I have Tratonita and Lodge and the former is my favorite as well. It has ribs on the inside of the lid that help keep the moisture in vs running down against the lid edge. Similar to the spike design on others but easier to clean. It also has a smooth edge, unlike the lodge which rests on only three raised points. The lodge still seals pretty well but the tratamonita is better.
On cleaning, apparently scrubbing the bejeezus out of it with bar keepers helper or comet isn't the answer. I screwed up the finish on the bottom of the lodge after were burned some food on. My wife (who could have shared the information earlier) told me to take boiling water and pour it into the cool pan and then wait a few minutes. Tried that and everything came right off.
Given the durability I don't have a problem paying for the higher end brands -- they are going to last a long, long time. That said, I think the difference in performance is minimal and more about whether you like the broader set of color options etc.
