There are lots of fancy cookware materials out there but cast iron still trumps them all with its even heating, heat retention, price, and duration. It’s these traits that make Lodge cookware favored by both indoor chefs and campfire cooks alike. The caveat is being able to lift cast iron cookware and, at 12 pounds, this combo cooker will give most chefs a workout. Ideal for camping trips, this two-pan set covers most cooking needs and may be all the cookware campers need to pack. However, this combo pan is just as versatile for stovetop cooking. The 3-quart fryer/pot has 3-inch deep sides, making it equally adept for deep-frying fish and hush puppies as it is for simmering soups and stews. The cooker’s lid actually flips over to become a 9-3/4-inch round skillet or griddle for pancakes, bacon, or eggs, providing two pans in one. While it usually takes years of cooking to burn on the prized finish that makes cast-iron cookware smooth and stick-free, the Logic line of cookware comes pre-seasoned to save you some work. Cast iron pots in this line are coated in a vegetable oil, which is then baked on in a hot industrial oven to obtain that blackened patina and silky surface. Logic cookware has plenty of fans, including the editorial staff at Good Housekeeping, who cited it as one of the best new products of the year at the 2003 Good Buy Awards. --Cristina Vaamonde
