There’s plenty to love about a hard-wearing cast iron skillet (we’re particularly obsessed with this set by Nobuho Miya for Kamasada, available from Nalata Nalata). But they’re not exactly featherweight—a 1.9 quart version typically weighs in at almost seven pounds. Through a merging of traditional craft with modern-day technology, the Japanese cast-iron cookware company Vermicular is shaking up the game with its comparatively weightless frying pan (2.4 pounds, thanks to ultra-thin iron casting at 2,700-degrees Fahrenheit). Because of its enamel surface, one tablespoon of water takes just three seconds to evaporate on the pan—compared to 94 seconds in ye olde cast iron. (Translation: better caramelization, texture, and that all-too-rare edible delight, umami.) Another plus: The pan’s powdered glass glaze is PTFE- and PFOA-free. Our favorite part, though, just may be the handsome handle, hand-carved out of blond wood. Vermicular’s other items, a newly released line of oven pots (one of which is pictured) and cast-iron induction cooker, follow along similarly innovative lines, and are equally fetching in their sleek minimalism. The company is whetting our appetites for its next coming attraction, too: a much-anticipated new Tokyo restaurant and flagship store, opening in December.