Evidence index · Skillets

Skillets, according to chefs

Only claims about skillets made by people we have grounds to call chefs. The unrestricted skillets evidence is on the skillets page.

chefs is an occupation.

10 people on record as chefs make 85 quoted claims about skillets across 13 sources. Membership is recorded with its own evidence — for a person by the trait they are on record holding, for a community by the source it was said in — and authority is scoped to skillets rather than to fame.

Which skillets do chefs recommend?

Endorsements and objections about skillets from chefs, together, strongest evidence first.

Lodge cast iron skillet

3 voices 11 claims 2 objections

12:33 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

so let's talk about Lodge and folks accessibility is number one because you see it everywhere and it's in stock all the time you ain't gonna have to wait and they have so many different pieces of Lodge cast iron that you can buy whether it's a skillet a griddle a dutch oven they have you covered on all of it

use-case fit Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites availability, versatility

9:02 objects Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

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

performance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites seasoning durability (against), surface finish (against)

3:31 supports Julia of America's Test Kitchen Chef

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.

recommendation Tested it The Best Cast-Iron Skillets

Cites price

Field cast iron skillet

1 voice 14 claims 4 objections

1:30 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

when I picked it up the very first time out of the box the thing that I liked about it was it was similar to the design of old authentic cast iron folks this is a pretty good lightweight skill it's sort of like the old stuff was made

appearance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites appearance, surface finish, weight

getting on down the field I think the thing that really impressed me the most about it was the weight sure but they had such a good machine finish on there to it

4:31 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef was given the product

when we did our unboxing video they sent us an 8 I love the skillet I do

recommendation Owns it Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review

Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “when we did our unboxing video they sent us an 8” 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 I will tell you what they done went and done they don't went and went to making a 10-inch skillet now I've had this about a week and I love this rascal

1:00 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef was given the product

but when I run my hand across it it was the smooth finish

performance Owns it Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review

Cites non-stick surface, surface finish

Kent Rollins was given the product. Stated in the source: “we got this box in the mail we did an unboxing video on an 8 inch field skillet” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

so I fried me some bacon in there without doing a thing to it I just washed it out good with hot water dried it put that bacon in there it wasn't no sticking it wasn't like heated meaning something other ovens where I had to get to a putty knife a chisel and a hammer to knock it off there no it was good

what I put in there a scrambled egg and folks I was amazed there was no sticking like them egg whites will do too to where you can't even get them out of there

Marquette cast iron skillet

1 voice 8 claims 4 objections

6:02 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

My overall pick for just best in design is I'm gonna have to go with the Marquette just because of the way it feels in my hand and the way that I know it performs and the two poor spouts

best in class Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites ergonomics, handle, seasoning durability, shape and form, surface finish

if we had to pick a winner on a handle that was most comfortable to your hand it would be the Marquette

next we're going to go to Marquette this review not long ago to me this was the smoothest Skillet coming to me of anyone that I got out of the bunch

so my overall winner for seasoning is eeny meeny miny mo is going to be the Marquette because to me it had the smoothest glossiest finish when I got it and accepted seasoning the easiest

5:01 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

this handle too notice the v in here too but this one's going to stay a little bit cooler and I love the way that they've got this rounded off on both sides here it fits your hand really well it does

handling Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites handle, heat resistance, weight

we have arranged these from lightest to heaviest first Marquette field Lodge Stargazer and finance

4:31 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

when I first picked this up right out of the box I'm thinking feels like a Wagner or a Griswold into me just the way it sort of felt it's got a light weight to it and look here right off the bat two poor spouts now I really do like that I do

appearance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites appearance, shape and form, surface finish, weight

we get down to the Marquette to me the thing that really just stood out most of all to me what is the closest resemblance to the old cast iron I'm talking Griswolds and Wagner's to me it was the closest design to it and had this finish that was just like they used to have on them

Stargazer cast iron skillet

1 voice 7 claims 2 objections

13:03 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

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

reliability Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

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

2:31 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

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…

handling Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

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

8:02 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

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

appearance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites appearance, surface finish

Finex cast iron skillet

1 voice 6 claims 2 objections

10:03 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

but something that it did do was it bonded seasoning really well first trip but folks it always takes seasoning back to it it always holds it well and it always performs well

performance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites seasoning durability

6:02 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

it is a great piece of cast iron to me really if you're sitting on the table full of something to eat and you want to make a statement and you set this out there that is a statement piece it is

appearance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites appearance, handle

you want to make a statement this is the piece I mean a great different unique design that I've never seen on a piece of cast iron and the handle I mean it is the talking point of the kitchen but also the dining table because this thing is fancy enough to serve right out of it is

5:31 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

look at this handle right off the bat I'm thinking a little different it is different but it's going to be cooler because it's got these coils and they're going to release some of that heat before it gets back to your finger

handling Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites handle, heat resistance

AGA cast iron pan

1 voice 3 claims no objections from chefs

14:04 supports Adam Byatt Buy It For Life Enthusiasts was given the product

I now own a hundred of them and we've had them for over 15 20 years which they look like we've had them 15 20 years but yeah they're they're a brilliant pan

durability Uses it professionally 35 Years of cooking equipment - What I use everyday

Cites durability

Adam Byatt was given the product. Stated in the source: “they gave me these pans to cook on and I really loved cooking in them” 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 15 years

13:34 supports Adam Byatt Buy It For Life Enthusiasts was given the product

I just felt they were like the perfect size to make a one pot dish and they the the heat retention was brilliant in them.

use-case fit Uses it professionally 35 Years of cooking equipment - What I use everyday

Cites heat retention, size and capacity, versatility

we tried making a tat tatan in them and um there on in we only made tat tatan in these pans

we use them for all sorts for cooking pieces of meat cooking fish cooking tatans cooking all sorts of stuff but I'm a real fan of these Arga cast iron pans

13:34 supports Adam Byatt Buy It For Life Enthusiasts was given the product

I guess actually one of the most important pans in our armory are these these little um cast iron solid heavyweight Arga pans. These are actually Arga pans.

recommendation Uses it professionally 35 Years of cooking equipment - What I use everyday

Hestan frying pan

1 voice 2 claims 1 objection

12:34 supports Adam Byatt Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

actually the heat retention and the evenness of cooking in this pan if you keep it at a low to moderate temperature this is a beautiful pan to use um and it does provide non-stick for me as well so I use it a lot and I'm big fan of that pan

performance Uses it professionally 35 Years of cooking equipment - What I use everyday

Cites even heating, heat retention, non-stick surface

12:34 objects Adam Byatt Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

That's a Hestan frying pan. doesn't look it looks a bit odd

appearance Uses it professionally 35 Years of cooking equipment - What I use everyday

Cites appearance (against)

Smithey cast iron skillet

1 voice 2 claims no objections from chefs

3:31 supports Julia of America's Test Kitchen Chef

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 3:31.

recommendation Tested it The Best Cast-Iron Skillets

Cites price (against)

3:31 supports Julia of America's Test Kitchen Chef

And both of these winners are made in the U.S.

reliability Tested it The Best Cast-Iron Skillets

Cites country of manufacture

Griswold cast iron skillet

1 voice 1 claim no objections from chefs

1:00 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

still my favorite pieces are Wagners and Griswolds

best in class Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Wagner cast iron pan

1 voice 1 claim no objections from chefs

1:00 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

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

best in class Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

What do chefs say about skillets in general?

Not a recommendation for a specific product: technique, materials and what to look for in skillets. Citable on its own terms. There are 30 of them; the 29 with the strongest evidence are below.

8:02 supports Fallow Chef

This is 24 cm. Really versatile. Definite definite recommend.

recommendation Uses it professionally Inside a Real Restaurant Kitchen: What’s Actually Worth Buying (And What Isn’t)

Cites versatility

1:00 supports David Chang speaking on GQ Chef

I do feel that every kitchen needs a cast iron skillet they're all cheap and they're all indestructible

recommendation Uses it professionally Momofuku's David Chang Reveals What You Need in Your Kitchen | GQ

Cites durability, price

1:30 supports David Chang speaking on GQ Chef

this is something for sure that if you take care of will last Generations upon Generations

durability Uses it professionally Momofuku's David Chang Reveals What You Need in Your Kitchen | GQ

Cites durability

12:03 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

always told you that cast iron is an investment it's going to outlast everything else you got each one of these Skillets if you take care of it will last you a lifetime and you can pass down from generation to generation to generation

durability Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites durability

3:31 supports Gordon Ramsay Chef

more importantly cast iron it conducts the heat so you can have the gas on absolute minimal or the oven down to its absolute lowest setting and the thing will just cook naturally

performance Uses it professionally Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What You Need To Be A Better Chef

Cites heat conduction, heat retention

2:01 supports Gordon Ramsay Chef

look for an ovenproof frying pan with a metal handle if you want to cook like pros by finishing off your dish in the oven or under a Hot Grill

recommendation Uses it professionally Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What You Need To Be A Better Chef

Cites handle, oven safe

2:01 supports Gordon Ramsay Chef

frying pan for me one of my favorites why cuz it's so versatile

best in class Uses it professionally Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What You Need To Be A Better Chef

Cites versatility

3:01 supports Billy Parisi speaking on Chef Billy Parisi Chef

I promise you this will be your new go-to pan for everything

recommendation Cook Like a Pro with These 15 Must-Have Kitchen Tools

10:33 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

cast iron has notoriously been blamed for it's too heavy you know but folks cast iron was built so many years ago for one reason uh to cook with but also heaviness is heat retention

performance Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites heat retention, weight

1:00 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

now these are all companies that are made in America and that's the number one thing that we stand for

recommendation Tested it Don't Buy a Cast Iron Skillet Without Watching This! Which Cast Iron Brand is Right for You?

Cites country of manufacture

2:01 supports Gordon Ramsay Chef

whether you're searing the most amazing rack of lamb cooking duck breast soing chicken or even a quick omelette or even find an egg all in one

use-case fit Uses it professionally Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What You Need To Be A Better Chef

Cites versatility

7:02 supports Chef Matt speaking on I Want To Cook Chef

it only requires a feris magnetic material something like cast iron which is well it could be centuries old can work on an induction burner

use-case fit Why I Won't Buy An Induction Range: Should You?

Cites induction compatible

0:00 supports Julia of America's Test Kitchen Chef

If taken care of correctly, cast iron skillets will last a lifetime.

durability Tested it The Best Cast-Iron Skillets

Cites durability, maintenance (against)

1:00 supports David Chang speaking on GQ Chef

I love cooking meat in this cast iron skillet

use-case fit Uses it professionally Momofuku's David Chang Reveals What You Need in Your Kitchen | GQ

1:00 objects Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

you're not going to find that on a lot of iron anymore you go to the store and you buy some it feels like gritty pavement

performance Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review

Cites surface finish (against)

8:02 supports Fallow Chef

I've got my cast iron pan where I can cook, I can sear.

use-case fit Uses it professionally Inside a Real Restaurant Kitchen: What’s Actually Worth Buying (And What Isn’t)

Cites versatility

2:00 supports Billy Parisi speaking on Chef Billy Parisi Chef

it heats up incred L fast

performance Cook Like a Pro with These 15 Must-Have Kitchen Tools

Cites stovetop compatibility, even heating, heating speed, induction compatible, non-stick surface

it evenly distributes heat

once it's seasoned it's naturally non-stick no need to ever worry about harsh chemicals again

in case you do they also work on everything from induction to right over an open flame

2:00 supports Billy Parisi speaking on Chef Billy Parisi Chef

so you've been using stainless steel pans which are great but you're looking to expand to something that can do it all fry an egg without sticking Sirus steak while also being able to sauté will look no further than the carbon steel pan

use-case fit Cook Like a Pro with These 15 Must-Have Kitchen Tools

Cites versatility

2:31 objects Gordon Ramsay Chef

just don't forget when you take it out the handle will be hot

handling Uses it professionally Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What You Need To Be A Better Chef

Cites handle (against), safety (against)

23:37 supports Joe speaking on Joe's Phenomenal Chef

And if you don't, go get a cast iron pan for 15 bucks. They're super heavy. They're going to perform better in the oven anyway. Not to mention all those years of seasoning that get built up on them.

recommendation HexClad Pans Still Worth It? 2-Year Reality Check!

Cites seasoning durability, weight

5:31 supports Joe speaking on Joe's Phenomenal Chef

they can probably handle about 1,500° before you destroy them.

durability HexClad Pans Still Worth It? 2-Year Reality Check!

Cites heat resistance

4:31 supports Kent Rollins speaking on Cowboy Kent Rollins Chef

where ever you get your good cast iron look for that good milled finish

performance Field Company Cast Iron Skillet Follow Up Review

Cites surface finish

3:31 supports Billy Parisi speaking on Chef Billy Parisi Chef

I only use either cast iron and stainless steel

ownership These 30 Kitchen Essentials Changed My Cooking

8:02 supports Fallow Chef

Versatile, heavy bottom, nice.

performance Uses it professionally Inside a Real Restaurant Kitchen: What’s Actually Worth Buying (And What Isn’t)

Cites heat retention

2:31 supports Billy Parisi speaking on Chef Billy Parisi Chef

and it's lighter weight than a cast iron pan

handling Cook Like a Pro with These 15 Must-Have Kitchen Tools

Cites weight

3:31 supports Chef Matt speaking on I Want To Cook Chef

these pans are vintage this has got to be probably 50 or 60 years old and yet it still works great

durability Thrift Store Cookware | What To Buy, What To Avoid

Cites durability

1:30 mixednotes Joshua Weissman speaking on Joshua Weissman Recipes Chef

It's kind of situational. I find myself using cast iron maybe 10% of the time.

Two judgements rest on this sentence:

mixed use-case fit Owns it cites heat control, non-stick surface (against), versatility (against)
notes ownership Owns it

How to Cook With Stainless Steel

if you manage your heat properly and you move it enough around the pan, you could still scramble an egg in here. It's not optimal, but it does still work.

0:30 objects Joshua Weissman speaking on Joshua Weissman Recipes Chef

When you get a cast iron pan out super heavy, you get it wet, it gets rusty, you got to reseason it every single time.

handling Owns it How to Cook With Stainless Steel

Cites weight (against)

1:00 notes Joshua Weissman speaking on Joshua Weissman Recipes Chef

Everyone likes to say, "Oh, wow. Cast iron is the best of all time for heat retention." Yeah, sure, maybe.

mention Passing on someone else's experience How to Cook With Stainless Steel

Cites reputation

How do skillets score among chefs?

Computed only from claims about skillets by people we have grounds to call chefs, so the axes answer “according to chefs” rather than “according to everyone”.

Domain authority

1 recommender, weighted by demonstrated expertise in skillets. Weighted by expertise in this category, never by audience size.

Independent consensus

1 independent voice across 2 sources. How many independent voices converge, unweighted.

Long-term ownership

1 dated ownership report, median 2 months. Volume and length of dated first-hand ownership reports.

Performance

7 performance claims. Claims about how well it does the job.

Value

1 claim about price relative to what it does. Claims about what it costs relative to what it does.

Repairability

no repairability claims yet. Claims about whether it can be maintained or rebuilt.

Community breadth

all evidence from a single community so far. How many distinct communities converge, rather than one echo chamber.

Recency of evidence

most recent evidence from 2023. How recent the evidence is. Old evidence is not wrong, just older.

Objections raised

4 negative claims, mostly performance and durability. How much complaint is on the record. A high figure means the drawbacks have been stated and quoted, not that the thing is worse.

These are separate measurements, not components of a score. They are never added together, and there is no overall rating, because which of them matters depends on what you are buying the thing for. An axis that says no evidence means nobody has spoken about it, not that the answer is low.