A cast iron skillet can last a lifetime with basic care, and many pans pass from one owner to the next. Iron does not wear out like a coated pan, and a pan with a bad surface can be restored.
Only a few things end a cast iron pan. A crack is the main one, and a badly warped base is the other. Rust and a sticky surface are not on that list.
Why it lasts so long
A cast iron pan is a single thick piece of metal. There is no coating that peels and no layer that wears through. The black surface is seasoning, which is oil baked onto the iron. If seasoning wears off, you bake on more.
That is why old pans turn up at yard sales and still cook well after a clean and a re-season. Non-stick pans usually lose their coating after some years of use. A cast iron pan only needs upkeep.
What actually kills one
Thermal shock. Cast iron is hard but brittle. If you heat a pan hard and then pour cold water into it, or set a hot pan in a cold sink, the metal can crack. A hairline crack in the body usually ends the pan, because it can spread and the pan can split in use.
The fix is simple. Let the pan cool before you wash it. Heat it up slowly, and do not run it on high heat while empty.
Warping on a glass cooktop. Cast iron is heavy and holds heat. On a smooth glass or ceramic top, a hot pan can warp or leave the base uneven. A warped base rocks, spins and heats unevenly. It can also scratch the glass when you slide it.
If you have a glass top, use low to medium heat and lift the pan instead of dragging it. Heat it slowly. A gas flame, a coil burner or an induction hob is easier on the pan.
A hard drop. A heavy pan that hits a tile floor can chip or crack at the rim or handle. This is rare, but it happens.
Rust is not death
Orange rust looks bad, but it sits on the surface. It happens when the pan is left wet, soaked, or washed in the dishwasher.
To fix it:
- Scrub off the rust with steel wool or a stiff brush until you see bare gray iron.
- Wash, rinse and dry the pan well.
- Rub on a very thin coat of cooking oil, then wipe it until it looks dry.
- Bake it upside down at 450 to 500 degrees F for one hour. Let it cool in the oven.
Repeat once or twice for a smoother surface. A rusty, gunky or flaking pan is usually a pan that needs cleaning, not one that needs to go in the trash.
The only rust that matters is deep pitting, where the metal itself has been eaten away. That takes years of neglect.
How to keep one going
Wash it by hand while it is still warm. Dry it right away and wipe on a few drops of oil. Skip long soaks and the dishwasher. Cook with some fat, since that builds the seasoning over time.
Who should skip it
Skip cast iron if you want a light pan you can lift with one hand, or if you will not do the small bit of upkeep. It is heavy, and it is slow to heat and slow to cool.
A pan to start with
A pre-seasoned 12 inch skillet gives you a working surface from day one, so the first round of seasoning is already done.
