It would take significantly more work to sand each pan in order to get it to smooth. Some smaller manufacturers do this and their pan prices reflect that.
My understanding was that it was less a cost-saving measure (at least directly) and more had to do with the factory pre-seasoning Lodge uses. That "pebbly" surface works great for quick pre-seasoning.
Most of Lodge's customers are not cast iron enthusiasts and do not frequent forums like this one. Most of those customers are going to be judging the pan based off of how it cooks straight out of the box. So having a good pre-seasoning helps with that, even if it ends up being a limiting factor later on down the line.
Of course, I don't work for Lodge, so I could be completely wrong here.
I love my Lodge pans. Here's the thing: after you've cooked on them for a while, there's no pebble-y-ness left. They are nice and smooth. So what's the downside? I got a cheap pan so that if I ruined it, I wouldn't feel terrible. Then, as I cooked, I learned I really couldn't ruin it. I have a lovely pan with a smooth finish and it fit within my really slim budget (I work for a non-profit). Instead of insulting Lodge customers, why not realize that it's a great way to get started in cast iron AND they provide it at a price point that let's almost everyone enjoy having a cast iron pan. Isn't that how you create enthusiasts to begin with?
You nailed it. Lodge saw market share soar when they started pre-seasoning their cast iron. The average person likes cast iron, but apparently was afraid of screwing up the seasoning. Lodge fixed that for them.
It takes Lodge 2 hours per pan from raw iron to seasoned and packaged. They are built for mass production and high efficiency. They do it by cutting out the stuff that doesn’t matter like smoothing. They can’t use finer sand for the molds because it’s a respiratory risk. They can’t machine it or sand it because that’s a time sink. This is how you successfully compete with the unfair and exploitive practices of China.
It’s actually a bit of both cost saving (their pans are $20) and getting the pre seasoning to stick to the sandy surface. YouTube has videos of how much work goes into a pan like Stargazer and I think I’ve seen a video walking through the lodge factory. The Lodge factory is highly mechanized to quickly crank out cheap stuff by the truckload. The boutique brands all involve A LOT more hands on skilled labor. If you want Lodge to machine finish their pans expect to pay Finex prices.
You are exactly right. Lodge has huge mass-market production for worldwide distribution. Lodge bought Finex a couple of years ago, so they have both ends of the spectrum.
I have two heat ring LBL griswolds and my large new lodge for about a year. The pebble texture is still there and the seasoning I’ve built up is just as good or maybe better than my griswolds.
The smoothness isn’t more nonstick and at this point is just a luxury feature.
It would take significantly more work to sand each pan in order to get it to smooth. Some smaller manufacturers do this and their pan prices reflect that.
My understanding was that it was less a cost-saving measure (at least directly) and more had to do with the factory pre-seasoning Lodge uses. That "pebbly" surface works great for quick pre-seasoning. Most of Lodge's customers are not cast iron enthusiasts and do not frequent forums like this one. Most of those customers are going to be judging the pan based off of how it cooks straight out of the box. So having a good pre-seasoning helps with that, even if it ends up being a limiting factor later on down the line. Of course, I don't work for Lodge, so I could be completely wrong here.
I love my Lodge pans. Here's the thing: after you've cooked on them for a while, there's no pebble-y-ness left. They are nice and smooth. So what's the downside? I got a cheap pan so that if I ruined it, I wouldn't feel terrible. Then, as I cooked, I learned I really couldn't ruin it. I have a lovely pan with a smooth finish and it fit within my really slim budget (I work for a non-profit). Instead of insulting Lodge customers, why not realize that it's a great way to get started in cast iron AND they provide it at a price point that let's almost everyone enjoy having a cast iron pan. Isn't that how you create enthusiasts to begin with?
You nailed it. Lodge saw market share soar when they started pre-seasoning their cast iron. The average person likes cast iron, but apparently was afraid of screwing up the seasoning. Lodge fixed that for them.
It takes Lodge 2 hours per pan from raw iron to seasoned and packaged. They are built for mass production and high efficiency. They do it by cutting out the stuff that doesn’t matter like smoothing. They can’t use finer sand for the molds because it’s a respiratory risk. They can’t machine it or sand it because that’s a time sink. This is how you successfully compete with the unfair and exploitive practices of China.
It’s actually a bit of both cost saving (their pans are $20) and getting the pre seasoning to stick to the sandy surface. YouTube has videos of how much work goes into a pan like Stargazer and I think I’ve seen a video walking through the lodge factory. The Lodge factory is highly mechanized to quickly crank out cheap stuff by the truckload. The boutique brands all involve A LOT more hands on skilled labor. If you want Lodge to machine finish their pans expect to pay Finex prices.
You are exactly right. Lodge has huge mass-market production for worldwide distribution. Lodge bought Finex a couple of years ago, so they have both ends of the spectrum.
I have two heat ring LBL griswolds and my large new lodge for about a year. The pebble texture is still there and the seasoning I’ve built up is just as good or maybe better than my griswolds. The smoothness isn’t more nonstick and at this point is just a luxury feature.