All cast iron cookware products share one significant property: They’re cast from molten steel and iron, in contrast to non-cast iron cookware that’s made of aluminum or stainless steel.

Not only does this process allow them to go straight from the stovetop and into the oven or over a fire but it also turns them virtually indestructible. Bridget Lancaster, host of“American’s Test Kitchen”explained the casting process results in one solid piece of equipment: That means less little pieces that could individually fail or break off. The casting process also allows products to maintain both high and low temperatures evenly for everything from searing to simmering. This combination of durability and versatility has Grace Young, author of“Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge,”calling cast iron a“kitchen workhorse.”

Cast iron cookware generally falls into two categories:

The dutch oven, a deep pot with a tight-fitting lid that’s traditionally made of cast iron or enameled cast iron

And everything else, including pans, skillets, bakeware, and griddles.

“It’s one of the best kitchen investments, likely to be handed down through multiple generations,”said Young. “If you use it with care and keep it properly seasoned, it will repay you with decades of delicious meals.”