Love Your Cast-Iron Skillet? These Accessories Will Help You Maintain It (And They’re on Sale)

When it comes to cast-iron cooking, Lodge makes some of the best skillets and griddles that money can buy. Established in 1896, the venerated brand creates the type of cheap (yet long-lasting) heirloom kitchen pieces that you could pass down to your kids or gift to other loved ones down the line, provided you maintain them well over the years.

But as any foodie will tell you, caring for cast iron isn’t always a walk in the park. Certain rules abound when it comes to their upkeep, and while some—like never washing cast iron with dish soap—aren’t as set in stone as you might have once believed, others—like never submerging a cast-iron pan in water and leaving it to soak overnight—are definitely important to keep in mind before you start building up your personal collection.

Still, knowing all these so-called “rules“ doesn’t always make it easy to maintain this type of cookware on a regular basis. If your favorite skillet is still crusted over with stuck-on residue from last night’s dinner, you might need something more heavy-duty than, say, a paper towel.

Enter Lodge, yet again. The brand doesn’t just specialize in cast-iron cookware; it also makes a variety of cool accessories that you can use to better clean all your pans and griddles, without stripping away the seasoning that’s so important if you want optimal performance. Best of all, you can get a bunch of them on sale for under $10 right now over on Amazon.

If getting rid of all that hardened food debris is your main concern, these polycarbonate scrapers ($7) are a must-have. You’ll get two in the pack, and they’re designed to gently scrape without leaving scratches or other damage behind on the cast iron (you can also use them on other types of cookware). If you want something more durable, this $9 brush could do the trick, and the dense nylon bristles should be able to jostle even the most stubborn, caked-on food particles without messing up your griddle’s finish.

Or, say you’re guilty of accidentally breaking one of the aforementioned cleaning rules (don’t worry, it happens to the best of us) and you let your pan sit in water for too long, causing it to rust. This $10 rust eraser could restore your cookware to its former glory. Once you remove that set-in layer of rust, though, re-seasoning your piece will be crucial. This canola-oil seasoning spray from the brand is on sale for about $5 off and can make your piece shine like new and stay protected along the way.

These are just a few of the good Lodge accessories you can get for less right now on the site; you can also save on everything from silicone handle holders ($6) to full-fledged cleaning sets ($20). And if you're looking for new cookware to add to your kitchen, you can grab Dutch ovens, baking pans, and other top-rated items at sizable discounts, too.

But no matter what you pick up (or gift to someone special this holiday season), remember that upkeep is a big part of what makes cast iron such a workhorse in the kitchen. If you take care of it, it’ll take care of you and yours for years to come.