this cooks perfectly fine. Like needs nothing. It is rough. Yeah, it is.
Cites surface finish (against), non-stick surface
bad is in the pan. It's probably the cook is you.
Articles · Where two groups agree
What chef and beginners both recommend
Chefs and beginners agree on six products, and the two owners who timed theirs longest both own a Staub, at exactly two years each.
About Chef and Beginners.
We have not used any of these ourselves. We read 33 sources and structured what 9 people said. Of the 23 quotes below, 10 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 9 people, 33 sources and 356 recorded claims. A declared interest is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.
The answer
Chefs and beginners converge on six products, and the clearest picks come from people speaking for themselves. Papa Mau, who owns a Lodge, says it cooks fine despite the rough surface, and Uncle Scott, who bought his own All-Clad D3, says he likes it a lot and that other buyers cannot go wrong starting there. Prudent Reviews, a cookware reviewer who discloses an affiliate interest on some tests, holds 76% of everything said about all six.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 2 people
what i said is set your base level at d3 and then go from there kind of as budget and needs dictate and you can't go wrong
Cites price
so guess what i tried a d3 and i like it i like it a lot
Cites build quality, weight
i really do like this all clad d3 stainless steel frying pan been cooking in it heavily for about six months now so it's part of my go-to frying pan rotation it's easy to move around seems to be well made and most importantly it produces a ton of delicious food it gets a thumbs up
| Product | Cited in favour | Cited against | Voices | Declared interest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge cast iron skillet | durability (1), heat retention (1) | handle (1), surface finish (1) | 2 voices | none declared |
| Field cast iron skillet | none recorded | heat retention (1), maintenance (1) | 3 voices | 1 of 3 |
| Smithey cast iron skillet | base and rim (1), durability (1) | price (1), weight (1) | 1 voice | none declared |
| Staub dutch oven | appearance (1), coating (1) | handle (1), heat resistance (1) | 2 voices | 1 of 2 |
| All-Clad stainless pan | build quality (2), price (1) | handle (1) | 3 voices | 1 of 3 |
Where people disagree
- Prudent Reviews calls the Smithey's handle among the best it has tested, then faults the Staub's for having the smallest overall depth and length of any Dutch oven 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 price, Prudent Reviews calls the Lodge's cost incredible value, while arguing the Le Creuset's performance is matched by cheaper Dutch ovens.
The 6 quotes behind this, from 1 person · 3 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
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
they have the smallest overall depth and length of all Dutch ovens I tested
Cites handle (against), heat resistance (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 knob diameter is also the smallest in the group
One downside is that the lid knob got extremely hot during testing, with the second-highest temperature of all brands.
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)
The Lodge Classic is also a great option if you want something more substantial, and the value is incredible.
Cites price
Although the performance is great, the same could be said for much cheaper Dutch ovens, especially since they’re all made with the materials - cast iron with an enamel coating.
Cites price (against)
Le Creuset Dutch ovens are significantly more expensive than brands like Lodge, Tramontina, and many others. And based on my testing, you’re not getting any meaningful advantages in performance.
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.
Papa Mau, who owns one, says it cooks fine despite the roughness. No one among the 9 people quoted states how long they have owned a Lodge.
The 4 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
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 5:01.
Cites surface finish (against), non-stick surface
The Field cast iron skillet's heat retention is probably the objection: Prudent Reviews found it "had the second lowest heat retention in the group," for its thinner walls.
At $215, the same reviewer says it is only worth buying for a lightweight skillet that heats up fast. Uncle Scott, who bought his own, spent a month and a half still fighting the seasoning break-in and getting eggs to stick, while Kent Rollins, sent his free, found the same span left his a mottled bronze rather than solid black.
No account among the 9 people quoted runs longer than two months with a Field.
The 4 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 3 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 9:02.
Cites heat retention (against)
At $215, this skillet is only worth buying if you want a lightweight skillet that heats up fast.
Cites price
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'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 Smithey cast iron skillet may cost more than it needs to: Prudent Reviews says it is "heavy and expensive," though it argues that the pan will last a lifetime.
The same reviewer calls it the best overall skillet, crediting the heat retention and one of the better-designed handles among six it tested. After more than two years, it still reaches for it more than most of what it owns.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 1 person · 1 objecting
It's heavy and expensive, but it will last a lifetime, so it's worth the investment.
Cites durability, price (against), weight (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 5:32.
Cites base and rim, handle, heat retention, non-stick surface
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
The Staub dutch oven's handle is probably the objection: Prudent Reviews says it has "the smallest overall depth and length" of any Dutch oven it tested.
Chef Kevin Riese, who states no sponsorship, has cooked in his for two years, about twice a week, using only wood or plastic utensils, and says it looks "pretty much the same as i got it two years ago." Prudent Reviews, disclosing an affiliate interest on many of its Staub claims, still calls the enamel finish flawless and high-end. Most of what is said about the Staub carries a declared interest, more than for any other product both groups back.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 1 objecting · 2 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 8:33.
Cites handle (against), heat resistance (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.”
okay i've been using this two years not every day perhaps twice a week so take a look at the interior
Owned 2 years
The enamel finish is flawless, and the whole pot has a truly high-end look and feel, as it should at this price point.
Cites appearance, coating
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 All-Clad stainless pan may not be as comfortable to hold as it looks: Prudent Reviews says the handle's deep groove is "not the most comfortable design to hold."
Uncle Scott, who bought his own D3, says he likes it a lot and tells other buyers they cannot go wrong starting there. David Chang, speaking under a sponsorship, calls it one of the very few things America produces built to that standard.
No one among the 9 people quoted states how long they have owned an All-Clad.
The 4 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 1 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
Beside price, the main downside is the handle. It has a deep groove on top that prevents your hand from slipping, but it's not the most comfortable design to hold.
Cites handle (against)
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 0:30.
Cites build quality, weight
what I'm most excited about this pan is that it's an all clad this is one of the very few things that America produces that is like Best in Class
Cites build quality
David Chang paid by this brand. Stated in the source: “I feel like one of those Hair Club for Men guys it's like not only do I like sponsor this like I use it myself”
How long each one lasts
The longest timed figures both belong to Chef Kevin Riese: two years on a Staub, said twice, in 2021. He cooks in it about twice a week, using only wood or plastic utensils.
Kent Rollins and Uncle Scott each put a month and a half on a Field, in 2018 and 2026. Prudent Reviews has used a Smithey for just over two years, and separately calls it, more skeptically, heavy and expensive but built to last a lifetime.
Papa Mau's ninety-year figure belongs to a piece of steel wool he owns, not to the Lodge he compares it against.
The 7 quotes behind this, from 5 people · 3 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
here but there are no stains no chips no scratches i don't use metal i always use wood or plastic like they want you to and it's it's pretty much the same as i got it two years ago
Cites coating durability, maintenance, scratch resistance, surface finish
Owned 2 years
too worried about that and the top same thing looks pretty much brand new inside and outside
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:33.
Owned 2 years
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
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 5:32.
Cites durability, price (against), weight (against)
compare that to my 90 years old grease wool. Yeah, massive difference.
Cites surface finish (against)
What happens over time
Chef Kevin Riese, two years into a Staub, reports no stains, no chips and no scratches, using only wood or plastic and cooking in it about twice a week: a consistent, unhurried account rather than a stress test.
Kent Rollins and Uncle Scott each logged a month and a half on a Field, in 2018 and 2026, and read the same span differently: Kent Rollins accepts the mottled bronze color as normal for cast iron, while Uncle Scott is still troubleshooting the seasoning break-in. Prudent Reviews, two years into a Smithey, still reaches for it more than most of what it owns.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 1 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:04.
Cites coating durability, maintenance, scratch resistance, surface finish
Owned 2 years
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:33.
Owned 2 years
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
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:31.
Cites maintenance (against), seasoning durability (against)
Owned 2 months
Also named, on thinner evidence
One more product is named on this sheet without enough behind it for its own section: the Le Creuset dutch oven, resting on four recommenders. Thin coverage is not a verdict against it; it is simply what these 33 sources can carry.
The quote behind this, from 1 person · 1 objecting
Who wants what
Chef Kevin Riese, who discloses no sponsorship, describes the Staub in the unhurried language of someone who just cooks in it twice a week; Prudent Reviews, testing the same line, measures its handle depth and tracks which of its claims carry a declared interest. Papa Mau, a home cook, accepts the Lodge's rough factory finish as part of the deal, where Prudent Reviews treats the same roughness as a trade-off against how well it holds seasoning.
The 4 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 2 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:04.
Cites coating durability, maintenance, scratch resistance, surface finish
Owned 2 years
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 8:33.
Cites handle (against), heat resistance (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.”
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 5:01.
Cites surface finish (against), non-stick surface
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)
What the evidence suggests
- Choose the Lodge cast iron skillet if price and long-term seasoning matter most: Prudent Reviews says it will last a lifetime for under $30.
- Choose the Staub dutch oven if you want an even, unhurried account and can live with a smaller handle: Chef Kevin Riese, two years in, reports no stains, chips or scratches.
- Choose the All-Clad D3 if you want a mid-priced stainless pan: Uncle Scott, who bought his own, says other buyers cannot go wrong starting there.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 3 people
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 10:33.
Cites durability, price
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:04.
Cites coating durability, maintenance, scratch resistance, surface finish
Owned 2 years
What the evidence doesn’t tell us
Prudent Reviews alone holds 269 of the 356 claims in these 33 sources, 76% of everything in scope, so most of these six products' cases rest on one reviewer's testing. None of the 9 people quoted claims to have owned anything longer than the 24 months behind the Staub accounts. Three products carry no ownership duration behind them at all.
The quote behind this, from 1 person
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:04.
Cites coating durability, maintenance, scratch resistance, surface finish
Owned 2 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.
Uncle Scott
Our Motto: You can never have too much great cookware and kitchen gear. Our Philosophy: If you have great equipment and great ingredients, with a little practice you can cook any dish in the world. At USK, we make recipes, review frying pans, deep fryers, knives, grain mills, gadgets, pots and pans, and anything else you might find in a high-end kitchen. We teach people how to season carbon steel and cast iron pans, show people the proper way to cook eggs, tell a few jokes, and cook delicious meals. We really like high quality brands such as De Buyer, Falk, Matfer, Lodge, Smithey, Mauviel, Le Creuset, live, Staub, Breville, and others. And, importantly, Uncle Scott buys all of the products he reviews with his own money, and unlike many cookware channels, no free items are accepted for review. This keeps Uncle Scott's reviews genuine, trustworthy, and unbiased. Any sponsored videos or affiliate sales links are clearly labelled.
Chef Kevin Riese
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! 🔥
David Chang
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
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.
- All-Clad D3: As good as they say?
- Best Cast Iron Skillet? I Tested Lodge, Smithey, Field, Stargazer, & Calphalon
- Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
- Best Non-Toxic Cookware? I Tested All-Clad, Made In, Le Creuset & More
- Don't Buy Le Creuset Until You Watch This (Test Results)
- Field Cast Iron Review: Egg Problems & Great Gratins
- Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review
- Field Company Review: Best Lightweight Cast Iron?
- I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst
- I Tested the World's Most Expensive Cookware (Which Brands Are Worth It?)
- Momofuku's David Chang Reveals What You Need in Your Kitchen | GQ
- Staub Cocotte After Two Years of Use.
- 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 2026-09-17
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.