Would you use cast iron from China?

I know those recent incidents such as the toys painted with lead, prescription drugs coated in antifreeze and dog food with fertilizer that causes kidney failure may be isolated incidents that are sensationalized, but it definitely has left a bad impression.

What do you think?

Not a chance!

1. I don't trust them to use pure iron and would not be surprised to learn that such pans contain lead, mercury, and other heavy metals.

2. Aside from the materials, I don't trust the quality of the products.

3. Good American-made cast iron, such as the products from Lodge, is relatively inexpensive (compared to high-end stainless from All-Clad, for example), it will literally last a lifetime, and the quality is superb, so there's little reason to risk buying junk to save a couple of bucks.

4. I support American workers and businesses, and that's more important than ever now that the Bush administration has crippled our economy.

5. Tibet.

Lodge is the way to go. Unless you're buying manhole covers.

PH

just say no

Love my Lodge cast iron. Why bother with anything else? They aren't even expensive.

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Lodge is the way to go. Unless you're buying manhole covers.

PH

I couldn't tell you where all of my cast iron came from. One was from mom, another grannie, another Grandma and maybe even one from Goggy.

I also have Lodge. The biggest one I could get, I think it cost $30. I've cured it once in 6 years and it's awesome. I suppose I could clean off all of that goodness but I never saw my grandma actually scrub hers in 25 years. She'd just wipe it down and dry it on a hot burner.

Can't go wrong with American. (Cast Iron skillets anyway)

I completely agree about lodge - my favorite skillet out of a stable of mostly all-clad is my $12 Walmart cast iron lodge. And if I needed another skillet, I'd go lodge again.

That being said, I would and do use cast iron from china - one of my woks is cast iron from china (the other is carbon steel also from china). While i prefer the steel one, the cast iron has a nice ring to it. Now I just wish I could get some of that jet blast heat the guys in HK use and generate some real wok hay (spell?).

The best bang for your buck when it comes to cast iron is probably at the last place you would think. Try your local flea market. Most tend to have a guy there who has refurbished old cast iron pans. The greatest thing about cast iron is that they never lose quality if properly maintained (or in this case refurbished). I bought a set of 3 (14",10", 6") 15 years ago for $30 and have never needed to replace them. Now that I think about it I tend only to use the larger one (searing, frying, etc...).

Went with lodge.

I avoid ANYTHING made in China that touchs me, serves food, drugs, toys, or electical.

Their quality does not exist.

China will sell the cheapest c%)^ for what ever folks will pay.

I even avid items that have the disclaimer " Distributed by Proctor & Gamble" [for example, and do not tell where item is made

Aahhh. . .

Another silly recycled "crisis," exactly like the anti- "Made in Japan" line from the 70s and 80s.

American companies manufacture things that are made from commodities purchased from a global commodities market. The fact is, no one knows where the steel, plastic, wood, oil, natural gas or, perhaps, iron, is from that is then turned into the product s we all use. I did not know Lodge was as vertically integrated as you suggest. They mine their own ore from the United States, cast it and manufacture their pans? If so, it's great to see another successful American company investing in their future in terms of vertical integration.

Didn't Ford just recall a bunch of SUVs that can catch fire for some reason?

cdr, I don't think anyone on this thread suggested that Lodge was vertically integrated.

It's not a question of where the raw materials come from. A cast-iron skillet or wok is a manufactured good that consumers expect to be safe and fit for its intended use. An important perceived advantage to buying American-made goods is that there's a much better system of laws in the US to ensure product safety and producer accountability, as opposed to in China. It doesn't matter where the ore is mined from; Lodge must release its products with the knowledge that as the manufacturer, it is accountable under US law for any defects.

Whereas, should a made-in-China skillet turn out to be toxic or injurious (albeit the risk of that is probably very low), good luck bringing a products liability suit in a Chinese court.

China makes the best cast iron woks in the world... it just matters if you can get access to them =)

quote:

Originally posted by RDCollins:


3. Good American-made cast iron, such as the products from Lodge, is relatively inexpensive (compared to high-end stainless from All-Clad, for example), it will literally last a lifetime, and the quality is superb, so there's little reason to risk buying junk to save a couple of bucks.

4. I support American workers and businesses, and that's more important than ever now that the Bush administration has crippled our economy.

5. Tibet.

i hope for the love of all that's good and holy that you drive an American piece of crap car and buy nothing that's made out of America.

geez

quote:

an American piece of crap car

What, exactly, is an American piece of crap car? Please expound.

PH

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:

quote:

an American piece of crap car

What, exactly, is an American piece of crap car? Please expound.

PH

Time for popcorn.

Just for the record, you can't really buy a mass produced automobile that's 100% manufactured in the U.S. unless it's a fire engine or an ambulance.

Hand crafted sports cars are all US. Will cost $ 150k though

quote:

Originally posted by RDCollins:

3. Good American-made cast iron, such as the products from Lodge, is relatively inexpensive (compared to high-end stainless from All-Clad, for example), it will literally last a lifetime, and the quality is superb, so there's little reason to risk buying junk to save a couple of bucks.

.

I really hate to burst your bubble, but I just bought some all clad stainless steel measuring cups and on the box in BIG letters "MADE IN CHINA"

If I see a product I want at the quality I want at the price I want to pay, I buy it, regardless of where it somes from. The global marketplace has made it so difficult to tell where anything comes from, it's futile to attempt to buy exclusively Made in America goods.

I also feel American cars are way overpriced for the quality, so I do not buy them.

quote:

Originally posted by cdr:

I also feel American cars are way overpriced for the quality, so I do not buy them.

What quality?

quote:

Originally posted by cdr:
If I see a product I want at the quality I want at the price I want to pay, I buy it, regardless of where it somes from. The global marketplace has made it so difficult to tell where anything comes from, it's futile to attempt to buy exclusively Made in America goods.

I also feel American cars are way overpriced for the quality, so I do not buy them.

I've been saying for years it's not the quality that I have a problem with, it's the fact that the styling sucks. I wouldn't purchase them even if they dropped the prices $50-10k.

I'm on an American or should I say North American seafood kick after an expose that a local news agency did on the farm raised seafood conditions overseas. Please excuse the thread drift.

The only cast iron skillet I have I bought at target store. I'm sure it probably came from somewhere other than the US, like many of their products.

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
What, exactly, is an American piece of crap car?

Anything made by Chrysler.