I was obsessed with Le Creuset and bought every pan, pot, and skillet they made — always the enameled versions because I knew nothing about seasoning. I thought it would be complicated, and didn’t understand the purpose so the enameled version seemed easier, but I became very disillusioned with it because the food would stick and it was so difficult to clean! I moved away from cast iron for a while, but I quickly realized there is no better pan to cook with than cast iron if you want food that tastes amazing and has great heat conductivity, you want cast iron!I decided to buy this skillet , which was very reasonably priced. I learned all about seasoning, and I could not be happier with this purchase! It does come with one coat of pre seasoning, but you want several coats for optimum performance, and I learned a shortcut.For the first seasoning , I heated my oven to 400 degrees. Then, using flaxseed oil, I rubbed the flaxseed oil into the top,, sides, handle and lip of the pan. Next you take a dry paper towel and thoroughly wipe off all of the excess oil from every surface. Next get a baking sheet and turn the pan upside down and place it on top of the baking sheet. Apply a coat of flaxseed oil to the entire bottom, sides, and handle of the pan, and then with a dry paper towel, wipe off all of the excess oil. Next put the pan in the oven for one hour. Turn the oven off and allow it to cool for one hour before removing. This one complete seasoning allows you to coat the bottom of the pan, but for the next three coats of seasoning, this can be done entirely on the stove top in about 15 minutes. Again, take another coat of flaxseed oil and rub it into the pan on the sides and the handle and the outside, but not the bottom. Turn on a medium flame and let the skillet sit on the flame for 4 minutes. I moved it around a bit with tongs until the entire pan appeared dry. Let it sit for 2 minutes and apply another coat of seasoning. I did this 3 times so that in total (including the coat of seasoning it came with), there were 5 coats of seasoning. Afterwards, I cooked a steak. Not only did it taste amazing, but I learned how important it is to properly season the pan! The non stick surface worked perfectly when cooking, and cleaning the pan was a dream! Nothing stuck to the pan, and it was clean in 2 minutes!Le Creuset is just overpriced! Cast Iron is cast iron, and this pan will last forever! Do not put it in the dishwasher or it will rust! You can completely refurbish a rusted cast iron pan, but it’s a process so don’t let it rust’You will not be disappointed with this pan! Look up the video from Gordon Ramsey on YouTube of how to cook a perfect steak. Follow his simple directions, and you will have a steak that will rival any five star restaurant!