I just recently started using a new 6" iron cast skillet. We use it so much, we store it on top of the stove-top. It's a dream for an oven omelet/quiche dish.
:hi:
Oh yes JLO cast iron is back in style. The kitchen stores that sell the Chiefs brands of cook ware for $300 for just one pot or fry pan, all the non stick ware that does scratch up and fumes are not good for health for air breathing mammals or birds.------Life time of these pots, pans and rosters is about 10-15 years.
Cast iron life is unknown, some of us have hand down from great grand parents, they become family heirlooms. Love the pans I have, over 100 years old, still with care, non stick and adding a bit of iron to the food.
Problem is the mass, the weight of the smallest item. Bring a bubbling hight heat pot out of the oven often needs 2 people to do so. Stove top, both hands needed with thick kitchen gloves. The cast iron covers are also heavy, storing all this can be a problem.
One can buy celling racks to hang light pots on but I would never take the chance of hanging cast iron unless I had a 4x8 beam and industrial grade hooks.
I do not boil water in them for tea or vegetables by themselves. These Iron pans are work horses for the big stuff, big or steady heat, for roasting, frying meat, stews and grilling steaks etc.
I collect different cast iron from yard sales and thrift shops. I have a few pot holders and even a couple of interesting corn bread devices to bake corn bread into the shape of an ear of corn.
As I mentioned before, it is a matter of storage that is the only problem with this cook ware.