Nonstick coatings wear out. Cast iron does not, and the pan my mother bought at a yard sale decades ago is still the one I reach for.

That comparison is the whole argument.

What cast iron actually is

It is a solid piece of iron with a polymerized oil layer on top, which is what people mean by seasoning. That layer is not a coating that peels. It is bonded to the metal and it rebuilds.

Scratch it and you re season. Strip it and you re season. There is no failure state that costs you the pan.

The real downsides

• Weight. A 12 inch skillet weighs around eight pounds. For anyone with wrist or grip issues, that is a genuine problem, not a minor complaint.
• Reactivity. Cooking tomato sauce for an hour in a new pan can strip the seasoning and leave a metallic taste.
• Heat control. It heats slowly and holds heat a long time, which is great for searing and terrible for a quick sauce.

The weight is the one that sends most pans to the back of the cabinet. Be honest about whether you will actually lift it.

Seasoning without the folklore

Wash it with soap if you want. The old rule about never using soap came from the era when soap contained lye, which really did strip seasoning. Modern dish soap does not.

Dry it on the stove over low heat, then wipe a thin film of oil across the cooking surface. That is the entire maintenance routine, and it takes 30 seconds.

Thin film means thin. A puddle of oil turns sticky and rancid, which is the actual cause of most sticky cast iron complaints.

Is it worth it

For searing steak, cornbread, fried eggs, and anything going into a hot oven, yes. It is the one pan that goes from stovetop to oven without a thought.

For delicate fish and quick pan sauces, keep a lighter pan around. Cast iron is a workhorse, not a replacement for everything.

Buy one 10 or 12 inch skillet and use it for a month. You will know by then whether it fits how you cook.