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Pros and Cons of Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron cookware definitely has its own unique style for cooking, and because of many of the unique features available with it, it can also be used to create different dishes and tastes than other types of cookware.  There are a lot of advantages to cast iron cookware, and a few disadvantages, so let's go over those here!

One of the first advantages that shouldn't be overlooked is the cost of cast iron cookware.  This is a major “pro” argument.  Cast iron is cheap, and more importantly, it's durable.  Not only will you pay less for these items, they will last you longer as well.  In today's world, this is no small argument!

Another major advantage is that it's really stick-resistant, which means that you can easily cook your favorite dishes without worrying about the additional scraping or preparing that are necessary for some non cast iron cookware.

One disadvantage of cast iron is that it can't really be used with acidic food, due to the nature of the material (acid and iron just don't mix).  It can react to the food you cook in ways that are different than usual, and while this isn't a disadvantage in itself, it does require additional training.

Another disadvantage is that it requires extra attention as far as cleaning.  If you don't dry it out quickly, it can rust and require that you actually sand the metal to continue using it.

A couple of “neutral” items on the list are that it's heavier, and some people prefer that while others hate it, and that you can season the porous material in your own way.  This means that you do have to season it, but you have a bit more flexibility here.