Flea markets usually have old cast iron.

If you want to buy new, Cabelas in Scarborough has a good selection

KTP

Renys

Reny's. They have some Lodge, but the other stuff is an off brand. It's not great, but over time and use, it could be.

Wal-mart has a pretty big selection of Lodge stuff.

Vintage stuff at flea markets and the like is probably going to be pricey as that's a pretty popular item.

The only best answer

Hussey in Windsor

Amish store in Smyrna

The best cast iron is not thick ass. When you check out really old cast iron you'll be surprised how thin it is. When you tap it it rings like a bell. Modern stuff makes a terrible "thunk" noise.

That said my favorite 2 dutch ovens are really cheap ones. One came from a tool show, the other was a gift. The tool show one was total luck, it rings nice and clear.

>It's not great, but over time and use, it could be.

The amazing thing about cast iron. Even cheap crap becomes pretty good over time.

I got my first Lodge pan 20 years ago, it's now every bit as good as some 60+ year old pans I have.

From my experience making taco meat (with good greasy beef) is the best thing you can do for a rough pan. The meat doesn't stick too bad and the grease from the meat gets time to really seep into the pores.

I'm a fan of cabelas up in Scarborough. They have a decent camping section with a bunch of cast iron.

people give it away on marketplace.

Restaurant Barn in Ellsworth usually has a decent selection of Lodge stuff.

Antique shops / flea markets can be a good source for good cast iron. I have some old cast iron that’s smooth as glass on the bottom and nothing sticks to them.

Get Lodge brand at Renys, Walmart or even Amazon Warehouse. Once cured it will be great for years. My 5quart Double Dutch oven with a fryer pan lid I paid $30 for ten years ago and it’s still going strong. Currently on sale on Amazon for $60 new/$41 used.

Look Lodge makes a fine piece of cast iron. The finishing is a bit rough, which is done deliberately so it can be rapid-seasoned at the factory, but they work well enough.

If you want a truly excellent cast iron pan, you'll have to hit antique stores. Griswold, Wagner, Birmingham Stove, are some names to look for. Antique pans usually have machined surfaces and are cast thinner than modern pans. They'll season up better and are lighter and easier to work with. Lodge themselves actually made pans like this before the 1970s.

Some antique stores "know what they got" and ask solid money for a well kept pan, and rightfully so. For example, there's a booth at the Chicken Barn in Ellsworth with well maintained properly seasoned antique cast iron and they want $100+ for their pans, but any old pan can be re-seasoned as long as it's not warped or chipped to shit.

Cabelas or Renys, but I would check Renys first. I've gotten Lodge cast iron at both.

Field Company (I think they’re out of Oregon?) makes really excellent cast iron pans and Dutch ovens. Their no. 12 skillet is excellent

smithey ironware company

Yard sales. The best cast iron I’ve ever used was second hand.

Are you going to play it or cook with it?

LeRoux kitchen has a bunch

Walmart carries Lodge cookware, check the camping section.

Reny's. If you don't mind second-hand, check the more rustic antique stores, and The Corn Shop in Bridgton has a good selection.

Any outdoor store will carry heavy cheap camp iron.

If you want the good stuff, hit up central Maine antique mall in Bangor. A vendor there has an incredible selection of old stuff, perfectly refinished, and it's reasonably priced.

Antiques USA in Arundel usually has some good stuff. One vendor there always has a lot.

The willows flea market in mechanic falls has some good prices

I have a business card of a guy who collects and refinishes... and judging by what he was buying when I met him, he probably has an absurd amount of stuff. I'll grab his info at my lunch.

Yahd sale!

They're describing the physical properties of the material, not playing.

Do ringing pans cook better? If so, why?

Higher quality steel or iron does make a different sound when struck. Also, those older pans were shaped and cleaned up way more than today's sand-textured beasts.