Growing up, my mother's cast iron skillet, a cherished heirloom passed down through generations, was a constant fixture in our kitchen. The perfect, even heating and accomplished searing offered by cast iron pans are hard to top, but as the years went by, the painstaking upkeep and the vessel's heftiness made it less appealing for home cooking - or so I thought until the Imarku cast iron skillet set came along.

This skillet set was given to me for a test run in early February, and they have achieved the impossible - they’ve rekindled my love for cooking on cast iron. These pans evoke the same cooking caliber that my mother's treasured skillet offered, yet with an innovative spin that makes it far less tedious. Currently, the set is available at 41% off on Amazon, thanks to an additional coupon.

The Imarku skillet set not only carries the legacy of cast-iron cooking but enhances it with features that Contemporary cookware flaunts. The set comprises an 8-inch, a 10-inch, and a 12-inch frying pan, each tailored for different food portions. The 8-inch dish is perfect for sautéing mushrooms, while the 10-inch is ideal for stir-frying. Each appliance boasts a non-stick honeycomb bottom surface, designed to contain oil and facilitate effortless food release, reducing the need for oil. The pans flaunt sleek, modern long wooden handles that remain cool, eliminating the need for additional oven mitts. For increased functionality, the handles are removable, allowing the pans to withstand oven temperatures up to 500°F.

Thanks to the product's recommendations, the journey from assembling to prepping these pans was a swift and pleasant undertaking. Cooking with them was equally enjoyable - they heat up more rapidly than the typical cast iron, while retaining the same heat. Whether it was sautéing or browning ingredients like mushrooms, steak, shrimp, bacon, garlic, or even eggs, the pans performed flawlessly. Notably, these kitchen aids are remarkably lighter than your conventional cast iron, making them far easier to handle.

Keeping these pans in great shape is surprisingly simple, requiring minimal oil, and unlike traditional cast iron skillets, they don't specter rust. Although safe for cleaning in the dishwasher (after handle removal), I've found that hand-washing them ensures they stay in top-notch condition. On occasion, I've just wiped them down with a paper towel. In addition to their easy maintenance, their compact design allows for convenient stacking and space-efficient storage.

Having the opportunity to try these pans has been a joy, and it has led to a cooking paradigm shift back to the roots - giving me the best of both worlds - the cast iron cooking of old, with the practical innovations of the new age. As I write this, the 8-inch pan awaits on my stove, ready to concoct a quick lunch. For just $100, you too could experience the marvel of this skillet set.