Cast Iron Skillet Reviews
Howdy, folks and thanks for stopping by the website! We wanted to do a video where we go over what we love and don’t love about the various cast iron skillets we have cooked with over the years. Keep in mind that we use these things all the time and under very strenuous conditions – over a hot fire, buried in the ground with hot coals, stuff that requires a durability that a skillet used inside all the time just doesn’t need to have.
Let’s go through them, one by one, and see what each brand has to offer. Everyone has different cooking needs and different budgets, so this video should guide you towards the right skillet for you. We’ll be looking at four things: Design, seasoning, weight, and price.
Vintage Cast Iron
Wagner and Griswold skillets are cast iron brands that dominated the market for good quality cast iron from the late 1800s to about the 1950s. Around that time, the companies merged and changed hands several times, eventually completely shutting down in 1999. There are many collectors who covet all things Wagner and Griswold, but they’re exceedingly rare and priced high as a result of it. Beware of counterfeits!
There are five brands of cast iron skillets that you can purchase today, new, that will deliver the type of quality that means the skillet can be passed down from generation to generation. All of them are made in the USA, as well.
Field Company
Field Company Cast Iron (www.fieldcompany.com) is lightweight and designed to closely resemble vintage cast iron pieces.
Design: Vintage design. Handle could be more rounded for comfort and missing a pour spout.
Weight: 4.5 lbs
Seasoning: Accepts seasoning and holds seasoning well.
Price: $145
Stargazer
Stargazer advertises that it’s “guaranteed forever.”
Design:
Pros: Great long handle that is comfortable to hold and keep your hand away from the heat. The skillet is deep and there’s an extra handle opposite the traditional one so you can hold the pan steadily. Note: the handle has a V shape where it meets the skillet. This will greatly reduce the temperature of the handle and make it more comfortable to, well, handle.
Cons: No pour spout, although the slightly beveled edge makes up for that a little.
Weight: 5.3 lbs.
Seasoning: Handles seasoning really well, but if you use too much oil, it will get sticky.
Price: $115
Stargazer is known for their excellent customer service.
Lodge
Design Pros: Two pour spouts and good depth. Always available and affordable.
Cons: Handle is a little sharp.
Weight: 5.2 lbs
Seasoning: Eventually over time, you’re going to build up a slick glossy finish. I like to sand it just a little until it’s smooth. Lodge’s rough finish, which is pre-seasoned, is the most disappointing of the five, but it can be seasoned to a beautiful shine over time.
Price: $24 <– this is the best value overall. Click here for more information.
Marquette – Best Overall Design!
Design Pros: Out of all of these skillets, Marquette’s comfortable rounded handle is the best. Hands down. It is, however, missing a second handle opposite of the first one.
Cons: Slightly shallower than the others.
Weight: 4.1 lbs
Seasoning: Bonds beautifully. Seasons well and keeps well. Best seasoning of all of them.
Price: $250
Finex
Design Pros: Excellent design for pies or cornbread. The coiled handle keeps it cooler than any of the others while cooking. Finex is a deep skillet as well. It’s a statement piece of cast iron. Uniquely shaped and durable.
Weight: 6.3 lbs. <–The denser weight means the skillet will hold more heat.
Seasoning: Holds seasoning well.
Price: $200
As always, Shannon and I would like to thank you for stopping by the website. The links in this blog may result in a commission if you purchase one of these skillets. Please join our weekly newsletter for more cast iron tips, recipes, and event updates.