The things about cast iron is you have to season it and keep it seasoned. plus they just never seemed sanitized enough for me.

Have you thought about anodized aluminum? They are more expensive, and work like non-stick, but it doesn't have the teflon coating on it. We have bought a few pieces and love it!

I'm with Faith: I love having the Cast Iron pan around, but a stainless steel skillet is way more daily-use friendly.
As an alternative: enameled cast iron (Le Creuset, Staub) is even better... and can sometimes be found at your local Marshalls or Tuesday morning (or other TJ Maxx equivalent that stocks home wares) for a really good price. I recently got a 4 qt Le Creuset Dutch Oven for $99, which I use constantly. It may be worth checking out.

As much as I love my cast iron, you can't make a pan sauce easily in a cast iron pan.

Get a really good, high quality stainless steel skillet and a cheap cast iron one. There's no reason to spend a boatload of cash on cast iron.

I've used non-stick pans for a long time, but end up replacing them every few years because of scratches and the fact that they no longer are "non-stick."

I got two cast-iron pans for Christmas the past two years. The first is a large fry pan and the second is a flat round skillet. I use them both a lot. I've found no other pan that can make pancakes better! I use much less oil in the pan than I thought I would have to, and after a couple minutes of cooking it truly becomes "non-stick."

The seasoning part is not hard. Before putting it away spray a little non-stick spray on it. The trick is to not wash it with soap. Depending on what you cook on it, you don't always have to wash it at all, just scrape off anything residue. The other trick I just learned is to pour some kosher salt (coarse) on it and rub. This will remove anything.

It because sanitized when you pre-heat it the next time before cooking. Hope this helps!

p.s. I also own stainless steel pans and I can never figure out how to cook in them without something sticking (and have to "deglaze" the pan).

I love cast iron, but it does require upkeep. And we've been moving away from non-stick at home too. We lucked out and got 2 All-Clad stainless skillets from William Sonoma during a 2 day sale they had online, and LOVE them.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-stainless-steel-french-skillet-set/?cm_src=hero

My husband makes eggs in them almost every morning, and they perform better than our old non-stick pans. Just a spritz of cooking spray, and they slide right out. Easy to clean, nice heavy (but not too heavy) pans, they're perfect.

It is a bit of an investment, but if you cook a lot you'll wonder why you waited so long (that's what we keep thinking!).

But Lauren, a cast iron pan is easy to sanitize. You just put it on the stove and heat it up. No joking, this is from a restaurant health inspector!

To the OP: All Clad makes a fine 10" skillet that is a dream to use and you can probably find one on sale right now. Still not cheap, but worth every cent.

If you do not have a cast iron skillet, you owe it to yourself to have one and learn to use it. If you use a skillet every day, you will have no problem with seasoning.

The trick with either of these is to enjoy the efficiency with which they retain heat. I actually cook at moderate temps most of the time.

On the "investment" front, either is a good buy. With a little patience and thrift shop digging, I found me most recently purchased 10" cast iron skillet for $4.

I do everything in a cast iron skillet. I can't imagine what you can do in stainless steel that you couldn't do in cast iron.

People make too big a deal of the seasoning thing. It's really not that hard.

I have both, but use my Cast Iron pans all the time! I have one that I got new, as a gift, and a bunch from yard sales and a thrift store (I cleaned them really well before using them - boiled water in them for a long time, then seasoned with oil in a warm oven for a few hours. Don't know if this is the proper way to do it, but it worked for me.). The only thing about them is they really hold their heat for a long time, so it took a while to get used to and occasionally adjust recipes especially for sauces so they wouldn't break. I learned recently about cleaning them with salt and a paper towel. I do that now, then rinse out with water (I don't know if any of this is the way you're "supposed" to do it) and it works well. I love them! They're what my mom used growing up (in addition to regular stainless pans), so they're special to me because they remind me of her too.

I recently faced the same decision and went with a good all-clad stainless steel 10" skillet (good price @ Crate & Barrel right now with a lid) and a lodge 10" cast iron skillet. I like the All-Clad better but the Lodge is nice to have. I got the Lodge for only $7 by combining a couple of coupons at Cost Plus World Market.

Just a warning: sometimes discount stores end up with "counterfeit" Le Creuset ware that chips easily. The ones that are $99 are likely just you getting a great deal, but when you see them for much less than that--a sizable piece for under $50, it is probably a knockoff and you get what you pay for. Sadly I have seen these (and had friends purchase them to much disappointment) even in generally reliable chains--which is less indicative of their reputation and more indicative of the sheer volumes of knockoffs out there.

Back on point--cast iron and enameled cast iron are great, but also heavy, so depending on your arm muscle you may prefer to work with something lighter on a daily basis, although most good pans are going to have some heft to them. Cast iron is also not good for a lot of the day to day things you use a frying pan for, because iron is not a fast conductor (which is why you never see iron wires) so it holds heat for a long time (why it is popular for camping or other uneven heat sources) but does not heat up quickly or evenly over a gas flame or electric burner.

Stainless steel is nice, but I agree if you are transitioning from non-stick pans, anodized aluminum is a great middle-ground. It works well and won't give you a total freak-out when you leave something too long without stirring it. Things can get real messy real fast when you leave something too long in the stainless, and depending on what it is it can be really annoying to get them really clean. A good guide to keeping them clean if you go this route is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKAlIsR_1HQ

I recently researched cast iron versus stainless steel. I also considered anodized aluminum and the jury is still out on this, I found, in terms of long term impact of aluminum. I went with stainless steel after I was observed some professional cooks use the stainless... by the way, baking soda is a terrific way to clean stainless. With a little elbow grease, it works like a charm and is environmentally friendly.

One of each! My cast iron is generally my go to, but perhaps that's because I don't make a lot of sauces. It really does depend on your style of cooking, your cooking skills, and personal quirks. For example, my roommate doesn't use my cast iron because she can't really get past the fact that it's not washed with soap, (she's also afraid of ruining it by using it improperly). I love cast iron as a grill alternative and also use mine for baking: it makes wonderful cakes, biscuits, bread pudding, and casseroles. But I'm definitely glad for the stainless steel when I'm making acidic dishes or want to make an easy sauce by deglazing the pan. And it's light so I can toss things in it easily.

I spent $30 on my cast iron and about $90 on a pair of decent stainless steal (the AllClad French skillet set) and couldn't be happier.

Agree with everyone who's said to go for both! I have a great All-Clad 10" stainless steel skillet that's been worth the money and a cheap but also great Lodge cast-iron skillet. I find that I use the cast-iron more (we cook a lot of eggs) but sometimes need the stainless for tomato sauces, etc.

I have both and tend to use my stainless steel pans more often. Although I also recently went back to one non-stick frying pan because scrambled eggs (without a lot of oil) is hard to do in stainless steel.

Not sure if this will matter for you (and I’m no expert) but the type of stove you have may sway your choice as well. I’ve heard that if you have a glass top stove, cast iron can scratch and sometimes break the glass. I’ve also heard (read) a lot of people don’t agree and if you’re careful it doesn’t matter. When we bought a new stove we didn’t want to risk it knowing we do use cast iron some of the time and specifically didn’t get a glass top stove.

if you're only getting one or the other, get the stainless steal. more versatile, and if you're purchasing a quality pan, it will be pretty heavy and hold a lot of heat and distribute it evenly. It will work well enough for searing steaks and cooking burgers indoors almost as well as a cast iron.

Agreed with others- 2 totally different types of pan. And plus, a cast iron pan will cost you- no joke- a max of about 9 bucks, so just get both.

Everyday cooking, you can't beat a stainless steel pan. But for pancakes, cooking meats, and a variety of other things more suited for cast iron, that's my way to go.

Just get both!

CAST iron! It's makes everything great! (especially pot-stickers.)

Just make sure to initially season it with Flaxseed Oil. America's Test Kitchen did some science on it and it chemically bonds better.

It's taken me a while to figure out how to use my stainless steel pan, but now I love it!

get both! cast iron skillets are super cheap and totally awesome. Stainless steel skillets have their uses though.

As a southerner, I have to say that you need both. Stainless steel is for cooking, cast iron is for making biscuits and cornbread in the oven. Oh, and never wash your cast iron cornbread skillet. Ever.

I have a heavy duty, oven-safe stainless steel pan which I use for near everything. While I like the idea of cast iron, I've found they are just too heavy for me to manipulate. Be sure you have the wrist strength to maneuver a full cast iron pan before you invest in one!

Get a good stainless steel, then go to a thrift store and look for an inexpensive cast iron (usually rusty) and reseason it yourself.

Stainless steel is better if your like to cook with tomatoes.

I have one of each, both are Calphalon. I rarely used the cast iron until I got it properly seasoned, but now I almost never use the stainless steel. There are certain things I make in the stainless steel, but the cast iron is my go-to.

I use my cast-iron skillet every day; I brought it with me when I moved to South America despite the weight, and I have never regretted it. As other people have said above, it works great for pancakes, upside down cake, gratins etc. I learned from a Chinese friend that it also works well for stir fry because of how hot you can get the pan, something difficult to do with most home ranges. My mom uses stainless steel and I always feel like things stick more when I´m at her house. Also, with cast iron pans you get the extra iron in your diet!

Cast iron is cheap, and you can find a well-made stainless if you hunt around for a bargain. In short, I say get both! For me, the cast iron is my favorite, but does require more care. When I want to make something quick and easy, I reach for the stainless. They both have their place, and both work great if properly seasoned or oiled, and properly cleaned. No reason to do without either of them.

Another factor is weight. We use a ten inch cast iron almost every day. But when a larger pan is called for, we have a twelve inch stainless. Cast iron is heavy, and the twelve inch pan that my wife gave me for Christmas a few years back is just too heavy to bother with, in my opinion. It stays up on top of our cabinet and rarely comes down.

Thank you everyone for all of your advice! It sounds like we really can't go wrong either way- maybe we will just indulge ourselves and get both of them!

Thanks again, and happy cooking,

Kate

If you're weaning yourself off non-stick, consider carbon steel pans. They combine a lot of the best features of cast iron and stainless steel - i.e., developing a seasoned surface while being relatively easy to manipulate and maintain.

While I would like to have a cast iron skillet I can't get over the not-being-able-to-wash-it aspect so my choice is with the stainless skillets

If you're vegetarian consider the cast iron since it'll leach some iron into your food.

I have both and having both is what I would recommend. Cast iron is pretty cheap. Put your investment towards a nice stainless steel pan and a cheaper cast iron pan. I find that each one has their perks for cooking. Sauteeing vegetables and making sauces is good for stainless while frying up some salmon burgers/veggie burgers taste really good out of a cast iron. (Great to get more iron too!) People sometimes think there is an issue with the sanitation of cast iron, but it's perfectly okay. I just leave mine sitting on the stove and just scrape it out when I need to. The heat kills anything. My great grandmother never ever cleaned hers. This is how they are supposed to be used.

I use cast iron everyday on my gas stove. I wash it with soap because to me not washing it is gross.

I replaced my non-stick Calphalon (which did last longer than most, I think) with their Contemporary Stainless, a couple of years ago.
I've absolutely loved every piece! Everything cleans up fairly easy, except for eggs.

So, a year ago I got 3 pieces of Cuisinart Green Gourmet (10" & 12" skillets and a grill pan). They're made of a non-stick ceramic material, instead of chemicals. Very happy with those pieces, as well! I bought everything at Bed Bath and Beyond, on sale with a 20% off coupon ... so pretty affordable!

I had a cast iron skillet years ago and it was really heavy, never seemed really clean, and eventually was ruined by my husband when he scrubbed it and it rusted!

Oh, and my mother-in-law had the Calphalon anodized aluminum. We always did the cleaning up after dinners at her house and UGH!!!! it took forever to clean them - I would never buy them for myself!

I have a Lodge cast-iron wok which never leaves my range...I use it for most of my cooking. However, when I make soup or anything with tomato products, I use a ceramic coated cast-iron dutch oven. I do have a set of Calphalon hard-anodized alumimum pots and pans which I used for sauces, boiling water, etc - but nothing heats up and cooks like cast iron!

My go-to pan is a Lodge enameled cast iron braiser. Works great as a skillet, cleans up so easily and also does a great job of taking casseroles from stove top to oven. For omelets, I've yet to find anything that beats a hard-anodized aluminum pan. For cornbread, my vote will always go to cast iron.

There is a learning curve when you're going from steel to iron, but it's so worth it! The cast iron retains heat like crazy, and it's so versatile. Awesome for frittatas....yum!

Cast iron should be your first purchase; stainless steel your second (save up for the latter). You can get a LODGE cast iron skillet at Academy - buy it locally, as shipping is pricey.

The only thing that you have to be concerned about with cast iron is cooking fish - if you cook fish in it, you'll have to scrub it and re-season it (which is easy, just a light coat of oil and heat to smoking). Other than that, wiping it out, a light wash and/or boil is a great way to clean it.

Favorite foods in cast iron:
Frittata, steaks, bulgogi and pancakes

I bought my cast iron skillet for about $3 at a Salvation Army four years ago, and it's definitely my most used pot. I scrubbed the heck out of it with steel wool when I got it, seasoned it properly once, and then let it build up its coating naturally. I wash it with dish soap and a scrub brush every time, and as long as I'm cooking with fat regularly the coating stays shiny and perfect. However, I will say that having a larger stainless steel saute pan around is also very handy. We have a complete set of All-Clad from our wedding. I'll second everyone who said that you should get a cheap cast iron pan and save up for a nice stainless steel one.

Depends what you cook and how you cook.

Cast iron heats slower but retains its heat longer than stainless. Excellent for simmering and steady temperatures.

Stainless heats fast and cools fast too. The temperature can change quite rapidly on stainless which makes it ideal for pan sauces and many meals.

Stainless is excellent for meat as well, but to prevent sticking the pan must be heated to narrow working temperature range. Too hot and the oil will burn off, too cool and the meat will stick.
Not much will stick to a properly seasoned cast iron at any temperature.