Articles · Where two groups agree

What food writer and r/buyitforlife both recommend

Food writer and r/buyitforlife converge on two pans, and their handles split the same evidence exactly evenly.

About Food Writer and r/BuyItForLife.

We have not used any of these ourselves. We read 13 sources and structured what 6 people said. Of the 16 quotes below, 6 are complaints and 3 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 67 recorded claims. A declared interest is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.

The answer

Food writer and r/buyitforlife converge on two pans: the Lodge cast iron skillet and the Matfer carbon steel pan. Cook Culture, sent a Matfer free, calls it tremendous; Prudent Reviews, a cookware reviewer who discloses an affiliate interest on some tests, calls the Lodge Classic's value incredible and the Chef Collection's heat retention the best it measured. Prudent Reviews holds 66% of everything said about both, and none of the 6 people quoted has owned a Lodge at all.

The 3 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 1 with a declared interest

23:46 supports Cook Culture Cookware Reviewer was given the product

so you know Matt fur I would give you know a big big thumbs up I think they're tremendous I love that they have non-vivided handles onto the pans the shape of them of course are ideal I really enjoy that they the handles don't have epoxy on them and they can easily just go straight into the oven they're great

recommendation about Matfer carbon steel pan Tested it DEEP DIVE! Testing the New Matfer Carbon Steel Induction Ready Pans

Cook Culture was given the product. Stated in the source: “I'm just so super clear I'm not sponsored by Matt fur they sent me these pants to try I had no responsibility to them whatsoever to give them a positive or A negative”

really happy with these map for pans I would say to me for good carbon steel that's a 10 out of 10. I would highly highly recommend them

13:33 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

The Lodge Classic is also a great option if you want something more substantial, and the value is incredible.

recommendation about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites weight

13:33 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

The Lodge Chef Collection is lighter, easier to maneuver, and had the best heat retention in my test.

recommendation about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites heat retention, weight

What people said about each product discussed below, tallied from the quotes in this article. This is not our ranking. The number beside a reason is how many people cited it, not how many times it was said.
Voices counts everyone quoted about that product, and the last column counts how many of them had a declared commercial interest.
Product	Cited in favour	Cited against	Voices	Declared interest
Lodge cast iron skillet	durability (1), heat retention (1)	weight (2), handle (1)	2 voices	1 of 2
Matfer carbon steel pan	build quality (1), seasoning durability (1)	safety (1)	4 voices	1 of 4

Where people disagree

Cook Culture praises the Matfer's handle for carrying no epoxy and going straight into the oven, while Prudent Reviews faults the Lodge's for edges that dig into the hand.
Autodidactically Yours calls a well-seasoned Matfer the ultimate egg pan, while Prudent Reviews says the Lodge's rougher surface still passes the egg test without sticking.
Autodidactically Yours says a well-bonded Matfer seasoning can be genuinely hard to strip back off; nobody among the 6 people quoted voices the opposite complaint about a Lodge.

The 5 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 3 objecting · 1 with a declared interest

23:46 supports Cook Culture Cookware Reviewer was given the product

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 23:46.

handling about Matfer carbon steel pan Tested it DEEP DIVE! Testing the New Matfer Carbon Steel Induction Ready Pans

Cites handle

5:01 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

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.

handling about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites handle (against)

7:03 supports Autodidactically Yours Food Writer

once you build up that seasoning after a couple cooks it is gonna be perfect for eggs this is actually the the you know ultimate egg pan it's what I use mine for the majority of the time

use-case fit about Matfer carbon steel pan Owns it Matfer Bourgeat Carbon Steel Pan Seasoning | Tool Tips | Kitchen Alchemy

Cites non-stick surface

6:02 mixed Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

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.

performance about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it Best Non-Toxic Cookware? I Tested All-Clad, Made In, Le Creuset & More

Cites surface finish (against), non-stick surface, seasoning durability, weight (against)

1:00 objects Autodidactically Yours Food Writer

now some people have a lot of trouble getting off because it's actually on there real good especially for this model pan

performance about Matfer carbon steel pan Owns it Matfer Bourgeat Carbon Steel Pan Seasoning | Tool Tips | Kitchen Alchemy

Cites maintenance (against)

Lodge cast iron skillet

The Lodge cast iron skillet's handle is the objection: Prudent Reviews says its edges "dig into your hands," on a skillet it also found the thickest and heaviest in the group.

Prudent Reviews, disclosing an affiliate interest, separately singles the Lodge out as the brand it reaches for whenever cost is the priority, and measured its heat retention best of all twelve skillets it tested. Quality Collapse calls a Lodge a heavy, crude piece of iron that is nonetheless indestructible, able to take a steel brush without damage.

No one among the 6 people quoted states how long they have owned a Lodge.

The 5 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 2 objecting · 1 with a declared interest

5:01 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 5:01.

handling about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites handle (against)

1:00 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

At 5 mm thick and 8.1 lb, it's the thickest and heaviest skillet in the group.

handling about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

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.

1:30 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer earns commission on this

I can't talk about great quality, low-cost cookware without talking about Lodge.

best in class about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it Cheap Cookware That's Actually Worth Buying (And 4 Brands to Avoid)

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.”

2:30 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

Despite the lighter construction, it actually had the best heat retention of all 12 skillets.

best in class about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites heat retention, price

On the lower end, Victoria and Lodge Chef Collection are my two top picks.

1:30 supports Quality Collapse

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.

durability about Lodge cast iron skillet Passing on someone else's experience The Only 5 Cookware Brands That Still Last (The "Buy It For Life" List)

Cites durability, weight (against)

Matfer carbon steel pan

The Matfer carbon steel pan's safety record is probably the objection: Prudent Reviews says it does not recommend the pan "because of the ongoing recall situation," even though the pan passed France's national safety standards.

Cook Culture, sent theirs free, calls the pan tremendous and likes that the handle carries no epoxy and can go straight into the oven. Autodidactically Yours, nine months in as of 2021, describes watching it go from a stripped silver pan to fully blackened with seasoning. Quality Collapse notes that Matfer Bourgeat has forged pans in France since 1814.

The 5 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 2 objecting · 1 with a declared interest

12:03 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

The two pans I don't recommend are Matfer because of the ongoing recall situation and De Buyer Mineral B because of its limitations while cooking in the oven.

recommendation about Matfer carbon steel pan Tested it Best Carbon Steel Pan? I Tested de Buyer, Lodge, Matfer & More

Cites safety (against)

4:01 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

This pan passed France's national safety standards, but regional regulators found that the pan released excessive levels of arsenic, chromium, and iron when cooked in a highly acidic solution for 2 hours.

reliability about Matfer carbon steel pan Tested it Best Carbon Steel Pan? I Tested de Buyer, Lodge, Matfer & More

Cites safety (against)

23:46 supports Cook Culture Cookware Reviewer was given the product

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 23:46.

recommendation about Matfer carbon steel pan Tested it DEEP DIVE! Testing the New Matfer Carbon Steel Induction Ready Pans

0:00 supports Autodidactically Yours Food Writer

i bought it in april it's now january so after a few mishaps there's been about six months in between this being a stripped silver pan and now being completely black

durability about Matfer carbon steel pan Owns it Black Carbon Steel Pan in JUST 6 MONTHS (3 EASY STEPS)

Cites seasoning durability

Owned 9 months

i have a new larger style mat for carbon steel pan here that i got for christmas and i've used about less than 10 times and you can already see the seasoning is developing on it

6:01 supports Quality Collapse

Brands like Matfer Bourgeat, made in France since 1814, and De Buyer still forge their pans from a single sheet of steel with no coatings, no rivets, and no weak points.

durability about Matfer carbon steel pan Passing on someone else's experience The Only 5 Cookware Brands That Still Last (The "Buy It For Life" List)

Cites build quality

Who wants what

Prudent Reviews, a cookware reviewer, measures the Lodge in millimeters and degrees: wall thickness, warp angle, heat loss in an egg test. Quality Collapse, writing for r/buyitforlife, judges the same kind of pan by whether it can take abuse and keep working, calling a beat-up Lodge indestructible. Cook Culture, sent a Matfer free, praises its handle with a plain thumbs up, where Autodidactically Yours, a food writer, judges the same pan by how the seasoning develops over months of use.

The 4 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 1 objecting · 1 with a declared interest

1:00 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:00.

handling about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites handle (against), heat resistance (against), weight (against)

1:30 supports Quality Collapse

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:30.

durability about Lodge cast iron skillet Passing on someone else's experience The Only 5 Cookware Brands That Still Last (The "Buy It For Life" List)

Cites durability, weight (against)

23:46 supports Cook Culture Cookware Reviewer was given the product

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 23:46.

handling about Matfer carbon steel pan Tested it DEEP DIVE! Testing the New Matfer Carbon Steel Induction Ready Pans

Cites handle

0:00 supports Autodidactically Yours Food Writer

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 0:00.

durability about Matfer carbon steel pan Owns it Black Carbon Steel Pan in JUST 6 MONTHS (3 EASY STEPS)

Cites seasoning durability

Owned 9 months

What the evidence suggests

Choose the Lodge cast iron skillet if price and long-term seasoning matter most: Prudent Reviews says a Lodge will last a lifetime for under $30.
Choose the Matfer carbon steel pan if you want a true egg-pan surface and don't mind reseasoning after a mishap: Autodidactically Yours calls it the ultimate egg pan once its seasoning builds up.

The 2 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 1 with a declared interest

2:00 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer earns commission on this

The best part is that you can get a Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet that will last a lifetime for under $30.

value about Lodge cast iron skillet Tested it Cheap Cookware That's Actually Worth Buying (And 4 Brands to Avoid)

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.

7:03 supports Autodidactically Yours Food Writer

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 7:03.

use-case fit about Matfer carbon steel pan Owns it Matfer Bourgeat Carbon Steel Pan Seasoning | Tool Tips | Kitchen Alchemy

Cites non-stick surface

What the evidence doesn’t tell us

Prudent Reviews alone holds 44 of the 67 claims in these 13 sources, 66% of everything in scope, so much of both pans' cases rests on one reviewer's testing. None of the 6 people quoted names an ownership span longer than the nine months Autodidactically Yours states for a Matfer. Nobody quoted about the Lodge speaks as an owner at all.

The quote behind this, from 1 person

0:00 supports Autodidactically Yours Food Writer

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 0:00.

durability about Matfer carbon steel pan Owns it Black Carbon Steel Pan in JUST 6 MONTHS (3 EASY STEPS)

Cites seasoning durability

Owned 9 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

quoted on 10 points 5 against 2 with a declared interest

Cookware Reviewer, Gear Review YouTube, Home Cooks

Domain expertise: cast iron skillets (1.00), carbon steel pans (1.00), stainless steel cookware (1.00), dutch ovens (1.00)

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.

Autodidactically Yours

quoted on 3 points 1 against

Food Writer

Domain expertise: carbon steel pans (0.50)

I'm curious. Whenever I encounter something, I like to know what it is and how it works. It doesn't matter if it is a machine, culinary process, social organization, or work of art. I'm fascinated by just about everything. Once I understand something, I like to share my excitement about it with others. I've gotten pretty good at that by working as an educator for ten years. I recently moved away from that profession, so this channel is my new outlet where I will share my adventures on becoming an amateur expert in cooking, technology, and other topics. This channel is operated by Jake Nabasny, PhD. You can find my free cookbook and other texts at my personal website: https://jake.nabasny.com/

Cook Culture

quoted on 2 points 2 with a declared interest

Cookware Reviewer

Domain expertise: cookware (0.75), carbon steel pans (0.50), cast iron skillets (0.50)

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.

Quality Collapse

quoted on 2 points

No domain expertise derived for this person yet.

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

Sources

Short quotes and deep links only. We publish no transcripts, and every quote above opens the original at the second it was spoken.

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.