The powerhouse of all kitchen equipment, the cast-iron skillet provides a nonstick surface that is free of synthetic chemicals and requires less oil than aluminum or stainless steel. Though cast iron has low thermal conductivity, meaning it doesn’t heat as evenly, it offers superior heat retention that makes it ideal for high-temperature cooking such as searing steak and caramelizing vegetables. It’s also the only cookware you can buy that will improve with use. Cast iron can be a serious investment, so we had cookbook author David Joachim test these 10 skillets to help you select the best one for your kitchen.

Check out the quick reviews below of our top five cast-iron skillets, or scroll deeper for more helpful buying info and full reviews of those models plus other high-ranking options.



Best Performance Smithey No. 12 Skillet Smithey Ironware smithey.com $200.00 SHOP NOW Inspired by vintage cast iron, Smithey’s polished skillet performed the best overall in our testing. Best Nonstick Stargazer 12-Inch Skillet Stargazer stargazercastiron.com $145.00 SHOP NOW The small-batch Stargazer brand creates a balanced skillet in terms of weight, performance, and price. Best Everyday Skillet Lodge Classic 12-inch Skillet Lodge amazon.com SHOP NOW It’s hard to go wrong with the classic skillet from the most well-known American cast-iron manufacturer. Best Enameled Le Creuset Signature Iron 11.75-Inch Skillet Le Creuset amazon.com $180.95 SHOP NOW Le Creuset lives up to its reputation as the maker of the finest French enameled cast-iron cookware. Best Value Victoria 12-inch Skillet Victoria amazon.com $24.99 $19.99 (20% off) SHOP NOW This inexpensive skillet outperformed other options that cost more than eight times its price.

Modern vs. Vintage Cast Iron

Romanticizing the past often risks snubbing modern innovation, but the generalization that things were better back in the good ol’ days may be true of the cast-iron skillet. That’s because the cast iron found in your grandmother’s kitchen or antique markets was likely hand-polished to create that coveted smooth surface. Polishing is time-consuming and expensive, so most of today’s manufacturers leave the gritty texture from sand molds, so companies compensate by preseasoning to reduce stickiness.

You could search for vintage pans like Griswold and Wagner, but there’s no need to lose hope on modern options. From the renowned Lodge name to the small-batch Stargazer brand, new high-quality cast iron still provides excellent nonstick surfaces that’ll only get better with use. Some premium manufacturers are even going back to time-tested manufacturing and polishing methods. With the right skillet and skills, you can build up the seasoning on your new pan to rival those you’d find at the flea market. Plus, you’ll get more satisfaction (and can save money) by doing it yourself.

The Chemistry of Cast-Iron Seasoning

A quick internet search will reveal that just about everyone has a different opinion on how to season cast iron, but there’s actual science behind the right methodology. This “seasoning” is really just polymerized oil, created through the chemical process of monomer molecules forming polymer chains. Applying a thin layer of oil and heating it above its smoke point (usually between 400 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to an hour will vaporize lighter hydrocarbons, leaving heavier molecules to form a polymer on the iron.

Many experts—from Sheryl Canter to our tester David Joachim—advocate for the use of polyunsaturated oils, especially 100 percent flaxseed oil, because they contain double bonds with less hydrogen and more carbon components, allowing them to form larger polymers. Much like a drying oil you’d find in oil paint or varnishes in your workshop, flaxseed oil will also transform into a harder, tougher surface through oxidation. Because the hydrocarbon bonds are hydrophobic (or water-repelling), the surface will become slick and nonstick.

How to Properly Season and Care For Your Skillet

Cast iron has a reputation for being difficult to clean, but it doesn’t actually have to be a challenge. While each brand may have distinct care instructions, you can follow Joachim’s method of seasoning and tips for maintaining your cast iron.

Warm up your cast iron to about 200ºF on a stovetop. Rub polyunsatured fat like 100 percent flaxseed oil into the iron with a paper towel, leaving a thin sheen of oil. Place the pan upside down in the oven, heated to 500ºF, and bake for one hour. Turn the oven off and let the pan cool completely for at least two hours. Repeat the process up to six times to achieve the thickest, most durable layer of seasoning.

To retain your seasoning, Joachim recommends avoiding acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and tomatoes—though a quick deglaze with wine or vinegar is fine. When you clean it, avoid abrasive pads or cleaners like steel wool. Instead, let the pan cool a bit, then scrape with hot water and a wooden spoon or rinse with water and a soft sponge. Use dish soap sparingly because soap can dissolve the fat that makes up your seasoning. Then, immediately wipe the pan dry so it doesn’t rust, or dry it on low heat on the stovetop or in the oven.

How We Tested These Skillets

Cookbook author David Joachim conducted a series of five tests on 10 skillets from reputable brands to judge their heat conductivity, heat distribution, smoothness, stickiness, and ergonomics. All skillets were 12 inches in diameter with the exception of the Finex 8-inch and Field Company 10.25-inch skillet. First, we measured smoothness by scraping a metal spatula over their surface and recording the decibel levels. We judged factory seasoning by frying an egg with no oil at medium heat. Using paper circles in the pans, we observed burn patterns to evaluate heat distribution. Then, we seared four-ounce boneless strip steaks to monitor speed, evenness, and depth of browning. Finally, we poured one cup of water from each pan to consider the ergonomics of the handle, pouring spouts, and weight. In addition to considering their value, we ranked each skillet from 1 to 10 (worst to best) on the stickiness, searing, heat distribution, and pouring tests.

Trevor Raab

—BEST PERFORMANCE—

Smithey Ironware no. 12 Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 8 lb. | Diameter: 11.5 in. | Height: 2.25 in. | Handle length: 5.5 in. | Helper handle: 2.5 x 1.25 in. | dBa: 91.1 | Stickiness: 10 | Searing: 10 | Heat Distribution: 10 | Pouring: 4

Smithey Smithey Ironware No. 12 Cast Iron Skillet $200.00 SHOP NOW smithey.com Smooth, polished interior

Even heat distribution Heavy

One of the new companies taking inspiration from vintage pans, Smithey Ironware polishes the interior of its skillets to create a gorgeous, glassy surface. At 8 pounds, the no. 12 skillet is the heaviest skillet we tested, but its weight potentially contributed to its excellence in our searing and heat-distribution tests. Smithey’s cast iron quickly delivered an even, dark sear with no hotspots and very little sticking. With such a high heat capacity, you’ll have to ensure you regulate the temperature to avoid burning. Unfortunately, the small helper handle doesn’t have a loop to assist with its weight, but it instead features three holes that signify the Smithey brand.

—BEST NONSTICK—

Stargazer 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 6.2 lb. | Diameter: 12 in. | Height: 2.5 in. | Handle length: 7.5 in. | Helper handle: 3.75 x 2 in. | dBa: 70 | Stickiness: 10 | Searing: 8 | Heat Distribution: 9 | Pouring: 10

Stargazer Stargazer 12-Inch Skillet SHOP NOW stargazercastiron.com Long handle that stays cool

Largest helper handle

Great nonstick seasoning Top of handle is uncomfortable

Another new brand making smooth cast iron, Stargazer reigned supreme with its nonstick surface. Compared to Smithey and other more expensive brands, Stargazer’s skillet is more balanced in terms of weight, heat conductivity, and heat distribution. Though it doesn’t have any spouts, its pouring was still precise due to the unique, rolled rim. With a long handle and large helper handle that you can even use while wearing an oven mitt, it’s as comfortable as it is functional. The top of the handle dug a bit into our hands, but it’s also designed to stay cooler longer, so it’s worth it if you’re accustomed to pan handles that don’t conduct heat.

—BEST EVERYDAY SKILLET—

Lodge Classic 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 7.6 lb. | Diameter: 12 in. | Height: 2.5 in. | Handle Length: 5 in. | Helper handle: 4 x 1.25 in. | dBa: 95.5 | Stickiness: 4 | Searing: 7 | Heat Distribution: 4 | Pouring: 5

Thasaba Lodge Classic 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet SHOP NOW amazon.com Available anywhere

Affordable Sticky and a bit heavy

Long preheat time

The cast-iron brand that you can find just about anywhere, Lodge has been around for 120 years for a reason. The Classic 12-inch skillet doesn’t necessarily exceed others at any particular task, but it’s a popular and affordable choice that’ll last for decades. Despite its heft verging on 8 pounds, it’s fairly well-balanced. And even though it has a slower heat rate, it yielded a nice and even sear on our steak. Just be sure to use some extra cooking oil until the seasoning builds up more to prevent some sticking.

—BEST ENAMELED—

Le Creuset Signature Iron 11.75-inch Skillet

Weight: 6.6 lb. | Diameter: 12 in. | Height: 2 in. | Handle Length: 5.5 in. | Helper handle: 4 x 1.75 in. | dBa: 85.5 | Stickiness: 7 | Searing: 8 | Heat Distribution: 7 | Pouring: 6

Le Creuset Le Creuset Signature Iron 11.75-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet $180.95 SHOP NOW amazon.com Wide helper handle

Smooth, colorful enamel Metal utensils may scratch enamel

The high-end French Le Creuset label lived up to its reputation as the maker of the finest enameled cast-iron cookware. The matte black enameled interior is smooth with little sticking, and the glossy enamel exterior is resistant to stains, durable, and available in plenty of color options. The skillet heated up relatively quickly and browned meat consistently. Along with solid performance, it has steady handling and a wide loop helper handle that can easily be used with an oven mitt.

—BEST VALUE—

Victoria 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 7.4 lb. | Diameter: 11.75 in. | Height: 2 in. | Handle Length: 7 in. | Helper handle: 4 x 1.5 in. | dBa: 80.5 | Stickiness: 3 | Searing: 9 | Heat Distribution: 8 | Pouring: 9

Victoria Victoria 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet $24.99 $19.99 (20% off) SHOP NOW amazon.com Great heat conductivity

Inexpensive Sticky

This Colombia-made skillet is often $30 or less, yet it outperformed some skillets that cost more than six times its price. It may require some extra seasoning to improve its nonstick surface since our egg stuck quite a bit with no oil, but overall, it supplied even heat distribution and a great, even sear. The long seven-inch handle is curved for better handling, though the pan felt slightly front heavy during our pouring test.

—MOST PREMIUM—

Butter Pat Joan 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 6.4 lb. | Diameter: 12 in. | Height: 2 in. | Handle Length: 5 in. | Helper handle: 4 x 1.12 in. | dBa: 82.7 | Stickiness: 9 | Searing: 9 | Heat distribution: 9 | Pouring: 9

Butter Pat Butter Pat Joan 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet $295.00 SHOP NOW butterpatindustries.com Smooth polish on all sides Most expensive

It’s hard to justify spending about $300 on a skillet, but the Butter Pat’s performance just about warrants the hefty price. Butter Pat pans are cast thin and polished on all sides, making them relatively lightweight and good at heating evenly. The 12-inch Joan performed the most consistently well across all four of our testing categories. After a fast and even preheat time, it produced a very even and dark sear on our steak. We found that the underside of the handle dug into our hands a little, but overall had decent balance and poured well from the rounded spouts. It may be the most expensive new skillet out there, but it’s the closest you can get to antique cast iron, if that’s what you’re looking for.

—SMOOTH ENAMEL—

Staub 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 6.6 lb. | Diameter: 12 in. | Height: 2.25 in. | Handle Length: 5.25 in. | Helper handle: 3 x 1 in. | dBa: 78.7 | Stickiness: 6 | Searing: 8 | Heat distribution: 6 | Pouring: 4



courtesy

Staub 12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet

$210

williams-sonoma.com



In close competition with the Le Creuset, the Staub is another great enameled skillet made in France. With similar searing capability as the Le Creuset, this 12-inch Staub fell just behind with one hotspot during our heat distribution test and a bit of sticking while frying an egg. We also found its pointed pour spouts spilled more, but were pleased with its smooth handle and balanced weight.



—UNIQUE DESIGN—

Finex 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 5.8 lb. | Diameter: 10 in. | Height: 2.25 in. | Handle Length: 6 in. | Helper handle: 2.5 x 1 in. | dBa: 77.3 | Stickiness: 3 | Searing: 9 | Heat distribution: 5 | Pouring: 7

Finex 10-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet with Lid williams-sonoma.com SHOP NOW Unique design and stay-cool handle

High heat conductivity Thick handle

Sticky

Standing out from the crowd of round skillets, the Finex features an octagonal design with each corner able to act as a pour spout. It has a total diameter of 10 inches, but just eight inches of cooking surface, which was sticky despite feeling very smooth. The Finex excelled at searing, though like the Smithey, has a high heat capacity that you’ll need to watch to prevent burning. The coil around the handle helps keep it cool, though we found its diameter to be too large for a good grip.

—MOST LIGHTWEIGHT—

Lodge Blacklock 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 5.8 lb. | Diameter: 12 in. | Height: 2.5 in. | Handle Length: 6 in. | Helper handle: 4 x 1.25 in. | dBa: 91.4 | Stickiness: 5 | Searing: 8 | Heat distribution: 3 | Pouring: 1

Lodge Lodge Blacklock 12-inch Cast-Iron Skillet $99.95 SHOP NOW williams-sonoma.com Lightest 12-inch skillet

Long, curved handle Small spouts

Uneven heat distribution

One of the latest skillets in Lodge’s extensive lineup, the Blacklock rules as the lightest of all the 12-inch models we tested at under 6 pounds. It’s slightly more expensive than a Classic Lodge skillet, but offers a longer, thinner, and curved handle. Our test results indicated that its shaved pounds may sacrifice a bit of evenness of heating. In addition, the small pour spouts caused quite a bit of dripping. But in the end, it generated a better dark brown sear than the Classic.

—SIMPLEST DESIGN—

Field No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet

Weight: 4.2 lb. | Diameter: 10 in. | Height: 2 in. | Handle Length: 5.5 in. | Helper handle: 2 x .75 in. | dBa: 76.3 | Stickiness: 4 | Searing: 7 | Heat distribution: 4 | Pouring: 1

Field Company Field no. 8 Cast Iron Skillet SHOP NOW fieldcompany.com Lightweight Some hotspots and sticking

No pour spots

If you’re looking for a cast-iron pan that’s more portable, such as to transport to the campsite with you, we’d recommend this simple skillet from Field Company. It doesn’t have pour spouts by design, so it won’t drip any grease into your campfire or grill. The Field looks smooth with a grapeseed oil seasoning, but our egg stuck a bit. We also noticed some hotspots during our heat distribution tests, which resulted in slightly uneven, but still dark, searing. Though its helper handle is too small for practical use, its light and balanced weight means you don’t really need help when carrying it anyway.