house, the wok. That cat gets used 5 to 6 times a week, as he's perfect for eggs, shallow frying potatoes for breakfast burritos, stir fries of all kinds, streaming or blanching veggies, boiling water for ramen or dumpling. And then I have my enameled cast iron braiser, and the Dutch ovens for show simmered sauces, and in them, I CAN do a marinara or a lemon sauce, I make my own cream of mushroom soup, I make stocks, I braise meats, I deep fry pakoras and chicken fingers, basically everything else. I still have the set of stainless steel cookware I had from before I was married, but those sauce pans are the only thing I use in it anymore, and those, somewhat rarely. I don't use traditional non stick at all. I literally can't imagine my kitchen without carbon steel and cast iron. I have a double burner griddle for my stove top that I save for pancake nights or indoor burgers, and my wife surprised me this year with a big outdoor steel griddle so I can move those messes outdoors. We have steel and bought more steel! If Helen can live without them, great for her. I'm just not ordering the pork chops. 😊

I highly recommend Solidteknics. I own DeBuyer as well and still use them but Solidteknics are one piece and go in the oven whereas the DeBuyer mineral b has a coated handle so I just use them stovetop. Solidteknics are great on crappy flattop electric stoves…just preheat them sufficiently and don’t use high heat.

Nicely done as always! I have several Matfer carbon steel pans. I love them for frying steaks... they do a great job. I also cook on a gas range, so no warping issues. I enjoyed your video; and you're right Uncle Scott is the carbon steel guru.

thank you so much for this honest review

Excellent video in many ways. I take exception though. I cook almost exclusively with cast iron and carbon steel. This includes tomato sauces and lemon on vegetables. I will not under any circumstances use non-stick pans. Which would you rather have in your diet: a little iron which your body needs anyway or potentially cancer causing synthetic coating? My mother and grandmother had nothing but cast iron and cooked everything in it. I have usable pans that date back to the early 1900s. How long does one of those aluminum coated pans last given that you should stop using it as soon as the coating is scratched? If I damage the seasoning big deal. A little oil and heat and it’s as good as new. I have a bunch of Mafter, but find DeBuyer to be excellent and lodge carbon steel is also very very good. I think DeBuyer may be the best. Anyway, love your videos, learn a great deal from you always, just have a few disagreements here and there. (Such as: I love using the hand crank pasta machines, use hundred percent semolina, and love making croissants by hand. Guests and friends get so impressed when they watch the pasta making and are over the moon about my croissants… even very picky Francophiles.)

I have seasoned many pans of different types and not all have been totally successful, some are working very well. Although I use the oven method for seasoning my carbon steel pans (cold spun) initially the top up seasoning is essential in my opinion, wipe with the thinnest oil layer possible (I have found grape seed oil to be the best despite many saying flax is the best) heat the pan till smoking hot, when the smoking stops (this may take a few minutes) take off the heat. Depending on what I have cooked I only need to do this after half a dozen uses. I liked the honesty of Helen’s experiences with these pans, no glossing up here! I tried to give up with non stick but I have capitulated and purchased a couple for ease of use and cleaning when I’m currently pushed for time.

Thank You for this very informative video.

Really great video. Thank you!

I have the 12” Lodge Carbon Steel pan. It’s the only one I’ve used, so have no point of reference for comparison with other brands. I do love using it (on my gas range) and it quickly became my go-to. My initial issue was how much it smokes, but I switched from vegetable oil to grape seed oil for seasoning and general cooking, and the smoking cut way down.

100% agree with all the issues on the Made In. I got one and having so much issues with seasoning it.

Reviews of brands like Matfer, DeBuyer, and Made In have inflated the price so much I bought a BK carbon steel pan for half, and am really enjoying cooking with it.

Thank you! I learned a LOT here.

My first and, to date, only carbon steel pan is a Matfer. Quite large and quite heavy!! 😄 But I love it. Thank you for this in-depth review.

You have one more to try - Solidteknics. Wrought iron, quenched. Half the weight of cast iron. Tougher than carbon steel. Egss sliding out after a week of seasoning. I was skeptical - it took my husband two years to convince me to try them. Wish I had sooner. I am not financially connected to them in any way, just a recently thrilled fan.

I started my carbon steel journey with De Buyer Carbone Plus. I picked them primarily because at the time I had a flat top electric stove. I wanted something that wouldn't warp and would continue to make good contact with the cooktop. The Carbone Plus line is thicker than other typical carbon steel pans. Yes this makes them a little heavier, and a little slower, but they also have fewer hot spots. I don't know that I'm qualified to compare their seasoning characteristics. Being new to carbon steel when I got them (Jan 2020), I made most of the mistakes you can make. I can say they are forgiving. I never had to strip them and start over. The 3 I have (roughly 8, 10, and 12 inch) are just about as non-stick as you could want. I cook with olive oil (made for cooking, not EVO) and butter. I maintain them with grape seed oil and buzzywax.

As usual, god bless you for your thorough work and self sacrificing of a year long task aha.. and also, i appreciate the links to the other videos! Lots of good information within. Its a relief to see useful info and not .. well, junk!

Thank you form your honesty, I was going to buy a Made in, but I wasn’t sure. Kudos for you! Keep it honest.

Excellent video and great info.

I bought a Lodge cast iron a few months ago and I’ve fallen in love. The pre-seasoning it came with wasn’t all that great, but once I seasoned it myself in the oven it worked like a dream. I can fry eggs on it and it leaves almost no residue.

Very educational. Thank you

Well explained. Thank you.

Such a pleasant speaking voice. If I came across a Helen Rennie video about hand washing dishes or just watching paint dry I could see myself enjoying listening to the whole thing. Of all the narration voices on the internet that drive me crazy, like people with bad or harsh accents, people yelling or those horrible computer narrator voices, well this is the complete opposite. Do go on, just talk about anything!!! (And I just subscribed!)

Yup! Absolutely agreed on the Made in - got mine used from a thrift shop for $5. For that price, its an amazing buy and im not complaining, but its not the perfect pan. My Tremolina non stick has been my workhorse for 3 years now and is likely staying that way, even with a new pan that can handle heavier duty cooks!

Also have had my share of problems with seasoning my made in carbon steel. Called the company and they recommended the oven method. It worked well. Once seasoned have not needed to repeat!

Have 3 Field company skillets and they’re all super smooth and light.

Thanks for this review! I use a matfer carbon steel pan on induction and I absolutely love it. I own a teflon skillet specifically for crepes and nothing else. For everything else my carbon steel is nonstick enough to keep me happy. :)

Hi Helen, I have never used the brands you talked about in this video but I have been using a high carbon wok I got from Aldi's and it is great, I don't get any problems with it and I even wash it with light soap once in a great while..I also got Joyce Chen wok, it has bigger flat bottom and shorter walls.. also works great. Please consider trying a wok and see if it works for you. Thank you

had similar issues trying to keep seasoning working well on my Made-In skillets (actually just gave it to a coworker and bought some others instead), however I have had a complete 180 on your Field experience. Best cast iron I've personally ever used. Seasoned like a dream and is as non-stick as can be.

Good observations, Helen. I use Stargazer or Lodge 10” cast iron skillets, also deBuyer 11” and a mistake, a 12” Merten and Storck thin carbon steel skillet: hands down the thick 3mm) deBuyer carbon pan steals the show but they all work. They have all passed the egg test, made omelettes, done veggies, seared meat and been baked in. They just need to be understood. They are basically the same, but “different”. It’s about the cook.

I've had a DeBuyer carbon stell pan for almost 10yrs now and it is my daily workhorse. It has been the best pan in my kitchen and can highly recommend it.

Lodge has a video on KZfaq of their manufacturing process. They start with scrap brake drums and rotors, which are mostly cast iron. I have a very old no name cast fry pan, and a relatively new Lodge. I took a disc sander to the bottom of the lodge to remove the bumpy surface and seasoned it. Although the older pan is much more nicely made, its bottom isn’t flat, so it doesn’t sit on my electric stove well, so I use the Lodge inside and the old pan is used outdoors on my gas grill for smoky jobs like searing a steak.

I use my Matfer pan with my glass top Kitchenaid and love it.

I have a set of beka carbon steel pans with wooden handles and i love them. I still use the white ceramic for some things though

FWIW I have the Made In carbon steel going on 4 years and I love it. Took a bit of seasoning, but now it's practically non stick!

Great practical video

You are 100% honest, you review us total true, same happened with my pans.

I love my Matfer carbon steel pans. I’m a big no rivets fan. Rivets just seem to hold on to crud and a proper weld is far stronger than any rivets could ever be. I hated my lodge pan but once I sanded the interior smooth I fell in love with it.

Great information here, thanks! Would love to see you do a comparison between Made In and All Clad stainless steel pans.

Great vid. Helen. Good info and so well presented. I use my Matfer and Blu Steel carbon panes all the time. The Blu Steel isn’t cheap but it’s the thickest Carbon pan out there. I love them both and I always finish my reveres sear steaks (like you were doing) in one of these, size dependent. Unlike your conclusion, I’ve pretty much don’t bother with the cast pan anymore.

Great Info !!!

This is great. Thank you!

I am a big fan of Made In pans and I have the exact carbon steel pan and the wax and have had the EXACT same negative experience with it not seasoning properly. I thought it was something I was doing wrong. I’m glad to see your video. I feel, like you, that I totally wasted my money as I have given up on using it

Wow Great content. Very informative.

I have honestly never had a problem using acidic ingredients in cast iron, a little bit of vinegar or lemon juice will not kill your pan if you use the longyau technique and season it a bit before cooking all the time, I've had my cast iron pans hang onto a decent seasoning even after making tomato sauce in them a few times in a row

Very well made video.

Great information!

Ms. Helen I agree with you 100% I luv Matfer if you are looking for a lighter steel pan I like BK steel pans, not many people review this brand.

I've got several cast iron pans. Most I bought myself, one I've inherited from my grandmother. The inherited one was rusty as hell, so I've informed myself on restoration, kept it in the solution for cleaning ovens for 48 hours (in a bag), washed it thoroughly and seasoned in the oven 2-3 times. Now it's fully non-stick, and has a smooth surface. The other main pan I have is slightly larger, and it had a rough surface. After seasoning it properly, I've used it just like any other cast iron pan I have and clean it using hot water, detergent and an iron mesh for cleaning dishes, and, after cleaning it leave it on the stove to dry out, apply a miniscule amount of oil, wipe it dry and leave it on the turned off stove (electric one) to cool down. After using it for a few years, now it also has a very smooth bottom and is, of course, non-stick. Of the carbon steel stuff, I've got a wok and a griddle (from made in). The griddle is new, I've seasoned it once before using it and it's mostly non-stick. I haven't tested eggs on it, so I have no idea how non-stick it is, but I definitely will soon. The wok is some random Chinese brand I found locally and, after burning it thoroughly, and burning onions in it, it's now very non-stick, to the point that I can swerve the eggs around it and toss them with ease.

I have 2 Misen pans (10" and 12") that I bought in 2021 and seasoned myself. Absolutely love them. Incredibly well shaped and designed. They are my go-to workhorse when I need a skillet (unless I'm planning to do something like a wine-based pan sauce).

I have two Field cast irons and both of them are honed very smooth! They are my desert island pans and I will absolutely be passing them down to the next generation, I don't even touch any of my stainless pans or the Hexclad I got for christmas. I did however just place a Matfer on the wedding registry and I'm very excited about it, went with the smaller 9 inch which will be nice when I want to make something without dealing with the weight of the full sized cast iron. I liked the idea of the Matter having the welded handle without rivets, seems like a much smarter idea for cleaning.

I love my matfer 11-7/8" pan and use it almost every day. It's heavy, but it's a great size for me (feeding 4 usually). I have a smaller one also (9-1/2"), which I think is too small....much smaller cooking surface and the handle gets hot quickly because it's shorter. I'm a huge fan of the paste, and got a couple cans from Cook Culture. After cleaning with water, I almost always do a light seasoning with the paste until it just starts to smoke. I also rarely cook at higher than a medium/medium-low. Very non-stick, easy to clean and cooks very evenly.

I have 4 De Byer pans, started with one, bought another, and that point donationed my extensive collection of cast iron.. I love them. Couple of things I would out, first they are much lighter than cast iron, secondly they season faster and easier, and finally they are much more responsive to heat changes,. I also have coated pans and stainless steel, yeah, a lot of gear, but you accumate things over 40 years. Right tool for the job, is always best.

This was a pretty good video! I just learned of carbon steel recently and it’s been such a fun journey so far. I typically cook eggs, bacon, pancakes, steaks, scallops, all sorts of things that the iron pans are amazing for, and carbon steel has significantly upped my cooking quality and confidence. I have a cast iron, a Matfer carbon steel pan, and a Merten and Storck carbon steel pan. The cast iron is good for weird odds and ends, and I thought the Matfer would be a lighter weight and easier to use alternative, but honestly it’s quite heavy still. The Merten and Storck pan is my favorite, wish I just bought the larger sizer of that rather than the Matfer. My Merten and Storck is 10” but the walls are quite tall, while the Matfer I thought was going to be significantly bigger at 11.75”, it’s not quite. The poking area is surprisingly similar. Merten and Storck has a stainless steel ‘comfort’ handle and is very lightweight. I haven’t had any issues with evenness, but I also haven’t tested as extensively as you have. I certainly have less even cooking pans!. However, I cook on a glass stove top, and I’ve noticed the Merten will warp slightly when it gets really, really hot, like searing steaks. Nothing and it does return to normal shape as it cools but oil will go to one side. The Matfer does not warp at all though, almost seems to suck down to the stove top at high heats. Anyways, sounds like you’re over carbon steel, but I think the Merten and Storck is what you wanted your Made In pan to be.

I bought non-stick, cast iron, and carbon steel skillets and tried them all for a couple of months. I ended up going with carbon steel. The cast iron and carbon steel both consistently cooked food that tasted better than the non-stick with more browning and crispiness. And between cast iron and carbon steel, they were very similar, but carbon steel is just a little better in a few ways. The handle consistently stays cool enough to use with my bare hands. The smooth surface allows for the use of paper towels without shredding them. And the smooth surface also makes it easier to clean and to tell when its clean. I've heard carbon steel referred to as cast iron 2.0, and I agree with that assessment. It's not enormously better, but it is better. I use stainless steel skillets for acidic or saucy foods. I use carbon steel by preference otherwise. Mostly because it's faster to clean up than stainless steel.

My favorite for getting a nice crust on steak or chicken before finishing in the oven is a good quality stainless skillet with an aluminum core base. If I let the crust develop it never sticks and browns very evenly. For burgers it's the cast iron every time. I am fortunate that my wife inherited her grandmothers set with glass-smooth cooking surfaces. Teflon is reserved for eggs and other low temperature dishes. I have to have a good 8" egg pan, and our ceramic coated dutch oven is a gem. Buy only good quality proven brands, shop garage sales for old cast iron, and avoid the "latest new thing" fads since most are a waste of money and time.

Well spoken and well done!

I use flaxseed oil rather than any other. It is a "drying oil", which means that it polymerizes like a plastic, rather than oxidizing as others do. That makes it tougher. The non-food version is linseed oil, which is used for furniture and oil paint, precisely because it sets, rather than drys, and does it fairly quickly, even at room temperature. But do use heat to condition your pans with flaxseed oil. I've tried just leaving them at room temp, and it takes days to set, and even then it does not seem to be as tough.