Another review says things stuck to it because it was not coated. Yes, it is. But things still stick to it because the cast iron surface under the coating was evidently pretty coarse. Oh, well. You don't scrub it with a sponge, you heat it up and plunge it under running water and the "deglazing" will lift off most of the gunk. Give it a scrub with a brush (no soap) and return it to the heat to dry. Total time about 45 seconds.

The third review said that fish stuck to it. This is possible. They used nonstick spray, which isn't all that ideal with nonstick or cast iron surfaces. But mostly I suspect the grill wasn't hot enough.

I, however, did ribeye steaks last night and they were perfect. Look on foodtv.com for Alton Brown's method and follow that. It's great. But remember: HOT!

Use it all the time and its great!! (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I use this thing all the time for cooking steaks and it works great for grilling evenly.
I grill for a few minutes on stovetop at high heat and put it directly into an oven to bring the inside of the meat up to temperature.
Perfectly cooked meat and just a single pan. Easy.

Great little grill. (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I was leery about purchasing this little grill after reading the reviews. For the price, I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad that I did. I received it 3 days ago and have been grilling my pork chops with it every night. What a handily little gadget it has turned out to be. My Grandmother taught me how to use cast-iron cookware and since then, I've been a cast-iron junkie.

I can understand where some of the complaints are coming from. We are a society that has become spoiled by the Teflon no-stick surfaces. Don't get me wrong, I understand and enjoy the value of Teflon as well as cast-iron. Unlike non-stick surfaces, cast-iron that has never been used needs to be seasoned with a light coating of oil before it's first use. This can be done by either using a spray on oil such as olive oil or even Pam, or by using a cloth to wipe on your chosen oil. Then heat your oven to about 200 f and let it cook in the oven for about an hour. You may need to periodically recoat your pan. Always make sure that you simply LIGHTLY coat the pan. You do not want a pool of oil that can burn or smolder.

The heating source should not be turned up on high to heat the pan. A medium-to-medium low setting is sufficient for those using gas heat. I haven't used an electric stove in years (my Granny does), but am fairly certain the same will apply. As a rule of thumb, if you are unsure of which heat setting to use, start with a low setting, let the pan heat for a few minutes and pop just a drop of water in the pan. If the water just simmers the setting is too low and you will need to turn up the heat a slight bit, wait a few more minutes and add another drop of water. If the drop does a slight little dance and sizzles, you have the correct heat setting. Always let the pan pre-heat for a few minutes. This allows the pan to evenly distribute the heat and helps to keep your food from sticking to the pan.

Over time, your pan will change in color from the original dark grey to a slate black. This is absolutely normal and will not affect its grilling abilities. It will enhance the taste of what ever you are grilling, which is a good thing as this is what cast-iron is intended to do.

I am generally a no additives or marinating kind of girl, but thought for the sake of argument, I would give marinating in worcheshire (sp) a try. I did not pat the chop dry on a towel. I just pulled it from the sauce, gave a quick shake and applied it directly to the pre-heated grill. I did not have a single problem with sticking. I did notice that there was pooled liquid that collected under the meat and dried solid while cooking. I left the grill to sit over night with out adding any soaking water or detergent. I was able to easily wash the pan clean with a small amount of water, detergent and the rough side of a sponge. Clean up was no hassle.

With a pan like this, you should not force the food to release from the surface. If the pan has been properly seasoned the grill will release the meat easily with out force once it has cooked the meat sufficiently.

Love This Baby! (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Used my grill for the first time tonight. Grilled two good size steaks and added onions and pepper towards the end of grilling. Everything turned out FABULOUS!!

Had no trouble cleaning the grill.

Heated grill for a few minutes on medium/low.

Waiting until drop of water did a little dance.

Turned steak when juices were lying on top/could feel muscle when pressing top/middle of steak. (Don't turn too soon)

Following the above "meat won't stick." After pan cooled for approximately 5 minutes I put water in pan. After soaking for 10 minutes it cleans beautifully with warm water and a nylon pot brush.

After using other grill pans this is a dream. Take the time to read the directions and you will be all set.

Great Deal! (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I purchased this item as a "bonus offer" to another Le Creuset item I purchased, even though I didn't think I'd get much use out of it since I already had the Le Creuset double burner grill. Turns out though, I use this little grill more often than my larger grill, or any of my other Le Creuset pieces. It's the perfect size for grilling up a couple of chicken breasts, salmon fillets, or steaks when I'm cooking for just my husband and myself. I can also grill up to four burgers on it. Just like my larger grill, I love the cooking results I get from using this little grill, but it's especially handy when I need access to my other burners on my stovetop. It's also much easier to clean than the double burner grill.

If you are just starting your Le Creuset collection, this is a definite "must have" item to your kitchen. And especially at the price Amazon.com is offering it, you can't go wrong!