Cast-iron Grill Press - bacon press, cast-iron grill press

Click here for more information This is something that had been on my wish list for a while. I had not used one before but I liked the concept. Finally got one for my birthday a couple of years ago, and this has grown into one of my favorite tools. For bacon, nothing is better. I cook up 5 pounds at a time and freeze in 4-slice packs, and this little beauty makes the cooking process easy. Nice flat pieces that are great for that after-work BLT. Works great for panini and is definitely cheaper and easier to use than a specialized machine that does the same job for 5 times the price.

This is a real low-tech old school way of cooking that proves over and over again why its still so popular.

I can not agree with the previous reviewer. This is a tremendous quality, HEAVY cast iron grill press which does an excellent job on keeping bacon flat, cooking grilled cheese, pressing out fat from burgers(although why would you want to, fat = flavor). Basically it will handle any job where you need things flatter, with the added bonus of cast iron's unique heat retention. In addition, its size and roundness, as opposed to the traditional rectangular grill press, mean that it will fit almost any skillet 7" or bigger. Nice and versatile.



It is not made like "modern" pieces with a slick non-stick coating that eventually flakes off. It is not something you throw in the dishwasher when its dirty. It requires some maintenance, yes. But the quality of the build, the heaviness of the press, and the way cast iron retains heat make it all very much worth it. If you care about the quality of your cooking, not just convenience, you are a cast iron person and would love this press. LODGE is one of the best manufacturers in the country, and their pieces are found in kitchens ranging from mine(ha!) to those in 5-star restaurants. Buy with peace of mind knowing you are getting the best, and with care so will your children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren because cast iron lasts.

I have one of these and may end up with another. After checking a previous review, someone obviously doesn't understand function as opposed to just looking good. The only thing he rated highly was a cookbook...



I only wish this came in a size that would properly fit a 12" frying pan for when I'm cooking breakfast for a crowd.



No complaints and I know how to clean cast iron.

When you grow up with flat bacon, nothing else is good enough. So I made the plunge and bought this press for the sole purpose of cooking flat bacon in my cast-iron cookware. That makes this an expensive uni-tasker for me (which, along with the screws, is why I only gave it 4 stars), but I still think it was a good purchase.



The construction of the press seems high-quality. It is indeed heavy, but I have no concerns about the handle coming off or anything like that. You do need to assemble it, requiring a flathead screwdriver and an adjustable wrench or pliers, but it isn't difficult. The screwheads sit in an indentation on the bottom of the press and are exposed to the food/cooking surface. The hygiene implications of that might be a problem for some, but those people would probably not like cast-iron anyway. However, the screw indentations are deep enough so that the screws aren't capable of scratching the cooking surface. Cleanup means wiping with some warm water and using a stiff bristle brush if necessary. Dry off and coat with a thin layer of oil.



Use is quite simple. I can't imagine using the press on steaks or burgers since that would press all the juice (not necessarily fat) out of them and make them dry, but it's perfect for bacon. With extened use the wire handle will get warm, but never necessitated the use of mitts or gloves. One thing I noticed while using the press is that you will want to use a pan at least somewhat larger than the press. When I used the press with my cast-iron pan with a 7" bottom, the fat from the bacon had nowhere to go and would end up rising up and over the sides of the press, pooling on top of it.



Overall, it's a well constructed press with the only real downside being the exposed screws on the bottom. The handle stays cool and my bacon stays flat. A bit of a luxury, but worth it for me. Also, if you are going to use this for bacon, do yourself a favor and save the bacon grease to cook with or to season other cast iron vessels with later.

The press functions well enough, but as other reviews have mentioned the handle is shotty. It's held on with bolts which get gunked-up with grease and crud. I have to disassemble the handle (with tools) to clean the press thoroughly. The coiled handle doesn't stay cool enough to touch anyway, so why not use a one-piece design like the Lodge panini press? One good bonus this press offers is I can use it as a lid for the Lodge 6.5" skillet, which doesn't have an available lid.

We're vegetarians so I can't speak to its meat-cooking qualities, but it's great for making paninis and grilled cheese! It doesn't entirely fit (as in touch the bottom) in our 8-inch Lodge cast-iron pan, but of course fits into the 10 and 12-inchers. Very high quality and can't beat the free shipping. There is also a rectangle-shaped Lodge grill press elsewhere on this site. - Bacon Press - Cast-iron Grill Press - Cast Iron - Lodge
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Cast-iron Grill Press - bacon press, cast-iron grill press

2009 Amazon Frustration-fre - cast iron grill pan, lodge

Click here for more information I honestly cannot say enough good things about this pan. At first I was skeptical and a little hesistant about cooking with cast iron. Growing up in the south I knew the magic of cast iron cornbread made with fatback, but I also knew the special care that went into seasoning the beloved pieces of cookware. When I saw that this was preseasoned I went for it. I worried that it might be a lightweight pan and only sublime quality for the price but I was pleasantly surprised. This pan has a heavy weight to it and is crafted solidly. I've used it for hamburgers (they make the best I've ever tasted), grilled chicken, pork chops, and shrimp (YUM). Something I learned is that things tend to stick a little so coating the pan with vegetable spray is a good idea. Also, try soaking your shrimp in a mixture of butter and garlic before grilling it. I am in love, it hasn't even left my kitchen counter to go into the cabinet since I bought it because I use it so much. My husband being a Yankee wasn't used to the goodness of the cast iron but now that he sees how perfectly it browns meat while still leaving it moist he is hooked. With this pan I find the grooves to be so helpful. You can season the meat without worrying about all the seasoning burning to the pan. Also they're nice and deep so that the fat that does run off actually stays off the meat. Cleaning it is SO easy! I just run hot water into the pan while it's still hot from the stove then use a sponge or dish towel (NO SOAP) to wipe it out, rinse it off, and then spray with vegetable spray while it's warm before putting it away. I have to say that Lodge has a loyal fan in me. With quality old time cookware like this, without the hassle of seasoning it first you can't go wrong.

Okay, so my THIRD (count em *3rd*) Foreman grill in like 7 years bit the dust. I thought briefly about getting a new one, but the fact that they're a pain to clean, you can't set the thermostat and bottom line it gets very greasy and messy...fuggit about it! I considered the Cuisinart Griddler which looks really cool but I really didn't want to pay $100+ for one. Also I don't have a LOT of counter space. On the other hand I DO have a stove...so I started browsing. I already have a Lodge cast iron regular skillet and it's served me well for YEARS now. When I saw the grill skillet with the ridges I knew that's what I was looking for!



I just had a chance to use it for the first time this evening. What a pleasure - it was pre-seasoned so just had to wipe a bit of olive oil on the surface. Heated it up, and made a delicious steak! Came out nice and juicy with grill marks, not all dry and cooked wrong like on the Foreman. However I will have to buy a grill press as I used the bottom of my smaller cast iron skillet to 'sear' the steak and get those nice marks. But even buying both the grill pan and the grill press, you're paying significantly less than you would for a Foreman - and this cast iron lasts forever. Your grandkids will still be using it, I bet! Cast iron is better than any of those non-stick cooking surfaces (like on the Foreman) that flake off. Ew! Take it from me, get this pan and a grill press and skip the Foreman...

Let me open by saying that the negative reviews on this pan were, in my opinion, written by people who aren't quite sure how to use it. It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Just try the following:



1) Put the pan on a large burner.

2) Coat it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

3) Turn the burner on somewhere between medium to medium-high.

4) Once the pan is hot, put in burgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, or other decent cuts of meat. How you choose to marinate/season said cuts of meat is entirely up to you.

5) Cook anywhere from 4-7 minutes per side.

6) Enjoy your exquisitely prepared meal.

7) Clean up the pan with hot water and a ScotchBrite sponge. If you encounter difficult-to-remove, burnt-on food stains, try putting a thin layer of kosher salt on the pan and scrubbing with the SB sponge.

8) Rinse the pan thoroughly and dry completely with paper towels or whatever.

9) Coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

10) Store until next use.



Call me crazy, but that sounds pretty easy to me. Bottom line to all of you cast iron naysayers: be patient, keep using this pan, and eventually you'll learn how to get the most out of it. It really is terrific!

I looked at several different options - such as the Foreman grill before settling on this grill pan. Although I have a small back patio, I've never used a bbq and wouldn't be comfortable doing so, not to mention I'm just cooking for one so the time spent setting it up wouldn't be worth it to me. The Foreman grill, based on reviews, didn't sound like it would be easy to clean and wasn't reliable. The grill pan looked like the perfect solution. Although the pan is heavy, there are two handles which makes it easy to move and carry over to the sink. Following advice I'd found on the internet, I use cooking spray generously and bought a wire scrub brush to clean it with. The pan does create smoke so I'm always sure to turn on the kitchen fan and open the back door before I even turn the stove on as well as disconnect the smoke detector. The pan heats up fairly quickly and cooks the food evenly and quickly. I must admit I don't use it frequently and have only tried a handful of foods, but I have been pleased with my experiences and would recommend this item. - Cast Iron Grill Pan - Lodge - Grill Pan - Stovetop Grills - Skillet - Cast Iron Skillet
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2009 Amazon Frustration-fre - cast iron grill pan, lodge

Cookware Accessories - cast iron, cookware

Click here for more information I am a vegetarian and I use this grill press all the time. It's great for grilled sandwiches! It will help you make great stuffed french toast. Your hashbrowns won't be a sloppy, crumbly mess anymore. This heavy little bugger is perfect for the aforementioned applications and about 40,000 more but the thing I use it for on almost a daily basis is preparing tofu. That magical bean curd benefits tremendously from the steady pressure of a hot lodge grill press!

I bought this for my inside grill. I found when I cooked pork chops the corners wouldn't be quite done because they liked to curl up slightly. This has totally fixed my problem. I do have to adjust my cooking time because the press is a bit heavy & the meat cooks more quickly than before.

This press heavy enough for use as a small meat or sandwich press. You may need to get another one if you like to cook for a large group or like to cook different things in a large pan.



You will still need to season it a bit for sandwiches or they will stick. If you are just frying bacon, then the original finish will also season up in no time.



A basic, no-nonsense product. Handle will get hot.

A well made product. My only gripe is the petite size. As one person pointed out, this is my error for not doing my homework. However, my interest was in purchasing the large cast-iron grill, the press was offered when I made my selection and just from looking at the photos, it appeared to be more appropriately sized for the grill I was purchasing. Again, it was my error for not confirming the size before agreeing to the added purchase. If I had checked, I would not have purchased the press. It's good for one person and that is not the way we cook.

I just purchased the Lodge Logic Rectangular Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill press recently and I'm very happy with my purchase. It's the perfect weight, and I've been using it to make paninis along with their 10 1/2 in. square grill pan. My paninis always come out perfect! The only thing I wasn't aware of was that the handle needed assembly, and it was a little difficult for me to put together, but I will still give it five stars because it's an excellent press! You can't beat the quality or the price. This is the best cast iron press I've ever used. It's very well made, and

will last forever.

Pre-seasoned is always the way to go. Thank you Lodge for the innovation! This means clean-up is easy and you have a huge head start on seasoning.



I like the grill press because it helps my food cook faster and it does keep things flat. The cast iron makes it nice and heavy. My only regret is that it isn't bigger. Mario Batali seems to have correctly figured out the press-to-pan ratio.



The press is still a good buy.

Cast iron is great to cook just about everything, or to re-heat food specially pizza and tortillas. With bacon don't even mention it, just use the press to get a nice result. When ever you wash any cast iron item just put it on the stove and flame dry it, to keep it from rusting. That works for me. - Cast Iron - Cookware - Cookware Accessories - Grill - Lodge - Press
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Cookware Accessories - cast iron, cookware