The Lodge Classic is also a great option if you want something more substantial, and the value is incredible.
Cites weight
Articles · Where two groups agree
What buy it for life enthusiasts and collectors both recommend
The buy-it-for-life crowd and collectors agree on two skillets, and only one figure behind them is timed rather than just forever.
About Buy It For Life Enthusiasts and Collectors.
We have not used any of these ourselves. We read 13 sources and structured what 6 people said. Of the 14 quotes below, 5 are complaints and 4 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 6 people, 13 sources and 106 recorded claims. A declared interest is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.
The answer
The buy-it-for-life crowd and collectors converge on two cast iron skillets: the Lodge and the Field. Prudent Reviews, a cookware reviewer who discloses an affiliate interest on some tests, calls the Lodge's value incredible; Kent Rollins, who was sent a Field free, says he loves it; and Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do!, also sent one free, calls it a nice skillet at about six pounds. Prudent Reviews holds 62% of everything said about both.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 2 with a declared interest
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
and i'm impressed with it really really nice skill skillet only about six pounds guys
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”
so anyway the that's what i got to say about the field skillet i used it and if i didn't like it i would have quit using it i continued to use it all week it was a labor of love it wasn't tough it wasn't tough to decide hey i want to cook something else in this skillet
i'm i'm really satisfied with the skillet
anyway i think you would be too if you're in the market for a premium cast iron skillet my recommendation is go with field
| Product | Cited in favour | Cited against | Voices | Declared interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field cast iron skillet | none recorded | price (1) | 3 voices | 2 of 3 |
| Lodge cast iron skillet | handle (2), durability (1) | handle (1) | 2 voices | none declared |
Where people disagree
- Prudent Reviews calls the Lodge's cost incredible value, while faulting the Field for being the most expensive skillet with the worst heat retention it measured.
- Prudent Reviews found the Lodge the best of twelve skillets for heat retention, and the Field the second lowest, tracing the gap to their different wall thickness.
- On surface finish, Prudent Reviews ranks the Field among its three best-performing cast iron skillets, while saying the Lodge's rougher finish, though less polished, holds seasoning better.
The 6 quotes behind this, from 1 person · 3 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
But it's the most expensive skillet and has the worst heat retention.
Cites price (against)
Despite the lighter construction, it actually had the best heat retention of all 12 skillets.
Cites heat retention, price
On the lower end, Victoria and Lodge Chef Collection are my two top picks.
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)
In the cast iron category, I tested three skillets that performed the best in my previous testing: Field Company, Lodge Classic, and Smithey.
Cites surface finish
Field Company is lightweight, easy to maneuver, and has a smooth cooking surface.
It performs well on gas and electric, but I can't recommend it for induction.
They may not have a perfectly smooth polished surface like some of the expensive artisan cast iron brands, but they perform just as well, and, in my experience, the rougher surface holds seasoning better.
Cites surface finish (against)
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.”
The Field cast iron skillet's price is probably the objection: Prudent Reviews calls it "the most expensive skillet" among the group, with "the worst heat retention."
Kent Rollins, who was sent one free, says he loves the skillet; Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do!, also sent one free, is impressed by how light it is at about six pounds. Prudent Reviews, testing rather than owning, adds that the helper handle is the smallest of the group it compared.
Kent Rollins, after a month and a half of daily use in 2018, found it a mottled bronze rather than solid black, the longest ownership stated for either pan.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 2 objecting · 3 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 4:31.
Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “when we did our unboxing video they sent us an 8”
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:00.
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 like the primary handle, but the helper handle is the smallest in the group, so there isn't much to grab onto.
Cites handle
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
The Lodge cast iron skillet's handle is the objection: Prudent Reviews says its edges "dig into your hands."
Prudent Reviews, disclosing an affiliate interest, separately says a Lodge will "last forever, perform really well, and cost under $30," and measured its heat retention best of twelve skillets. The redesigned Blacklock model has a longer handle on the same rough surface, the reviewer adds.
Kent Rollins notes Lodge has been making pans in South Pittsburg, Tennessee for as long as he can tell, and says he likes the handle on his own. No one among the 6 people quoted states how long they have owned a Lodge.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 1 objecting
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)
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 2:30.
Cites heat retention, price
that is Lodge now Lodge has been in business in South Pittsburg Tennessee forever and ever they have this handle that I really like
Cites handle
Who wants what
Kent Rollins, a chef who was sent a Field free, values the handle and the company's long history in South Pittsburg, Tennessee; Prudent Reviews, testing the same pans, measures the Field's helper handle by size and the Lodge's heat retention by degrees, a collector's affection and a reviewer's numbers pointed at different questions. Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do!, a collector also sent a Field free, judges it by feel and weight rather than by test results.
The 4 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 1 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:30.
Cites heat retention, price
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:00.
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”
What the evidence suggests
- Choose the Lodge cast iron skillet if price matters most and you don't mind a rougher factory finish: Prudent Reviews says it will last forever, perform well and cost under $30.
- Choose the Field cast iron skillet if a lighter pan matters more than price: Kent Rollins, who was sent one free, says he loves it, and Big Lew BBQ & Other Things I Want to Do!, also sent one free, is impressed by how light it is.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 2 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 10:33.
Cites durability, price
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 4:31.
Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “when we did our unboxing video they sent us an 8”
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:00.
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”
What the evidence doesn’t tell us
Prudent Reviews alone holds 66 of the 106 claims in these 13 sources, 62% of everything in scope, so most of both pans' cases rest on one reviewer's testing. None of the 6 people quoted claims to have owned anything longer than the month and a half Kent Rollins put on a Field in 2018, and no one states any duration for a Lodge at all.
The quote behind this, from 1 person · 1 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
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/
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.
Sources
Short quotes and deep links only. We publish no transcripts, and every quote above opens the original at the second it was spoken.
- Best Cast Iron Skillet? I Tested Lodge, Smithey, Field, Stargazer, & Calphalon
- 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)
- Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review
- Field Company No. 10 Skillet Follow Up Review
- I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst
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 2026-09-17
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.