The Best
Cast-Iron
Skillets
to Last a
Lifetime
Home
T
HE POWERHOUSE OF
all kitchen equipment,
the cast-iron skillet is
the only cookware that
improves with use—
each time you cook
with it, polymerized
oil builds up to form a non-
stick, water-repelling surface.
Compared with aluminum or
stainless steel, cast iron has low
thermal conductivity but offers
superior heat retention, making
it ideal for high-temperature
cooking such as searing steak
and caramelizing vegetables.
However, not all cast iron is
created equal. The pans from
brands like Griswold and Wag-
ner that you might find in your
grandmother’s kitchen or at f lea
markets got their smooth sur-
face through hand-polishing.
Most of today’s manufacturers
forgo this time-consuming and
expensive process, and instead
preseason the cast iron to reduce
stickiness (although a few are
going back to time-tested pol-
ishing methods). With the right
skillet and skills, you could build
upon the factory seasoning to
rival the polished pans you’d
find at antique shops. Plus, you’ll
get more satisfaction (and save
money) by doing it yourself.// BY PAIGE SZMODIS //11
BEST EVERYDAY SKILLET- LODGE CLASSIC
Price: $32
Weight: 7.6 lb.
Smoothness: 95.5 dBa
Stickiness: 4
Searing: 7
Heat Distribution: 4
Pouring: 5
The cast-iron brand
that you can find just
about anywhere, Lodge
has been around for
over 120 years. The
Classic 12-inch skillet
doesn’t exceed oth-
ers at any particular
task, but it’s a popular
and affordable choice
that’ll yield decent heat
conductivity and bal-
ance—despite its heft
and slower heat rate—
for decades.
BEST OVERALL
PERFORMANCE- SMITHEY IRON-
WARE NO. 12
Price: $200
Weight: 8 lb.
Smoothness: 91.1 dBa
Stickiness: 10
Searing: 10
Heat Distribution: 10
Pouring: 4
Smithey Ironware is
one of the new compa-
nies taking inspiration
from vintage pans by
polishing the interior
to create a gorgeous,
glassy surface. This is
the heaviest skillet we
tested, but its weight
potentially contrib-
uted to its excellence
in searing and heat dis-
tribution. It quickly
delivered an even, dark
sear with no hotspots
and very little sticking.BEST VALUE- VICTORIA
Price: $25
Weight: 7.4 lb.
Smoothness: 80.5 dBa
Stickiness: 3
Searing: 9
Heat Distribution: 8
Pouring: 9
You can find this
12-inch Colombia-
made skillet for $25
or less, yet it outper-
formed some skillets
that cost more than
eight times its price.
It may require some
extra seasoning to
improve its nonstick
surface, but overall,
it supplied even heat
distribution with an
ergonomic handle.
BEST NONSTICK- STARGAZER
Price: $130
Weight: 6.2 lb.
Smoothness: 70 dBa
Stickiness: 10
Searing: 8
Heat Distribution: 9
Pouring: 10
The young Stargazer
brand reigned supreme
with its nonstick sur-
face. Compared
with more expensive
options, Stargazer’s
12-inch skillet is bet-
ter balanced in terms
of weight and heat
conductivity and distri-
bution. It doesn’t have
pour spouts, but its
unique, rolled rim never
dripped. With a long
handle designed to
stay cool and the larg-
est helper handle, it’s
as comfortable as it is
functional.BEST ENAMELED- LE CREUSET
SIGNATURE IRON
Price: $200
Weight: 6.6 lb.
Smoothness: 85.5 dBa
Stickiness: 7
Searing: 8
Heat Distribution: 7
Pouring: 6
The high-end French
Le Creuset label lived
up to its reputation
as the maker of the
finest enameled cast-
iron cookware. Both
the interior and exte-
rior of this 11.75-inch
pan are glossy and
resistant to stains, and
it has balanced han-
dling with a wide loop
helper handle.
Cookbook author David Joachim conducted a series of five tests to judge
10 skillets’ heat conductivity, heat distribution, smoothness, stickiness, and
ergonomics. He measured smoothness by scraping a metal spatula over their
surfaces and recording the decibel levels (dBa). He judged factory seasoning
(s tickiness) by fr ying an eg g with no oil at medium heat. H eat dis tribution wa s
tested by observing burn patterns on paper circles. For heat conductivity, he
seared boneless strip steaks to monitor the speed, evenness, and depth of
browning. Finally, he poured one cup of water from each pan to consider the
ergonomics of the handle, pouring spouts, and weight. After ranking each
skillet from 1 to 10 (worst to best) in each test and considering its value, we
determined that these five are the best skillets you should consider.HOW
WE
TESTED
74 March/April 2020