cast iron is non-stick, magnetic (works with induction stoves), and doesn't poison your body
stainless steel is also acceptable if you have weak little girl arms or T-Rex arms
Discussion
Stainless steel pans are awesome. You can clean them with aggressive scouring pads without any concerns, they require zero preparation or maintenance, they're relatively cheap, you can buy them anywhere, and they last close enough to forever.
I have scored stainless steel from scrubbing it too hard. Never had that problem with a well seasoned cast iron pan because food doesn't stick to it so I don't have to scrub so hard.
Agreed on all other points.
maybe my arms are too strong from cooking with all these heavy ass iron pans lol
We're you using a steel scrub pad? Or copper?
I only use copper ones myself. They should be strictly softer than the steel, making scratches impossible.
Anyway, if you did manage to scratch a steel pan you could still sand it down to restore the smoothness.
copper is much nicer for scrubby things
i have recently started to almost strictly use "non scratch" scrubber pads (blue color) for everything, they work fine for almost everything... if they don't take it off, that's because it would scratch it, and really the next step is usually chemicals, sodium hydroxide is very good at tearing up polymerised grease and tars, but beware it also eats aluminium and can damage steel
copper is only second to silver for antibacterial action also, btw
The other thing I really like is my stainless steel chainmail scrubber. It's just a piece of chainmail that costs $10 or so in Amazon. Using soap and water it knocks off burnt on stuff very well, and unlike scrubbers, cleans up really easily by just grinding it on itself under flowing water. Usually after, say, cooking a steak I'll use the chainmail first then a scrubber for what's left. Since chainmail is rounded, it doesn't scratch a stainless steel pan.
IIUC stainless steel is approximately third or fourth after copper/brass for anti-microbial action. Most bacteria doesn't like the chromium and nickel apparently.
Though frankly I'm not very worried about that... clean, dry, surfaces don't harbor much bacteria anyway. And it's a pan: the moment you apply heat everything alive on it is going to die a quick death. I eat steaks that are straight up cold in the middle anyway.
Oh nice! I ruin a steel wool pad every time I clean my box smoker. I can't get all the crud out of the steel wool afterwards. Might need to look into chainmail.
Ah! Yeah, give it a try. Lots of them on Amazon, eg: https://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-Goods-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B0D33T65L3/
it's already on the way :)
Yeah I was using steel wool. And it was my father in law's newish pan. 😬
We just covered it up with more scratches but those original ones are still the deepest.
I can see the value of steel pans for something like a rental. But nothing beats cooking on a well seasoned cast iron skillet.
Oh snap is it Thursday? Steak night! 😁
Restaurant supply store stainless steel pans last forever in a home. Just stay away from those that mix stainless steel and aluminum.