Spinoff - Enameled Cast Iron or Non-Enameled Cast Iron?

the enamel

Enameled FTW.
No futzing around with seasoning, no rusting, easier to maintain/clean. Every benefit of non enameled with none of the drawbacks.

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I ain't worry about my Wagner cast iron getting chipped.

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Dozen plus pieces of LC (mostly factory seconds) in heavy use for 15+ years. No cracks, no chips. Everything from frying to no-knead bread and so on.

Quality cast iron pots/pans will last forever, but they require constant maintenance. Enamel coated pots/pans require much less maintenance, but only high quality brands seem to last for more than a few years.

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Quality cast iron pots/pans will last forever, but they require constant maintenance.

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I wholeheartedly disagree with the last part of that. What "constant maintenance" are you referring to? If you are doing it right, they require nothing at all.

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What "constant maintenance" are you referring to? If you are doing it right, they require nothing at all.

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??? An uncoated cast iron skillet needs to be seasoned. After a vigorous scrub or after cooking certain foods, it will need re-seasoning. If you don't dry it thoroughly, it will rust (even if well seasoned).

Enameled cast iron is easier by far. No seasoning, no reseasoning. You can put it in the dishwasher. Try that with uncoated cast iron.

I have and use both. As in most things, quality does matter. I have never noticed a difference in taste between the two. It's definitely easier to clean up an enameled pan. I do find myself being more careful with my enameled pans though. Your mileage may vary.

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That's why you don't vigorously scrub cast iron and don't cook certain foods in it.

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Exactly. The fact that I shouldn't cook certain foods in cast iron makes me opt for enameled quite often. I can cook anything, including acidic dishes, in it.

But nothing beats a regular cast-iron ribeye.

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My enameled cast iron is only rated to 450 or 500.

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Then buy better enameled cast iron. The plastic knobs on my Creuset are rated to 450, but the pots easily handle 600+ degrees on my Big Green Egg when searing steak. (I love my IR thermometer, so I take the temps of all sorts of things.) Using LC on the grill means scrubbing soot off the outside, but it comes off easily with Barkeeper's friend.

I routinely bake Tartine-style sourdough in LC 5 quart dutch ovens--the pot preheats at 500 degrees for an hour before you put the dough into the hot pot. Never had a crack, chip, or spall after more than a decade of use.

Most domestic stoves cannot generate anything near a failure temperature for enameled cast iron.

I own LC cookware. It's great. However, I can't do this with my LC skillet.