@redcrew@mstdn.social @timbray Carbon steel gives you the of both, but you can't really buy it pre-seasoned like cast iron.

But to address the elephant: if the discoloration is simply cosmetic, who cares?! Cooking is a functional art, and it doesn't matter what goes on "behind the curtain". If your pans are discolored and it's affected your food, you need to investigate those manufacturers, because that should not happen!