Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

Cast-iron cookware has developed what you might call a patina of mythology about how easy or complicated it is to care for, over the years.

On the one hand, fans of cast-iron will proudly tell you how durable the pans are. And given that people still cook with their grandparents' and even great-grandparents' pans, it's easy to see that's true.

On the other hand, it's also easy to find a laundry list of don'ts attached to any advice for newbies, only some of which is factual: Don't cook anything acidic, don't put it in the dishwasher, don't use metal utensils, don't use soap . For goodness sake don't ever soak it!

It's easy to see why someone just starting out might ge

See Full Page