We took more than a dozen popular cast iron pans&#;from the classic skillet to pans for grilling&#;and tested them side by side in the test kitchen of our product testing Lab, rating their heat conductivity and distribution, comfort and maneuverability, and nonstick ability. While most of the cast irons baked cornbread and seared steaks similarly well, there were a few winners. And because we know it's important to see how the pans perform in a real-life setting, we also sent them to our experienced food writers and editors for home testing.
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If there's one type of cookware in a kitchen that can do just about anything, it's cast iron. Constructed of an ultra-durable alloy of steel and carbon, cast iron pans heat and cook evenly and stand up to the nicks, dents, and scratches one might typically find with other types of pans. Cast iron can sear a steak beautifully, hold a constant temperature for deep-frying, and even be used as bakeware for your favorite cornbread recipe .
Believe it or not, this cast iron pan is dishwasher safe, but we found that a brush worked best to loosen up food trapped between the ridges. It requires a little more upkeep than nonstick pans, but the beautiful, even results are worth it, and the grill pan will likely last forever with proper care.
In testing, we found that this pan's hefty size requires a bit more time to heat up, but it distributes that heat evenly and stays hot for a long time. The handle got a little too hot for comfort, though, and while the shape was easy enough to grip, the pan was somewhat slippery due to the shiny finish. It did take a few tries to figure out how to achieve proper grill marks, but once we did, meats and vegetables looked picture perfect.
Though it lacks the versatility of a traditional cast iron pan (you won't want to pour batter into this guy!), a grill pan is an affordable way to get the char marks of outdoor grilling. This 9.25-inch square option is a top choice for its quality; not only is it enameled so you don't have to worry about seasoning, but we found that since the interior is also coated with porcelain enamel, the pan doesn&#;t absorb odors or flavors.
Like most cast irons, this grill/griddle combo takes a little while to heat up, but once hot, it boasts terrific heat retention. We were able to cook everything from steak to bread with ease. Additionally, since this spans two burners, we were able to create two different heat zones, searing over high heat in one area while keeping a more moderate temperature on the other half. It's wonderfully affordable and comes preseasoned for an easy cooking and cleanup process. Ultimately, this pan's versatility earned it a near-perfect rating and a permanent place in our dream kitchen.
This multi-use griddle has a smooth side for flipping flapjacks and a ribbed side for grilling steaks with perfect sear marks. At 20 x 10.5 inches, it's large enough to serve a family (it'll cover two burners on the stovetop), but it's less than an inch thick, so it's a cinch to store. The space it does require is well worth it considering it's essentially two pans in one. However, we did note that it's pretty heavy.
We found this set to be incredibly versatile overall. The 10.5-inch skillet worked well for searing steaks, while the 8-inch skillet was perfectly sized to fry a couple of eggs for a single serving. The griddle was excellent for baking pizza, bread, and buns, but also functioned well as a flat-top type grill for anything that didn't release too much moisture. Lastly, we used the Dutch oven to cook up soup, but its size and shape lend itself well to baking bread too. There wasn't much this set couldn't do, and at a wonderfully reasonable price, we think it's totally worth it.
When one cast iron skillet simply isn't enough, turn your sights toward this 5-piece set from Lodge. This collection includes a 10.5-inch griddle, a 5-quart Dutch oven, and two skillets (an 8-inch and 10.25-inch), providing all the basic pieces you need for most cooking applications. The included lid fits on three out of the four pans and features spikes on the underside that help condensation baste whatever is cooking below. Since they're made of durable cast iron, they're compatible with just about any stovetop, from gas to induction, and can also be used on a grill or directly on an open fire. One of the things we love about this set is that it arrives pre-seasoned, allowing you to get cooking without having to take an additional step to prep your new cookware.
We paid special attention to comfort and maneuverability when lifting and tilting each pan and were pleasantly surprised to discover that the Stargazer's long handle didn&#;t get hot as quickly as some of the others we tested. This, along with its lighter weight, meant we were able to move it with ease on the stovetop and in and out of the oven. In our egg-frying tests, the Stargazer was the only pan where not a trace of egg whites stuck, and it was also rated the easiest to clean. When it was time to sauté, the high-sloping walls kept oil from splashing out of the pan, and its flared lip minimized mess while pouring out hot grease. Essentially, the Stargazer is a star that is worthy of its price tag.
While all cast iron is heavy compared to other types of cookware, the Stargazer is relatively lightweight. It had excellent heat retention in our Lab testing, leading to even browning in nearly everything we made. It was especially great at searing meat, giving us an impressive crust on steaks and pork chops while hardly smoking at all. We also baked cornbread in this skillet, noting that it came out wonderfully even and had very minimal sticking when it came time to turn out the finished product.
This super-smooth, made-in-the-USA pan is an excellent, reliable addition to the kitchen for nearly anything you'll want to whip up. Not only is it attractive, but it is also built to last.
In our lab and home tests, we found the pan's larger helper handle made it incredibly easy to maneuver when carrying or emptying the skillet, especially given its substantial size and weight. The pan heated evenly and allowed for a perfect deep brown steak crust while searing, with very little smoke and minimal muscle needed to clean up afterward. It's shallower than other pans, though, which causes a bit more oil splatter. In the baking test, cornbread came out cleanly, and in the egg test, only a small amount of whites stuck. As a bonus, we love all the color options, which you won't get with unenameled options. Overall, the high price is worth it for such a quality, durable design.
Le Creuset is known for its high-end enameled cast iron Dutch ovens , and this 11.75-inch skillet is made with the same quality and attention to detail. The black enameled interior is resistant to staining and dulling, and while it looks much like uncoated cast iron, it's dishwasher-safe, never requires seasoning, and you can cook anything in it&#;even highly acidic foods.
On the flip side, the Lodge performed pretty well in its nonstick abilities. Cornbread baked in the pan came out with a clean release, though when frying an egg, there was a bit more sticking than we would have liked. Plus, it came with a silicone handle cover, which made taking it out of the oven and moving it onto the burner really easy. Overall, it's a great pan at an unbeatable price.
Constructed of thicker cast iron than the Blacklock, our Lab test revealed that this sturdy pan is slow to heat but will retain its temperature easily&#;perfect for getting a fantastic sear on steaks and anything else that needs browning. While not a dealbreaker, we found this pan ran a little too hot in comparison to competitors once heated; a minute too long, and our steaks would have quickly burned.
The main selling point of this 10.25-inch, 5-pound skillet is its user-friendly size and affordable price. Weighing a pound less than competitors puts this Lodge skillet in a class of its own, making us likely to reach for this pan time and again. It comes also pre-seasoned, and it's very easy to clean.
While the pan's pour spouts are not the best&#;in our tests, pouring out hot oil resulted in a messy countertop&#;its nonstick abilities are top-notch. In the Lab, fried eggs came out of the pan effortlessly with a spatula, with minimal egg whites still stuck to the pan. We also used it to grill up slices of garlic bread and praised its ability to sear at high heat. We also found that the seasoning held strong through the first couple of rounds of testing and washing, and we're confident this will be pretty easy to maintain over the long haul.
The hallmark of this line of pans is the thinner design than a classic Lodge, which we found allows it to heat up twice as fast. That also means that relative to its ample diameter, it's extremely lightweight compared to its competitors, making it easy to move on and off the stovetop or in and out of the oven. Its looped handle boasts a higher arch that's more ergonomic and stays cooler, while also giving you a great hanging option that our home tester loved.
The versatile Blacklock Triple Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is part of Lodge's line of pans replicating antique cast iron. While available in 7-inch, 10.25-inch, 12-inch, and 14.5-inch versions, we tested the largest size in the Lab and found it to be one of the best on the market&#;second only to the Stargazer (our splurge pick). We also sent the 12-inch version to one of our expert home testers to learn her observations.
If you're looking for cast iron that ranked highly across the board, check out the triple-seasoned Lodge Cast Iron Blacklock Skillet. For a budget option, we recommend the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, which performed well and is lightweight, making it incredibly user-friendly.
The Spruce Eats / David Kukin
How We Tested
Our editors spent weeks researching cast iron pans and developing a standardized methodology against which to test them. Our first tests were in , but we have continued to test new models against our winners ever since. We've put nearly 20 cast iron skillets through their paces at our Lab's dedicated test kitchen. We collected the data&#;as well as longterm testing insights from our home testers&#;and used it to determine ratings and placement on this list.
We Observed:
We Rated:
Our Testers
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Other Options We Tested
The Spruce Eats / David Kukin
The Spruce Eats / David Kukin
What to Look for in a Cast Iron Pan
Enameled or Uncoated
Enameled cast iron pans never need seasoning, and some can even be washed in the dishwasher for easier cleaning. The enamel coating prevents the food from making contact with the raw metal, so you can use enameled cookware with any type of food, including acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus. The downside to enameled cookware is that the coating can crack or chip, rendering the cookware unfit for cooking. Enameled cast iron cookware can be used on any cooktop, and is oven safe as well, but the knobs on the lids of some cookware may not be able to handle extremely high oven heat.
Uncoated cast iron may come preseasoned so it can be used immediately, but it becomes even more nonstick with additional seasoning and use. Other uncoated cast iron cookware is not preseasoned but arrives with an oil coating that protects it from rusting. Before use, it must be washed, dried, and seasoned. Cast iron cookware is virtually indestructible, and even if the seasoning is somehow damaged, the pan can be re-seasoned easily, and you can even use it on your outdoor grill or on a campfire. Cast iron cookware needs different care than your typical stainless steel or aluminum cookware, but once you learn how to handle it, it&#;s just as easy as any other pots or pans you own.
The one downside to uncoated cast iron is that it&#;s a reactive metal, and the seasoning can be damaged if you cook acidic foods in it for long periods of time, and then the food can take on a metallic taste. A well-seasoned pan will have no problem with short-term cooking of acidic foods, but if you&#;re planning on a long braise with tomatoes, you might want to choose a different pan.
The Spruce Eats / Camryn Rabideau
Overall Size and Weight
One of the downsides to cast iron is that it is much heavier than cookware of a similar size that&#;s made from other materials. The thickness of the cast iron used directly impacts the pan's weight. Until recently, all cast iron cookware was relatively thick, which helped with its heat retention properties but also increased the weight and the heating time.
Today, there are some manufacturers that are producing cast iron cookware made from thinner material. This cookware is lighter in weight, so it&#;s easier to handle, but for most thin pans, it doesn&#;t heat quite as evenly as thicker cookware and it won&#;t retain heat as long. The difference is minimal, so if weight is a concern, it&#;s worth looking at some of the lighter pans.
Then there's capacity: While bigger is often better, allowing you to cook more food in the pot or pan, when you&#;re buying cast iron cookware it&#;s wise to keep the weight in mind so you don&#;t buy something that you can&#;t lift after you&#;ve filled it with food. There are also incredibly petite cast iron pans, which, while somewhat humorous and limiting, are actually quite nice for frying a single egg or serving personal-sized portions of casseroles or desserts.
The weight might also affect your storage options, since shelves need to be strong enough, and you probably won&#;t want to stack any but the smallest pots or pans. Super-large Dutch ovens certainly look enticing, but you might need a helper to safely get a filled pot out of the oven. Lids will add to the overall weight as well. While most Dutch ovens come with lids, most cast iron pans do not. However, some companies offer them as a separate option, or you can use a lid from another pot or even a flexible silicone cover.
The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore
Handles
Since cast iron is heavy and it retains heat, a pan's handle configuration is important. The handles need to be sturdy, and they need to be large enough so that they're easy to hold onto when using oven mitts or potholders. Frying pans tend to have a single long handle with a helper handle on the opposite side to make it easier to move and empty the pan. Smaller or less expensive frying pans might omit the helper handle, so you might need to use a two-handed grip on the long handle. Also, if you're moving a cast iron pan in and out of a wood-burning pizza oven, for example, you'll need a good pair of super high-heat-resistant gloves, such as the popular Rapicca welding gloves, to protect your hands.
Types of Cast Iron Pans
Frying Pans: These are the most popular uncoated cast iron pans, while Dutch ovens are the most popular enameled products. Consider what you&#;re going to cook, then find the pan that fits the purpose, whether you want to grill, fry, or braise. There are also a number of specialty cast iron pots and pans available. While those might not be your first pick in a new kitchen, they can be great additions to expand your cooking repertoire.
Los Angeles-based chef Elodie Introia (aka The Hungry French Girl) primarily uses her bare cast iron skillets for searing meats and other sturdy foods. "It cooks at a higher temperature and helps create the perfect crust," she says. "It's great for a beautiful piece of dry-aged ribeye, for example." Enameled cast iron cookers are a staple in her kitchen for soups, stews, curries, and other broth-based dishes.
Dutch Ovens/Casserole Dishes: Available in enameled as well as uncoated cast iron, enameled Dutch ovens are much more popular since you can use them to cook any type of food. They don&#;t require special care or seasoning, and some can even be washed in the dishwasher. They come in a variety of sizes and can come in round or oval shapes. These are ideal for braising on the stove or in the oven and have become quite popular for baking artisan bread. They can also be used for making soup stocks or soup, as well as for any long-simmering foods. Introia sometimes uses her Dutch oven to also roast an entire chicken since its high sides prevent splattering and also provide consistent heat to help cook the bird evenly.
Uncoated Dutch ovens can be used on, or even in, campfires, and on your barbecue grill. Some Dutch ovens designed for camp cooking have legs that allow them to be placed over hot coals, and some include concave lids so coals can be put on top, which allows the pot to heat from both the bottom and the top.
Chicken Fryers: While similar to standard frying pans, chicken fryers are deeper to accommodate more oil along with chicken parts to be fried. They usually include a lid, which sometimes has small spikes underneath to channel moisture onto the food for moist cooking. Since these are deeper than frying pans of the same size, they are heavier, but you can use them for all the things you use a cast iron frying pan for. Plus, the higher sides allow you to add more food and help prevent food from splashing out of the pan.
The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore
Grill Pans/Griddles: You can find grill pans, grills, and griddles in both coated and uncoated cast iron, from frying pan size all the way up to those that span two burners on your stove. The heat retention is great for producing impressive grill marks when using a grill pan, while griddles can be used for searing steaks or for making pancakes without the pan losing its temperature. While cooking on a cast iron grill isn&#;t quite the same as cooking on your outdoor grill, it can be very convenient when the weather isn&#;t cooperating. Griddles can be used much like giant frying pans, except that liquid has to be kept to a minimum. If you can&#;t decide between a grill and a griddle, you can find some that are reversible, so you can grill on one side, while the other side is a griddle.
Woks, Pizza Pans, and Other Specialty Pans: There is a wide range of specialty pans made from cast iron, including woks, pizza pans, cornbread pans, tagines, baking pans, specialty braisers, scone pans, casseroles, biscuit pans, and more. While these may not be kitchen essentials, they can be handy to have depending on how much time you spend in the kitchen.
The Spruce Eats / Gayle Squires
FAQs
How do you clean a cast iron pan?
Uncoated cast iron should be cleaned with special care. Always check the manufacturer&#;s instructions, but generally, simply scrape out any bits of cooked-on food (you can boil water in the pan to loosen it) and then use a stiff-bristled brush or scrubber to scrub the pan with mild soap and hot water. Some people say not to use soap, but mild soap will ensure you remove the grease from the pan (and not the seasoning). You can also use kosher salt and hot water.
After washing, the pan should be dried well. If it is not very well seasoned, you can use a paper towel to wipe on a thin layer of oil after cleaning to prevent rust during storage. If you like, you can use this opportunity to heat the pan on the stove again to improve the seasoning.
Enameled cast iron generally doesn&#;t need special attention when cleaning, and some (like the Cuisinart and Le Creuset pans on this list) can even be washed in a dishwasher.
What should you not cook in a cast iron pan?
Uncoated cast iron cookware can cause food to taste like metal if the coating gets worn down, which will happen if you cook acidic foods for long periods of time. Therefore, it&#;s best to avoid simmering acidic foods, like tomatoes for a sauce. Cast iron also gets extremely hot and retains heat well so it&#;s best to avoid cooking delicate fish that will easily break apart. Finally, before your cast iron pan is seasoned properly it&#;s best to avoid sticky foods, like eggs.
How do you season a cast iron pan?
While most uncoated cast iron is pre-seasoned and can be used right away, it will perform better after seasoning. Seasoning cast iron involves coating the pot or pan with cooking oil or grease, then heating it to bond some of the oil to the pan. Almost any cooking oil can be used, but it&#;s best to use an oil that can withstand high heat, or it can smoke excessively during the seasoning process. While canola oil can be used, it can also leave a sticky residue. Vegetable shortening, grapeseed oil, or your favorite vegetable oil are all acceptable.
An easy method is to apply a small amount of oil to the pan, wipe it onto the sides, and then heat it on the stove until it&#;s very hot. Wipe the exterior with oil and place the pan upside down (to allow excess grease to drip) in the oven at 450 degrees for an hour. Let the pan cool for at least an hour and then scrub it with hot water and kosher salt to remove any oil residue.
Any time you cook something with fat or oil, the pan&#;s seasoning will improve. A very well-seasoned pan will be smooth, black, and shiny, and drops of oil will bead up on the surface. Once a pan is well seasoned, it will need little additional seasoning or maintenance, but if your pan starts to look dull or water doesn&#;t bead on the surface, you can repeat the seasoning steps or just make sure to cook some bacon or other fatty foods.
How do you remove the seasoning from a cast iron pan?
In normal use, there should be no reason to remove the seasoning, but if you need to, you can remove it by placing the cast iron pan in your oven on the cleaning cycle or heating it in on the grill if it can reach high temperatures. Once the seasoning is removed, the pan should be treated like it's new&#;with washing, drying, and seasoning.
The Spruce Eats / Gayle Squires
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Cast Iron Cookware Supplier.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
The author of this piece, Collier Sutter, personally tested cast iron pans in our lab to determine the best ones for this list, replicating the same recipes and measuring specific data points. She also included insights from our freelance reviewers to get the home cook's perspective.
This piece contains additional reporting and text by Donna Currie, who tested several products for this roundup, and Bernadette Machard de Gramont, our cookware beat reporter, who interviewed a professional chef for help with this piece.
Sources
Willis is certainly not alone in her love of cast iron cookware . We love cast iron so much that we're constantly shopping for new pieces to add to our collections, and we have plenty of cast iron skillet recipes you may want to try. To find the best cast iron skillets, we tested 20 pans to observe their design, cooking performance, value, and more. Read on for our top-rated picks, plus a few helpful insights on cast iron cleaning and care.
"Mine is so old and well-seasoned that it can cook anything," she said. "It's a great metal, heats up fast, and holds an even heat. It would be one of the first pans I would suggest to anyone building a cookware collection ."
A cast iron skillet is a kitchen workhorse, and many chefs consider theirs to be heirlooms. 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, I put the jewelry, the unreplaceable art, and the cast iron skillet in my car.&#;
During testing, all food was easily washed off with warm, soapy water. Le Creuset says this skillet dishwasher-safe, but we say not to risk it with any kind of cast iron. The extreme conditions of the dishwasher can damage both the enamel and iron layers over time.
The enameled cast iron is slick, retains heat exceptionally well, and requires no seasoning. During our testing, it gave a great sear with fatty meat but ran into some issues with cornbread sticking to the inside. We loved the wide spouts, which make pouring off grease and scraping out food bits effortless, though we did get a lot of spatters in testing thanks to its shallow depth. (We used a splatter screen to mitigate the mess.)
We love everything Le Creuset, and it dominated in our enameled cast iron skillet testing. With a solid iron core bonded to a glass-like glaze, this skillet is built like a tank. (And it's available in a rainbow of colors.) "Le Creuset makes superior enameled cast iron; it's the only coated cookware I like to have at home. This skillet is my go-to for gifting," says DeSimone.
We encountered some sticking, and the shallow slope of the sides made it messy to use.
Given its performance and the fact that this was the single cheapest skillet we tested, we think this is an excellent value. It did great in the cooking tests, but when we measured temperatures, we found that it varied by as much as 30°F from edges to middle. That doesn't bode well for many baking tasks, or other recipes where even doneness is key. Still, it's a sturdy, high-quality cast iron skillet that stood up to pans as much as nine times the price.
The curvature of the Camp Chef&#;s handle made it one of the most comfortable and easy to use. The design felt especially useful when flipping out cornbread and taking the pan out of the oven. 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, too.
It wasn't hard to clean the Blacklock, and it just needed a thin coating of oil once dry to keep it seasoned. It's at the higher end of the Lodge price range, but we still say it is a reliable, lightweight pan that performs well for most cooking tasks &#; and it's still pretty reasonably priced overall.
The Lodge Blacklock pan is the brand's higher-end cast iron skillet, significantly lighter than the original. At just 3 pounds, it's easy to hold with one hand, and the width of the main handle makes it feel sturdy. 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 were also disappointed with the pour spouts; they're a bit too small to promote a smooth and consistent pour.
Still, we found this to be an incredibly versatile and high-performing cast iron skillet. We recommend it for home cooks who want a cast-iron pan but often run into trouble with sticking. Just make sure you keep it seasoned so it stays in good shape.
The Stargazer skillet was easy to maneuver in testing. The large helper handle has a wide opening, making the skillet easy to lift even while wearing oven mitts , while the curvature of the long main handle makes it easy to use one-handed. The smooth, flat surface of the pan allowed any stuck-on debris to release quickly with soap and a scrubber. In our tests, the cornbread cooked evenly and released from the bottom with one tap, though the searing on the pork loin was uneven in sections. The temperature in each zone of the pan was even at first but became unbalanced by as much as 20°F after a few minutes.
The skillet maintained its nonstick coating, and the design made it easy to use and maneuver.
The handle helps drain liquid from this skillet, though we found the tiny spout caused some dripping in our tests. Cleaning was effortless; debris left inside the pan was wiped away with warm water. The price makes this skillet an exceptional deal for any household and a great gift for hosts .
This skillet provided the most even browning across the board in multiple rounds of testing, and cornbread was easy to turn out. There was no sticking &#; even with fried eggs and seared steaks &#; and the included silicone handle was a big help in moving it around on the stove or in the oven. We're always pleased with Lodge's consistent heat distribution and searing capabilities. We loved how golden the cornbread got on top and bottom. When we recently retested this skillet, the results reaffirmed why this is still an industry standard.
Lodge's skillet continues to be the benchmark for cast iron pans. Nick DeSimone, Food & Wine writer and former restaurant cook, says. "After spending years in professional kitchens using cast iron cookware, the 10.25-inch Lodge is the pan I always reached for at work and is the only cast iron skillet I have in my home kitchen."
Our Favorite Cast Iron Skillet
The Lodge 10.25-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet has proven time and time again to be the best overall cast iron due to its unrivaled consistent heating at a stellar price. The best bang for your buck is the Camp Chef 10-inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet; it performed extremely well even against much more expensive competitors.
Food & Wine / Nick Simpson
How We Tested Cast Iron Skillets
For this story, we tested 20 cast iron skillets from Camp Chef, Lodge, Stargazer, and more. We assessed each pan on attributes like performance, design, and comfort and collected quantitative data from identical tests.
Food & Wine / Nick Simpson
Once our other tests were complete, we revealed the prices of the skillets to consider value. At the time of testing, the skillets ranged in price from $17 to $250, with an average of about $100. With such a wide range, we noticed that higher prices didn't correlate to higher performance; several of the least-expensive skillets performed better than higher-end pans.
Food & Wine / Nick Simpson
Factors to Consider
Type of Cast Iron Skillet
Buying a standard frying pan is definitely a little different from shopping for cast iron. Cast iron must be seasoned and coated with a layer of cooked-on oil that helps keep it nonstick. Some cast iron skillets are shipped completely bare and need a seasoning session upon arrival. Most of our recommendations are pre-seasoned, but make sure to check before you use the pan. Enameled cast iron is a little bit of a different beast: Its metal is coated with a smooth ceramic layer that makes it more like a traditional nonstick pan and needs less special upkeep.
The texture of cast iron pans is also something to consider: Some are finished very smooth, while others are rougher. Smooth-finished cast iron is less likely to stick in the first place, but the seasoning layer is harder to create and maintain. Rougher surfaces are easy to season over time. If you have an induction stove, cast iron is always compatible, but a rough-bottomed skillet might scratch its glass cooktop surface.
Size of Cast Iron Skillet
Cast iron skillets come in various sizes, ranging from 5-inch miniature pans to 15-inch family-sized options. Willis recommends a 10-inch cast iron skillet for most households, as it provides enough space for everyday tasks like making pancakes, frying chicken, and baking cakes without being too big and heavy to store. "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 says. On the other hand, if you have the space, you can consider picking up a few sizes to fit your needs. Cast iron cookware can be as much display-worthy decor as actual cookware.
Cast Iron Care and Maintenance
You may have heard that cast iron doen't need to be washed, or that it can be permanently damaged by soap. "That's totally a myth," says DeSimone, "Back when our great-grandparents were alive, soap had way more lye in it, and that could wear down the seasoning. Today, dish soap is more mild, and a small dab is completely safe to use on cast iron cookware." What's important is that you dry your pans thoroughly after washing; standing water can cause corrosion and rust.
Not cleaning your cast iron properly can actually make you sick. Little bits of food and grease can settle into the surface of your skillet and begin to rot. That spoiled food can mean foodborne illness, not to mention the unpleasant flavors of rancid bacon fat and last week's eggs. If you get really stubborn or burnt-on bits, a cast iron chainmail scrubber is a good tool, which you can also pop in the dishwasher to clean after you use it.
It's good to get into the habit of coating your cast iron with a thin layer of oil after every wash and dry. The oil acts as a conditioner for the iron, protecting it from moisture in the air. You'll also need to give it a full reseasoning periodically, but oiling can extend the life of each seasoning session. Neutral oils with high smoke points like vegetable oil, are the way to go. They won't go rancid, and they're the best choice for the chemical process of polymerization necessary to create layers of seasoning.
Some may think cast iron is indestructible, but Willis reminds us it isn't shatterproof. She's had cast iron pans crack from stress fractures during use and suggests treating your pans carefully. "It is a molten thing, and it's not stainless steel," she says. "If you look at its durability, it's just not as strong as stainless steel. A cast iron pan can crack and shatter."
Cast Iron Ease of Use
Maneuverability is vital to consider when choosing cast iron. Cast iron is heavy; think of your wrists when looking at size and weight. Pay some attention to features that help make cooking and cleanup easier, such as handles and pour spouts. A helper handle &#; a loop across from the main handle you can grab with your off hand &#; is excellent for easy pouring and seamlessly sliding your pan out of a hot oven. The length of a handle and the addition of helper handles are key considerations. Shorter handles are a better choice if you have smaller hands or a little less lifting strength. We considered all of these factors during testing to ensure these cast iron skillets were up to our standards.
Do I need to pre-season a cast iron skillet?
It depends on the manufacturer, so check your brand's specifications. Most skillets come pre-seasoned, but you do need to maintain the seasoning after repeated use. "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 says. The factory seasoning will last for a while, but it's time for a reseasoning once you notice food sticking. "Well-seasoned cast iron is slightly shiny. I always know when my pans need to be seasoned because they look dry and matte," says DeSimone.
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, which can break down seasoning and start to corrode the metal during the cooking process. Though she's fine using a squeeze of fresh lemon to finish a dish of pork chops, she suggests an enameled cast iron skillet for something like a long-simmered tomato sauce.
If your seasoning isn't in tip-top shape, foods like eggs or pancakes will stick and make a big, cooked-on mess. The same goes for delicate foods like fish, especially skin-on fish.
Cast iron is also a porous material; it absorbs oil in the seasoning process and can also absorb flavors in the cooking process. Your skillet brownie will taste funky if you made garlicky roast chicken the night before.
Other Cast Iron Skillets We Tested
Strong Contenders
Cuisinel Cast Iron Skillet ($23 at Amazon)
This is an excellent skillet for home cooks who want the most value for their money. Though the small handles might not be for everyone, it's excellent for anyone who struggles with more cumbersome pans.
Calphalon Cast Iron Skillet ($50 at Calphalon)
We liked that this pan comes pre-seasoned and sits at the lower end of our price scale. In our tests, it was easy to clean and sufficiently nonstick. However, it is very heavy and difficult to lift, and we noticed some uneven heating.
Utopia Kitchen Cast Iron Skillet ($17 at Amazon)
While the pan is inexpensive, its comfort and design could be better. However, its performance helped to bring that up a notch in the end. It's a good starter pan that you won't feel guilty throwing out if it gets ruined.
Field Company Cast Iron Skillet ($145 at Field Company)
Though this pan is beautiful, it was uncomfortable to use, and its performance was subpar. It's a little too pricey for what it is.
What Didn't Make the List
Not every cast iron pan we tested met our rigorous standards. 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. Still, some gave a fair performance but were deemed a low value due to a high price.
Our Expertise
Jennifer Zyman is a Commerce Testing Editor 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.
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