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Finex cast iron skillet vs Smithey cast iron skillet

The Finex cast iron skillet and the Smithey cast iron skillet, shown the same way from the same evidence rules. There is no verdict at the bottom. The axes below are separate measurements and the objections are listed in full for both.

Finex cast iron skillet

38 quoted claims about the Finex cast iron skillet from 6 voices.

Domain authority

6 recommenders, weighted by demonstrated expertise in cast iron skillets. Weighted by expertise in this category, never by audience size.

Independent consensus

6 independent voices across 6 sources. How many independent voices converge, unweighted.

Long-term ownership

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

Performance

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

Value

no value claims yet. Claims about what it costs relative to what it does.

Repairability

1 repairability claim. 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 2026. How recent the evidence is. Old evidence is not wrong, just older.

Objections raised

12 negative claims, mostly performance and ergonomics. 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.

4:01 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
first i want to talk about the finex it has this beautiful coiled steel handle and the reason for that is this coil design not only does it look great

appearance Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites appearance, handle, shape and form

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

and you can actually see right here on the back of the pan they've got a really nice design that pays homage to that origin
now the next thing i want to compare is just the overall style or aesthetic of these skillets and the standout for me is going to be the finex there this octagonal shape i think looks really great i love the steel coiled handle it's just something really unique that sets that skillet apart from the others
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
4:31 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
but it actually prevents this handle from warming up no matter how long we've cooked for using this skillet this handle won't get hot at all

handling Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites heat resistance, lid, shape and form

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

now going to the finex you might not see an obvious spout but because of this octagonal shape that they have to the pan you can actually use any of these edges as a pour spout and you won't get anything that drips out so that's a pretty cool feature there
so the finex comes with a lid you don't have to worry about fumbling around and finding a lid that will fit that shape
2:31 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
you rub your finger just along the base of the skillet there that is absolutely smooth just like glass

performance Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites heating speed, surface finish

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

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…
8:36 supports Luis J. speaking on Luis J. Cast Iron Cooking Cookware Reviewer
so overall this number 10 has done wonderful it's held up seasoning really well it's cooked really well besides that small little defect with my time that it tends to warp I've had no issues and uh as you know as I said it cooked my breakfast beautifully and I'm happy with it so two years it's done great I'm happy and…

best in class Owns it Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet

Cites seasoning durability

0:30 supports Noah Klein Cooking YouTube
this is the finex 12-inch obviously and it's got a really good looking handle

appearance Tested it $300 Cast Iron Skillet vs $20 (Finex vs Lodge)

Cites appearance, handle

so overall appearance i got to give it to the 5x for the win it's just a better looking skillet i mean it just looks beautiful not that this is a bad looking skillet but when it's next to this bad boy it's like miss america next to miss county or you know
12:04 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
but these are all heirloom pieces that will last for generations to come

durability Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites durability

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

2:03 supports Luis J. speaking on Luis J. Cast Iron Cooking Cookware Reviewer
okay guys so now let's just talk about the cooking performance of this Skillet of the finex number 10 and I'm not disappointed because I've done a lot of things I've done gravies I've done um like uh searing a steak and then making a sauce with deglazing using wine beef stock or chicken stock you know and things like…

performance Owns it Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet

Cites acid resistance, heat retention, seasoning durability, versatility

0:00 supports Woodwork Tattoo & Gallery
i gotta say opening the box i was so impressed with just how appealing it was and how heavy it was lifting and out like this is a legit murder weapon you could take down sand squash with it anyways uh you got to set this thing down nice and slow you can't be slamming it down it's got some grit to it but look at that…

appearance Owns it FINEX 10" SKILLET: Best Birthday Present Ever

Cites appearance, handle, weight

6:35 objects Luis J. speaking on Luis J. Cast Iron Cooking Cookware Reviewer
one of the cons about the finex Skillets and probably one of the biggest downsides to them is the fact that there is nothing you can specifically do with the spring handle and the end cap uh to where you can remove it so that way you can have um you know the ability to season that cast iron shaft that is you know for…

repairability Owns it Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet

Cites repairability (against)

0:00 supports Luis J. speaking on Luis J. Cast Iron Cooking Cookware Reviewer
so with that said guys this video is going to be about finex cookware and specifically my number 10 which is now two years that I've had it two years that I've owned it and used it as you can see the seasoning has developed really well not completely jet black but we'll get into the specifics right now

durability Owns it Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet

Cites maintenance, seasoning durability

Owned 2 years

to be honest it holds up really well um it's not difficult to maintain it's not difficult to keep seasoned and and honestly the more you use it the more you cook with it the better it does become and that's just something that I love about Finance they're not they're easy to maintain they're not hard and the seasoning…
8:02 supports Noah Klein Cooking YouTube
so personally obviously i own both now but um i'm gonna stick with the finex because for what i use it for it tailors to my needs for for my youtube channel uh just makes the videos it brings a little better production quality

use-case fit Uses it professionally $300 Cast Iron Skillet vs $20 (Finex vs Lodge)

Cites appearance

2:00 supports Noah Klein Cooking YouTube
so this is the 5x these are fairly heavy finex weighs in at seven pounds nine ounces

handling Tested it $300 Cast Iron Skillet vs $20 (Finex vs Lodge)

Cites handle, weight

so that's actually you can hold it with your hand um it is fairly hot down here but again it's manageable with your hand
11:03 objectsmixed Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer
Heat retention was toward the lower end of the group and it warped slightly, but not enough to cause noticeable wobbling.

Two judgements rest on this sentence:

I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

But when I heated it in a 400°ree oven to see how quickly the handle cooled, it was still too hot to touch after 15 minutes. And it wasn't any cooler than a regular cast iron handle.
And because the coil isn't removable, grease and moisture can collect underneath it around the cast iron shaft, and it's difficult to clean and dry.
10:32 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer
The shape is mostly just for looks, but it actually works well for pouring. Instead of dedicated pour spouts, the corners give you multiple places to pour from, and in my test, they performed great with no spilling.

performance Tested it I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

Cites base and rim, handle, heat resistance, non-stick surface

The smooth cooking surface also performed well in the egg test, although I wish the inner walls were smooth.
In my stove top handle test, it performed well and stayed cooler than most of the skillets.
8:02 objects BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
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

performance Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites heat retention (against)

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

8:06 supports Luis J. speaking on Luis J. Cast Iron Cooking Cookware Reviewer
but that's just pretty much the only downside to these Skillets they they cook beautifully they work beautifully they're heavy enough to retain a good amount of heat but they're not too heavy to the point that they're just over you know like overwhelmingly heavy

handling Owns it Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet

Cites handle, weight

not only that but the the way the handle is positioned as well it does help you lift up the pan it gives you a leverage in order for you to lift it up and not have such a hard time
3:04 objects Luis J. speaking on Luis J. Cast Iron Cooking Cookware Reviewer
the only issue that I have is that for some reason now I don't know if this is all the number tens if the number tens experience this or if it's just mine but mine tends to warp from time the time and it'll you know develop a concave obviously going downward so then it starts to spin and then it's not every single…

durability Owns it Cast Iron Wednesday: 2 Year Review of the Finex No. 10 Skillet

Cites rust resistance (against), warp resistance (against)

so if you actually soak your pan and that's what was going on in the beginning with me I would soak my pans scrub them and use soap sometimes not always but sometimes and I would you know rinse them with hot water and and then that I couldn't dry the shaft for the handle and that would stay moist or or something of…
3:01 objects Noah Klein Cooking YouTube
inside dimensions we have looks like 10 inches on the lodge and nine and a half on the finex so cooking surface wise the lodge wins the cooking surface game because it's a bigger cooking surface than the 12 inch

performance Tested it $300 Cast Iron Skillet vs $20 (Finex vs Lodge)

Cites size and capacity (against)

11:34 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
if you really prioritize design maybe you go with the finex

use-case fit Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites appearance

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

4:31 objects BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
now the actual coil piece it starts a little bit back from the pan you'll see you've got this little cast iron nub here and so when you're gripping the part that is cool it does make the pan feel a little bit heavier just because the leverage is back

handling Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites weight (against)

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

3:31 notes BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
the weight of the finax was 7.7 pounds the smithy came in heaviest at 8.6 the field and company was the lightest at 5.6 pounds and the lodge was the second heaviest at 8.1 pounds

handling Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites weight

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

you compare it to the finex you compare it to the smithy you really notice that you're holding a heavy cast iron pan

Smithey cast iron skillet

48 quoted claims about the Smithey cast iron skillet from 8 voices.

Domain authority

8 recommenders, weighted by demonstrated expertise in cast iron skillets. Weighted by expertise in this category, never by audience size.

Independent consensus

8 independent voices across 10 sources. How many independent voices converge, unweighted.

Long-term ownership

2 dated ownership reports, median 2 years. Volume and length of dated first-hand ownership reports.

Performance

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

Value

5 claims 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

2 distinct communities. How many distinct communities converge, rather than one echo chamber.

Recency of evidence

most recent evidence from 2026. How recent the evidence is. Old evidence is not wrong, just older.

Objections raised

9 negative claims, mostly value and performance. 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.

6:32 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
what i want to point out with the smithy is that the lid actually doubles as a skillet or a griddle and that i think is really really cool so it not only is this a lid so if you're baking bread or any other recipe that you're making that actually needs a lid you've got one but if you want to make smash burgers which…

use-case fit Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites versatility

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

2:30 supports Adam of America's Test Kitchen Cookware Reviewer
In the end, it was one of these pans from a smaller producer that took the top spot. This is the Smithey Ironware number 12.

best in class Tested it The Best Cast-Iron Skillets

1:00 supports Big Sexys House
it's an extremely heavy skillet that retains a lot of heat i typically preheat this for you know 10 sometimes even 15 minutes get it really good and hot and it absorbs so much energy that for searing meat it's fantastic

Two judgements rest on this sentence:

Smithey No12 and Farmhouse 1 Year Update | New Unboxing Video | Seconds | Pros and Cons

this is an awesome skillet for roasting in i do casseroles in it i've even done some mild uh frying in it which i bought something new that i'm gonna probably be doing more frying in uh if frying is what i choose to do but like i said it's been it's been outstanding
i've never used the cast iron dutch oven so looking forward to it and like i mentioned about frying this will definitely be like my go-to for future frying over uh the number 12.
11:34 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
but for us i actually really like the smithy and the reason for that not just the fact that it's really smooth but i love the extra weight to me it's not a big deal and that's the whole reason that we're cooking with cast iron is to get that thermal capacity and i also love the fact that the lid doubles as a griddle…

best in class Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites surface finish, versatility, weight

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

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 (against)

8:02 supportsobjects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer
In my tests, it heated slower than some of the thinner skillets, but it retained heat really well.

Two judgements rest on this sentence:

I Tested Every Cast Iron Skillet, These Are the Best & Worst

The smooth surface also performed perfect in the egg test. The egg released immediately and slid around the pan without sticking.
6:02 supportsnotes Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer
Lodge Classic and Smithey performed similarly in every induction test. Both heated slowly, as expected for cast iron, but neither warped.

Two judgements rest on this sentence:

Don’t Buy Induction Cookware Until You Watch This (13 Brands Tested)

It's not a coincidence that the thicker, heavier pans I tested like Demeyere Atlantis, Fissler and Smithey, performed the best in my warping tests.
Smithey has a raised heat ring on the bottom, which I thought might hurt performance since only part of the pan touches the cooktop, but it didn’t make a difference.
12:04 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product

Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 12:04.

durability Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites durability

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

9:02 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
similarly you can see on the back here they pay homage to that right with a stamp on the bottom of your skillet which is pretty cool i like that

appearance Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites appearance

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

it's not to say that these other skillets don't look nice they absolutely do i love the smithy you got some nice touches here with this bird imprint their logo right on the handle you've got nice little touch finishing touches up here beautiful stamps on the back of these so it's not that these skillets don't look…
2:31 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
you're gonna go across the smithy here same you don't feel any bumps at all

performance Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites heat retention, surface finish

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

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
4:01 supports Big Sexys House
overall totally satisfied with my purchases i love them they're gorgeous piece uh pieces they don't keep that original like almost like copper hue to it which that's not what i bought them for anyway i like the way they've kind of turned out as they've seasoned their to me still just as pretty as the day i bought them…

appearance Owns it Smithey No12 and Farmhouse 1 Year Update | New Unboxing Video | Seconds | Pros and Cons

Cites appearance, seasoning durability

and then of course the lid so nice looking dutch oven
7:32 objects BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
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…

performance Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites heating speed (against)

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

5:01 supports BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product
i don't notice a ton of difference between these three all of them have nice rounded edges so that when you're holding the pan your handle isn't actually digging into your hand that much so i don't notice much of a difference across these skillets but the finex is really a standout in this category

handling Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites handle, lid, shape and form

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

you'll see both the smithy and the lodge have pour spouts built right into the sides so you can pour anything out either side whether that's something that you're cooking in the pan that you need to pour out or whether that's the residual grease from a cook so that's really handy
same with smithy comes with a designated lid
3:31 notes BBQ and Bottles Cooking YouTube was given the product

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

handling Tested it Best Cast Iron Skillet - Review of Finex, Smithey, FieldCo and Lodge

Cites weight

BBQ and Bottles was given the product. Stated in the source: “the brands who sent these skillets out to us free of charge and we're not being paid for this review video” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.