Our favorite cast iron skillet is the Lodge 10.25-Inch Skillet. It's basic, durable, inexpensive, and performs well. We also like the Lodge Blacklock 10.25-Inch Skillet, which is pricier, but lightweight and easy to move around.
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You could say there's no better cookware investment than a cast iron skillet: The more you use it, the better it gets, and its versatility is nearly unmatched. Need to shallow-fry chicken cutlets? Want to make a pan pizza? About to bake some biscuits? Cast iron can handle all of that and more.
We set out to find the best cast iron skillets, putting 23 of the top models through a series of tests to determine which ones performed well and were the easiest to use. We also recently re-tested our top picks (and some new models), confirming they're still unmatched. This means our favorite traditional cast iron skillets, both from Lodge, have held up over four years of reviewing—and continual use at home and in the Serious Eats test kitchen.
The Winners, at a Glance
Lodge's basic cast iron skillet has long been one of our most recommended pieces of kitchenware, and it remains so today. It's a little heavier than some of the other options out there, but it performs as well as anything else we tested and has a price that's hard to argue with. Add in that it's made in the USA by an established company with a proven track record, and we see little reason for most folks (living in the United States) to look elsewhere. This 10.25-inch size is arguably the most useful for most people, but the larger 12-inch skillet is nice to own as well, especially for bigger families.
This new line of cast iron cookware from Lodge is clearly trying to capitalize on the renewed interest in vintage-style cast iron, especially now that the market has become crowded with startups attempting to revive the old cast iron standards of lighter weight and smoother surfaces.
While Lodge's Blacklock line does not seem to be smoother than any of its other cast iron, it is remarkably less heavy. We found little to no difference in performance between it and its heavier counterpart. So if you can spend more, you'll likely appreciate how much easier it is to move this skillet around your kitchen.
For those who would rather not season cast iron but still want all of that heat retention, look to enameled cast iron. We separately tested eight enameled cast iron skillets and included one of our favorites, from Le Creuset, here. It heated and seared beautifully and had flared sides, two pour spouts, and a wide, looped helper handle.
The Criteria: What to Look for in a Cast Iron Skillet
Serious Eats / Russell Kilgore
We nearly drove ourselves nuts before initiating testing for this review just trying to decide what qualities a "good" cast iron pan should have. Cast iron is not a good conductor of heat, but it retains heat well. Those two characteristics are interlinked: The better a metal conducts heat, the worse it holds onto it. So if we find one pan that conducts heat better than all the rest, should we reward it for that or not?
We fretted similarly about how we would factor in each pan's weight. Cast iron is heavy, even for our tester, who is far from the weakest person you might find in a kitchen. So is a lighter-weight pan better? On your wrists, sure, but at what cost? The mass of a cast iron pan is, at least in theory, central to its ability to hold lots of heat. If a heavy skillet proves to sear steaks better than a lighter one, how do you decide what the ideal balance is between those potentially opposing qualities?
In the end, our testing solved these problems: The best cast iron pan is the one that performs its core tasks—searing, baking, and nonstick frying and sautéing—with success. And what our testing revealed is that for all the nerding out one can do about cast iron, there's practically no difference in performance from one pan to the next. Yes, you read that right: For all their variations in weight, size, smoothness, and form, most cast iron pans perform about the same under the same conditions.
This finding left us with a much easier determination to make, one that mostly took into account cost, brand reliability, as well as ergonomics, and other user experience (UX) considerations.
What Size Skillet Is Best?
Both of our favorite cast iron skillets are available in a variety of sizes, but we recommend a 10.25-inch skillet for starters. It'll be big enough to cook almost any recipe. However, if you have a larger family or simply follow the logic that it's better to have more space than less, a 12-inch cast iron pan is also nice to have on hand.
The Testing
To assess these pans, we focused on tasks that would reveal how well each cast iron skillet performed its most important functions: searing, frying and sautéing, and baking. We also measured heat conduction over time at both the center and edge of each pan, and recorded each one's weight, bottom thickness and diameter, and smoothness, in case any of those attributes might help explain how the pans performed in the more practical tests.
On top of that, we analyzed ergonomic factors like handle comfort and pour-spout efficacy.
Test 1: Measuring Conduction
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
Cast iron is not a good heat conductor, but that doesn't mean all the skillets in our test would conduct heat equally poorly. We needed to assess how quickly and evenly each pan heated on the stovetop. (Whether being a better conductor of heat or not is good or bad was a question for the other tests to help us answer.)
To find out, we set a stovetop gas burner to what we would describe as a medium flame, then set each pan on top. From the moment each pan was set down, we used an infrared thermometer to record the temperature every 10 seconds for 20 intervals (totaling 3 minutes 20 seconds). We allowed all the pans to cool back to room temperature and then repeated the test while measuring each skillet at its edge. (To keep the "edge" position consistent on pans of slightly different diameters, we used the bars on the stovetop grate underneath to help set our sights.)
Over the course of 3 minutes and 20 seconds, I measured the temperature of the floor of each skillet at both the center and edge, taking readings every ten seconds. This chart shows the final temperature each skillet registered at the 3 minute, 20 second mark.
The results here were remarkably different: Some of the skillets still hadn't hit 200 degrees by the end of the heating cycle, while others were above 400 degrees. Now, there's no reason to assume a slower-to-heat cast iron skillet is worse than a faster one, nor vice versa. That's a question the performance tests would have to help answer.
Still, we did see some trends. First, while it doesn't map perfectly to the mass of each skillet, overall, the fastest to heat was also the lighter-weight ones, while the slowest were the heaviest. This makes sense: The more metal there is to heat up, the longer it will take.
One exception to this observation was the Butter Pat skillet, which is one of the newcomers to the cast iron market. It was the second slowest to heat but solidly middle-of-the-pack in terms of weight. In its case, the distribution of metal may help explain why it heated so much slower than the other pans of similar weight: The Butter Pat has much thinner walls and more of its mass in its base. (This accumulation of mass in the base may also explain why the Butter Pat, unlike almost every other skillet, had such similar degrees of heating at both the edge and center of the base since there is much less metal in the walls to siphon off heat continuously as it radiates towards them.)
Test 2: Egg Frying
Eggs stuck in nearly every skillet; over time as seasoning builds up, this will no longer happen.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
After running through my heat conduction measurements, it was time to take these pans for a real spin. We were curious to find out how well-seasoned each skillet was out of the box (good seasoning = more nonstick). Since cast iron cookware requires ongoing maintenance to build up great seasoning, we didn't necessarily think skillets that underperformed in this test should be disqualified but figured it could help as a tie-breaker.
Judging by sight alone, some of the skillets arrived better seasoned than others. Some were a lighter brown color, indicating less build-up of seasoning applied at the factory. Others were jet-black, a sign of much more substantial seasoning accumulation.
Two skillets showing different amounts of out-of-the-box seasoning (a lighter brown cast suggests less build up of seasoning, while darker black suggests more).
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
To test each one, we first gave each skillet a bonus layer of seasoning (two skillets in the group required a pre-seasoning step before first use, so it only seemed fair to put them all through the same process). Then we preheated all of the skillets in ovens set to 250 degrees. Working one at a time, we removed a skillet from the oven and set it over a consistent moderate flame. Next, we added one tablespoon of oil and let it heat for 30 seconds before cracking two eggs into the pan.
Using this preheating process, each egg sizzled gently when it hit the pan, which was just what we wanted to see. Any cooler and the egg wouldn't be frying. Any hotter, and we'd have a much easier time not sticking. This was exactly the heat level our tester uses in one of their prized cast iron skillets at home to gently fry an egg without it sticking.
The eggs fused to the metal in every single pan (except the Starfrit, but it's an outlier with some kind of coating on it). The Butter Pat and Smithey skillets had some of the most severe sticking. They also had appeared to the eye to be the least seasoned out of the box, but none of the other skillets performed well enough to declare an obvious winner. The clear lesson here is that almost no cast iron pan arrives with its potential nonstick surface fully realized. You will need to build up the seasoning at home no matter what.
Test 3: Steak Searing
Just about every skillet, when preheated properly, put a great sear on beef.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
The next test was all about high heat: How well could each skillet sear a steak? We used thick slabs of boneless beef short ribs to find out.
For this test, we preheated all of the pans in 500-degree ovens. Then, working one at a time, we removed them, added 1 tablespoon of oil, then seared two large short rib slabs in each, turning them every 30 seconds for a total of three minutes per side.
Just like in the egg-frying test, all the skillets performed incredibly similarly, except this time they did their job well. Just about every single one produced deeply browned and crusty steak on both sides. If there was a difference, we had a hard time spotting it. The only one that we thought maybe wasn't as good was the Amazon skillet, which we thought possibly put less of a good sear on the second side of the steaks (but, again, we weren't certain even as we prodded it, so the difference wasn't by any means huge).
Test 4: Cornbread
It was nearly impossible to spot any differences when baking cornbread in each skillet.
Vicky Wasik
Our third real-world test was baking cornbread. We hoped to see three things here. First, how deeply and evenly browned each cornbread was on the bottom and sides. Second, how much rise each cornbread experienced. And third, how much did any of the cornbreads stick.
What we saw instead were nearly identical loaves of cornbread coming out of every single skillet. Each one browned the bread evenly and deeply on both the bottom and sides, indicating that they all have enough stored heat all over, certainly more than the room-temp batter could counteract when it was ladled in. Each one also rose similarly, indicating they each delivered similar heat into the batter, causing similar levels of oven spring. And, finally, none of them stuck to the metal, indicating that after the first round of pre-seasoning, followed by the egg frying test and the steak-searing test, the seasoning was beginning to build up on all of them. With a few more uses, they'd all be ready to fry some eggs with no trouble.
Test 5: Comfort and Ergonomics
Weighing and measuring the skillets.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
Given how little light was shed on the skillets based on performance, other characteristics like price, comfort, and some design considerations were going to be the primary deciding factors.
During all of the prior testing, we had been taking UX notes, including which skillets were the most uncomfortable to hold and which were just too heavy. We also ran an oil-pouring test, filling each skillet with a half-cup of oil, then pouring it back out into a narrow jar to see which channeled the fluid most effectively.
We learned that the best pour spouts are large and deep, and if you can't have that, you're better off having no pour spout at all. The skillets with shallow and small spouts tended to dribble the most. While good to know, We don't consider small spouts a dealbreaker if the pan otherwise performed well and is well priced.
How We Chose Our Winners
Lodge's Blacklock skillet is lightweight and comfortable to hold.
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
Given how similarly all of the cast iron pans performed in these tests, the real decision came down to comfort, ergonomics, and price. For that reason, We're recommending two Lodge skillets since they're affordable, reliable, and backed up by an established company with a proven track record. However, that doesn't mean that we wouldn't recommend some of the newer, more expensive skillets we tested.
Some of the pricier skillets in this group were a pleasure to use. Several feature a much smoother cooking surface, the result of a sanding or polishing step that removes the casting's naturally rough surface. This step adds labor and cost to the manufacturing process and contributes to a higher price. A smoother surface may not have much impact on performance, but it's without a doubt more pleasurable to run a metal spatula across it.
There are also economies of scale to consider. It's to be expected that smaller manufacturers that are just entering the market won't be able to compete with a large company like Lodge on cost. Competition is still a good thing, and we're glad it's been reintroduced into the cast iron cookware market. Hopefully, over time, the presence of these new contenders will be a benefit to the consumer overall. Please read about the other brands below to see if any are of interest to you.
Tips for Using a Cast Iron Skillet
Because cast iron skillets are one of those topics that seem to spur debates and basic questions like "Can I clean it with soap?" we rounded up some helpful usage tips.
The Best Cast Iron Skillets
What we liked: Lodge skillets have been a staple in the Serious Eats test kitchen and many of our homes for years. They're affordable and well-made by a company with a longer track record producing cast iron cookware than any other in the United States. Unlike almost every other more affordably priced cast iron brand, Lodge still makes their plain cast iron cookware in the United States (their enameled cast iron, on the other hand, is manufactured abroad).
This skillet does run slightly heavy at about 5.5 pounds, which is about one pound heavier than the average for all the skillets in this review. Still, the handle is comfortable to hold both bare-handed and with a towel or oven mitt. And while the basic line from Lodge doesn't have the lighter weight and smooth finish of vintage pieces and more expensive contemporary brands, there's little to no impact on performance as a result of this.
Although this test focused on 10-inch skillets, it's also worth considering the larger 12-inch size, either in addition to this one or, perhaps for bigger families, instead of it.
What we didn't like: If we have one gripe, it's that Lodge's pour spouts are small and shallow, leading to more frequent dribbles and spills in our tests. Still, this is hardly a reason not to buy one, given the price and overall quality.
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik
What we liked: The Blacklock line from Lodge is the company's attempt at offering an option for those seeking cast iron forged to meet more heritage specs, which generally means lighter weight and polished to a smoother finish. That's how many of the new players in the cast iron cookware space are positioning themselves—as a return to those old quality standards—and Lodge is smart not to cede that portion of the market to these new competitors entirely.
These Blacklock skillets deliver on the lighter-weight side of things. The 10.25-inch option weighs 4 pounds 2 ounces, making it the second lightest skillet in our tests and a full 1 pound 6 ounces lighter than the standard Lodge. It's a difference you can immediately feel. And based on our tests, that reduction in mass has no noticeable impact on how the pan is able to perform.
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The skillet design is handsome, at least to our eyes, and evokes a certain old-timey aesthetic, particularly in the curving lines of the stay-cool handle. (Keep in mind, though, that no cast iron pan's handle truly stays cool for long.)
Where Lodge seems to have drawn the line on manufacturing costs was on polishing the surface of the pan. As far as we can tell, the Blacklock skillet has a similar surface texture to Lodge's basic line. While this isn't a knock to the pan by any means, if a smooth-as-ice cast iron skillet is what you're after, you'll need to seek a vintage piece or buy one of the pricier skillets from one of the other companies below that do invest in the smoothing step. But given that Lodge has managed to keep the price of this skillet close to its basic line, most folks would do well to consider this first.
What we didn't like: Like the other Lodge skillet, it has small, shallow pour spouts.
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Russell Kilgore
What we liked: This enameled cast iron skillet seared beautifully and was a joy to use. It had a comfortable, rounded handle and a looped helper handle, which made it easy to lift and maneuver. It also had flared sides and two pour spouts, which was helpful for flipping and removing food and pouring out sauces and oil. Is this a pricey pan? Surely, but while we don't recommend spending on traditional cast iron, heritage enamel cast iron is worth splurging on thanks to its quality control (amongst other factors).
What we didn't like: This pan was slower to heat up than others and is an investment.
Key Specs
Serious Eats / Taylor Murray
The Competition
FAQs
What's the difference between bare, seasoned, and enameled cast iron?
You have two choices if you're buying a traditional cast iron skillet: bare or pre-seasoned. Bare skillets require you to season the pan yourself before use. It's increasingly common to find pre-seasoned skillets, though, which have a layer of protective seasoning already built up by the maker. Cast iron companies say this allows you to cook with the skillet straight from the box (in other words, no pre-seasoning required), but it's worth noting that no cast iron pan is nonstick right out of the gate.
Enameled cast iron, like the cookware from Le Creuset and Staub, has a porcelain coating that doesn't require nearly as much care as traditional cast iron (that is, it doesn't need to be seasoned). Still, it won't develop seasoning or become more nonstick over time. And while cast iron is incredibly durable, the coating on enameled cast iron can chip or crack. We tend to favor traditional cast iron over enameled.
Do I need to pre-season my cast iron skillet?
It depends. If you buy a completely bare cast iron skillet, you will need to season it before cooking—at least once—to build up a layer of seasoning. If you purchase a pre-seasoned (also known as "factory seasoned") skillet, it's up to you whether or not you want to add a layer of seasoning before cooking.
How do you season a cast iron skillet?
To season a cast iron skillet, first wash (warm, soapy water is okay!) and thoroughly dry the pan. After hand drying, we recommend placing it on the stovetop for a couple of minutes to make sure all of the water is truly gone. Then, rub it all over (yes, even the exterior and handle) with a neutral, high-heat cooking oil (canola, vegetable, etc works) using a paper towel until the cast iron is evenly coated and looks just a little greasy. Then, place it in a 450°F oven for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes is up, repeat this oiling and baking three to four more times. For more information on seasoning, head here.
Will food stick on cast iron?
Cast iron does not have a nonstick coating. However, over time and with regular use, a seasoning is built up. This seasoning is improved with fat, so it pays to use your cast iron for tasks like frying bacon and roasting chicken thighs. (Vegetarians can still build up a quality seasoning with regular oiling after use.) The more seasoning on your pan, the more naturally nonstick it will be.
What's the best fat for seasoning a cast iron pan?
There's no need to buy specialty oils for seasoning your cast iron. Although flaxseed oil is a popular choice, we've found that it flakes off with time and don't recommend it. Instead, you can use affordable, easy-to-find vegetable oils, such as canola or corn oil. Unlike other cooking oils (like olive oil), they have a high smoke point.
Is cast iron non-stick?
The more seasoned your cast-iron skillet is, the more non-stick it'll become. However, it'll never be Teflon-level nonstick (which is a common myth about cast iron) and you shouldn't expect it to be. On the other hand, there is no question about whether or not it's non-toxic cookware.
What's the best way to clean a cast iron skillet?
To soap or not to soap your cast iron? We find soap and water to be an efficient tool for cleaning cast iron. A non-scratch sponge, your usual dish soap, and a little elbow grease will get your pan clean without stripping away any hard-earned layers of seasoning. (Those layers become polymerized onto the pan during the cooking process.) It's important to immediately dry the pan well and oil it over moderate heat.
What should I do if my cast iron skillet rusts?
Rust can build up on a cast iron if the pan has not been properly cared for—and the biggest culprit is moisture. If you soak cast iron pans for hours or overnight before cleaning them, you'll likely notice rust on the cooking surfaces, sides, or bottom of the pan. Ditto if you let your pans air dry in the dish rack after cleaning. The appearance of rust is annoying, but it doesn't mean you should toss out your pan. It's just a sign that the layers of seasoning have broken down, and you'll need to get rid of the rust in the pan.
What foods shouldn't be cooked in a cast iron skillet?
We don't recommend cooking acidic things for a long period of time in a cast iron skillet, like a low-and-slow simmered tomato sauce. However, something like a pan sauce would be fine. We also don't recommend cooking things that are super delicate or prone to sticking in a cast iron skillet, like scrambled eggs or crepes.
Should you oil a cast iron skillet every time?
To keep your cast iron skillet well-seasoned and rust-free, we recommend giving it a light rubbing of oil after cleaning. We'd avoid using any flavorful or low-smoke point oils (like olive oil), however, and would stick to a neutral oil like canola.
Is it healthy to cook in cast iron?
Yes, it is healthy to cook in cast iron. For starters because of, well, the iron. "Most of us think of iron as a nutrient that women need—and we do—but it's also a key nutrient for everyone! Iron helps shuttle oxygen throughout our entire body, it helps with muscle metabolism, making hormones, and more," says Brierley Horton, M.S., R.D.. "Anyway, research has shown that the iron content of meat and vegetables doubles when you cook them in cast iron. And other foods (peas and other legumes, spaghetti and apple sauces) increase in iron, too. Put super simply, cooking with cast iron helps you get more iron in your diet."
Why We're the Experts
Chef Willis is certainly not alone in her love of cast iron cookware. We love cast iron so much that we wrote a complete guide to owning it and have plenty of cast iron skillet recipes you may want to try. To find the best cast iron skillets, we rigorously tested over 20 pans to observe their heat conduction, retention, and distribution. Read on for our top-rated picks, plus a few helpful insights on cast iron cleaning and care.
Willis uses her skillet so often that she washes it and puts it right back on the stovetop after use. "Mine is so old and well-seasoned that it can cook anything," she said. "It's a great metal, it heats up fast, and it holds an even heat. It's fairly inexpensive, whether you get a brand new Lodge pre-seasoned pan or find one at a garage sale or a thrift store. It would be one of the first pans I would suggest to anyone building a kitchen.”
A cast iron skillet is an affordable kitchen workhorse that lasts, and many cooks have owned their cast iron skillets for years. James Beard Award-winning Southern cookbook author and chef Virginia Willis inherited her grandmother's skillet, which she estimates is 100 years old. "When I moved from New York and drove the car down, I put the jewelry, the unreplaceable art, and the cast iron skillet in my car.”
Any food, however, was easily cleaned with warm, soapy water and a sponge. We recommend hand washing while you can put it in the dishwasher. The handle stays cool initially but will heat up as the skillet retains heat through use. We loved the two pour spouts, which make pouring grease and scraping food bits out of the skillet effortless.
We love everything Le Creuset, and it dominated in our enameled cast iron skillet testing. Available in the brand's rainbow of colors, the skillet is built like a tank. When we tested, it gave great sear with fatty beef but ran into some issues with eggs and cornbread sticking. We still found it up for any task, including crepes. We did think this pan was a bit too shallow since grease spattered everywhere during seasoning. We used a splatter screen to mitigate any mess.
It wasn't hard to clean the skillet, and it just needed a thin coating of oil once dry to keep it seasoned. This skillet is at the higher end of the Lodge cast iron price range, but we still say it is a reliable, lightweight pan that performs well for most cooking tasks.
The Lodge Blacklock Triple-Seasoned Cast Iron Pan is the brand's higher-end cast iron skillet. The aesthetics match the traditional Lodge look with an homage to the brand's roots. We found this pan incredibly lightweight, and the width and sturdiness of the main handle made it easy to hold with one hand. Although a helper handle is included with this pan, it’s quite a bit smaller and thinner than other models tested and didn’t provide much support when inverting cornbread. We also found the pour spouts to be a bit too small to promote a smooth and consistent pour. We found the pork searing capabilities to be lesser than those of its competitors as it was uneven and not golden.
Still, we found this an incredibly versatile and top-performing cast iron skillet during testing and recommend this for home cooks who want a fancy pan that gets the job done. Just make sure you keep it seasoned so it stays in good shape.
The Stargazer 10.5-inch Cast Iron Skillet was easy to use and control. The large helper handle with a wide opening makes the skillet sit nicely in hand, and the curvature makes it easy to use one-handed. The smooth, flat bottom of the pan allowed any stuck-on debris to release quickly with soap and a scrubber. In our tests, the cornbread was cooked evenly and released from the cast iron pan with one tap, though the searing on the pork loin was uneven in sections. The temperature would be even at first but then unbalanced as time passed. We found differentials as much as 20 degrees between some areas of the pan.
Given its performance, we also loved the value since this was the most inexpensive cast iron skillet on our list. This skillet also provided even heating, with consistent temperatures throughout the center and edges of the pan. It's an overall sturdy cast iron skillet that cooks evenly. And it's also super easy to clean with no seasoning required.
We found the regularly sized handle on Camp Chef’s 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet to be comfortable to hold thanks to its curvature, though the helper handle was a bit too small. The handle came in handy when flipping out cornbread and taking the pan out of the oven. We called it the easiest to use out of all the tested models. During testing, we achieved a consistent sear on both sides of the pork, and the color of our cornbread was the same throughout. We found it maintained its nonstick capabilities throughout testing.
The skillet provided a consistently even sear on pork, and the color was an even golden brown.
The skillet's helper handle and spout make easy work of pouring off any liquid from the pan during cooking. It's easy to clean, and any debris left inside the pan was wiped away easily with warm water. The price point makes this skillet affordable for most households and a great housewarming gift for anyone starting a new chapter.
Lodge's Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet continues to be our benchmark for cast iron pans. This skillet provided the most even browning across the board, and cornbread was easy to turn out during our tests thanks to the included silicone handle. Neither pork nor cornbread got stuck in the Lodge, and we're always pleased with its consistent heat distribution and searing capabilities. We loved how golden the cornbread got on top and bottom, and it was very easy to turn out, thanks to the silicone handle that came with the skillet.
The pour spout on the skillet is relatively tiny, and there were small drips when pouring.
We love the large helper handle and how easy it is to control the skillet.
Our Favorite Cast Iron Skillets
Our Best Overall winner was the Lodge 10.25-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, which is no surprise given the brand's reputation for inexpensive, quality cast iron skillets that stand the test of time. We also loved the versatility of the Stargazer 10.5-inch Cast Iron Skillet.
How We Tested Cast Iron Skillets
In our tests, we sought to evaluate each skillet based on its heat conduction, heat retention, and heat distribution. We assessed how quickly and evenly they heated on the stovetop and then measured the temperature at the center and edge of the pan. We seared pork loin pieces to observe the cast iron's performance when searing at high heat to evaluate consistency in temperature and more. The color was a consideration in the results. We also looked at the color when testing baked cornbread. We wanted evenness and also evaluated how easy it was to release out of the pan.
To test the cast iron skillet’s pour spout performance and the maneuverability of its design and handles, we made cornbread. We also noted how easy each skillet was to clean, season, and handle since cast iron pans are notoriously heavier than other everyday skillets. After cooking, we cleaned and stored the pans to see how easy they were to integrate into everyday use.
Factors to Consider
Type
Buying a standard frying pan is definitely a little different from shopping for cast iron, which comes in various finishes, such as bare, seasoned, and enameled finishes. Most of our recommendations are pre-seasoned, but others may require a seasoning process. The texture of cast iron pans is also a consideration, as some are finished smooth, and others are rougher. Also, ensure that your cast iron is safe for glass or induction stoves if you have one, as some are not. There are also cast iron skillets with different handle materials, such as wood, so make sure yours is oven-safe if that is a consideration.
Size
Cast iron skillets come in various sizes, ranging from 5-inch miniature pans to 15-inch options. Chef Willis recommends a 10-inch cast iron skillet for most households, as it provides enough diameter for everyday tasks like making pancakes, frying chicken, and baking cakes. "I like something I can use to make tried and true buttermilk cornbread but can also use to roast a small chicken or sear two pork chops," she said.
Care and Maintenance
Wash your cast iron with water and soap after each use and air dry. It's good to get into the habit of oiling your cast iron after it is washed and dried after use. Neutral oils rather than olive oil are preferred. A cast iron chainmail scrubber is another easily washable tool you can reuse and pop in the dishwasher to remove stubborn bits. If your cast iron rusts or you have other issues, we've got an article to help.
Some may think cast iron is indestructible, but Willis reminds us it is not shatterproof. In her experience, she's had cast iron pans crack from stress fractures during use and suggests treating your pans very carefully. "It is a molten thing, and it's not stainless steel," she said. "If you look at its durability, it's just not as strong as stainless steel. A cast iron pan can crack and shatter."
Ease of Use
Maneuverability is a consideration when choosing cast iron. You want to pay attention to features that help make cooking a cleanup easier, such as handles and pour spouts. The length of a handle and the addition of helper handles are all key considerations. If you have a smaller hand, for instance, shorter handles are a better choice. A helper handle you will be doing anything that requires you to pour ingredients out of the cast-iron skillet. And it is important to pay attention to how well the pour spout performs. We considered all of these factors during testing to ensure these cast iron skillets perform.
Do I need to pre-season a cast iron skillet?
It depends on the manufacturer, so check the specifications. Most skillets come pre-seasoned, but you need to keep it up after repeated use. Even when it is pre-seasoned, cast iron is not nonstick, despite some misconceptions. "Cast iron won’t provide the kind of nonstick like the infomercials you see, but it can be virtually nonstick if you use oil," Willis said. (You will likely also need to reseason your cast iron periodically, too).
Can I use soap when I wash my cast iron skillet?
There is some debate about whether or not you should use soap on your cast iron. "I wash mine in hot soapy water and then thoroughly dry it with a cloth,” Willis said. "That's the way my grandmother did it, and I just think not washing the skillet is unsanitary." If the pan looks dry, she’ll apply a light coating of mineral oil and place it in a cooling oven to ensure any residual moisture is gone. If she finds caked-on bits, she uses salt as a natural scrub.
What foods should not be cooked in a cast iron skillet?
Willis recommends avoiding slow-cooking acidic items in cast iron, though she sometimes uses a squeeze of fresh lemon to finish a dish of pork chops. Willis recommends using an enameled cast iron skillet if you want to make something super acidic, like a slow-cooked tomato sauce.
Other Cast Iron Skillets We Tested
Strong Contenders
Marquette Castings Skillet ($250 at Marquette)
This cast iron is a professional-grade pan that can handle any tasks you throw at it, from searing, braising, cooking vegetables, and cornbread. Its price is the only thing that may deter home cooks. However, it is so well-made it should last a long time with great care.
Cuisinel Cast Iron Skillet ($23 at Amazon)
This is an excellent skillet for a home cook who wants the most value for their money without many bells and whistles. Though the small handles might not be for everyone, it's excellent for cooks with smaller or weaker hands who may struggle with more cumbersome pans.
Calphalon Cast Iron Skillet ($50 at Calphalon)
We found this pan to be nonstick, and it is straightforward to clean. Plus, it comes seasoned, so there is no prep involved. It performed well in all of our tests, and it's an excellent price for a utilitarian pan.
Utopia Kitchen Cast Iron Skillet ($17 at Amazon)
While the pan is inexpensive, the comfort and design could be better. However, we found its performance helped to bring that up a notch in the end. It's a good starter pan for a college student or burgeoning cook that you won't feel guilty throwing out if it gets ruined.
Field Company Cast Iron Skillet ($145 at Field Company)
While we found this to be a beautiful pan, it was uncomfortable to use, and it could have been designed better as its performance was subpar. It's also costly for a pan that was not in good shape after we tested it.
What Didn't Make the List
Not every cast iron pan we tested passed muster. Many failed with heat evenness, and others were destroyed after a few cooks. Some skillets didn't make the list because of excessive heft, and others were awkward to use during tests, like pouring oil from the pan.
Our Expertise
Jennifer Zyman is a Senior Commerce Writer for Food & Wine and a former restaurant critic with a culinary school degree and over 15 years of food writing experience. Her work has appeared in Atlanta Magazine, Bon Appetit, Eater Atlanta, The Kitchn, Local Palate, National Geographic, Simply Recipes, Southern Living, and Thrillist. To write this story, she used research and expert advice from James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and chef Virginia Willis.
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