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
Articles · brand_verdict
Is Lodge any good? What 21 people say
Seven people fault Lodge's rough factory finish, and only Papa Mau defends it outright, across these 37 sources.
About Lodge.
We have not used any of these ourselves. We read 37 sources and structured what 21 people said. Of the 26 quotes below, 13 are complaints and 6 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 21 people, 37 sources and 196 recorded claims. A declared interest is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.
The answer
Three named voices back Lodge as a value pick: Julia Collin Davison, of America's Test Kitchen, calls the 12-inch skillet the best buy against a $200 Smithey, and Prudent Reviews, some of whose picks carry a declared interest, separately recommends the Lodge Essential Enamel Dutch oven on the same grounds. Papa Mau, a home cook, says his skillet cooks eggs fine despite its rough factory finish. Whether that roughness is worth the savings for a cook who minds it is not something these 37 sources settle.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 3 people · 1 with a declared interest
If you're looking for the best value, I recommend the Lodge Essential Enamel Dutch oven.
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.”
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.
Where people disagree
- Price draws the most one-sided praise across the line: BBQ and Bottles calls a $20 Lodge skillet the "winner from the price standpoint" against pricier rivals. Chef Matt is the rare dissent, saying secondhand Lodge cookware at a thrift store can cost "just as much or nearly as much as what I could buy."
- Handle comfort splits closer to even: Prudent Reviews faults Lodge's cast iron handle directly, saying the edges feel sharp and "dig into your hands." An unnamed reviewer with an affiliate interest calls the carbon steel pan's handle a decent weight that works adequately fine to start with.
- Heat retention favors Lodge more than it doesn't: Prudent Reviews ranked a Lodge skillet's heat retention above every other skillet in its 12-way test. KUKpro Thermometer, testing the 12-inch skillet against a stainless steel pan, came away pretty disappointed in the cast iron results.
- Weight is the closest thing to a real split: Uncle Scott, who earns an affiliate commission on the brand, calls a 15-pound Dutch oven a sturdy piece of cookware. Hannah Crowley, of America's Test Kitchen, counts a Lodge skillet the heaviest of the three options she tested.
The 8 quotes behind this, from 6 people · 4 objecting · 2 with a declared interest
the field company this is 160 and you know those are directionally in and around the same prices for some really nice bespoke cast iron and of course the field and company coming in a little bit cheaper and i think that just has to do with the amount of weight or material of iron actually used in it relative to the…
Cites price
but at the thrift store maybe they just aren't really priced that competitively in fact I've seen Lodge cookware that's pretty beat up at the thrift store that cost just as much or nearly as much as what I could buy new
Cites price (against)
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)
they are what they are they are carbon steel a decent weight they are lodges traditional kind of candy coating uh vegetable based non-stick which works adequately fine to start with
Cites handle, shape and form, weight
The speaker earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “I sell Lodge I promote Lodge I actually have some of these in our stores now to sell”
so hold the handles here the handle on the launch still quite good handle on the map for way too hot and of course silicone cover on the Oxo so that's not a problem but um yeah no I can't hold the mat for one anymore the lodge is totally fine which is super nice
uh it works really well I really love the long handle uh Lodge cast iron pans I dislike the short handle these guys have a nice long handle I really enjoy that
uh I think the shape of it is excellent the weight of it is balanced
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.
it's pretty clear the stainless steel pan resulted in the better sear at this point I'm pretty disappointed in the cast iron results
Cites heat retention (against)
both pans are over the same medium-high heat but now I'm thinking the extra mass of the cast iron pan is acting like a heat sink and sucking away the heat
here's the cast iron ribeye you can see a slight sear along the edges but it's not exactly what I was expecting I'm really kind of disappointed with these results
This lodge is pushing 15 pounds. Holy cow, that is a sturdy piece of cookware.
Cites weight
Uncle Scott earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “USK currently has affiliate links and/or influencer links with Amazon, Falk, De Buyer, Thermoworks, Breville, Lodge, Smithey and others.”
but it's also the heaviest of the three options at eight pounds
Cites weight (against)
Lodge's cast iron skillet is the best-evidenced product in this guide, and its rough factory surface is the complaint that recurs most: Kent Rollins says it "disappoints me the most in seasoning" of any skillet he tested, straight out of the box.
Prudent Reviews, some of whose Lodge picks carry an affiliate interest, still calls it able to last a lifetime for under $30, and says it "had the best heat retention of all 12 skillets" it tested. Quality Collapse calls it indestructible enough to survive a campfire or concrete. Prudent Reviews also faults the handle's edges, which "feel sharp and dig into your hands," and Hannah Crowley counts it the heaviest of the three skillets she compared, at eight pounds. No one among the 21 people quoted states how long they have personally owned one.
The 6 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 3 objecting · 1 with a declared interest
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)
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.
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:30.
Cites heat retention, price
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)
Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Lodge's 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven may be its least admired enameled piece on this evidence: Liz, of BestReviews, notes browning stains that "didn't come out when cleaning," marking it down to a 7 out of 10.
Liz still credits it for retaining and distributing heat evenly, and for handles that grip well when pouring, though she also found they got very hot in use. Product Reviews, relaying rather than testing directly, says its heat control isn't as precise for slow cooking, and separately notes the enamel may not be as durable as some rivals', citing other owners' reports of chipping.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 2 people · 4 objecting
while the lodge was a pretty quick cleanup there was some Browning we noticed from the oven that didn't come out when cleaning taking it down to a 7 out of 10
Cites appearance (against)
the lodge 6q enameled cast iron Dutch oven is a versatile and durable piece of cookware known for its ability to retain and distribute heat evenly
Cites even heating, non-stick surface, ease of cleaning, even heating, heat retention
all four ovens scored a perfect 10 out of 10 for heat retention and evenness of cooking
the L cruset Lodge and stove have a non-stick enamel finish over the interior and exterior of the pots Amazon does not have enamel but instead is pre-seasoned lay cruset and Lodge each scored Perfect 10 out of 10 however we did notice some veggies sticking to the bottom of both the stove and Amazon dutch ovens while…
its heat control isn't as precise affecting slow cooking recipes
Cites heat control (against)
however the enamel coating on Lodge may not be as durable as that of stab or lacruse with some users reporting chipping over time
Cites coating durability (against)
Lodge Dutch oven
The Lodge Dutch oven may be the brand's roughest-finished piece on this evidence: The Knife Wizard, in 2015, describes lots and lots of orange peel on both the pot and the lid, calling it a budget-conscious finish next to pricier enameled cookware.
The same reviewer still calls it built to last, saying it and its rivals will survive years of hard use before failing, though he adds he would rather buy a competitor he could resell for 75% of what he paid. Nothing else on this evidence speaks to this specific Dutch oven.
The 3 quotes behind this, from 1 person · 2 objecting
the finish on the lodge is definitely a more uh bargain finish I would say it has lots and lots of orange peel it's not polished there are definitely little pin marks and pin holes everywhere uh it's just sort of a you you can tell they're trying to save money and make it a bit more budget conscious the same is very…
Cites surface finish (against)
all I know is that these are both things that are going to last you pretty much forever until you drop it and break a hole through your floor
Cites durability
so in my mind and I'll give you my opinion in my mind I would much rather buy a l cruset knowing that if I ever wanted to sell it I could get 75% of what I paid for it back without any hassle then try to save some money and get this have a subpar product and at the end of the day never be able to sell it and get my…
Cites build quality (against)
Lodge's carbon steel pan carries this evidence's sharpest texture complaint: Prudent Reviews calls it "the roughest texture of all the pans" it tested, though the same reviewer also says it has gone dozens of cooks without needing to be re-seasoned.
One reviewer with an affiliate interest calls the coating a decent weight that works adequately fine to start with, and another, also disclosed, says the coating stands up very very very well over time. One more voice, unattributed, argues that at a similar price a French-made pan would be the better buy.
The 5 quotes behind this, from 1 person · 2 objecting · 3 with a declared interest
The biggest thing you need to know about this pan is that it has the roughest texture of all the pans I tested.
Cites ergonomics (against)
I've cooked on this pan dozens of times and haven't had to re-season it, which isn't the case with other pans I've tested.
Cites seasoning durability
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 1:30.
Cites handle, shape and form, weight
The speaker earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “I sell Lodge I promote Lodge I actually have some of these in our stores now to sell”
I'm 100 convinced that this pan would perform over time I know the lodge coating it stands up very very very well and you can build a really good coating on it
Cites coating durability, ease of cleaning
The speaker earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “I promote it and I definitely will keep it in our stock”
okay so a quick clean up there of that Lodge pan and it's in great shape so I would do a quick post seasoning of this uh and then ready to go the next time
when it comes to buying a pan within the price range if you could buy a French made pan for the same price then I wouldn't probably choose a lodge I would buy Dubai or buy my fur
Cites price (against)
The speaker earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “I promote it and I definitely will keep it in our stock”
Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet
Lodge's 12-inch cast iron skillet has only one voice on this evidence, KUKpro Thermometer, and it is not favorable: testing it against a stainless steel pan, the reviewer found the sear left them "pretty disappointed in the cast iron results."
We do not know whether that single test is typical, since nothing else on this evidence speaks to this specific listing.
The quote behind this, from 1 person · 1 objecting
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 3:31.
Cites heat retention (against)
Also named, on thinner evidence
Five more Lodge products are named on this evidence with too little behind them for a verdict of their own: the Lodge Essential Enamel, the Lodge enameled cast iron Dutch oven, the Lodge USA Enamel 6qt Dutch oven, the Lodge reversible cast iron griddle, and a listing recorded simply as Lodge cast iron. Every voice on the enameled Dutch oven, the USA Enamel Dutch oven and the reversible griddle carries a declared interest in the brand. Naming them is not a verdict; it is a record of what this evidence is too thin to judge.
Who wants what
Cookware reviewers and home cooks supply most of the testing and daily-use evidence on Lodge: Prudent Reviews, Hannah Crowley and Adam Ried test it against named rivals, while Papa Mau and Christopher Scott describe using one at home. The clearest divergence is inside the buy-it-for-life audience itself: The Knife Wizard, who identifies with that group, still says he would rather buy a competitor he could resell for 75% of what he paid, rather than accept Lodge's rougher finish. Chefs and professional kitchens appear only a handful of times each in this evidence, too thin to say whether their preferences differ from home cooks' at all.
The quote behind this, from 1 person · 1 objecting
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 3:38.
Cites build quality (against)
What the evidence suggests
- Choose Lodge if price is what decides it: Julia Collin Davison and BBQ and Bottles both point to it as the clear value pick against pricier rivals.
- Choose Lodge if you want the reviewer with the most hours on record: Prudent Reviews, some of whose picks carry a declared interest, still rates its heat retention best of the 12 skillets it tested.
- Choose a smoother-finished pan instead if a rough factory surface bothers you: Kent Rollins and Prudent Reviews both name that roughness as Lodge's most repeated complaint.
- Choose neither the enameled Dutch oven nor the reversible griddle on their own accounts if you want more than one voice: every claim about each of them on this evidence comes from Uncle Scott and The Homesteaders Honest Review Show, and both carry a declared interest in Lodge.
The 4 quotes behind this, from 4 people · 1 objecting
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 2:30.
Cites heat retention, price
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 9:02.
Cites seasoning durability (against), surface finish (against)
What the evidence doesn’t tell us
Prudent Reviews alone holds 68 of the 196 claims in scope, more than a third of everything said about Lodge. No one among the 21 people quoted states how long they have personally owned any Lodge product, which is a real gap for a brand best known for lasting decades. Every voice on the enameled Dutch oven, the USA Enamel Dutch oven and the reversible griddle carries a declared interest in the brand. None of these 37 sources has compared more than a few Lodge products against each other in one sitting, so this piece rests on many separate reviewers describing many separate pieces rather than one buyer's full kitchen.
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.
Liz
The Knife Wizard
Arguably, one of the most important purchases you are going to make for your kitchen is your knife set. Proper knifes are what separate the amateur from the professional chef— a good set not only give you cleaner, safer cuts, but also give you the proper mindset that helps you grow your skills. This all started because I was shocked at the terribly subpar reviews and general lack of information out there. Since I have a strong background in a variety of things including cooking, engineering, production, and whatnot, I thought that I would take it upon myself to create REAL reviews based on having the various knives in my possession. The owner of this YouTube channel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.
Product Reviews
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/
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).
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
KUKpro Thermometer
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! 🔥
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.
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.
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
- Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet
- Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- Lodge carbon steel pan
- Lodge cast iron skillet
- Lodge Dutch oven
- Lodge enameled cast iron Dutch oven
- Lodge Essential Enamel
Brands
Sources
Short quotes and deep links only. We publish no transcripts, and every quote above opens the original at the second it was spoken.
- 10-MINUTE COMPARISON: CAST IRON SKILLET vs STAINLESS STEEL SKILLET - USING A KUKPRO THERMOMETER
- Amazon Basics vs Lodge vs Staub vs Le Creuset Dutch Ovens
- Best Carbon Steel Pan? I Tested de Buyer, Lodge, Matfer & More
- Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge
- Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
- Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads
- 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?
- I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst
- Le Creuset vs. Lodge Enamel — Compare and Contrast.
- Lodge Carbon Steel VS Matfer & OXO - In depth review
- NEW: Lodge USA Enamel Review with cooking & Staub/Le Creuset comparison!
- 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
- Thrift Store Cookware | What To Buy, What To Avoid
- Top 3 Dutch Ovens 2024: Staub vs. Le Creuset vs. Lodge Review
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 2026-09-23
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.