Uno Casa Cast Iron: simple but good
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Darrian Wilkins
- Last update: September 20, 2021
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The Uno Casa cast iron skillet set won’t shatter any technological glass ceilings; there’s nothing new here, but that’s the point. Sometimes the old ways are still the best, and these 10” and 12” cast iron skillets are reliable and dependable pans that are very affordable and will last for generations.
Who Are Uno Casa?
Uno Casa or ‘One Home’ is an American-based company specializing in classic cast iron and enameled cookware (as well as giving cooking tips and recipes).
While there’s little information on the company’s beginnings, its mission statement is simple; to produce classic cast iron pans, griddles, and dutch ovens, at affordable prices. There’s no intricate backstory. They don’t have a message to deliver. Uno Casa wants to sell no-nonsense, reliable, and dependable products.
The Products
Uno Casa sells various cookware and kitchen products, but we got our hands on the 10” & 12” skillet set (we found it odd that you must buy these skillets as a set as they don’t sell them separately) and the 6-quart enameled dutch oven and put them to the test.
We’ll examine the design and performance of the cookware and the service that Uno Casa provides to help you decide if these cast iron pots and pans are the right choice for you and your kitchen.
Packaging
Despite cast iron cookware being virtually indestructible, Uno Casa still does an awesome job of packaging their products to make sure they get to your doorstep safe and sound.
The boxes Uno Casa send their products in are made from thick and durable cardboard (that are beautifully decorated with some fun quotes and helpful information) and the pots and pans are held in place by sturdy inserts to stop them from moving around in transit.
Though there were a few too many plastic bags for our liking, the packaging was superb.
Design & Construction
There’s nothing fancy about cast iron cookware. No complicated procedures and processes. The simplicity of these products is part of what makes them so durable.
The skillets and dutch oven are all manufactured in China from, you guessed it, cast iron, one of the most durable materials on the planet to produce long-lasting cookware. This type of pan has been around for centuries, and with good reason.
All three of these pots and pans work with all kinds of cookers and stovetops, including induction stoves (which impressed us mightily). And there’s nothing to stop you from taking this cookware on camping trips and to festivals, too, as cast iron is the best material to use when cooking outdoors.
The skillets are identically designed (apart from the size difference) with ergonomic handles, double pour spouts, and helper handles that are just a little bit too small. Both skillets come with silicone handle covers and silicone skillet scrapers to help with the clean-up process.
Though the 6-quart dutch oven is also cast iron, it has a different aesthetic thanks to the deep red exterior enamel (which looks stunning) and the black satin interior enamel, which looks sleek, but hides stains and baked-on food. Uno Casa’s dutch oven has a unique lid with an oven-safe (thankfully) knob and bumps on the lid’s interior to help with moisture retention.
Much like the skillet set, the dutch oven also comes with silicone accessories. A placemat to protect your work surfaces, and two pot holders to protect your hands.
Uno Casa supplies handy guides with both products to help you properly maintain your cookware and maximize its longevity.
Performance
We put both the skillet set and the dutch oven through their paces to test their cooking ability, how easy they are to use, and what they’re like to clean.
12” & 10” Skillet Set
These cast iron skillets come pre-seasoned, and while it’s recommended that you apply a couple of coats of seasoning before your first use, we wanted to test the skillets right out of the box.
We were pleasantly surprised with the results. The food we cooked didn’t stick to the pans too much, and the seasoning was still noticeable after multiple uses. We must note that other consumers have not been so lucky, and it seems the quality of the seasoning is a little sporadic. Some consumers found the seasoning ineffective, while others had one good pan and the other poor.
However, seasoning your pans is all part of owning cast iron cookware, so this minor inconvenience for some people is not a deal-breaker.
We were able to sear some gorgeous burgers, and while this set doesn’t meet the heady standards of a Stargazer skillet (which has a smoother cooking surface for a better sear, and heats up faster), we were still very impressed considering the very reasonable price point of the set.
The skillets get extremely hot and retain heat well, as do the handles. We were thankful for the silicone handle covers, which are very effective. If you’re using the helper handle, be sure to use an oven mitt as this part of the pan can get exceedingly hot.
Overall, we found the 12” skillet to have a much smoother surface than the 10” pan and gave marginally better results. Both pans are extremely heavy, but that’s the nature of cast iron and something you should consider before buying this kind of cookware.
The rough cooking surface caused a couple of issues when we cleaned the pans. Bits of paper towel stick to the metal and became ingrained. However, the skillet scrapers that came with the set were excellent for removing unwanted particles..
6 Quart Dutch Oven
There should be no surprise that this sizable cast iron dutch oven, much like the Uno Casa skillets, is extremely heavy. Even more so when it’s full because of the kinds of foods you’re likely to cook with it.
Cooking a large batch of beef bourguignon was simple yet effective. The beef seared well but it could be improved upon if the cooking surface we a little smoother. The heat and moisture retention was superb (possibly thanks to the bumpy lid?). Though, we think a wider cooking surface and slightly shallow sides would have been more efficient for a 6-quart pot.
While the enamel coating made the dutch oven far easier to clean than the cast iron skillets, the interior surface is rougher than other similar cookware we’ve used. Some consumers have expressed concerns about the coating chipping away over time; however, as we’ve only been cooking with this dutch oven for a short time, this is not something we’ve experienced.
Don’t expect Le Creuset performance levels from this Uno Casa cookware, but at the same time, you’ll be spending far less money for a decent piece of cookware.
Final Verdict
The only thing that stands about the Uno Casa cookware is that there’s nothing outstanding about it. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Let us explain.
Not everything you buy needs to be (or should be) the most advanced all-singing all-dancing product. Every now and then, all you need is some reliable, robust cookware that does the job without confetti and fanfare. A pot or pan that gives you the desired results time after time, without fail.
And that’s what Uno Casa skillets and dutch ovens bring to the table, so to speak. Cookware that works, can be used every day, and will always be there for you no matter what.
This is no-nonsense cookware that won’t break the bank, and the inclusion of silicone handle covers, pot holders, and table mats are a nice incentive to choose Una Casa over similarly priced low-budget cookware.