Heuck Porcelain Enamel Cast Iron 3 Piece Skillet Set, Red

I purchased these in 2008 and one of the skillets exploded on the first use. There were tiny shards of glass all over my kitchen and in our dinner. I tried to file a safety hazard report with Amazon, but couldn't make it through all the legal disclosures. I wasn't able to return them as I waited longer than 30 days to use them. We threw them in the trash. I have several Lodge and Le Creuset enameled pans that I have used for years without any problems. I saw these today while searching for something else. I'm surprised they are still being sold. Please don't buy these.

I purchased these pans about a week ago, and I've been making scrambled eggs in the largest one every single day since I bought them. This morning I put the eggs in like normal and walked over to the sink to grab a cutting board; thank goodness I turned away because I heard a LOUD POP and then another LOUD POP. I jumped out of my skin. The enamel had exploded off quite violently, and there was enamel shrapnel all over the stovetop and contaminating all of my food. I bought these pans to get away from using toxic Teflon but exploding enamel is hardly safer.

I read the previous reviews with great skeptisism, but come to find out they really do explode. Was sauteing some tomatoes like I had done before, when I heard a pop. Turned to see pieces of enamel from the bottom of the pan scattered around in the skillet and on the stove. All I can say is I'm glad I wasn't in the way when it happened. Seriously, this product should be recalled before someone really does get hurt.

I purchased this set as a starter set to see if I was going to like using enameled cast iron. So far they are great! My plan is to start purchasing a higher quality product but I am trying this product before a significant investment. I have had no problem with food sticking as long as I keep it seasoned properly, don't use soap to clean it and do not subject it to the dishwasher. I have also learned that properly pre-heating the pans and use the appropriate non-stick spray has helped. When I used one of them in the oven (I used the fry pan since I don't have a casserole dish) I put a non-stick liner inside of which i have two; a silicone one and baking paper. I did this because my recipe has tomato sauce in it and I didn't want any issues with serving. It turned out great! I have baked a couple things in the fry pans using baking paper without issue. These pans will serve us well as camping pans when I purchase the higher end brand.I only gave these four stars due to them not being accompanied by seasoning or cleaning instructions.**update**Jan 2013 - the enamel on one of the pans peeled off after less than a year. I have no idea if this was due to something I did wrong or something that was wrong with the pans. The one that was damaged was the one that I used all the time (the larger one). I don't use the two smaller pans because they are just too small for anything I have. They were a good starter set.

I read many reviews, good and bad, about these before purchasing, but decided to go ahead and get them since I believed I could avoid some of the problems others have had. These have been great additions to my kitchen. They are lovely, cook nicely, clean up easily, and when used in accordance with the instructions, they are just exactly what we needed for cooking eggs and other things that may stick and not cook easily with other cookware. We avoid all Teflon, so these were a great alternative to turning to Teflon coating. We also avoid trans-fat oils. The trick is to use the right amount of cooking oil (either clarified butter known as Ghee, or coconut or peanut oil, preferably), to keep eggs and such foods from sticking and clean up is a snap!

I bought these pans about two years ago for a very low price during one of Amazon's sales. I was skeptical of the reviews about exploding enamel and figured that the most likely explanation for that was simply user error. To those who warned me: I apologize! My neighbors bought these pans at about the same time. They lasted about a year and a half in both our households -- then the exploding began.PROS:1) They're cheap -- or they were. They now cost far more than what I paid for them.2) They lasted about as long as I happened to need them -- but it looks like I was one of the lucky ones. As a temporary kitchen item, they worked out well for me.3) They're pretty. They look nice as serving dishes, and I liked having a splash of red in my otherwise neutral-toned kitchen. I hung them on the wall as decoration when not in use.4) They're heavy and hold heat well -- I'm not sure why one reviewer thought they weren't really solid cast iron. I think they might be thinner than Lodge's pans, or than the old cast iron pans that our parents and grandparents had, so maybe that's it.5) The different sizes were very convenient -- I used these pans for pretty much everything except pasta.CONS:1) The enamel does in fact explode off of the pans -- sooner for some and later for others. I'd be interested to know if any customer who uses these regularly has escaped this problem. The enamel on mine began to craze shortly after I bought them -- a precursor, I suppose, to it flaking off.2) These pans are made in China, and they are VERY poor quality. As several other reviewers have noted, the enamel coating is very thin, and you can see the imperfections in the iron beneath poking through. Perhaps the rough surface and uneven enamel contributes to the exploding problem -- I'm not sure.3) The enamel gets discolored very quickly, and stays that way. You can get stains out of enamel with baking soda -- just rub it around the pan with a damp cloth. For tough stains, try adding a little lemon juice -- it will react with the baking soda and bubble. I couldn't get all the stains out of my pans, though, and there's other discoloration that seems to come with age and heat.4) You have to treat these as if they were nonstick, but food does still stick in them, of course -- no metal tools, don't overheat, etc. Unless you are cooking acidic things -- tomato sauce and so forth -- you might want to get plain old cast iron without the enamel coating.For those of you who are buying for permanence, I would recommend Lodge. They're quality pans, they're made in the USA, and they're not really that much more expensive. In retrospect, that is probably what I should have done myself -- then I would still have three cast iron pans. Cooking with cast iron takes a little getting used to, but if you do it right and keep the pans seasoned properly, they're almost as easy as non-stick, and you can brown food and cook at high heats and all kinds of things you can't do with other pans!

We should always beware of a product too cheap.... first time I used one it melted onto the burner to me revealing that they are not what they claim to be... I threw them out. Lesson learned.