Due to its favorable mechanical qualities and because it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, cast iron is used for many different purposes. One of the earliest applications of cast iron was to make pots, which are still occasionally used in modern times because they transfer a more steady, even heat than cookware made of other materials. Cast iron is not as popular in kitchens as it once was, however, because it is porous and occasionally gives food a metallic flavor. Yet, cast iron is frequently used to make weather-resistant outdoor furniture, piping, fences, tools, stoves, firebacks, decorative items, and structural components of buildings.