but it's also the heaviest of the three options at eight pounds
Cites weight (against)
Articles · A disputed claim
The same eight pounds that reviewers complain about is what holds the heat
About Lodge cast iron skillet.
12 people across 18 sources, 94 claims in scope and 35 quotes shown below. 20 are objections. 7 come from someone with a declared commercial interest, which is labelled beside the quote rather than removed.
Key messages
The Lodge's weight is the one thing its reviewers cannot agree on, and both sides are describing the same piece of metal. The people who call eight pounds a burden and the people who credit its thick iron with holding heat are not looking at different pans. Nobody in this evidence says how long they have owned theirs, so nothing here can answer how the pan behaves after years of use.
3 claims behind this section
Because of the thick construction, it heated slower than the thinner skillets, but it retained heat well.
Cites heating speed (against)
Because of the thick construction, it heated slower than the thinner skillets, but it retained heat well.
Cites heat retention, non-stick surface
Despite the rough cooking surface, the egg didn't stick at all. It didn't slide quite as freely as it did on some of the smoother skillets, but the difference was pretty minor.
This skillet performs great, but I'm not a huge fan of the handle.
Where they disagree
Kent Rollins, who reviews gear on the Cowboy Kent Rollins channel, picks up a new Lodge, points at a corner of the rim and says that if this were his daily pan he would take a grinder to it. That is the shape of the disagreement in one gesture: a working chef who keeps the pan and would cut metal off it first.
Weight is where the split is cleanest. Hannah of America's Test Kitchen puts the Lodge at "the heaviest of the three options" she compared, and her colleague Adam, reviewing equipment for the same programme, says it is heavy and leaves it there. Prudent Reviews, who tests large numbers of pans head-to-head, measured 5 mm of iron and 8.1 lb, the thickest and heaviest in the group. What nobody disputes is the number. What they dispute is whether it counts against the pan, and the case for it is a measurement too: BBQ and Bottles timed the cooling and found the Lodge and the Smithey shed 75 to 80 degrees over fifteen minutes, where two lighter skillets lost more than twice as much. Noah Klein weighed it at eight pounds on the nose and sent buyers to it anyway, on the grounds that in 2021 it saved them 280 dollars against the pan he was comparing it to.
The surface finish divides them harder, at eleven criticisms against one defence. Rollins says the factory seasoning "disappoints me the most" of the skillets in front of him, and BBQ and Bottles can hear the grain when a fingertip crosses it. Papa Mau, a home cook who sets his against a ninety-year-old pan and calls the gap massive, reports in the same breath that it cooks perfectly fine and needs nothing. The egg tests land in the same divided place: Prudent Reviews got no sticking at all from the Classic and a slight grab from the Chef Collection, while Hannah says these pans want a little fat before they will release food.
14 claims behind this section
one thing I've always thought about Lodge and some of their old stuff wasn't as bad this way this corner is pretty Sharp now if I was going to use this every every day I know what had happened to it I'd take a grinder to it
Cites safety (against), surface finish (against)
but it's also the heaviest of the three options at eight pounds
Cites weight (against)
It's heavy.
Cites weight (against)
At 5 mm thick and 8.1 lb, it's the thickest and heaviest skillet in the group.
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.
now what you'd also expect is that the heavier panes would retain their heat better and that's exactly what happened if we look at the field in the finance they both lost between 180 to 185 degrees fahrenheit over a 15 minute period while the lodge in the smithy only lost 80 to 75 degrees fahrenheit
Cites heat retention
then we got the lodge surprisingly the lodge is a little bit heavier it's eight pounds on the nose so very heavy
Cites weight
if you're somebody who just wants a really nice cast iron skillet that can cook and get the job done you can go with the lodge save yourself 280 bucks
Cites price
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)
when you touch the lodge you can hear the graininess as your finger goes across that cast iron pan that just isn't present in the other skillets here
Cites heating speed (against), non-stick surface (against), surface finish (against)
now it's not to say your lodge won't be non-stick over time as you get more cooks in under your belt but it'll take a while before the seasoning over multiple cooks gets this to the point where it's as nonstick as one of these other cast iron skillets
not surprisingly because the field and the finex were actually the lightest pans they heated up the fastest and in that initial three or so minutes on the burner we actually got both of those up to around 320 to 325 degrees while the smithy and the lodge only heated up to 200 in the case of the smithy and 225 in the…
compare that to my 90 years old grease wool. Yeah, massive difference.
Cites surface finish (against)
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.
The egg in the Lodge Classic didn’t stick at all.
Cites heat retention, non-stick surface
The egg in the Lodge Chef Collection skillet did stick a tiny bit—not much—but I had to get under it with the spatula and loosen it up.
Cites non-stick surface (against)
You will need to use a little bit of fat in these pans to get that non-stick ability.
Cites non-stick surface (against)
The objections
The handle draws the most fire, and it draws it from people who otherwise like the pan. Prudent Reviews finds it widest where it meets the skillet, narrowing to edges that "dig into your hands", and separately reports that the handles feel short and thin once an oven mitt is involved. Noah Klein calls it a basic cast iron handle with no real feel to it. For Uncle Scott — who funds his own reviews and buys the products he tests — the problem is temperature rather than shape: cook for longer than two or three minutes and you are reaching for a mitt.
Rollins is not alone in wanting to modify a new pan. Papa Mau describes grinding as common practice among owners who take the surface down completely, and BBQ and Bottles puts that job at a couple of hours, on a pan whose whole appeal is that it is cheap and needs nothing.
Smaller failures accumulate. The pour spouts are small enough that Prudent Reviews had water going over the rim when pouring quickly, and the same thick base that holds heat was measured heating more slowly than thinner skillets. BBQ and Bottles notes that no lid is offered for the size tested. Papa Mau's defence of the pan doubles as an objection: a rough surface is more technical, and the cook has to fine-tune around it.
12 claims behind this section
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)
These handles are fine when grabbing them with your bare hand, but they feel short and thin when you're wearing an oven mitt.
Cites handle (against)
the lodge the handle is just your basic cast iron handle it's kind of small it doesn't have a really good feel to it
Cites handle (against)
and then the the lodge was not manageable obviously
And then the main handle I want to point out here, it works just fine, but if you cook for more than two or three minutes or so, it gets very hot very quickly and you will need an oven mitt.
Cites handle (against)
one thing I've always thought about Lodge and some of their old stuff wasn't as bad this way this corner is pretty Sharp now if I was going to use this every every day I know what had happened to it I'd take a grinder to it
Cites safety (against), surface finish (against)
why so many people go all in and grind these pants completely
Cites surface finish (against), maintenance (against)
but again it's going to take you a couple hours to get that done
Cites maintenance (against)
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
The pour spouts are also pretty small, so water can spill over the rim if you pour too fast.
Cites base and rim (against)
Because of the thick construction, it heated slower than the thinner skillets, but it retained heat well.
Cites heating speed (against)
and neither of these two skillets do so the field the lodge no lids there this is the number 10 field cast iron the number eight does have a lid option but the number 10 doesn't
Cites lid (against)
maybe rough pan are more technical you really need to dial in fine-tune your
Cites surface finish (against)
Who this is for
The weight decides most of it. If you lift a pan on and off the heat all evening, or move it one-handed to a plate, eight pounds is the property that will decide whether you keep using it — and by Prudent Reviews' own measurement the Chef Collection is almost two pounds lighter with a slightly longer handle. If the pan mostly sits on the hob and goes into the oven, that same mass is what BBQ and Bottles measured still holding its heat a quarter of an hour later.
Technique decides the rest. Papa Mau is explicit that a rough surface asks more of the cook, and Hannah that these pans want fat before food will release. If you want a skillet that performs without being learned, the finish is a real cost. If seasoning a pan is something you were going to do anyway, Prudent Reviews — who earns commission on Lodge links — credits that same roughness with holding seasoning better.
6 claims behind this section
but it's also the heaviest of the three options at eight pounds
Cites weight (against)
The Lodge Chef Collection has the same rough cooking surface as the Lodge Classic, but the walls are a quarter inch shorter and more sloped, which makes it easier to slide a spatula under food near the edges. The handle is also slightly longer, the walls are thinner, and it's almost 2 lb lighter.
Cites base and rim, handle, weight
now what you'd also expect is that the heavier panes would retain their heat better and that's exactly what happened if we look at the field in the finance they both lost between 180 to 185 degrees fahrenheit over a 15 minute period while the lodge in the smithy only lost 80 to 75 degrees fahrenheit
Cites heat retention
maybe rough pan are more technical you really need to dial in fine-tune your
Cites surface finish (against)
You will need to use a little bit of fat in these pans to get that non-stick ability.
Cites non-stick surface (against)
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.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cites surface finish (against)
What this evidence does not cover
Prudent Reviews accounts for 35 of the 94 claims behind this page, 37% of everything on it, and that reviewer earns commission on Lodge links. No other voice here comes close to that share.
Nobody states how long they have owned their pan. Not one of the 18 sources gives a duration, which means nothing on this page speaks to how the seasoning, the surface or the handle hold up over years — the question a skillet sold as a lifetime object most needs answered.
The measurements are single runs by individual reviewers. Prudent Reviews' warp test and BBQ and Bottles' cooling figures are each reported once, by the person who ran them, and nothing here repeats either.
3 claims behind this section
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.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cites surface finish (against)
It also stayed completely flat after I heated it on a powerful induction cooktop at 425° F for 2 minutes, which was not the case with some of the others.
Cites warp resistance
now what you'd also expect is that the heavier panes would retain their heat better and that's exactly what happened if we look at the field in the finance they both lost between 180 to 185 degrees fahrenheit over a 15 minute period while the lodge in the smithy only lost 80 to 75 degrees fahrenheit
Cites heat retention
Who has an interest
Seven claims on this page come from Prudent Reviews writing as a Lodge affiliate, meaning that reviewer earns a commission when a reader buys through their links. All seven are favourable. They cover the price, the durability, the heat retention, the American manufacturing and the century the company has been in business, and they include the claim that Lodge cannot be left out of any conversation about cheap cookware worth owning.
That interest belongs against the warmest praise here. It is worth saying what the same reviewer publishes anyway. The handle edges that dig into a hand, the pour spouts that spill, the base that heats more slowly than thinner pans and the egg that needed a spatula are all findings from Prudent Reviews, and none of them flatter the pan.
Every other claim on this page carries no declared interest. Uncle Scott states that he funds his own reviews and buys what he tests; nobody else here records how they came by the pan they are describing.
11 claims behind this section
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.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cites 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.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cites durability, price
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.
I can't talk about great quality, low-cost cookware without talking about Lodge.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Their skillets are thick and durable and because they hold heat so well, they're ideal for searing, frying, and baking.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cites build quality, durability, seasoning durability
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.
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.
Their skillets are thick and durable and because they hold heat so well, they're ideal for searing, frying, and baking.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cites heat retention
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.
Besides cast iron skillets, they make enameled cast iron Dutch ovens that perform like Le Creuset but cost much less.
Their skillets are thick and durable and because they hold heat so well, they're ideal for searing, frying, and baking.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
There are many other cheap cast iron skillets on the market, but Lodge is made in America, has been in business for over a century, and has high quality standards. So you know you're getting a good product.
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.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped — a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
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)
The pour spouts are also pretty small, so water can spill over the rim if you pour too fast.
Cites base and rim (against)
Because of the thick construction, it heated slower than the thinner skillets, but it retained heat well.
Cites heating speed (against)
The egg in the Lodge Chef Collection skillet did stick a tiny bit—not much—but I had to get under it with the spatula and loosen it up.
Cites non-stick surface (against)
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.
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/
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! 🔥
Noah Klein
The official YouTube of 614Lyfe & The_Noahnator The Creator of THE HAND OF GOD The OG Nonstick Pan Man The OG Cheese Man The creator of the magic food grinder The Internets go to food experiment guy The guy who brings you some of the most satisfying videos in the Milky Way Galaxy Also Yes I am from & live in OHIO Let me know what you want to see next and I will make it happen. Booking: Johnny@olympustalentgroup.com
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
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.
Sources
Short quotes and deep links only. We publish no transcripts, and every quote above opens the original at the second it was spoken.
- $300 Cast Iron Skillet vs $20 (Finex vs Lodge)
- Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge
- Best Cast Iron Skillet? I Tested Lodge, Smithey, Field, Stargazer, & Calphalon
- 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?
- Field Cast Iron Review: Egg Problems & Great Gratins
- I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst
- The Best Cast-Iron Skillets
- 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 graph, 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.
article/v5 · claude-opus-5[1m] (session) · verified 2026-09-08 · topic proposed on the basis of graph_contested