LodgeL8DOT3 Cast Iron Meat Rack/Trivet, Pre-Seasoned, 8-inch

First of all - it's Lodge. It's cast iron. It's American. These are all good things.But I had to chuckle at a couple of the applications the other reviewers had for this handy little item. This isn't one of the first kitchen implements that you might put on your wish list, but it's surprisingly versatile.Yes, you can put it in the bottom of your dutch oven, put your meat on top and let the fat drain. Yes, it's obviously a trivet. But I've also used it as a meat press - yeah, Lodge makes a couple of presses, and one of these days... but in the meantime, flip at upside down on your bacon and it works fine.I've also used it as a grilled sandwich press. Put it on a medium burner, toss your sandwich in your skillet, or griddle, then (with tongs or welding gloves) plop this little trivet on top of your sandwich. A couple of experiments is all it takes to get the right amount of heat to brown the top of your sandwich. If you need more weight, put some water in a saucepan and set it on the trivet - the "legs" on the trivet keep the saucepan from cooling the trivet and your sandwich is nicely smushed.But the weirdest use of all time? Olive pitter. No, I'm not kidding. I was making a salad the other night, and I wanted to chop some black olives into it. I grabbed a can of olives and opened it, only to discover that my wife had bought un-pitted olives. I hate pitting olives, but I started in, when my eye was caught by this little trivet and all those interesting holes. I grabbed the trivet, put an olive on end over one of the small holes and pushed with my thumb - the pit jumped through the hole and left the meat on the other side. I grabbed a bowl, put the trivet on top and went through that can of olives in no time. Hint - the holes are beveled, and the olives sit very nicely in the bevel, but they don't pit as well - turn the trivet over and use the "flat" side of the hole.So there you have it. A kitchen gadget with half-a-dozen uses for ten bucks. How can you go wrong?

This trivet was the perfect solution to my problem with the bottom crust of my sourdough bread getting excessively dark. Easy to slide under the loaf to provide a buffer from the baking steel heat.

Nicely made, heavy weight cast iron trivet.I was pleased with the weight and quality of the item. If it was any heavier, it would be too much for ordinary trivet use.If you're looking for something to use as a weight, this may not do it.The item measures 3/16" thick x 8"dia. Prolly weighs about a pound.One side(what I would call "the flip side") is flat with unfinished (sharp) edges. The other side(what I would call "the good side") has beveled edges, some quaint lettering and 3 raised feet(about 1/8"high 1/4"dia). So, if you put the feet side down, they create an insulating air space so your hot pots don't damage your counter. That's good. The feet also protect the counter to some degree from scratches, as they prevent the entire cast iron surface from making contact with whatever you put it on. Keep in mind, they are made of cast iron, which is harder than many tables and counter surfaces. Fine.Problems? You be the judge. If you actually USE the trivet, it's feet down and therefore "good side" down. You're looking at the flip side all the time. Of course, you'll only notice this when you DON'T have a pot on it. Does it matter? Who knows. Not to me anyway.Which brings us to the other "problem". If you use this item for "show", you'll want to display it with "the good side" up. If you do this, there are no feet which provide the aforementioned air space and the entire unfinished cast iron surface makes contact with whatever you place it on. I guess what I'm saying is, it would be nicer if the feet were on the other side.I've been thinking of getting some cork stickies to improve the scratch factor. I have Corian tops, which are basically plastic and scratch easily. If you have granite, you're good. But, if you have granite, you DON'T NEED TRIVETS AT ALL.UPDATE: It occurs to me that this item is probably made primarily for cooking on a stove top rather than as a table or counter insulator. The cast iron construction makes it perfectly suited for the task. When placed on a glass cooktop "good" side down, the feet will provide a small air space between the heat source and the pot. The holes and the bevels aid in equal distribution of heat. The "flip" side faces up and provides a smooth surface for a pot to make continuous contact with the product. The end result is a device to attenuate the often excessive heat produced by an electric stove with a glass cooktop.

Works great with my Lodge Dutch Oven. It provides a stable platform for my Dutch Oven.