Cast-Iron Pans: The Ultimate Kitchen Must-Have

Cast iron pans are a must-have for any kitchen, and they only get better with time. Cast iron is known for its premium heat retention and nonstick properties, making it perfect for searing steaks, frying eggs, and baking cornbread. Here's an introduction to some of the best cast iron pans on the market:

- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: This skillet is a benchmark for cast iron pans and has proven its performance time and again. It provides consistent and even heating, making it ideal for various cooking tasks. It also comes with a silicone handle, making it easy to move around the stove or oven.

- Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet: The Stargazer skillet is a lightweight and easy-to-maneuver option. It features a large helper handle and a curved main handle, making it comfortable to use even with oven mitts. The smooth, flat surface allows for quick release of stuck-on debris, and it maintains its nonstick coating.

- Lodge Blacklock Cast Iron Skillet: The Lodge Blacklock is a lightweight and higher-end option from Lodge. It is easy to hold with one hand and includes a helper handle for added support. However, the pour spouts are a bit small and might cause some dripping.

- Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet: This skillet is an excellent value option, performing extremely well even against more expensive competitors. It provides a consistent sear on meat and even heating for baking. The curvature of the handle makes it comfortable and easy to use.

- Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Skillet: This skillet from Le Creuset is a sturdy and reliable option. It has a solid iron core bonded to a glass-like glaze, providing excellent heat retention. The enameled cast iron is slick and requires no seasoning. However, it has shallow depth, which can cause some splatter.

Best cast iron skillets for 2024

Best cast-iron skillets for 2024

Best Overall: Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet

The Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet is our top pick for the best cast-iron skillet overall. It is reasonably priced at around $50 and weighs only 6.5 pounds, making it lighter and more manageable than traditional cast-iron skillets. The slightly sloped sides make it perfect for searing and roasting, and it comes with a comfortable handle and a good factory seasoning. It also has two slightly larger pour spouts that allow for easy removal of oil without any drips or spills.

Best Lightweight: Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

The Lodge Cast Iron Skillet is our choice for the best lightweight cast-iron skillet. Weighing just 3 pounds, it is easy to manoeuvre and simple to keep seasoned. Although the small helper handle and pour spouts are design drawbacks, it is a reliable, lightweight pan that performs well for most cooking tasks and is reasonably priced.

Best Value: Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

The Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is our top choice for the best value cast-iron skillet. It is the cheapest skillet we tested, at only $22, yet it performed extremely well, providing a consistently even sear on pork and uniform golden brown colour on cornbread. It also has a comfortable, curved handle that makes it easy to flip cornbread and take the pan out of the oven.

Best Enameled: Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Iron Handle Skillet, 10.25", Marseille

The Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Iron Handle Skillet is our recommendation for the best enameled cast-iron skillet. With a solid iron core bonded to a glass-like glaze, this skillet is built to last. It heats reliably, has wide spouts for easy pouring, and is available in a range of colours. Although there was some sticking during our tests, enameled cast iron is generally more non-stick than uncoated cast iron.

Best Splurge: Smithey No. 10 Cast-Iron Skillet

The Smithey No. 10 Cast-Iron Skillet is our pick for those who are willing to pay extra for a more aesthetic and high-performing skillet. With its ultra-smooth, polished interior and copper colour, it stands out from the rest. It also delivered top-notch results in our tests, with perfect searing and virtually no sticking. It heated oil the fastest and scored near the top for heat distribution.

Best cast iron skillets for beginners

If you're new to cast iron, a no-frills, durable skillet is a solid choice to start with. The Lodge 10.25-inch Cast Iron Skillet is a great option for beginners. It's affordable, durable, and non-stick, and it beautifully sears steak, bakes golden cornbread, and fries eggs that slide right off the surface. It's also pre-seasoned, so you can start cooking with it straight out of the box.

The Lodge skillet has a rough surface texture, which is easier to season than a smooth surface. However, the rough texture can be a little uncomfortable to scrub. If you're looking for a smoother surface, the Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet is a good option. It's easy to manoeuvre and has a large helper handle, making it easy to lift even while wearing oven mitts.

If you're looking for a lightweight skillet, the Lancaster No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet is a great choice. It weighs just over four pounds, so it's easy on the wrists, and it heats up quickly. It also has a non-stick surface and produces perfect pan-fried eggs.

For those on a budget, the Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is an excellent value option. It performed extremely well in tests, even against much more expensive competitors. It's sturdy, high-quality, and provides a consistent sear.

If you want the benefits of cast iron without the maintenance, an enameled cast iron skillet is a good option. The Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Skillet is a great choice. It has excellent searing and manoeuvrability, and it's easy to clean.

Best cast iron skillets for experienced cooks

Best cast-iron skillets for experienced cooks

Cast-iron skillets are durable, naturally non-stick, great at retaining heat, and beloved by chefs and amateur home cooks alike. Here are some of the best cast-iron skillets for experienced cooks:

• Lodge Chef Collection 12-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet: This skillet is the lightest in the Lodge range, weighing only 6.5 pounds, and features a slightly elevated, elongated, and curved handle that provides better leverage and control. It has slightly sloped sidewalls, which make it easy to move a spatula around the pan. It comes pre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil and has two slightly larger pour spouts, allowing for the easy removal of oil from the pan. It is available in 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch sizes.
• Smithey No. 10 Cast-Iron Skillet: This skillet is for those who are willing to pay extra for a more aesthetic and high-performance skillet. It has an ultra-smooth, polished interior and a copper colour, with a signature three-hole design on the helper handle. It is preseasoned with multiple layers of grapeseed oil and delivers top-notch performance. It is available in 6-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch sizes.
• Field Company No. 8 Cast-Iron Skillet: This skillet is lightweight, with a smooth, polished surface, and is easy to manoeuvre. It doesn't have pour spouts, but its flared sides make it easy to pour out liquids. It develops an even, glossy black patina after a few rounds of seasoning. It is a good option for experienced home cooks who want to invest in a premium pan.
• Le Creuset Signature Skillet: This enameled cast-iron skillet has a solid iron core bonded to a glass-like glaze and is available in a range of colours. It is highly versatile and can be used to cook a variety of dishes, from searing fatty meat to making cornbread. It has wide spouts, which make pouring off grease and scraping out food bits effortless. It is available in 9-inch, 10.25-inch, and 12-inch sizes.
• Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet: This skillet is easy to manoeuvre and has a large helper handle, making it easy to lift even while wearing oven mitts. Its smooth, flat surface allows stuck-on debris to release quickly with soap and a scrubber. It is available in 10.5-inch and 12-inch sizes.

Best cast iron skillets for baking

Baking is just one of the many uses for cast iron skillets, which are also great for searing, frying, and grilling. When choosing a cast iron skillet for baking, you'll want to consider the weight, the seasoning, and the size. Here are some of the best cast iron skillets for baking:

Field Company No. 8 Cast-Iron Skillet

This skillet is lightweight, with a polished, vintage-inspired design. It's easy to manoeuvre and retains heat well, making it perfect for baking. It doesn't have a pour spout, but its thin and slightly curved lip make it easy to pour liquids without making a mess. It's a premium option, but it's a worthwhile investment for experienced home cooks.

Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet

The Lodge skillet is a durable, all-purpose skillet that's perfect for first-time cast iron users. It's a heavier option, which makes it a little tricky to manoeuvre, but it has excellent heat retention. It's also very affordable, usually costing around $20.

Le Creuset Signature Skillet

This enameled cast iron skillet is a great option if you want the benefits of cast iron without the maintenance. It's easy to clean, has excellent heat retention, and is spacious, with flared sides. It's a bit heavy, but the large helper handle makes it easier to grip. It's more expensive, but the quality and durability make it worth the price.

Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet

The Stargazer skillet is a lightweight, super-smooth, and reliable option. It has excellent heat retention and is easy to clean. It's also easy to manoeuvre due to its lighter weight, and it has flared lips that make pouring liquids mess-free. It's pricier than some other options, but its performance and ease of use make it worth the investment.

Best cast iron skillets for frying

Frying is one of the most common uses for a cast iron skillet, and there are a few options that stand out as the best for this purpose. Here are some of the top-rated cast iron skillets that are perfect for frying:

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

The Lodge Cast Iron Skillet is a popular and affordable option that performs exceptionally well when it comes to frying. It heats up quickly, distributes heat evenly, and has a non-stick surface that makes it easy to fry eggs, meats, and other foods without sticking. The Lodge skillet also comes with a silicone handle cover, making it comfortable to hold and manoeuvre. It is available in various sizes, with the 10.25-inch skillet being a good option for most households.

Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet

The Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet is a high-quality, lightweight skillet that is easy to manoeuvre and has excellent heat retention. It has a super-smooth surface that makes it incredibly non-stick, so your fried foods will slide right out of the pan. The Stargazer also features a comfortable, curved handle and a large helper handle, making it easy to lift and flip.

Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

The Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Skillet is a durable and easy-to-clean option that is perfect for frying. Its enameled cast iron surface is slick and requires no seasoning, making it low maintenance. The skillet heats up quickly and evenly, and its wide spouts make pouring off grease and scraping out food bits effortless. It is available in a range of sizes and colours to suit your needs and style.

Field Company No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet

The Field Company No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet is a premium, lightweight skillet that is perfect for frying. Its polished, recycled iron construction makes it easy to manoeuvre, and it still retains heat well enough to perfectly fry foods. The skillet has a slightly curved lip, which makes it easy to pour liquids over the side without making a mess. It is a bit more expensive than some other options but is a great choice for those seeking a lightweight, premium pan.

Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

The Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is an excellent budget option for frying. It provides a consistently even sear and uniform colour when frying meats and eggs. The curvature of the handle makes it comfortable and easy to use, and it also has a helper handle for added support. This skillet is a sturdy, high-quality option that performs well against competitors at a fraction of the price.

Frequently asked questions