Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron is one of the best value cast iron cookware on the market. While brands like Staub and Le Creuset charges upward of 3-400 dollar for a single piece. Tramontina charges a fraction of that. Which leads to the question is it any good? What there seems to be is a lack of information about the difference between the brands. This review will take a closer look at the design and features. We will go over shape, handle and general performance.

Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Skillet Review Quick Summary

Categories	Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Skillet
Performance	Excellent
Compatibility	Gas, Electric, Halogen, Glass Top, Induction
Colors	Blue and Red
Warranty	Lifetime Warranty
Brand Awareness	North and South America
Country of Manufacturer	China
Thoughts	An excellent enamel cast iron skillet. The biggest advantage that it has over its competitor is the inclusion of the lid. The competitor dont have one to sell. It should perform just as well as their skillet for a fraction of the price. You cant go wrong with this.
Reviewed Cookware	Tramontina 80131/067DS Enameled Cast Iron Covered Skillet, 10-Inch, Gradated Cobalt

Tramontina History

In 1911 Valentin Tramontina and his wife started a iron mill in their home. He initially manufacturer reliable goods for his community. When he passed away, he business was then managed by his family and now it is one of the largest cookware manufacturer in Brazil.

To expand into the American market, they sent a team to Houston in 1986. Small inventory of knives were sold to individual retailers. Because of their quality product and excellent customer service, they are now one of the biggest player in the cookware scene.

Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Skillet Design

This section will discuss the design and characteristic of Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Skillet.

Handle

The handle is infused into the pot as a single piece. There are no rivets or screws that will come loose overtime. It is all metal and it will get hot overtime. Always use a glove when handling this skillet.

In terms of ergonomic, it is comfortable. It tapers inward with a slight belly near the tend. This conforms to the shape of your hand. However, this handle is slightly rounded and if your hand is greasy, it can rotate. For that reason, if you ever pour, I recommend utilizing the helper handle.

The helper handle has a large loop so that you can get a secure grip. Other brands like Le Creuset will have a small tab. Overall, the design on Tramontina handle is very good.

Shape

While Tramontina and other brands like lodge will classify this pan as a skillet, it is actually more like a saute pan. The sidewall almost stand straight up like a saute pan. While not a bad design, it serves a different purpose. These type of pan does two thing.

One, it tends to accumulate a bit more liquid than a frying pan. Tall sidewall will collect steam and it will eventually run back down. This design is actually better for braises than frying.

Two, it makes it difficult to flip food. With a tall sidewalls, it gets in the way when you flip food. Traditional skillet have lower sidewall letting you reach under with ease. Tossing food with your wrist is also difficult because its not curve.

Having said that, it will still work just fine as a frying pan. You just need to space the food out more. Otherwise, food will steam not fry.

Lid

The lid is the biggest issue that most manufacturer have. Most simply dont offer it. It is actually a very critical component of a skillet. It helps traps in moisture and accelerate cooking time.

The lid on Tramontina skillet is heavy and tight fitting. The spout on the side of the pan acts as vent hole so the pressure doesn’t build. It is also made of cast iron, so you don’t have to worry about it shattering like a glass lid. The knob is metal so it it oven safe as well. Overall, it is a very well designed lid. I honestly feel that the competitors are short changing consumer by not including a lid.

Enamel Coating and Color

Tramontina currently offers two color, blue and red. A bit limited but those are the most popular choice of consumers. Their enamel coating is made or porcelain enamel like their competitor. However, they are not as durable as Lodge and Le Creuset. Expect it to chip and crack if you accidentally bang it. With that being said, the metal underneath is just cast iron. It is still safe to use and shouldn’t affect cooking.

Nonstick Performance

The interior of the pan is covered in Enamel Coating just like the exterior. The biggest drawback is the lack of nonstick. Food will stick if you do not add enough oil or heat it up properly. I heard of some people seasoning but never had much luck with it. Just dont expect to get the same performance as bare cast iron.

Another issue is that its all black. This makes it difficult for you to judge the color of your fond. If you are not careful, you can easily burn food ruining the sauce. The upside to this is that you wont see stains and you can still use soap to wash it.

Made in China

Because of the environmental effect of enamel coating, most enamel coating is done in China. Manufacturer like lodge have done this as well. Per the manufacturer, they said that the quality control is still the same. So in essence you should still get a good product. To be fair, not all things from China is bad, your iphone is made there.

Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Skillet Thoughts

Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron skillet is a bargain. The biggest advantage that is has over its competitor is the lid. Le Creuset and Staub will charge you extra if they even have it. Other than that, you can expect it to perform just as well as its competitor. While I would technically call their skillet a saute pan, it should perform just fine. Its reasonably price to boot.

I hope you like this Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Review, If you would like to see more, please visit our Pots and Pans Review page.