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. - Cast-iron Grill Press - Cast Iron - Lodge - Bacon Press'
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