In the end, it was one of these pans from a smaller producer that took the top spot. This is the Smithey Ironware number 12.
Articles · What people recommend
Best Cast Iron Skillets: What 24 People Actually Recommend
The Lodge is the cast iron skillet called indestructible, and no one quoted in these 32 sources says how long they have owned one.
About Cast Iron Skillets.
We have not used any of these ourselves. We read 32 sources and structured what 24 people said. Of the 76 quotes below, 40 are complaints and 20 come from someone with a declared commercial interest. Every one of them links to the person who said it and the second they said it.
Based on 24 people, 32 sources and 365 recorded claims. A declared interest is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.
The answer
Adam, of America's Test Kitchen, put the Smithey first, and Julia, also of America's Test Kitchen, named the Lodge the best buy at $43, both in 2023. Prudent Reviews, a cookware reviewer who tests pans head to head, also ranks the Smithey best overall. The same reviewer declares an affiliate interest on some reviews, and alone supplies more than a third of what these 32 sources say. No verdict rests on long ownership: the longest anyone quoted has had one of the five most-discussed skillets is just over two years.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 1 with a declared interest
If you want a really nice cast iron skillet, check out the Smithey Ironware number 12 for $200, or for the best buy, check out the Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet for just $43.
Cites price
I recently tested six of the highest-rated cast iron skillets on the market, and according to my tests, Smithey is the best overall. It had the best heat retention, the smoothest non-stick surface, the widest pour spouts, and one of the better-designed handles.
Cites base and rim, handle, heat retention, non-stick surface
The best part is that you can get a Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet that will last a lifetime for under $30.
Cites durability, price
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.”
Besides cast iron skillets, they make enameled cast iron Dutch ovens that perform like Le Creuset but cost much less.
Instead of paying over $400 for a Le Creuset Dutch oven, you can get a Lodge that's made of the same materials and is actually thicker for under $100.
I've used Smithey for over 2 years, and it's still one of the pans I reach for the most.
Cites durability
Owned 2 years
| Product | Cited in favour | Cited against | Voices | Declared interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge cast iron skillet | durability (3), price (2) | surface finish (3), weight (2) | 6 voices | 1 of 6 |
| Field cast iron skillet | seasoning durability (2), acid resistance (1) | heat retention (1), heating speed (1) | 5 voices | 2 of 5 |
| Smithey cast iron skillet | base and rim (1), durability (1) | price (1) | 3 voices | 1 of 3 |
| Finex cast iron skillet | appearance (2), handle (2) | ease of cleaning (1), handle (1) | 4 voices | 1 of 4 |
| Stargazer cast iron skillet | non-stick surface (2), base and rim (1) | even heating (1), handle (1) | 2 voices | 2 of 2 |
Where people disagree
- Approved By Elle, reviewing a Tramontina under an affiliate interest, can "barely lift it with one hand", and Prudent Reviews faults the Lodge it found heaviest in its group for the same thing. Yet Prudent Reviews also points anyone who wants more heft to the Lodge Classic, so weight is a burden to one buyer and the point for another.
- Handles split pan by pan rather than person by person: Prudent Reviews rates the Smithey's best overall and ranks the Calphalon's last of six. Noah Klein calls the Lodge's small and lacking in feel.
- Prudent Reviews finds nothing in the Calphalon to justify costing more than a Lodge, yet names the Smithey a favourite for anyone who does not mind spending more. Big Lew BBQ, who was sent a Field, says a premium pan like it is "not something i probably would have bought".
- Luis J., who has owned a Finex for two years, says its seasoning has "developed really well". Prudent Reviews, in a 2023 review carrying an affiliate interest, found the thin seasoning Stargazer applies wearing off after a handful of uses.
The 11 quotes behind this, from 5 people · 7 objecting · 3 with a declared interest
It's also super heavy because it is real cast iron. I can barely lift it with one hand. And even two hands, I'm still putting in a good bit of effort.
Cites weight (against)
Approved By Elle earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”
At 5 mm thick and 8.1 lb, it's the thickest and heaviest skillet in the group.
Cites handle (against), heat resistance (against), weight (against)
It's a little too short, and when I boiled water in each skillet for 10 minutes to compare handle temperatures, it was too warm to grab with a bare hand.
The Lodge Classic is also a great option if you want something more substantial, and the value is incredible.
Cites price
Because of that, it's the best overall handle.
Cites handle
This is my least favorite of the six handles.
Cites handle (against)
the lodge the handle is just your basic cast iron handle it's kind of small it doesn't have a really good feel to it
Cites handle (against)
and then the the lodge was not manageable obviously
Calphalon is a decent skillet, but it's more expensive than Lodge and doesn’t provide any additional benefits.
Cites price (against)
If you want a skillet with a smoother surface and a more high-end design, and you don't mind spending more to get it, Smithey and Made In are my two favorite premium options.
Cites appearance, non-stick surface
now field company sent me this it's not something i probably would have bought uh i'm not in the market for bespoke i heard that word you know custom premium cast iron i didn't know what bespoke was i had to look it up right
Cites price (against)
Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do! was given the product. Stated in the source: “i do want to thank the field company for sending it to me for a review”
i will say they are selling raw cast iron like at enameled cast iron prices
so with that said guys this video is going to be about finex cookware and specifically my number 10 which is now two years that I've had it two years that I've owned it and used it as you can see the seasoning has developed really well not completely jet black but we'll get into the specifics right now
Cites maintenance, seasoning durability
Owned 2 years
to be honest it holds up really well um it's not difficult to maintain it's not difficult to keep seasoned and and honestly the more you use it the more you cook with it the better it does become and that's just something that I love about Finance they're not they're easy to maintain they're not hard and the seasoning…
but I noticed after using the skillet a handful of times that the seasoning wears off. Because they apply such thin layers, you need to apply one or two more coats either before you start cooking or soon after.
Cites maintenance (against), seasoning durability (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will earn a commission if you click and buy but at no extra cost to you.”
The Lodge is the skillet Julia called the best buy, and its sharpest faults are in the hand. Prudent Reviews says the handle has sharp edges that dig in, and puts one at 8.1 lb, the heaviest skillet in that test.
Hannah, of America's Test Kitchen, found the mass-produced Lodge the most durable of the three compared. Quality Collapse, speaking secondhand, says you can "drop it on concrete and it will not crack". Prudent Reviews said in 2024, under an affiliate interest, that a Lodge will last a lifetime for under $30. No one quoted says how long they have owned one, so each of those lifespans is asserted, not timed.
Papa Mau, who owns a Lodge, sets it beside his 90-year-old pan and calls the difference massive. He still says it "cooks if you know how to do it". Prudent Reviews found its rougher surface holds seasoning better and still passed an egg test. Kent Rollins, of Cowboy Kent Rollins, who was sent a Field in 2018, found the Lodge's seasoning as sold the most disappointing of his group.
The 12 quotes behind this, from 6 people · 8 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
The biggest issue for me is the handle. It gets very wide where it connects to the skillet, then it narrows toward the end, and the edges feel sharp and dig into your hands.
Cites handle (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:00.
Cites handle (against), heat resistance (against), weight (against)
These handles are fine when grabbing them with your bare hand, but they feel short and thin when you're wearing an oven mitt.
Cites handle (against)
This means that of these three, the traditional mass produced lodge model is the most durable. It's basically indestructible
Cites durability
It is a heavy, crude piece of iron, But, it is indestructible. You can scrape it with steel wool. You can put it directly in a campfire. You can drop it on concrete and it will not crack.
Cites durability, weight (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:00.
Cites durability, price
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.”
compare that to my 90 years old grease wool. Yeah, massive difference.
Cites surface finish (against)
But this thing cooks if you know how to do it.
It's heavier and the surface is rougher, but it holds on to seasoning better and it still passed the egg test with no sticking.
Cites surface finish (against), non-stick surface, seasoning durability, weight (against)
now of all the Skillets here the one that probably disappoints me the most in seasoning the way it comes to you or the way you buy it out of the store is Lodge with that rough finish on it
Cites seasoning durability (against), surface finish (against)
one thing I've always thought about Lodge and some of their old stuff wasn't as bad this way this corner is pretty Sharp now if I was going to use this every every day I know what had happened to it I'd take a grinder to it
Cites safety (against), surface finish (against)
The Field is praised most warmly by a cookware retailer and two reviewers who were sent one. Prudent Reviews faults it hardest, having watched it warp until it wobbled and measured the worst heat retention in its group.
Cook Culture, a cookware retailer, uses its Field every day. Kent Rollins was sent one in 2018 and saw an old Griswold in the thickness of its walls. Big Lew BBQ, also sent one, said your family "will fight for this frying pan at your funeral".
In 2026 Prudent Reviews saw the centre bowed past the heat ring until the pan spun when tapped. In 2025 it warped significantly on induction. In 2024 the reviewer called it the most expensive skillet and blamed its weak heat retention on thinner walls.
Being sent one did not stop Big Lew BBQ finding the walls too thin for his thermometer clip. Uncle Scott, a self-funded reviewer who buys what he reviews, still could not get eggs to release a month and a half into the one he bought. Nobody quoted has had a Field longer.
The 14 quotes behind this, from 5 people · 9 objecting · 4 with a declared interest
a pan that i i love and and cherish and use every single day
but also when I look down at it I've seen the thickness of the walls it reminded me so much of an old Griswold or an old piece of Wagner ware
Cites build quality, ease of cleaning, seasoning durability
Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “we got this box in the mail we did an unboxing video on an 8 inch field skillet”
the more you use it the better it is going to become to you the slicker it's going to get the better finish it has
now what I have found that really helps these new skillets a whole lot deep fry you something in for you enough grease in there that you can fry something I cook me some deep fried chili rellenos in them I'll deep fry some fishing deep fry some potatoes in it really works good on seasoning easy to clean up that away…
they finish quicker and smoother than any of that other iron I ever used unless you get back to the Griswold in the Wagner so many years ago
and i'm impressed with it really really nice skill skillet only about six pounds guys
Cites base and rim, handle, shape and form, weight
Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do! was given the product. Stated in the source: “i do want to thank the field company for sending it to me for a review”
i will say when i dump the potatoes out that first day i'm gonna dump the shrimp creole out um not shrimp creole what they'll make shrimp a two-fade right um and the gravy from the pork chops and stuff i'm gonna dump the leftover out uh that did well because it's real thick
also this is kind of nitpicky but i've got an induction stove and both skillets that i have my other number 12 skillet same size bottom they fit on that burner that over there that i use my number 10 skillet on but with the other one since this sides flare out i've got to kind of duck under and look to see if it's…
i really like the handle the handle doesn't look that cool on youtube every video i saw that and even looking at it on the camera it doesn't look as cool as it is in real life it feels awesome i just love the way this handle feels maybe it's because i got big hands whatever i like the way this handle feels that handle…
folks and your family will fight for this frying pan at your funeral
Cites acid resistance, durability, seasoning durability
Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do! was given the product. Stated in the source: “i do want to thank the field company for sending it to me for a review”
skillet was easy to clean that night too and just getting some more good seasoning layer on there with that skillet
i was already trusting the seasoning coat to use acidic foods like lemon butter uh they were delicious and all that fond on the bottom of the pot went into my shrimp a2 faders a pound of shrimp a little more than a pound of shrimp in there also a can of rotel tomatoes but you can see the seasoning on the bottom was…
i've used it as much as i can look how black it is came sort of charcoal gray did get a little bronze that first day or two but it blackened up real quick it's as seasoned as i've ever had a skillet i've only had it a week
but look how easy it seasoned in one week it's not that charcoal gray color it's black all right almost like a mirror finish
The biggest issue with this skillet is warping. Field has a heat ring around the bottom, but after heating, the center bowed outward far enough to extend past the ring. That caused the skillet to wobble noticeably, and it even spun when I tapped the handle.
Cites warp resistance (against)
The one major downside is that it warped significantly when I tested it on induction.
Cites induction compatible (against)
During my testing, it warped significantly. The center curved downward, and the pan wobbled on the cooktop.
Cites warp resistance (against)
But it's the most expensive skillet and has the worst heat retention.
Cites price (against)
On the negative side, it has the worst heat retention of all the cast iron skillets I've tested, which means it cools down faster when you add cold ingredients.
Cites heating speed (against), heat retention (against)
Since it heats up so fast, you can easily overcook your food if you're not paying attention.
I wasn't surprised Field had the worst heat retention because it's thinner and has less thermal mass than the others.
Cites heating speed, heat retention (against)
But because there's less mass to hold on to that heat, it had the second lowest heat retention in the group.
Cites heat retention (against)
but when i was deep frying and i had my thermometer probe in there this little clip and i had to bend it and whatever but it still it doesn't fit on these thin little walls like it does on my enamel cast iron cookware or my other skillet and um for deep frying and it was kind of annoying it would come out and maybe i…
Cites shape and form (against)
Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do! was given the product. Stated in the source: “i do want to thank the field company for sending it to me for a review”
I also am having a little trouble getting the seasoning to develop and come in, or what they call the break-in period. At a month and a half in, I am still having trouble getting non-stick eggs.
Cites maintenance (against), seasoning durability (against)
Owned 2 months
I have reseasoned this pan multiple multiple times. I have seasoned it with Crisco, with grape seed oil, with peanut oil. I have seasoned it in the oven. I have done carbon steel type seasonings on a stove top, getting the pan smoking there.
I did not take anything for free. I bought this with my own money and these opinions are my own after cooking in this field [music] for about a month and a half or so now.
Owned 2 months
Adam and Prudent Reviews both put the Smithey first. What Adam faults is the price, which was $200 when he tested it in 2023.
Prudent Reviews' 2024 heat retention test, read at 105°F, put the Smithey first and the Field last. The same reviewer gives it the best handle, the smoothest surface and the widest pour spouts. By 2026 Prudent Reviews gave the best heat retention to the Lodge Chef Collection instead, so the Smithey's lead on heat depends on which test you read.
BBQ and Bottles, who were sent a Smithey, like that its lid doubles as a griddle. Prudent Reviews is the one owner quoted, and after over two years calls it "still one of the pans I reach for the most".
The 10 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 1 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:30.
It was not, however, inexpensive. It was $200.
Cites price (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 5:32.
Cites base and rim, handle, heat retention, non-stick surface
If price is not a factor, Smithey is the best overall skillet.
At 105°F, Smithey had the best heat retention, followed by Lodge Classic, Stargazer, a tie between Lodge Chef Collection and Calphalon, and finally, Field, which had the lowest temperature.
In my tests, it heated slower than some of the thinner skillets, but it retained heat really well.
Cites heat retention, non-stick surface
The smooth surface also performed perfect in the egg test. The egg released immediately and slid around the pan without sticking.
The Lodge Chef Collection is lighter, easier to maneuver, and had the best heat retention in my test.
Cites heat retention, weight
what i want to point out with the smithy is that the lid actually doubles as a skillet or a griddle and that i think is really really cool so it not only is this a lid so if you're baking bread or any other recipe that you're making that actually needs a lid you've got one but if you want to make smash burgers which…
Cites versatility
BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video”
Luis J., who has owned his Finex for two years, names a fault nothing can be done about. The spring handle will not come off, so the cast iron shaft cannot be seasoned. Prudent Reviews also found rust in the engravings on the bottom.
Noah Klein calls the Finex handle good looking, and BBQ and Bottles, sent one free, admire the coil design. Prudent Reviews says the same thick, round handle lets the pan rotate in a hand holding a towel. Its heat retention came toward the lower end of that reviewer's group, with a slight warp but no wobble. Noah Klein, though, said "the finex is taking the cake" after his stick test.
The 8 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 4 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
one of the cons about the finex Skillets and probably one of the biggest downsides to them is the fact that there is nothing you can specifically do with the spring handle and the end cap uh to where you can remove it so that way you can have um you know the ability to season that cast iron shaft that is you know for…
Cites repairability (against)
I also noticed that it rusted on the bottom inside the engravings, which didn't happen with any of the other skillets.
Cites rust resistance (against)
this is the finex 12-inch obviously and it's got a really good looking handle
Cites appearance, handle
so overall appearance i got to give it to the 5x for the win it's just a better looking skillet i mean it just looks beautiful not that this is a bad looking skillet but when it's next to this bad boy it's like miss america next to miss county or you know
the the finex is taking the cake i mean look at that not really sticking that much so that is going to be a win for the finex on the stick test
Cites non-stick surface
first i want to talk about the finex it has this beautiful coiled steel handle and the reason for that is this coil design not only does it look great
Cites appearance, handle, shape and form
BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video”
and you can actually see right here on the back of the pan they've got a really nice design that pays homage to that origin
now the next thing i want to compare is just the overall style or aesthetic of these skillets and the standout for me is going to be the finex there this octagonal shape i think looks really great i love the steel coiled handle it's just something really unique that sets that skillet apart from the others
The handle is also very thick, round, and smooth, so the skillet can rotate in your hand when you're tilting it, especially with a towel or an oven mitt.
Cites handle (against)
Heat retention was toward the lower end of the group and it warped slightly, but not enough to cause noticeable wobbling.
Cites ease of cleaning (against), handle (against), heat resistance (against), heat retention (against)
But when I heated it in a 400°ree oven to see how quickly the handle cooled, it was still too hot to touch after 15 minutes. And it wasn't any cooler than a regular cast iron handle.
And because the coil isn't removable, grease and moisture can collect underneath it around the cast iron shaft, and it's difficult to clean and dry.
I Heart RVing, a gear reviewer for an RV magazine, was sent a 12-inch Stargazer and after a year says "it is so worth it". Prudent Reviews, in a 2023 review carrying an affiliate interest, called the high price its number one downside.
On eggs the two agree. I Heart RVing says eggs slide away in the Stargazer where other skillets needed scraping, and Prudent Reviews saw an egg release at once and slide around without a spatula.
The rest of Prudent Reviews' testing went against the Stargazer. In 2023 the reviewer noted Lodge selling skillets for less than half the price. In 2026 the centre bowed after heating into a minor wobble. Centre and edge were far apart after 2 minutes, and the handle's edges dug into the hand.
I Heart RVing's year with the pan Stargazer sent is the longest anyone quoted has had one.
The 10 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 6 objecting · 4 with a declared interest
thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review”
Owned 12 months
it's expensive after a year of putting the thing through all sorts of camp cooking I can tell you it is so worth it
Cites price
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review”
Owned 12 months
The number one downside to Stargazer is the high price. Lodge, which is arguably the most well-known cast iron brand, sells its skillets for less than half the price of Stargazer.
Cites price (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will earn a commission if you click and buy but at no extra cost to you.”
but you pay a premium for it
the Stargazer 12-in Skillet is crafted to be incredibly nonstick in real world scenarios by which I mean eggs and some veggies that's proven to be true so much so that eggs have been sliding away from me when I try to flip them in other Skillets I've had to do that scrape but don't break the yolk deal to try to get an…
Cites build quality, even heating, non-stick surface, surface finish
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review”
how about sautéing spinach onions and mushrooms the onions and mushrooms Glide across the surface like a figure skater not awkwardly some would say dangerously like me on figure skates but a real figure skater
if you look at the bottom of the skillet the surface is completely flat there's no heat ring like some Skillets have it's just perfectly flat that means it gets truly even heat across the entire Pan
for surface finishing the products are shipped to Stargazer HQ in Allentown Pennsylvania where Craftsman use hand tools that's right they do it by hand to grind and smooth the surface the two-step surface finish makes for the incredibly smooth microtextured surface that Stargazer is famous for
Unlike the Lodge and Victoria skillets, the cooking surface is smooth and because of that, it performed extremely well in the egg test. The egg released immediately and slid around the pan without any help from the spatula.
Cites base and rim, heating speed, non-stick surface
The flared rim also poured cleanly.
In my warp test, it started completely flat, but after heating, the center bowed outward slightly, which resulted in a minor wobble.
Cites warp resistance (against)
It was one of the fastest skillets to heat, but there was a large difference between the center and the edge after 2 minutes, and heat retention was middle of the pack.
Cites even heating (against)
However, the edges can dig into your hand, so it's not the most comfortable handle.
Cites handle (against)
The deep groove gives your hand something to grip, so the skillet doesn't twist when you're holding it with a towel or oven mitt. But the edges dig into your hand, so despite being long and secure, it's not a very comfortable handle.
Cites handle
Field, Stargazer, and Lancaster are all good skillets, but they're expensive and have enough drawbacks that I wouldn't recommend them over Smithey or Made In.
Cites price (against)
How long each one lasts
Adam Byatt, who cooks professionally on AGA pans he was given, said in 2025 that his kitchen has had its hundred for fifteen to twenty years. It is the only figure in these 32 sources past a couple of years, and it is about none of the five skillets most discussed.
The rest were timed by people on pans of their own, and the longest is just over two years. Prudent Reviews said in 2026 it had used a Smithey for over two years. Luis J. had owned his Finex for two years in 2023. I Heart RVing cooked on a Stargazer the company sent for a year, in 2023. Kent Rollins in 2018 and Uncle Scott in 2026 each had a Field for a month and a half, the first sent and the second bought.
The Lodge gets the largest words and no timed figure. Prudent Reviews said in 2024 that "few products in the world last forever" and put the Lodge among them, and nobody quoted puts a number of years on one.
Papa Mau's 90-year-old pan, set beside his Lodge in 2025, is an age rather than an ownership, and it is not a Lodge.
The 10 quotes behind this, from 7 people · 2 objecting · 4 with a declared interest
I now own a hundred of them and we've had them for over 15 20 years which they look like we've had them 15 20 years but yeah they're they're a brilliant pan
Cites durability
Adam Byatt was given the product. Stated in the source: “they gave me these pans to cook on and I really loved cooking in them”
Owned 15 years
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 6:03.
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review”
Owned 12 months
I've been using this skillet for a month and a half every day is it solid black everywhere no it's got some bronze coating to it a little spotted in colored a little motley color
Cites seasoning durability
Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “we got this box in the mail we did an unboxing video on an 8 inch field skillet”
Owned 2 months
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 3:01.
Owned 2 months
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:31.
Cites maintenance (against), seasoning durability (against)
Owned 2 months
Few products in the world last forever, perform really well, and cost under $30.
Cites durability, price
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:00.
Cites surface finish (against)
What happens over time
Kent Rollins and Uncle Scott each cooked on a Field for a month and a half, and came away with different accounts. Kent Rollins, in 2018 and on a skillet he was sent, found it "a little motley color" rather than solid black and said he loved it. Uncle Scott, in 2026 and on one he bought, still could not get the seasoning to take or his eggs to release.
Besides the years they spoke in, the one recorded difference between the two is who paid for the pan. Nothing in these 32 sources says whether that explains it.
Adam Byatt's AGA pans are the one case of long use. He says they look every year of their age and still calls them brilliant, and he was given them.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 1 objecting · 3 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 3:00.
Cites seasoning durability
Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “we got this box in the mail we did an unboxing video on an 8 inch field skillet”
Owned 2 months
when we did our unboxing video they sent us an 8 I love the skillet I do
Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “when we did our unboxing video they sent us an 8”
but I will tell you what they done went and done they don't went and went to making a 10-inch skillet now I've had this about a week and I love this rascal
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:31.
Cites maintenance (against), seasoning durability (against)
Owned 2 months
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 3:01.
Owned 2 months
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 14:04.
Cites durability
Adam Byatt was given the product. Stated in the source: “they gave me these pans to cook on and I really loved cooking in them”
Owned 15 years
Also named, on thinner evidence
Nine more products are named in these 32 sources, each on too little to judge. Nobody in these 32 sources criticises the Griswold, the AGA pan or Smithey Ironware's own cookware line. That is thin coverage, not a clean record. Every voice on the AGA pan, the Tramontina and Smithey Ironware's cookware has a disclosed interest. Prudent Reviews is the only voice on the Calphalon, the Lancaster and the Victoria Signature Series. Kent Rollins alone speaks to the Marquette, and a single tester to the Finex cast iron pan.
The 6 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 4 objecting · 2 with a declared interest
I guess actually one of the most important pans in our armory are these these little um cast iron solid heavyweight Arga pans. These are actually Arga pans.
Adam Byatt was given the product. Stated in the source: “they gave me these pans to cook on and I really loved cooking in them”
The Calphalon skillet performed the worst. The egg stuck a little bit, and even after I loosened it up, I had to push it with the spatula to get it to move.
Cites heating speed (against), non-stick surface (against)
In my warp test, the bottom was already concave, and after heating, that gap became larger.
Cites warp resistance (against)
My overall pick for just best in design is I'm gonna have to go with the Marquette just because of the way it feels in my hand and the way that I know it performs and the two poor spouts
Cites ergonomics, handle, seasoning durability, shape and form, surface finish
if we had to pick a winner on a handle that was most comfortable to your hand it would be the Marquette
next we're going to go to Marquette this review not long ago to me this was the smoothest Skillet coming to me of anyone that I got out of the bunch
so my overall winner for seasoning is eeny meeny miny mo is going to be the Marquette because to me it had the smoothest glossiest finish when I got it and accepted seasoning the easiest
Who wants what
The cookware reviewers who test skillets side by side sort them by instrument. Prudent Reviews ranks on heat retention, egg and warp tests, and that is how the Smithey came first on heat in 2024 and the Field last.
The people cooking on camera ask about pouring and holding instead. Missing a pour spout on the Field, Kent Rollins called one part of "a true performing cast iron skillet". He gave his design pick to the Marquette for how it feels in his hand. Big Lew BBQ watched thin red-eye gravy drip down the side of a Field with no spouts.
Adam Byatt judges his AGA pans by the job, as the right size for a one-pot dish. Papa Mau, who owns a Lodge, treats its rough surface as a matter of skill, saying rough pans are more technical and need fine-tuning.
The 7 quotes behind this, from 5 people · 4 objecting · 2 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 4:31.
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 0:30.
Cites heating speed (against), heat retention (against)
one thing that is missing that I really love in the skillet and I think it's got to have to be a true performing cast iron skillet and that is a pour spout
Cites shape and form (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 6:02.
Cites ergonomics, handle, seasoning durability, shape and form, surface finish
there are a couple things i don't like um kind of iffy on the lack of pour spouts uh yeah you saw in our first video i'm trying to pour a red-eye gravy out of it and it dripped down it's a thin gravy
Cites base and rim (against), shape and form (against)
Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do! was given the product. Stated in the source: “i do want to thank the field company for sending it to me for a review”
and the thinner things like the oil bacon grease i haven't cooked bacon in it yet by the way by the way this is a skillet review and i didn't cook any bacon everybody else does that i didn't cook bacon in the first one either right um but when i poured you know hamburger meat grease out of it that's what it was i…
the walls are kind of straight a lot more like a saute pan than a traditional skillet ah and i'm making that i made some the parmesan cheese things when i'm making the uh pancakes you gotta watch it kind of spatula you can't get your spatula in quite at the same angle you can with the skillet that has more flared…
I just felt they were like the perfect size to make a one pot dish and they the the heat retention was brilliant in them.
Cites heat retention, size and capacity, versatility
Adam Byatt was given the product. Stated in the source: “they gave me these pans to cook on and I really loved cooking in them”
we tried making a tat tatan in them and um there on in we only made tat tatan in these pans
we use them for all sorts for cooking pieces of meat cooking fish cooking tatans cooking all sorts of stuff but I'm a real fan of these Arga cast iron pans
maybe rough pan are more technical you really need to dial in fine-tune your
Cites surface finish (against)
What the evidence suggests
- Choose the Lodge if keeping the cost down matters most to you: Julia, of America's Test Kitchen, called it the best buy in 2023. It was $43 then, and Prudent Reviews calls its value incredible.
- Choose the Smithey if you want a smoother surface and do not mind paying more: Prudent Reviews, after over two years with one, names it a favourite on exactly those terms. Adam, of America's Test Kitchen, also gave it his top spot in 2023, when it cost $200.
- Choose a skillet other than the Field if you cook on induction: Prudent Reviews saw one warp significantly on an induction cooktop in 2025. The same reviewer says it performs well on gas and electric.
- Choose the Lodge Chef Collection if you want a Lodge but find heavy pans hard to lift: Prudent Reviews found in 2026 that it "is lighter, easier to maneuver".
The 10 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 3 objecting
it was smooth and stick resistant and well seasoned, and it's $43
Cites price
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 14:04.
Cites appearance, non-stick surface
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:30.
It performs well on gas and electric, but I can't recommend it for induction.
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 6:02.
Cites induction compatible (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 13:33.
Cites heat retention, weight
What the evidence doesn’t tell us
Prudent Reviews, one cookware reviewer, is the source of 133 of the 365 claims about these skillets. That is more than a third of everything the 24 people quoted said.
Adam Byatt's fifteen to twenty years with AGA pans is the longest ownership anyone quoted states, and he uses them professionally and was given them. No one quoted says how long they have owned a Lodge. Its long life is asserted, not timed.
Nobody quoted on the Marquette, the Finex cast iron pan, the Victoria Signature Series, the Lancaster or Smithey Ironware's cookware speaks as an owner, a professional user or someone who stopped using one. Eight of the products named rest on one person's word, and nine have no ownership duration behind them at all.
The quote behind this, from 1 person · 1 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 14:04.
Cites durability
Adam Byatt was given the product. Stated in the source: “they gave me these pans to cook on and I really loved cooking in them”
Owned 15 years
Who says so
Authority here is scoped to the subject, never to how large someone’s audience is. Where we hold no domain expertise for a person, the page says so rather than implying one.
Prudent Reviews
Our mission at Prudent Reviews is to help you find the best products for your home. We take the stress out of shopping by testing, analyzing, and comparing the top products. Our reviews, comparisons, and product guides are in-depth, carefully researched, and completely unbiased. Since launching, we've helped millions of people across the globe find the best products and improve their lives at home. If you have questions or want to partner with Prudent Reviews, email Andrew@PrudentReviews.com. As an Amazon Associate Prudent Reviews earns from qualifying purchases.
Kent Rollins
Love outdoor cooking? Want to learn more about Dutch oven cooking, cast iron or grilling? Then you've saddled up to the right place. I've been cooking outdoors over live fire for over 34 years as a chuck wagon and cowboy cook. We have a new series on the Outdoor Channel "The Cst Iron Cowboy" You may have also seen me on Chopped Grill Masters, Chopped Redemption or Beat Bobby Flay. Stick around and be sure to subscribe for tips, tricks and recipes. Keep the fire hot and the wood dry... Kent
Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do!
Barbecue and other stuff I want to do; such as cast iron cooking and deep frying turkeys and fish. I'm a family man. I enjoy cooking, it's fun, especially outdoor cooking. I'm doing this channel for fun. If it ever becomes not fun I'll quit doing it. I'm not a professional chef or cook, I haven't been formally trained in culinary arts. I'm not a competition BBQ guy. Therefore, I don't have to impress judges or paying customers with my skills and meals. I only have to impress my family, if it makes them smile, then it makes me smile. I hope my videos will make you smile too. Much of my equipment is very affordable. Many of my grills cost less than $100. For 5,000+ years of recorded history, mankind has cooked with wood and charcoal, so do I. Occasionally I cook with propane or electricity. For inquiries- email: biglew.dos@gmail.com Thanks for a cup of coffee. PayPal link: https://www.paypal.me/BigLewII On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigLewBBQ/
Adam Byatt
My channel is the place where professional and home cooks and foodies alike come to learn and share skills. I’m so excited to be sharing recipes, behind the scenes footage and some of the secrets of a Michelin star restaurant. Subscribe to level up your cooking and to be a better cook.
Adam Ried
Equipment expert at America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country, reviewing kitchen equipment on-camera in the show's Equipment Corner segments.
I Heart RVing
If you can’t wait to hop into your RV or grab your tent and head out of town, what we’re putting together on the IHeartRVing YouTube channel is for you. We’re developing content to help make your trips more immersive, convenient, and frankly, more fun. I hope you’ll love what we’re doing, and that some of our gear reviews, insights, and stories help level up your adventure. There's so much to talk about - it's so exciting!
Noah Klein
The official YouTube of 614Lyfe & The_Noahnator The Creator of THE HAND OF GOD The OG Nonstick Pan Man The OG Cheese Man The creator of the magic food grinder The Internets go to food experiment guy The guy who brings you some of the most satisfying videos in the Milky Way Galaxy Also Yes I am from & live in OHIO Let me know what you want to see next and I will make it happen. Booking: Johnny@olympustalentgroup.com
Papa Mau
Cooking with Healthy and Durable Cookware: Cast Iron, Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, etc I’m PapaMau, a dad with roots in Argentina, living in Australia for the past 15 years. I’m here to inspire families to choose healthier, long-lasting, and undeniably cooler cookware that's making a massive comeback. Specializing in cast iron and carbon steel, I create How-To and Tutorial videos to help you care for your cookware, master cooking techniques, and replace Teflon with sustainable, durable alternatives. I share cooking tips, tools, and recipes to help home cooks impress family and friends—whether in the kitchen or around the fire pit. Together, let’s cook better, eat healthier, and make the world a better place, one meal at a time. Join me on this journey to make cooking an adventure and forge unforgettable memories with cookware that’s built to last! 🔥
BBQ and Bottles
Some of the best memories I've created over the years have been the result of slaving away over a meal that gets shared with friends and family. In this age of technology the dinner table is one of the last few places where everyone puts their phones down to connect again as humans. It's these moments that justify the effort that goes into making the meal and that effort is just another way of showing people some love. We started this channel in hopes of inspiring more people to grill or barbecue at home, to slow down the pace of life for just a brief moment and to create your own memories with family & friends. Thanks for being part of this community! Don't forget to follow us on: Website: bbqandbottles.com Instagram: instagram.com/bbqandbottles/ Facebook: facebook.com/bbqandbotles TikTok: @BBQandBottles Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BBQandBottles/
Luis J.
God, Cooking, Iron Skillets, and Family. My channel will be of moments in my life, Bible scripture, vintage iron skillets, cast iron skillet reviews, Apple tech reviews and Amazon finds.
Approved By Elle
Amazon product reviews to help you make educated purchases and find cool new stuff! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cook Culture
We are a small kitchenwares business based in Vancouver Island, Canada. We specialize in lifetime cookware and tools, We believe that the one thing that everyone can make in the kitchen is a better life.
Hannah Crowley
Executive editor for ATK Reviews and co-host of America's Test Kitchen's Gear Heads series on YouTube.
Julia Collin Davison
Executive editorial director and co-host of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country, trained at the Culinary Institute of America (class of 1996).
Quality Collapse
Quality Collapse exposes why modern appliances, RVs, and home systems fail early — from factory shortcuts and weak parts to repair traps, builder-grade design, and “replace-not-fix” economics. We break down what changed, why service got worse, and what still lasts.
What this piece cites evidence about
Every product, brand and category named in a claim behind this article, not only the ones with a section of their own above. Where we hold a full page for one, it is linked; the rest are named as text because the evidence has not cleared that bar yet.
Products
- AGA cast iron pan
- Calphalon cast iron skillet
- Field cast iron skillet
- Finex cast iron skillet
- Lancaster cast iron skillet
- Lodge cast iron skillet
- Marquette cast iron skillet
- Smithey cast iron skillet
- Stargazer cast iron skillet
- Tramontina cast iron skillet
- Victoria Signature Series
Sources
Short quotes and deep links only. We publish no transcripts, and every quote above opens the original at the second it was spoken.
- $300 Cast Iron Skillet vs $20 (Finex vs Lodge)
- 35 Years of cooking equipment - What I use everyday
- Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge
- Best Cast Iron Skillet? I Tested Lodge, Smithey, Field, Stargazer, & Calphalon
- Best Non-Toxic Cookware? I Tested All-Clad, Made In, Le Creuset & More
- Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads
- Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet
- Cheap Cookware That's Actually Worth Buying (And 4 Brands to Avoid)
- Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?
- Don’t Buy Induction Cookware Until You Watch This (13 Brands Tested)
- Enameled Cast Iron Skillet Review | Tramontina Bestow 12-Inch Pan #amazonfinds #castironcooking
- Field Cast Iron Review: Egg Problems & Great Gratins
- Field cast iron skillet vs Stargazer - How do I choose?
- Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review
- Field Company No. 10 Skillet Follow Up Review
- Field Company Review: Best Lightweight Cast Iron?
- I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst
- I♥RVing Gear Review: Stargazer 12” Cast Iron Skillet
- Stargazer Cast Iron Review: Is This $145 Skillet Better Than a $30 Lodge?
- The Best Cast-Iron Skillets
- The Only 5 Cookware Brands That Still Last (The "Buy It For Life" List)
- The Uncomfortable Truth Behind Lodge Cast Iron Pans
How this page was made
The prose above was written by a model from a fact sheet assembled out of the evidence, then checked line by line: every quote verbatim against the evidence table, every name against a claim, every number against the sheet. Prose that fails is not published. It is derived data, not testimony. The testimony is the quotes.
Verified 2026-09-15
How we handle commercial relationships
When someone quoted here was paid, sponsored, sent the product free or works for the brand, the quote says so and, where they said it themselves, gives their own words about it. We keep those quotes rather than dropping them: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.