Stargazer cast iron skillet
I'll tell you what I love both of them
so these are both great pans I'm proud to open both of them operate highly recommend both of them
let's take a look at the harom meter also called The Homer at certain Swanky steakhouses that cook their RI eyes in at least a full stick ofat butter it's showing 4.9 Stars oh that's a great rating
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
make up your mind which one you want because both of them will be a family heirloom
Cites durability
I think the thing that stands out to me about the Stargazer sure it's it's a great design but also really is their customer relations that they build with people in their customer service
Cites warranty
we get so many emails from people say oh they were so nice to talk to they were so nice to visit with and folks that makes a lot of difference
right off the bat when I looked at this the very first time I'm thinking whoa I love the design of this handle because look how far I can stand away from the Heat and this thing is rounded to where it really don't hurt your hands when you grab a hold of it and it's got this v-notch in here which is going to keep it…
Cites handle, heat resistance, weight
here look at here a two-handle deal I really like this deal I do
a shorter handle means it's heavier for you to pick up you ain't got the leverage that you might have over here with this Skillet so that longer handle does help you out some on the weight that it's got
perfectly cooked okay everything is juicy in the middle there's no hard crusty bits even the smaller pieces here haven't been overcooked so now perfectly cooked in the stargazer absolutely amazing
Cites even heating, moisture retention, searing and crust
so in the first test onions to onions you know thoroughly cooked through good hot heat um you know really brown these onions up nicely there's lots of flavor developed really caramelize the brought out tons of the flavor of the onion still super juicy in the middle it's really held onto that moisture everything is in…
i found that the results in which i got out of the two pans were very similar i i the end cooking was was impossible to tell the difference
but what i found is that pretty much everything else that i was doing i was leaning towards a stargazer i was finding that the evenness of the heavier weight gave me even a more consistent finish and it slowed the process down even more so i could you know steam the lid on bring the heat way down and just let things…
the field handle is too hot to touch comfortably like i can grab it for a sec where the stargazer handle is great i can use it
Cites handle, shape and form
they have a cooling of design here so the way in which this small amount of material comes up to the handle it stops the amount of thermal transfer up into handle you'll see this a lot of time in stainless steel and that works great so that is probably yeah that's kind of hot to touch but you know if i had a cloth i…
i've also found that the usability was tremendous so you'll see that the edges here are really rounded they're edges in um the bottom edge and also the top edge so the splay of the pan is absolutely brilliantly designed
i really enjoyed using the handle helper and i found that the stay cool handle was brilliant and i was never dealing even open flame i use this an open flame outside all the time i wasn't dealing with a hot handle ever i never needed to use a cloth to grab that handle
field stargazer two of the world's highest quality cast iron skillets
but if you're considering between something is as high quality as a field or stargazer i don't have one particular recommendation because they are both such high quality so it really depends on what you're looking for
so there you have it I love this pan
thank you Stargazer for a fantastic product
thank you Stargazer for a fantastic product I am very impressed
so it comes uh wrapped obviously it's not all oily because it's uh been seasoned by them usually when I order pans I order them uh seasoned you know they uh they do them in you know I don't know they they're just always even and and pretty nice
Cites coating, non-stick surface, seasoning durability, surface finish, warp resistance
and they've machined the entire inside so the outside has the traditional texture in fact it's way smoother right out of the right out of the box than you would get on like say a lodge or some other mass produced Skillet
but what they've done is put this Pan on a lathe the entire pan and spun it uh to completely machine the inside so it's very smooth but it's not so smooth that that you would think that it's not going to hold seasoning
and as I'm heating it up to uh take care of that extra seasoning uh the pan doesn't Flex at all stays perfectly flat
oh yeah I can tell already you know you just can't get a fried egg to do this in a Teflon pan I mean look at that this look at that it's like almost almost non-stick I mean it's fantastic
Overall, it cooks as well or better than any cast iron I've tested.
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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 Stargazer 12-in Skillet is crafted to be incredibly nonstick in real world scenarios by which I mean eggs and some veggies that's proven to be true so much so that eggs have been sliding away from me when I try to flip them in other Skillets I've had to do that scrape but don't break the yolk deal to try to get an…
Cites build quality, even heating, non-stick surface, surface finish
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
how about sautéing spinach onions and mushrooms the onions and mushrooms Glide across the surface like a figure skater not awkwardly some would say dangerously like me on figure skates but a real figure skater
if you look at the bottom of the skillet the surface is completely flat there's no heat ring like some Skillets have it's just perfectly flat that means it gets truly even heat across the entire Pan
for surface finishing the products are shipped to Stargazer HQ in Allentown Pennsylvania where Craftsman use hand tools that's right they do it by hand to grind and smooth the surface the two-step surface finish makes for the incredibly smooth microtextured surface that Stargazer is famous for
Unlike the Lodge and Victoria skillets, the cooking surface is smooth and because of that, it performed extremely well in the egg test. The egg released immediately and slid around the pan without any help from the spatula.
Cites base and rim, heating speed, non-stick surface
The flared rim also poured cleanly.
Stargazer and its flared rims are the clear winner in this category.
Cites base and rim
I do like this long long handle on the stargazer it stays a lot cooler and it's easier for me to grab
Cites handle, heat resistance
we got done cooking there got both pans warm and they look freaking pretty awesome
Cites appearance, surface finish
they're both super smooth finishings inside
when this Skillet come to me and I pull it out of the box it was a bronze color really pretty had a nice slick glossy finish to it already
Cites appearance, surface finish
one other thing that I really liked about it from the start when I first seen it was the depth that it had I think this thing right here you could put a lot of gravy in there folks and that'd be some fine dining
Cites seasoning durability, shape and form, size and capacity
you can pour out of it without it running down the side of your Skillet all the time
it accepted seasoning fairly well in the beginning it did
so all in all the skillet performed well and it's seasoned well
um this is uh the closest thing to carbon steel in cast iron uh that that I've ever used really impressed with the weight
Cites weight
so we've got Stargazer made in USA
Cites country of manufacture, price
I got to tell you at priced at 88 bucks I think for unseasoned maybe it was a little more for seasoned um something like $10 shipping or something I mean it's this this this guy doesn't know what he has here because these pans could easily go for 150 bucks
The number one downside to Stargazer is the high price. Lodge, which is arguably the most well-known cast iron brand, sells its skillets for less than half the price of Stargazer.
Cites price (against)
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but you pay a premium for it
It's an ideal skillet for searing and roasting meats because the temperature doesn't fluctuate as you add ingredients; it stays hot and it cooks evenly.
Cites even heating, heat retention
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First and foremost, the performance of this skillet is excellent. I've used it to cook steak, chicken, fish, and several other meals, and every time the food comes out great.
Cites ease of cleaning, even heating, heat retention, induction compatible, non-stick surface, searing and crust, surface finish
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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 skin on the chicken gets golden and crispy, salmon gets an even sear, and steak gets nice and charred.
But once it's hot, it retains heat really well.
If you compare Stargazer next to other brands you'll notice that the Stargazer cooking surface is significantly smoother. This is due to their proprietary two-step treatment that smoothes out the surface while creating enough texture for the seasoning to stick to.
Because of this foods like eggs and pancakes are much less likely to stick and it's easier to clean.
There are a few things I like about the bottom. First, there's no heat ring like you'll find on some cast iron skillets. It sits completely flat which helps it heat evenly on electric and induction cooktops.
the size and weight are intentional design elements that make for great convenient cooking
Cites weight
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” 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 Stargazer 12-in Skillet takes camp cooking from something you have to do to something you look forward to doing whether it's breakfast on a cool morning by a lake or a gourmet steak dinner by a campfire
the handle is not only comfortable it dissipates heat really well the two-prong connector to the pan makes for a lot of open air around what on other Skillets is a thick connection that transfers heat to the handle the curv shape is not only comfortable for holding it gives more surface area to dissipate heat in the…
Cites handle, heat resistance, shape and form
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” 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 beveled Rim instead of having a specific spout for pouring you can use whatever angle is most comfortable for the task at hand and pour easily without creating a mess
it's expensive after a year of putting the thing through all sorts of camp cooking I can tell you it is so worth it
Cites price
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Owned 12 months
Field, Stargazer, and Lancaster are all good skillets, but they're expensive and have enough drawbacks that I wouldn't recommend them over Smithey or Made In.
Cites price (against)
I think they're just as good as the old Wagner that we used to do the gravy
it's not sticking sighs stargazer either
Cites ease of cleaning, non-stick surface
there's the stargazer I got a wet paper towel you got usually it cleans up it's pretty slippery do this carefully pretty much just wipe it out
you got to be really careful I think when you're having a skillet that is that slick that you don't try to over season all at one time and then you end up with some of this gumminess
Cites maintenance (against)
nice smooth interior in the stargazer i'm really enjoying this stargazer it's so far so good you know of course i love my field um it doesn't mean that i don't like it as much i'm just you know so far so good with the stargazer i'm i'm i'm impressed
Cites surface finish
something that sets Stargazer apart is uh the cool touch handle
Cites handle, heat resistance, shape and form, weight
it's lighter weight for the size significantly lighter weight you can feel how they've taken down the material here on the side and the bottom actually feels thicker than the sides so there's some engineering going on there
and then it's got this nice handle on the end here I assume this would probably get pretty hot uh but my experience with these is uh anything that's forked stays cool to the touch and you don't really need a uh hot pad to hold on to it
the thumb area here I mean it's a great handle feels really comfortable
and this is different from most of the the pans I have most of the pans I have have much longer handles so this will be a a welcome change
another thing I wanted to mention is uh they PRI themselves on this lip so some of the lodge pans of a similar size you'll they have a pour spout this doesn't you know you could pour from pretty much anywhere
I have to tell you this handle is toasty warm but not something you can't touch
but I noticed after using the skillet a handful of times that the seasoning wears off. Because they apply such thin layers, you need to apply one or two more coats either before you start cooking or soon after.
Cites maintenance (against), seasoning durability (against)
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it's not the most comfortable to hold
Cites storage and stacking (against), handle (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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.
but these edges can dig into your hand
They remind me of a wider version of All-Clad handles which people often complain about.
Also the long handle makes it a bit more difficult to store.
It's an heirloom quality piece
Cites durability
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The final pro I want to mention is the fact that Stargazer skillets are made in the USA. This is a company of skilled craftsmen that's proud to manufacture its products in America using domestically sourced recycled iron. The casting happens in Wisconsin then the Skillets are shipped to Ohio for machining and finally…
Cites build quality, country of manufacture, price
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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 main reason Stargazer costs more is because of the manual steps involved. This is not a mass-produced skillet; each one is hand finished seasoned and carefully inspected.
It's worth mentioning that they offer a military discount to active service members and veterans.
The main benefit of Stargazer is the design features that enhance the comfort and overall experience.
If those features are appealing to you, it's well worth the investment.
so it's worth spending a little bit more up front to get something you'll love
Second I really like the engraved logo and name. It makes a statement and it looks pretty cool in my opinion.
Cites appearance
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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.
Lastly they stamp the date that the skillet was casted on the bottom of the helper handle. This skillet was made on August 15 2022. I like this because it adds keepsake value
Each Stargazer cast iron skillet is hand seasoned with two coats of a blend of canola, grapeseed, and sunflower oil. This results in their signature bronze color which looks great
Another thing that makes this Skillet unique is its long handles which are significantly longer than most cast iron skillets. The handle on the 12-inch Stargazer Skillet is 7.6 inches long. For comparison, the handle on this 12 inch Calphalon Skillet is 4.75 inches.
Cites ergonomics, handle, heat resistance, shape and form
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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 extra length makes it easier to maneuver the skillet while keeping your hand away from the heat.
I've also noticed that the Stargazer handle stays cooler thanks to the y-shaped design that disperses heat.
The helper handle opposite the main handle is also much larger and easier to grip than the ones on most cast iron skillets.
Another feature I really like about Stargazer is that it has a flared rim all the way around for easy pouring from any angle. Most cast iron skillets have a pour spout on each side which is a bit more limiting.
It has a cup-shaped design that ensures your hand won't slip or rotate when you tilt the skillet
why not a full five first the way this thing is heavy second the size of the handle both of these are perfectly fine when you're cooking in the backyard or kitchen but we're rving and camping and it's not easy to transport it's too big to fit in my Camp kitchen box and after a full day of activities it's just heavy
Cites portability (against), weight (against)
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” 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 Engravings are something to behold as well the design is so upscale powerful and modern but calls back to a deep history of forging iron
Cites appearance
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
looking here on the underside of the helper handle you can see the born on date when each Skillet was cast that's a special touch so grandkids and great grandkids can know exactly how far back their legacy cookware goes and know what day to have a sweet birthday celebration for the skillet
The deep groove gives your hand something to grip, so the skillet doesn't twist when you're holding it with a towel or oven mitt. But the edges dig into your hand, so despite being long and secure, it's not a very comfortable handle.
Cites handle
In my warp test, it started completely flat, but after heating, the center bowed outward slightly, which resulted in a minor wobble.
Cites warp resistance (against)
It was one of the fastest skillets to heat, but there was a large difference between the center and the edge after 2 minutes, and heat retention was middle of the pack.
Cites even heating (against)
However, the edges can dig into your hand, so it's not the most comfortable handle.
Cites handle (against)
now I know the folks at Stargazer still give a military discount
Cites price
there's no pour spouts here I mean it is a beveled Edge
Cites shape and form (against)
it is a heavier pan though so that's the downside you got a heavier pan in the hand i probably wouldn't do that as much i find in the number eight in the field i work that pan picking it up all the time
Cites weight (against)
all right well right out of the box we've got a little uh little sticking
Cites non-stick surface (against)
I have received some pans from some other companies like uh like blue Skillet and Blanc creatives that the egg has just right out of the pan or right out of the box just floated freely so clearly we're going to need a little seasoning little extra seasoning to get this to uh to form
but you know if you're sticking it in a smaller oven I can see why you would want the short handle
Cites handle, shape and form
so if you're if you're uh you know spooning uh some sauce on a on some meat the spoon is the exact this is just your typical this is my spoon typical spoon it's the exact diameter of the corner of the pan it is it is exact you'll get every drop
this was a Kickstarter pretty neat guy who um you know he'll tell you in his video he just wasn't satisfied with uh what was available on the market so he decided to make his own pan and I think that's pretty amazing
Cites reputation
the Stargazer is like that kid on the team that's better than everyone else but instead of being arrogant they help the other kids step up their game and together they might just win the championship
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” 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 three with the smoother surfaces, especially Smithey and Stargazer, tend to get blotchy, and their seasoning fades, especially when cooking on high heat.
Cites seasoning durability (against)
you still see it still has kind of a brownish color and compared to the field
Cites seasoning durability (against)
Currently, Stargazer only offers three products: a 10.5-inch skillet, a 12-inch skillet, and a 13.5-inch braiser. Although these are the most common pieces, most cast iron brands have a lot more sizes and options. For example, Lodge offers nine different skillet sizes.
Cites availability (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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.
this is only a few months of seasoning and maybe about six months of use and I think it won't like seized it really an oven once
Cites seasoning durability
Owned 6 months
this this feel company did just a little bit better on eggs a day just because this is about a year seasoning this is only a few months of seasoning and maybe about six months of use
Cites non-stick surface (against)
I say that's pretty equal
the stargazer is going home with me i'm going to use him extensively for the next few weeks and then we're going to be back here for our next test
i get to use the field and the stargazer and they have both have a place in my kitchen
could be a little longer I guess
Cites handle (against)
it's got a little character something or other going on right there there which uh you know my money is on that is a defect uh but I don't think I mind gives it a little character but it is some kind of little hole right there
Cites appearance, build quality (against)
I've been testing the Stargazer cast iron skillet for several months and in this video I'm going to tell you the good, the bad, and everything in between.
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links so I will 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.
thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review
I Heart RVing was given the product. Stated in the source: “thanks to Stargazer for sending the 12-in skillet to put through a Year's worth of incredible cooking while building this review” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Owned 12 months
I’ve been using Lodge, Calphalon, and Stargazer for years, and Field and Smithey for several months, and all 6 skillets perform really well.