Cast iron is heavy, bulky and heats up, slowly. But I haven't cooked on anything else in a very long time. The main benefits are non-destructableness, non-stickiness when seasoned well, and heat retention (e.g. when you dump a bunch of cold food on it).

Once they are seasoned properly maintenance is pretty much the same as with steel. They are not delicate flowers. Just don't leave them in the sink or put them in the dishwasher. I rarely use soap on mine, but dish soap is just fine.

I actually tend to clean mine with oil and a paper towel. Most of the stuff that might stick to it tends to be fat/oil soluble. Dish soap doesn't always get it.