We then collected the dataas well as insights from our home testersand used it to determine ratings and placement on this list. Available Sizes: 9.25-inch | Pre-Seasoned: N/A | Lid Included: No, "Like many grill pans, this product took us some getting used to before we could consistently achieve beautiful char marks." A good quality cast iron frying pan can be a solid investment and useful addition to your kitchen. Or impress kids and adults alike with this indulgent giant cookie. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/cooking-tools/g29993894/best-cast-iron-skillets/, Best Cast-Iron Skillets 2022. This skillet also has a steel handle that's bolted on so it doesn't heat up with the base. Le Creuset is known for its high-end enameled cast iron Dutch ovens, and this 11.75-inch skillet is made with the same quality and attention to detail. Overall, the high price is worth it for such a quality, durable design. Camryn Rabideau, Product Tester. They come in a variety of sizes and can come in round or oval shapes. Since cast iron is heavy and it retains heat, a pan's handle configuration is important. 10 Cast Iron Skillet, The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. The Vermicular pan is a full pound lighter, but Made In's blue carbon steel pan is noticeably thicker and there's no enamel coating to worry about damaging., While both pans would be dynamic additions to any cookware collection, blue carbon steel is the best substitute for heavy cast iron., Read more:How to perfectly season your cast-iron pan. https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/food-drink/a28493008/best-cast-iron-skillets/. This 10-inch pan by South Carolina-based Smithey Ironware is the first skillet that the company produced, and it has become one of the brand's most popular products. Uncoated cast iron cookware can cause food to taste like metal if the coating gets worn down, which will happen if you cook acidic foods for long periods of time. Enameled cast iron cookware can be used on any cooktop, and is oven safe as well, but the knobs on the lids of some cookware may not be able to handle extremely high oven heat. The versatile Blacklock Triple Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet is part of Lodge's line of pans replicating antique cast iron. If you like, you can use this opportunity to heat the pan on the stove again to improve the seasoning. If you're looking for a budget pick, we recommend the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, which also performed exceptionally well and is a fraction of the price. Cast iron skillets tend to be made from one single forged piece of iron. "It cooks at a higher temperature and helps create the perfect crust," she says. Lodge have been shaping their pans from sand moulds in Tennessee since 1896 and have pretty much perfected their craft. For a budget option, we recommend the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, which performed well and is lightweight, making it incredibly user-friendly. I love how fast it heats and it's become my new go-to pan for scallops, seafood and boneless chicken breast. Care: Much like cast iron, you'll want to avoid the use of harsh soaps and chemicals that could affect the seasoning. The vegetable oil pre-seasoning on this model was great food slid easily from its sleek surface from the get-go and only became more non-stick as we cooked in it, simply by hand-washing, drying and topping up with a quick wipe of oil before storing. The egg also lifted easily from the pan leaving almost nothing behind, similar to Teflon or other nonstick surfaces.. Popular Mechanics. How do you remove the seasoning from a cast iron pan? Any chef will tell you how invaluable a cast iron skillet is for the perfect finish on steaks, but theres a whole host of other dishes that cook like a dream in a well-seasoned, heavy pan. I used a little bit of cooking oil for my fried egg and a much lower cooking temperature. This was good. This bargain pan looks very much like, shall we say, a tribute to the classic Lodge skillet the benchmark for most cast iron pans in the US. Warm water and, when necessary, a little bit of soap will go a long way. The verdict:Oddly enough, this blue carbon steel number is closer to traditional cast iron than theactualcast-iron Vermicular. Made in Shropshire and beloved of the cooking elite (it features on the cover of Diana Henrys From The Oven To The Table), we can see why the Prospector pan is such a staple for serious cooks. Reach for this pan to get nearly the same functionality as our top pick at a lower price. Also, save on select accessories. Included is a selection of new releases and firm favourites that continuously hold their position against new brand models. If you're looking to impress with oven to table dishes, this is a great choice. However, our reviewer did note that it's pretty heavy. Create golden-crusted chicken thighs for this pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce or try our aubergine, halloumi and harissa skillet bake. Founder Isaac Morton is passionate about creating cast iron and carbon steel pans that are both beautiful and durable enough to become heirlooms. What should you not cook in a cast iron pan? Some Dutch ovens designed for camp cooking have legs that allow them to be placed over hot coals, and some include concave lids so coals can be put on top, which allows the pot to heat from both the bottom and the top. It's often dubbed a hybrid of cast-iron and stainless steel and in my experience, that's an accurate description. How about a classic tarte tatin? This high heat will give an excellent sear to a steak or a crust to cornbread, both of which can be difficult to achieve with stainless steel, nonstick and many of the rest. Though it lacks the versatility of a traditional cast iron pan (you won't want to pour batter into this guy! Our editors spent weeks researching cast iron pans, developing a standardized methodology against which to test them, and putting them through their paces at The Lab. This multi-use griddle has a smooth side for flipping flapjacks and a ribbed side for grilling steaks with perfect sear marks. For the steak, we let the pan get ripping hot. This pan is available in four different sizes: 24, 28, 32, and 36cm. What do buyers say? These days I find myself reaching for these lighter "versions of cast iron" far more often than hot and heavy stuff. The Vermicular light cast-iron skillet seared the burger well. Here, weve reviewed popular skillets from classic, heavy-duty fryers to sleek-looking pans. It's heavy: a 10-inch model is generally at least 5 pounds, and while many of us may be looking for integrated exercise shortcuts, when you're hungry and short on time, flinging heavy cast iron around the kitchen is no fun. It was also the simplest to clean, didnt mark easily and didnt require any scraping to remove food. The Le Creuset is a great choice for those easing themselves into the world of skillets. The matching Staub roasting pan weve tested also got top marks. Los Angeles-based chef Elodie Introia (aka The Hungry French Girl) primarily uses her bare cast iron skillets for searing meats and other sturdy foods. Read our full Vonshef cast iron skillet pan review. Cast iron can sear a steak beautifully, hold a constant temperature for deep-frying, and even be used as bakeware for your favorite cornbread recipe. Enameled cast iron pans never need seasoning, and some can even be washed in the dishwasher for easier cleaning. The enamel coating prevents the food from making contact with the raw metal, so you can use enameled cookware with any type of food, including acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus. This pan is about as classic-looking as you can get, but we were let down by the short handle that made the pan a little difficult to move around and got very hot. Frying Pans: These are the most popular uncoated cast iron pans, while Dutch ovens are the most popular enameled products. This allowed us to determine how easy it was to regulate the heat of the pan, how non-stick it was, and if the pan could cook food gently. Dutch Ovens/Casserole Dishes: Available in enameled as well as uncoated cast iron, enameled Dutch ovens are much more popular since you can use them to cook any type of food. Made In's hearty blue carbon steel frying pan, How to perfectly season your cast-iron pan. If there's one type of cookware in a kitchen that can do just about anything, it's cast iron. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best But cast iron has flaws. This Nordic-style skillet from Fiskars was the sleekest-looking of the bunch it has a beautiful matte finish and wooden handle. It's a bit thicker than the Vermicular and weighs twice as much -- 4.1 lbs. The smaller size is worth considering if youre a solo cook or want to use a skillet for side dishes or individual servings. A huge selling point. There are also incredibly petite cast iron pans, which, while somewhat humorous and limiting, are actually quite nice for frying a single egg or serving personal-sized portions of casseroles or desserts. While not a dealbreaker, we found this pan ran a little too hot in comparison to competitors once heated; a minute too long, and our steaks would have quickly burned. When cooking with acidic foods, such as citrus fruits or vinegars, give your skillet a further protective seasoning by wiping with some oil on kitchen paper to make a light coating that will help protect it from damaging chemical reactions. While these may not be kitchen essentials, they can be handy to have depending on how much time you spend in the kitchen. These pans are ideal for one-pot dishes like frittatas, our one-pot thai green salmon or this protein-packed butter bean, chorizo and spinach baked eggs. To test nonstick properties, I fried a single egg using low heat to see how completely the egg would lift from the surface. The pan is thinner than a classic Lodge design, which in our tests we found allows it to heat up twice as fast. We paid special attention to comfort and maneuverability when lifting and tilting each pan and were pleasantly surprised to discover that the Stargazer's long handle didnt get hot as quickly as some of the others we tested. Rust is the enemy, but this is simple to prevent once you get into skillet-saving habits. Any time you cook something with fat or oil, the pans seasoning will improve. Of course, we didnt want any part of the steak to stick either. Judge have a couple of sizes of well-priced cast iron skillets, and we liked their 18cm version for its no-nonsense design and the quality of the finish. our process. This generally means mandatory oven mitts or a separate handle cover to maneuver cast-iron cookware., A natural question is whether or not there are lighter cast-iron pans or pans made from cooking materials that function like cast iron but weigh less. Browse the benefits and meet our bakeware in Baking 101.. ), This weight also creates challenges for cleaning cast-iron and storing it too. Check out our pros quick tips for cooking in enameled cast iron. That also means that relative to its ample diameter, it's extremely lightweight compared to its competitors, making it easy to move on and off the stovetop. All rights reserved. As with most kitchen kit, the big-price tags won the day here, but there are some bargain buys perfect for starting your journey into cast-iron cooking. Not only is it incredibly well made and tough, its also so much lighter than many of the traditional skillets we tested. Staub Cast Iron Frying Pan (view at Amazon), Finex 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet (view at Amazon), Victoria Cast Iron Skillet (view at Amazon), Butter Pat Heather 10-Inch Skillet (view at Butter Pat Industries), Camp Chef 12-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet (view at Amazon), Utopia Kitchen Cast Iron Skillet (View at Amazon), Field Company Cast Iron Skillet (view at Field Company). Theyre more heavy-duty than a standard frying pan, making them resistant to knocks and scrapes. After washing, the pan should be dried well. It comes in black, grey, and red too. For $20 extra, Made In will send you one that's already been seasoned once to get you started. While all cast iron is heavy compared to other cookware, the Stargazer is relatively lightweight. The biggest draw for cast-iron cooking is the ability to impart incredible surface heat without the food completely sticking to the pan (as it would with stainless steel). This cookware is lighter in weight, so its easier to handle, but for most thin pans, it doesnt heat quite as evenly as thicker cookware and it wont retain heat as long. A relative newcomer to the market, Stargazer was founded in 2015 by kitchenware designer Peter Huntley. It's suggested that you season this pan much like a cast-iron skillet. It was especially great at searing meat, giving us an impressive crust on steaks while hardly smoking at all. Not exactly the surface was definitely not as slick as the Lodge, with a further coating of oil advisable before first use. I live in Brooklyn where I write about food subscriptions, cooking, kitchen gadgets and commerce. This is a heavy pan, so we appreciated the generous assist handle on one side, making it more stable to carry around or move from hob to oven. Marquette Castings makes a lighter cast-iron pan. We also cooked a thick cut ribeye steak to see if the pan produced the hard sear and deep, rich crust we were looking for. It also costs $250 which is more than I'd ever care to drop on a single pan. Cast iron pans are more natural and seasoned with oil to optimise the quality of the surface although if you want the pan to last, you need to keep up with maintenance and season it regularly. Our best overall pick is the stunning and reliableStargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet because of how well it performed in Lab tests, scoring high in heating ability, maneuverability, comfort, and pour performance. Finally, before your cast iron pan is seasoned properly its best to avoid sticky foods, like eggs. productslearn more about Available in just one size, 25cm, this pan comes pre-seasoned and is also oven-safe up to 250C. Available Sizes: 7, 10.25, 12, and 14.5-inch | Pre-Seasoned: Yes | Lid Included: No, "This triple-seasoned pan was low-maintenance between foods we made; it did not lose its seasoning after the first couple of tests and washes." Youll find a very wide range of products from common frying pans to unique items likeaebleskiveer pans and fancy cornstick pans. While you must be gentler with it than standard cast iron and it can't go in the oven, it sears food nearly as well, has good release and at 2.4 pounds, is a delight to handle. Wed recommend this as a starter pan find out how you like to sear, and work your way up to a lower maintenance, higher quality version. The difference is minimal, so if weight is a concern, its worth looking at some of the lighter pans. 10 Cast Iron Skillet at Food52, Le Creuset Signature Iron Handle Skillet at Amazon, Best Overall: It even made its way onto our best paella pans list, where we named it the best cast iron investment. The author of this piece, Review Editor Collier Sutter, personally tested cast iron pans in our lab to determine the best ones for this list, replicating the same recipes and measuring specific data points. Enameled cast iron generally doesnt need special attention when cleaning, and some (like the Cuisinart and Le Creuset pans on this list) can even be washed in a dishwasher. A slip up in any of these areas could mean that your pan begins to rust or the non-stick patina will start to disappear. Our ribeyes achieved a deep rich crust and again, there was no sticking. These are ideal for braising on the stove or in the oven and have become quite popular for baking artisan bread. And it's affordable -- you can snag a quality10-inch skillet for $20 or so -- and very durable; no amount of heat or blunt force is going to do much damage to a well-made cast-iron pan. After rigorous Lab testing, the Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet was the clear overall winner as it outperformed all the rest in its heating and nonstick abilities as well as its maneuverability. Whilst this skillet produced a nicely cooked fried egg, we found that it retained heat a little too well, meaning it was difficult to control the temperature. Lodge is well known for its reasonably priced, but high-quality uncoated cast iron cookware that is made in the USA. This is one piece of equipment, like cooks themselves, that is only going to get better with age. It also just looks really slick, especially if you spring for the lid., This is another cooking material that is often in the cast-iron conversation. Our finalists made the grade as top quality pans, with some superior pans making us swear to never cook a steak any other way crisp fat and a golden crust gave way to the perfect, moist centre that can usually only be rivalled by barbecuing. Beyond carrying out basic cooking tasks with each such as baking cornbread, frying up eggs, and searing steaks, we judged each one based on heating ability (conductivity, distribution, and retention); maneuverability (weight and size, the comfort of pulling in and out of a hot oven, and the ergonomics of each handle); nonstick abilities; and pour spout performance. aubergine, halloumi and harissa skillet bake, butter bean, chorizo and spinach baked eggs, strawberry, almond and polenta skillet cake, Kuhn Rikon Black Star iron frying pan review, Staub cast iron double handle skillet review. Coat brand-new pans lightly in flax or vegetable oil before placing in a hot oven for an hour to seal a new surface, if needed. Overall, it's a great pan at an unbeatable price. Smithey Ironware Company No. We loved how comfortable the handle was on this pan and how heatproof it was when using on the stovetop. This pan fared better when we cooked meat. Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron, Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet Review, Best Design: This, along with its light weight, meant we were able to move it with ease on the stovetop and in and out of the oven. There are also a number of specialty cast iron pots and pans available. Always check the manufacturers instructions, but generally, simply scrape out any bits of cooked-on food (you can boil water in the pan to loosen it) and then use a stiff-bristled brush or scrubber to scrub the pan with mild soap and hot water. It works well as an all-round frying pan and would look good in your kitchen, too. Before use, it must be washed, dried, and seasoned. How it cooks: The Vermicular does a lot of what a thicker cast-iron pan will do and it heats up much faster due to its thinner base. Cast iron has perks, but there are a few more user-friendly options that net similar results. Gayle L. Squires, Product Tester. Most new pans will come with seasoning instructions. Our favourite of all the iron skillets we tested, this classic is going to stay firmly in place in our kitchen armoury. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. What struck us the most was how non-stick it was. Cuisinart Chef's Classic 9.25-inch Square Grill Pan, Cuisinart Chefs Classic Enameled Cast Iron Grill Pan Review, The Best Grill Pans for Perfect Sear Marks. They dont require special care or seasoning, and some can even be washed in the dishwasher. With the best non-stick abilities of all the pans we tried, eggs slid onto the plate straight from the pan, with a minimum amount of oil used. Wipe the exterior with oil and place the pan upside down (to allow excess grease to drip) in the oven at 450 degrees for an hour. Lodge is probably the best-known cast iron producer in America and they also have a lighter cast-iron collection called Blacklock. While most Dutch ovens come with lids, most cast iron pans do not. Slightly more shallow than some of the others here, it couldve done with slightly more pronounced pouring lips, as the rounded edges meant there was a bit of escaped sauce when we poured onto the plate. Le Creuset Enameled Cast Signature Iron Handle Skillet, The Best Eco-Friendly Cookware Brands We Love, Most Versatile: Choose your pan wisely, and invest if you can. The space it does require is well worth it considering it's essentially two pans in one. Woks, Pizza Pans, and Other Specialty Pans: There is a wide range of specialty pans made from cast iron, includingwoks,pizza pans, cornbread pans,tagines, baking pans, specialty braisers, scone pans, casseroles, biscuit pans, and more. Collier Sutter is the Food & Drink Review Editor for the Food Group on the commerce team. While neither one cooks exactlylike cast iron, I was rather impressed with both. Cast iron is an effective heat distributor, plus these sorts of pans are unlikely to have plastic handles, so can be transferred to an oven like a casserole dish. In the second test, the egg lifted mostly from the pan but there was more stuff stuck here than inside the Made In pan. The handles need to be sturdy, and they need to be large enough so that they're easy to hold onto when using oven mitts or potholders. The pan of choice for dedicated cooks, these skillets are also ideal for crispy chicken thighs in this pan-fried chicken in mushroom sauce, frittatas or even a classic tarte tatin. ), a grill pan is an affordable way to get the char marks of outdoor grilling. As well as the cooking tests, we marked the pans against the following criteria: One-pot recipesFrying pan sausage hotpotPerfect sauted potatoesFrying pan pizza pieHow to cook the perfect steakGiant skillet pan cookieHow to make the best fried eggs, Best non-stick frying pansBest pancake pansBest saut pansBest griddle pansBest pan setsBest saucepans9 of the best paella pans, Choose the type of message you'd like to post, 10 of the best cast iron skillets and pans. The company even offers engraving for added personalization. Unlike many other skillets on this list, this Kuhn Rikon pan is made from spun iron, like the Netherton Foundry pan above, so it's noticeably lighter than its cast iron counterparts. Read our full Staub cast iron double handle skillet review, Best budget cast iron skillet pan for meat-lovers. In our reviewer's words: "This is a lot of cast iron, and its not a lightweight pan.". Ultimately, this pan's versatility earned it a near-perfect rating and a permanent place in our tester's kitchen. We will only ever feature cast iron skillets and pans that prove to be good value for money.