My Lava Cast Iron Pot Rusted After First Use—Feels Too Light to Be Real Cast Iron

My spouse recently purchased a Lava brand cast iron pot, and I used it for the first time just yesterday. I’m familiar with how to properly use and maintain cast iron—we already have other cast iron pans at home from different brands, so I followed the correct process.

Before using it, I preheated the pot after lightly oiling it, just as recommended. But shockingly, after only one use, the bottom center of the pot developed visible rust, and the issue hasn’t gone away even after a thorough cleaning and re-seasoning. The rust remains and seems to have affected the surface permanently.

Another concern I have is the weight. Compared to our other cast iron cookware, this pot feels noticeably lighter. We were told this was cast iron, but now I’m questioning whether it’s actually full cast iron or just thinly coated metal.