Cast Iron Frypan
- Heavy duty, 28cm raw Cast Iron
- Suitable for all heat sources
- Raw cast iron, pre-seasoned with oil
Cast Iron Grill
- Suitable for all heat sources
- Raw cast iron, pre-seasoned with oil
- Perfect for grilling in the kitchen
Cast Iron 28cm Grill or Frypan $12.99ea @ ALDI
940
nocure on 17/08/2018 - 18:24 aldi.com.au (5134 clicks)
Last edited 20/08/2018 - 14:18 by 1 other user
Last edited 20/08/2018 - 14:18 by 1 other user
This is part of Father's Day deals for 2018.
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I have the 25cm skillet pan.
AMA
To be honest, the appeal of the Aldi cast iron has really diminished since Lodge cast iron became available for not much more with Amazon Prime shipping.
What's the difference?
I don't know if there's actually a difference. But I'd happily pay an extra $10-15 for Lodge.
Umm…what?
@potplanty: I mean to say, Lodge is an extremely well known brand which has been around for decades. Lots of people online report using their lodge cast iron pans handed down from parents, purchased before they were born etc. Lodge is mentioned quite often on the subreddit buyitforlife. I don't know who makes the Aldi cast iron pans (unlikely, but for all we know, it could be lodge), and they haven't been around for long enough (and aren't sold to a particularly large market) so they just don't have the same level of assurance. If you expect to keep your cast iron pan for 10-20 years, then it's really not a big deal to pay an extra $1/year to buy something with assured quality rather than risk it on a generic brand product.
It's important to note that this peculiarity of economics has only arisen now that Amazon Prime is covering US shipping, so we get US prices and Amazon bears the cost of shipping these several-kg products. If you look at the non-prime shipping estimates for these items they're in the range of $30-70 just for shipping to Australia. If not available from Amazon at the $25-30 range, we would be paying $70 locally. We should absolutely take advantage of this.
Also, for about 50 weeks in the year Lodge is available whereas Aldi isn't.
@potplanty: P.S. currently some lodge items are available for $25-$30 per piece, but there have been even better deals in the last few months.
I've been using my Aldi ones almost daily for about 10 years. It'll probably do another 50….
@iDroid, @tightwad: Totally understand. The aldi cast iron seems completely fine - last year I bought a pan for my parents and they have no complaints. I just hesitate to express an opinion on the quality being the same, because I'm not a materials engineer. For example, I have read posts (either here or on amazon reviews themselves) of cast iron items arriving broken due to extremely poor packaging in transit, so clearly these items aren't totally indestructible.
Also, note that Lodge provide a lifetime warranty on enamel cast iron (and they have been around since 1896). My recollection of Aldi is that they provide somewhere between 5-15 years on the comparable products.
@josho9: Lodge is popular because it's not the worst and cheaper than better brands. There are 2-3 better USA brands though. It's just that most people won't pay their asking price, so Lodge is the lowest quality most people will drop back to. It's not a 'brilliant' brand - it's a 'sufficient compromise'.
Lodge was better years ago when they used to machine/polish the cooking surface. They don't do it anymore - claim it's unnecessary - while other people claim it is better. Both camps are partially correct. "Unnecessary" is only true while the pits in the surface are filled with oil - which a polished surface doesn't need near as much of. So technically the "it's better" crowd is more correct.
A polished surface doesn't require as much ongoing attention/seasoning due to the oil 'stripping out' of the deeper pits on modern Lodge surfaces, and doesn't require as much oil used to prevent things like pancakes sticking in those pits. (Imagine a surface of pebbles - the pancake only doesn't stick while the depressions between the pebbles is filled. A machined/polished surface still has them but they're much smaller - so the surface is virtually flat - no pits - no sticks.
Users overcome this by using more oil than the polished crowd and I don't think either realise why they're both 'right' and 'wrong' at the same time.
So if you're the kind of person that wants the best no matter the cost, seek out the better brands (if any of them polish the surface). If they don't, THEN paying 3x and more the cost of Lodge is probably not worth it to most people.
@GregMonarch: I saw some guy polishing / make flat surface using sander and re-seasoning. I guess if you want nice flat surface from lodge from now, you may try the same.
From my perspective, you might want flat / polished surface for your frying pan as mentioned but I don't feel much necessary for grills or pots.
Lodge is an inferior substitute to the similar priced De Buyer.
So why people are advocating Lodge is just strange.
@moonphase: where can you buy debuyer in Australia at lodge Amazon.com.au prices? I can't even find De buyer cast iron products ion Amazon. Com
@josho9:
Does Lodge pay for the return for that US limited lifetime warranty? Without that, it may be cheaper to buy a new pan!
With Aldi warranty issues, I can easily drop back to the store.The warranty link is for the dearer enamel cookware, unlike the ones here or in Amazon.au Lodge deals on OzBargain.
"There is not a written warranty for Lodge Cast Iron cookware" "however, we do stand behind every product manufactured. For product problems, please contact Lodge Customer Care and we will solve the problem to your satisfaction. Lodge Enamel Cookware is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.".
Bought $15 grill pan from Aldi similar to this deal, but with enamel on outside (not on cooking surface) - 5 year warranty.
@elcheapoinoz:
De Buyer is iron, not cast iron.
Everten has specials on De buyer from at various times through the year.
Last sale was about a month ago.
Carbone + is 3mm thick and works great.@Bargin Boy: you mean carbon/blue/black steel ?
never heard of just iron, well unless cast iron.there's plenty of other cheaper carbon steel pans around (thats what the restaurants use) but they're usually thinner than 3mm.
more between 1 and 2 mmDe Buyer do not produce cast iron.
Rather, De buyer primarily produce carbon steel and stainless steel pans.
Carbon steel is similar to cast iron except that:
Carbon Steel has a higher iron content 99% as opposed to 97% for cast iron.
Cast iron pans are made in a mold where as carbon Steel pans are made from sheets.
Carbon steel pans are lighter and smoother.
Carbon Steel has better non stick properties (once seasoned) than cast iron.
If someone is a fan of vintage cast iron pans than carbon steel is a better alternative than cast iron.
America's Test Kitchen:
https://bit.ly/2MoBrhlThey tested a range of Carbon Steel pans.
De Buyer Tied with Matfer for first place.@elcheapoinoz:
De Buyer website says iron.
https://www.debuyer.com/en/products/iron-cookware
The thin ones tend to warp though.De Buyers user manual for iron pans states that they are "carbon steel frying" pans.
In the De Buyers professionals catalog they are listed as both steel and iron.
Regarding their thickness, Element B one their most popular pans is 3mm thick.
Therefore, warping is not an common issue for De Buyer pans.
Reference:
https://www.debuyer.com/en/notices@Atazoth616:
I was replying to elcheapoinoz regarding thin pans.
I have a carbone + which is 3mm thick.Oops.
Misinterpreted the comment and thus apologise.
On another note, thin pans also have poor heat distribution which results in uneven cooking.
So that could of also been mentioned in your response to elcheapoinoz.
Wow .. I hear about this 1 day after I cancelled my prime membership LOL
I also note theres a lot more Amazon prime offers today as well, being as its 31 or so days after Prime Day.
Bought the Aldi grill pan a few months ago - love it. ($14.99 with red enamel outer finish)
Missed out on Lodge bargains - price went up & had to buy 2 then (pre Prime) for shipping.
Don't know how Lodge would improve the cooking. You pay a premium for the name, something I avoid.
Cast iron cookware lasts. A no-name cast iron skillet has been used by family for 40 years & looks like new.
Just be careful with enamel because it may chip and you may not necessarily want to cook on the resulting surface. I have seen some photos of chipped enamel cast iron pans which did not inspire confidence.
See the photo in this deal (without enamel outer surface) - cooking surface is cast iron, only the outer surface (base & outer sides) on my pan from same manufacturer has a nice red enamel.
Deal for my Aldi 3 layer enamel coating, 5 Year Warranty grill pan only difference is nice & easy clean outer coating for $4 more.
So many were left after sale so bought another for $14.99 & returned it unused with $16.99 docket😉You're not the only one to jump to the conclusion cooking surface is enamel (discussion in above deal link made same assumption). Cookware with enamel cooking surface is referred to as enamel, rather than cast iron. Broken surface in it will likely cause sticking & differences in heating. But some people have cooked on broken enamel for generations.
Grab one with a lifetime warranty and you'll get a brand new one.
@TarquinOliverNimrod: Do the aldi pans have lifetime warranties? My recollection was 5-15 years, and infidel notes 5 years from the May deal. Aldi has a few different varieties of cast iron products - I have previously bought one of their frypans which was enamelled all the way around (including the cooking surface), only the edge/lip of the frypan was not enamelled.
@josho, how do the Lodge enamel pans compare to Le Crueset? They look awesome value!
Have a look at Baccarat. They have a lifetime warranty as well and are cheaper when on sale.
Got a few and love them.
Sadly Amazon has increased the prices alot in Lodge recently :(
From my understanding, if you don’t look after the cast irons, it doesn’t matter any decent brand, it will be rusty right?
yes. but cleaning cast iron is easy. you don't even need to use detergent…..just use a nylon brush to clean off excess oil and food scraps. dry completely by heating on the stove. add some oil and wipe and all good. I actually prefer using my cast iron stuff compared to stainless steel.
I don't dry using heat. Cast iron starts rusting immediately anywhere cooking implements have 'nicked thru' the seasoning - and passes that rust taste into the next cooked food.
Right after cooking, I put a LITTLE water in so it's pretty much immediately take up the same temp as the pan itself. (Pouring a lot of water in can stress/warp cast iron.) Any cooked-on/dried/out food you can tell will required a scourer comes off easily after a few minutes. If not I leave it longer - even overnight. Next day same thing - food off easily.
Then after washing I tip the pan vertical so most of the water runs out, grab 2x tissues, mostly wipe/dry the surface with those (doesn't have to be completely dry because again you'll start to get the same rust taste problem). Just wipe so that excess water has gone - some streaks of water that would evaporate given a minute sitting is dry enough. Then spray some oil in and wipe it over the surface with the same tissues. The water already in the tissues doesn't matter because there's so little of it - they aren't soaking wet - most of the water already ran out when the pan was vertical. If they are a bit too wet though, I just turn them to a drier section for oiling.
This way rust doesn't have a chance to start and taint the next cooked food. I know you're not supposed to be able to smell rust - but I can smell SOMETHING when I dry cast iron using only heat, that I cannot smell when I use the above method. And when that smell IS present I can usually also see some rust. So who knows what I'm smelling. All I know is doing the above doesn't affect the taste of the next batch of food like drying on heat sometimes has.
Smoke?
My family have used a no-name cast iron skillet for 40 years, now passed down to me. Rather surprised by advice to heat & oil after each use - I've never done that.
Never has been given any special treatment compared with the stainless steel etc cookware. Would have been seasoned when first bought, but not since. Looks much the same as new. Certainly never had rust.
Same.
You don't have to heat it. Just make sure it's dry
Lodge cast iron have EXCELLENT reputation in USA. They have been around for more than a century. I really dig their stuff. Their manufacturing process is much better than the cast iron of their competitors. I had an expensive Le Creuset grill pan and I actually preferred using the Lodge Cast Iron. The Lodge pan was $30. Le Creuset $250. Go figure…..so I sold the Le Creuset one.
They're not fantastic… They're just not the worst. i.e. They're at the point where price isn't ridiculous compared to the better brands - while still being not the lowest quality as the junk brands.
cast iron is junk. Who wants to season & maintain a friggen frying pan. Cleaning the BBQ is enough work for me, never again.
I agree with you hahaha.
Cue the downvotes..
because it lasts and is healthier than the tefal anti stick garbage, the amount of pans Ive thrown away a cast iron would work out to be cheaper in the long run.
also forgot to mention they are difficult to clean & damage the stone in your kitchen if your not careful
Or just buy a stainless steel fry pan…
They're completely different devices, as anyone who cooks with both will tell you.
LOL, I agree, so overrated, so heavy, so slow to heat up, inferior to teflon and to people who said not to clean it with soap, I rather have my kitchen clean and spotless thanks. I got myself an anodised aluminium and never look back.
Cast iron has a higher specific heat capacity, which is why it takes longer to heat up, but it also maintains temperature really well, good for high temperature searing, cant imagine you getting a good sear on a thin aluminum teflon pan.
Also one of the advantages of using cast iron, stainless steel or carbon steel is that you can use metal utensils without scratching the pan, unlike teflon which has been linked to cancer
"Cast iron has a higher specific heat capacity, which is why it takes longer to heat up, but it also maintains temperature really well"
I think you will find its not the specific heat but the mass which that gives cast iron those properties.
it really depends on what you are serving.
Normal day frying, I would go for stainless steel (or aluminium perhaps) but if I'm making "gambas al ajillo", I'm definitely cook and serve using cast iron pan no doubts.
Aluminium is not good for health either
@777:
A myth debunked decades ago. Aluminium plaque was found in dissected brains of dementia sufferers. People incorrectly jumped to conclusion it got there from cookware, rather than being almost everywhere in the natural environment. The myth lives on in those who want to believe.As for Teflon coatings… I think the evidence is clear, but should be safe at lower heat.
Aluminium heats very quickly. So is on the opposite end of the scale to cast iron. It's for a very different cooking use & has its place, especially in pans.
I mainly use an induction cooktop. Cast iron heats quickly & holds its heat, whereas aluminum & most stainless steel won't work.
Just on the "slow to heat up" thing - I haven't noticed this a problem at all (induction here). But then again I only have a medium sized Lodge skillet (a little smaller than this aldi one).
cast iron is junk.
Yeah, that's why so people on ebay fight over vintage cast iron - not as display pieces - but to use. I wonder how people will have bidding wars over a teflon pan in 50 years, LOL.
Who wants to season & maintain a friggen frying pan.
- Seasoning - just, LOL. Yeah, such a mammoth effort.
- "Maintaining" = "washing". So you don't wash your cookware?
Cleaning the BBQ is enough work for me, never again.
Sorry, it takes from no longer to maybe 3 seconds longer, to clean cast iron over non-stick teflon.
Similar for the BBQ (if you're talking about the cooking surface only). If you're having trouble cleaning either, it's either just because you never learned how, or in the case of the BBQ - you're cooking foods on it soaked in sugar marinades that turn to toffee and ash.
Hey Mr Greg Monarch are you running a course on BBQ and castiron cleaning because I would love to give it a miss. I dont think cast iron belongs in the kitchen it is dangerous and unnecessary. I would love to see you clean all the fat and oil the steak leaves behind in 3 seconds after you've eaten your dinner and all that crap has solidified. All that hassle for a couple steaks ?!?! Might as well chuck the BBQ on be done with it. Clean it once or twice a year you beauty
Translated: "I know way more about this than the people who own and use the stuff! GO ME!"
Being clueless about something is fine, but use the opportunity to learn, not to proudly proclaim your ignorance. Not everyone has to worship Trump and his methods.
why bother on noobs …… let them enjoy their teflon.
Awesome. I need a few grill pans.
Wow who knew there were so many cast iron connoisseurs on OZB. This is what I come here for, learning new stuff everyday.
Could someone please help me find a Lodge fish fryer to suit my Lodge 410 Sportsmans grill at a reasonable price. Thanks.
Am i missing out something here, are these pans better than the kmart ones (dark grey or silver colored ones)?
What a great deal! Aldi you done it again!
never knew about lodge products, thanks ozbargain! paying $70 - $100 whatever it is, is worth it upfront for a product which can possibly last a lifetime. probably good for the muscles too lifting something so heavy on a daily basis #DoYouEven
I have gone through MANY expensive frypans and they've all flaked/burnt/died in some form or other. I bought this one from Aldi a year ago and have never looked back. It's as new today as it was when I bought it and it gets used almost every day due to looking after it (keeping it oiled etc). My only wish is they'd do one bigger than 28cm…
Guys - be careful with these cheap cooking items.. per my previous comment on the Aldi enamel cookware (https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/308628?page=1#comment-4821…), I didn't receive a convincing 'everything is safe' response from Aldi Customer Support, they actually admitted lead and cadmium content - and as such, have great doubts about the content of these 'cast iron' pans..
do your homework on what they're made of before jumping in.
That's a different product with an enamel costing.
https://thekitchenprofessor.com/blog/enameled-cast-iron-vs-c…
do your homework on what they're made of before jumping in
Maybe follow your own advice😉
These are not enamel coated! Just look at deal photo & deal description: "raw Cast Iron".The coating on the pans in that other deal were not on the cooking surface anyway, just on the outer surface - base & sides (I own the grill pan). Very low levels of heavy metals contained within the enamel surfaces not even touching food won't jump through the cast iron to the cooking surface & enter food!! So comment not relevant in this deal, or for pans in that deal.
be careful with these cheap cooking items
Even expensive enamel ware has reports of heavy metals, as pointed out in response to your linked comment. The issue is with the coating on the cooking surface (not the cheap price) - which is not on these.
I just purchased these on sale at Harris-Scarf (still on sale now):
SMITH & NOBEL Raw Cast Iron Frypan 29.5Cm (higher pan with lid) $34.95
SMITH & NOBEL Raw Cast Iron Skillet 30Cm $29.95
SMITH & NOBEL Raw Cast Iron Skillet 20Cm $11.95
SMITH & NOBEL Raw Cast Iron Square Grill 26Cm $24.95
Being I'm well over 100kms of sh*tty traffic away from Perth/Joondalup, I happily paid the whole $10 to have them brought to my door!
;)
PS & FYI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGLV7fd0-fQ
Bunnings has the scouring pad referenced in the video (USA Home Depot) here.
https://www.harrisscarfe.com.au/search?text=Cast%20iron
Today's prices on HS's home brand are different. Same size grill pan is $28 against $13 @Aldi.
HS have a free Credit Card with $25 or $50 gift card, which would help with higher cost.Probably similar price delivered to buy reputable Lodge pans on Amazon.au using free Prime membership for delivery.
Using a $16.49 stripping disc with an angle grinder to grind out a crappy cast iron surface seems a lot of unnecessary effort & cost! Just buy a good pan. These Aldi ones have a good surface.
Bought the 28cm cast iron pan last year and it's going like a champ. Sure, a regular non stick teflon pan is more convenient, but cast iron isn't that hard either. All I did after I bought it was give it a good scrub to make sure it was clean, then two rounds of seasoning over an afternoon. Since then I've been using it about 2-3 times a week and it's dead easy to maintain. Any food stuck on it comes off with a single wipe of a sponge using warm water + a few drops of soap, then I dry it well and put it away. If I'm not going to use it for a while I might even smear a few drops of oil onto it it but if you're going to use it regularly it's not an issue.
The surface is pretty rough, and I've seen people sand it down with an angle grinder but I didn't bother, and now I can even fry eggs on it without any sticking at all. I wouldn't try pancakes or delicate fish, but it can pretty much handle anything else.Basically if you're going to use it regularly, the only extra effort compared to a non-stick pan is the heft and careful drying. If you're only going to use it once a month for the odd steak or something it's probably not worth the cupboard space
Thanks for your info bro, I have bought a $30 cast iron fry pan from Everton I think a few years, I have seasoned it properly but it always sticks the meat or veggies after cooking. It has got a small handle so not very comfortable, I have bought a griddle pan from Aldi in the past as well, it was alright, but still very sticky. Do you think I should buy another cast iron pan this Saturday? Thx
Probably not necessary to buy another cast iron pan if you already have a couple that are properly seasoned. The key to making sure foods don't stick is to get the pan hot enough before putting any food in. I generally let it heat up on medium heat for a good 5 minutes first to make sure the entire pan has soaked up enough heat to not cool down too much once food is put in.
Bought one today - pretty solid - worth the money.
Cast Iron Grill:
Plenty (25) in stock at my local today. Predict a price reduction soon.Compared with the enamel exterior coated Aldi Cast Iron Grill from months ago ($16.99, bought for $14.99) - this is a very basic product.
Packaging is brown cardboard against gloss of premium one. Both have 5 year warranty - keep receipt!
Surface is rough!! Ridges are less high. Both mean food is more likely.to stick.
Larger cooking area (straight sides), likely thinner base.
Other pan has pouring lips, looks far superior, handle is coated & much more comfortable in hand.
What's your local?
Certainly not yours😉 - Brisbane
It's a quieter store that has just been renovated - which has lots of unsold previous offers.
Enamel exterior & better cooking surfaces makes the previous one look & should perform far more like quality kitchen ware.
This one looks like it belongs on a camp fire🔥 Wouldn't recommend this one!!
I'll keep my much better Aldi grill pan that cost $2 more (bought less than 60 days ago).
Just got the last one at Mentone today
Now $7.79 in Brisbane.
Spotlight has some great prices too for cast iron pots
Probably no where as good as lodge