Articles · A disputed claim
About Cast Iron Skillets.
31 people across 43 sources, 109 claims in scope and 31 quotes shown below. 23 are objections. 1 comes from someone with a declared commercial interest, which is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.
Nobody on this page disputes that bare cast iron has to be dried and oiled after use. Maintenance runs 6 positive mentions against 8 negative here, and the disagreement is over whether that routine is a chore or a habit, not over whether it exists. Enameled cast iron removes the seasoning step, and the same evidence records the enamel as the more fragile surface. One person here has cooked on the same skillet for 35 years, and he never says what he did to keep it.
6 claims behind this section
You want to wash and dry these pan thoroughly and lightly oil them each time after use to prevent rust and build up that non-stick surface.
Cites maintenance (against), rust resistance (against)
You also never wanna leave these pans soaking in the sink, so if you're that type of cook, maybe cast iron isn't for you.
In the meantime, just make sure to dry it thoroughly after washing, otherwise it can rust.
Cites maintenance (against), rust resistance (against), seasoning durability (against)
I feel from my friends that have iron cast pans and from videos I saw online, because before I bought this stainless steel one, I was thinking what should I buy, I had the feeling that iron cast pans are a bit like Tamagotchi that you need to take care of it, and you need to make sure to not cook specific things, like…
Cites maintenance (against)
Enameled cast iron is essentially the same as traditional cast iron, but it's coated in a thin layer of hardened glass. This enamel acts as a permanent barrier that prevents rust and eliminates the need for seasoning.
Cites maintenance, rust resistance
Be warned however that this enamel coating makes these skillets less durable than their uncoated brethren.
Cites coating (against), durability (against), scratch resistance (against)
You also wanna avoid using metal utensils and scraping or banging the pan, you know it's glass, so you gotta be a little bit careful with it.
I cooked in my grandmother's pan for 35 years until one day up on the Choptank at our at our house there we'd finish breakfast and I was walking out and did the yard scraped something out of the pan into the compost pile I dropped the pan that tumbled down the stairs and I could hear it going ding-ding-ding clunk and…
Owned 35 years , no longer — stopped because the pan cracked after being dropped down the stairs
People disagree about cast iron skillets over what the upkeep costs them, not over what the upkeep is. Maintenance runs 6 positive mentions against 8 negative here, and both sides describe the same short list of jobs. Hannah, who tests cookware for America's Test Kitchen, tells owners to wash, dry and lightly oil a traditional pan every time. Prudent Reviews, who tests large numbers of pans head to head, repeats that and calls seasoning easy and rarely needed. Yair, a home cook who bought stainless steel instead, contradicts neither. He priced the same routine and refused it, calling cast iron "a bit like Tamagotchi that you need to take care of".
The arguments a reader arrives with are not close. Durability draws 15 positive mentions against 2 here, and heat retention 13 against 3. Kent Rollins, speaking on the Cowboy Kent Rollins channel, calls a skillet an investment that outlasts everything else and gets passed down. MQ, a cookware reviewer, is the one dissent: a stovetop test "dispels the myth of cast iron" being best at holding heat.
Surface finish is where the maintenance question stops being about the cook. It runs 4 positive against 4 negative. Isaac Morton, who founded Smithey Ironware, says most modern cast iron carries a sandy surface that is difficult to clean. Kent Rollins says a skillet bought new in a shop "feels like gritty pavement". Adam, who tests equipment for America's Test Kitchen, reports that testers liked the smooth-finished pans because those cleaned easily.
8 claims behind this section
You want to wash and dry these pan thoroughly and lightly oil them each time after use to prevent rust and build up that non-stick surface.
Cites maintenance (against), rust resistance (against)
You also never wanna leave these pans soaking in the sink, so if you're that type of cook, maybe cast iron isn't for you.
Although cast iron without seasoning will rust, the seasoning process is easy and you don't need to do it often
Cites durability (against), rust resistance (against)
However, cast iron is actually brittle. It contains about 98% iron and 2% carbon. The carbon adds hardness but also makes the material more brittle
Unlike other metals like aluminum and steel, cast iron isn't ductile, which means it will break before it bends
If you drop a cast iron skillet or subject it to extreme pressure, especially against a hard or pointed surface, it can crack and break
I feel from my friends that have iron cast pans and from videos I saw online, because before I bought this stainless steel one, I was thinking what should I buy, I had the feeling that iron cast pans are a bit like Tamagotchi that you need to take care of it, and you need to make sure to not cook specific things, like…
Cites maintenance (against)
always told you that cast iron is an investment it's going to outlast everything else you got each one of these Skillets if you take care of it will last you a lifetime and you can pass down from generation to generation to generation
Cites durability
and once again this result with the liquidus on the stove it kind of dispels the myth of cast iron being able to being the best at retaining heat
Cites heat retention (against)
The cast iron market wasn't really delivering what it had a hundred years ago, and there wasn't a good reason for that. And most modern cast iron is rough and has this sandy surface, it's difficult to clean and it's not quite as enjoyable to cook on.
Cites surface finish (against)
you're not going to find that on a lot of iron anymore you go to the store and you buy some it feels like gritty pavement
Cites surface finish (against)
Testers love these smooth finishes because they were super easy to clean.
Cites ease of cleaning, non-stick surface, seasoning durability
These were easy to clean, easy to season, they had great stick resistance, so that was a real benefit.
40 of the 109 claims about cast iron skillets here are negative or mixed, and they are about three different things. Quality Collapse grants two of them outright: critics say the pan is heavy and needs maintenance, and "they are right".
Food that will not behave is the largest group. Zoe Carter, a home cook who keeps parrots and buys on safety, says an over-easy egg is the hardest thing to cook in cast iron. I Heart RVing, who reviews gear for an RV magazine, describes standing over the pan pushing food about with tongs. Uncle Scott, a self-funded reviewer who buys what he reviews, blames the shape: walls too tall to turn an egg in. Hannah adds acid, warning that long-simmered tomatoes strip the seasoning from a traditional pan.
Heat is the second group, and it runs against the reputation. Prudent Reviews records that a cast iron skillet is slow to heat and that the metal conducts poorly. Jed, who sells the cookware he recommends at Cook Culture, says cast iron does not take up energy as fast as the clad pan he compares it with. Adam found lightweight cast iron browned less evenly than heavy, which he puts down to mass.
Breakage is the third. Dennis Powell, who founded a cast iron cookware manufacturer, dropped his grandmother's pan down the stairs and heard it crack. Prudent Reviews bought a vintage skillet that arrived already warped. On enameled pans Hannah records cracking under uneven expansion, a stickier surface, and less durability than bare iron.
14 claims behind this section
Critics will say it is heavy. They will say it requires maintenance. They are right.
Cites maintenance (against), weight (against)
the most difficult thing to cook on l cruset or any cast iron for that matter is over easy eggs or over medium eggs anytime you need to cook an egg and then flip it over to the other side it is extremely difficult
Cites non-stick surface (against)
you've seen it stick to cast iron and you've got to stand over it and push it around with tongs
Cites non-stick surface (against)
cast iron skillets are not really known for flipping eggs, so the side walls are too tall, etc., etc.
Cites shape and form (against)
Acidic foods like tomatoes can strip the seasoning from traditional cast iron if simmered for too long in the pan.
Cites acid resistance (against)
Like any other cast iron skillet, it takes a little while to heat up.
Cites heating speed (against)
One thing that carbon steel and cast iron have in common is that the material itself doesn’t conduct heat well.
Cites heat conduction (against), heat control (against), non-stick surface (against)
One thing that carbon steel and cast iron have in common is that the material itself doesn’t conduct heat well.
When you turn the heat down on a cast iron pan, it takes a while for it to cool down. The downside of this is that you need to pay close attention when cooking. If you don’t, the pan can quickly overheat and burn your food.
Certain meats might stick slightly, but if you leave them for a minute and allow a crust to form, they will naturally release from the pan.
However, you still need oil or butter and if the seasoning is worn down in some spots, delicate foods like omelets and scrambled eggs can still stick.
The downside to stainless steel and enameled cast iron is that delicate foods like eggs and fish are more prone to sticking.
The downside to stainless steel and enameled cast iron is that delicate foods like eggs and fish are more prone to sticking.
so cast doesn't absorb energy as quickly as atlantis atlantis really is amazing how fast
Cites heating speed (against)
But you know, in our test, testers found that actually it didn't sear or brown food quite as evenly. It ran a little bit hot because it was a little bit lighter, and simple formula, less mass, less heat retention, less even browning.
Cites even heating (against), heat retention (against), weight
I dropped the pan that tumbled down the stairs and I could hear it going ding-ding-ding clunk and on the clunk I knew that it had that it had cracked
This skillet was already slightly warped when I bought it, which is one of the risks with vintage cookware.
Cites warp resistance (against)
The enamel coating can sometimes heat and expand and retract at different rates, which can lead to cracking, an issue called crazing.
Cites crazing (against), non-stick surface (against)
While some manufacturers claim their pans will do this and become more non-stick with use, in our hands-on testing experience, we found that not to be the case.
Be warned however that this enamel coating makes these skillets less durable than their uncoated brethren.
Cites coating (against), durability (against), scratch resistance (against)
You also wanna avoid using metal utensils and scraping or banging the pan, you know it's glass, so you gotta be a little bit careful with it.
The enamel isn't toxic, but you certainly don't want that in your food and it does make the surface more sticky.
Cites non-stick surface (against)
Another downside, don't expect enamel cast iron skillets to be or become non-stick.
If you cook eggs most mornings, three people here describe the same trouble from different angles: Zoe Carter finds an over-easy egg the hardest thing to manage in cast iron, I Heart RVing works at stuck food with tongs, and Uncle Scott says a skillet's walls are the wrong shape for turning one.
If acid is routine in your kitchen, Hannah's warning about long-simmered tomatoes applies to bare cast iron, and on Prudent Reviews' account the enamel coating removes that problem along with the seasoning.
If lifting is the constraint, Yair states it plainly: his wife cannot move a cast iron pan around the kitchen easily. Hannah records that enameled pans tend to be lighter than traditional ones.
And if you are buying new, the finish decides how much work the pan will be. Kent Rollins tells buyers to look for a milled surface, and Adam's testers found the smooth pans easiest to clean.
9 claims behind this section
the most difficult thing to cook on l cruset or any cast iron for that matter is over easy eggs or over medium eggs anytime you need to cook an egg and then flip it over to the other side it is extremely difficult
Cites non-stick surface (against)
you've seen it stick to cast iron and you've got to stand over it and push it around with tongs
Cites non-stick surface (against)
cast iron skillets are not really known for flipping eggs, so the side walls are too tall, etc., etc.
Cites shape and form (against)
Acidic foods like tomatoes can strip the seasoning from traditional cast iron if simmered for too long in the pan.
Cites acid resistance (against)
Enameled cast iron is essentially the same as traditional cast iron, but it's coated in a thin layer of hardened glass. This enamel acts as a permanent barrier that prevents rust and eliminates the need for seasoning.
Cites maintenance, rust resistance
And it's very heavy also, so my wife won't be able to use it because she won't be able to lift the pan easily from place to place.
Cites weight (against)
if you want cast iron but would like a lighter pan look to enamel, they tend to be lighter than traditional
Cites weight
where ever you get your good cast iron look for that good milled finish
Cites surface finish
Testers love these smooth finishes because they were super easy to clean.
Cites ease of cleaning, non-stick surface, seasoning durability
These were easy to clean, easy to season, they had great stick resistance, so that was a real benefit.
Nobody here reports owning a cast iron skillet longer than 420 months, and that figure belongs to a pan Dennis Powell inherited and then broke. No other person on this page states how long they have owned anything at all, so nothing here records what the maintenance routine looks like after a decade of it.
Prudent Reviews alone holds 22 of the 109 claims and Hannah 16, which makes a fifth of this page one reviewer. 8 claims carry no named speaker and are used here without one.
No claim on this page names a particular skillet. This page cannot tell you which one to buy.
1 claim behind this section
I cooked in my grandmother's pan for 35 years until one day up on the Choptank at our at our house there we'd finish breakfast and I was walking out and did the yard scraped something out of the pan into the compost pile I dropped the pan that tumbled down the stairs and I could hear it going ding-ding-ding clunk and…
Owned 35 years , no longer — stopped because the pan cracked after being dropped down the stairs
One claim on this page carries a declared interest, and it is the only paid voice here. STAUB USA, the brand's own channel, says enameled cast iron distributes heat evenly and sears proteins well. That is a claim about the category the company sells into, made by the company.
The sheet records three other commercial positions and does not flag any of them as a disclosure, which is worth a reader's attention. Isaac Morton founded Smithey Ironware, and his complaint that modern cast iron is rough and sandy is a complaint about the market he entered. Dennis Powell founded a cast iron cookware manufacturer and argues the same case about wall thickness and smoothness. Jed sells the cookware he recommends at Cook Culture, and his claims here run both ways: cast iron spreads heat well once it is hot, and it takes up energy more slowly than a pan he sells alongside it.
None of those three is marked sponsored, employed or gifted in the graph. Their interest sits in what they make and sell rather than in who paid for the video, and this page carries it as a description rather than as a disclosure.
5 claims behind this section
one of the reasons I love enameled cast iron is because it has a very even heat distribution and it is perfect for searing proteins
Cites even heating
The cast iron market wasn't really delivering what it had a hundred years ago, and there wasn't a good reason for that. And most modern cast iron is rough and has this sandy surface, it's difficult to clean and it's not quite as enjoyable to cook on.
Cites surface finish (against)
there is not any cast iron produced in the United States that's made that down at that wall thickness there is not in a cast iron that's made at that's smoothness
Cites surface finish (against)
but the heat retention and the distribution like when you've heated up a nice big piece of cast and you've got that constant heat under it it just distributes so incredibly well and it allows for the flexibility of cooking
Cites even heating, heat retention, versatility
so cast doesn't absorb energy as quickly as atlantis atlantis really is amazing how fast
Cites heating speed (against)
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.
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.
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
Learn to cook simply and efficiently when you don't have hours to spend in the kitchen.
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On this channel we mainly talk about cookware. We look at the technicalities and science of each piece of cookware to a level not usually seen elsewhere. We don't just look at the cookware itself, we look at how it will work with your kitchen setup at home. We do cookware reviews, first impressions, we look at the value proposition of each piece, and sometimes we do cooking tests. Most importantly, there is no "political correctness" on this channel. Everything we say is 100% our honest and sometimes "brutal" opinion.
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