Everyone and their grandmother tells me I need a cast iron skillet. I've been using nonstick pans for everything. What's the actual advantage of cast iron? And the maintenance — seasoning, no soap, etc. — sounds like a lot of work.

Convince me.

Cast iron does ONE thing better than any other pan: searing. The heat retention and even cooking is unmatched for steaks, burgers, and anything you want a good crust on.

The maintenance is overhyped. Season it once, cook with some oil, wipe it out after. That's it. The 'never use soap' thing is outdated advice — a little soap is fine on modern seasoned iron.

Lodge makes a 12-inch skillet for like $20. It'll outlive you. Your great-grandkids will cook with it. That's the real value proposition.