Have you or a loved one ever struggled to get a consistent sear on a rib-eye steak? Do you often find yourself sweating over the sink in a battle with crusted-on food, or replacing cookware every couple of years? Would your life be drastically improved if you owned a single pan that’s versatile enough to be used for sunny-side-up eggs in the morning, fried chicken for lunch, beef stew for dinner, and a baked apple crisp for dessert?
If so, you may be entitled to a cast-iron skillet.
Cast iron cookware: An extremely condensed history
While the oldest-known cast-iron artifacts (tools, specifically) date all the way back to ancient China, the concept of cooking with cast iron emerged in the 18th century Europe, when pieces of the iron alloy were melted down and poured into sand molds for cauldrons and pots. By the late 19th and 20th centuries, you could find cast iron cookware in most American kitchens thanks to its durability and low cost of production. (Big shoutout to industrialization for that one.) Read more…
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BEST FOR EVERYDAY USE
Lodge’s Classic Cast Iron Skillet
Lodge’s simple, sturdy, American-made cast iron skillets are true workhorses — and Reddit can’t get enough of them.
- Preseasoned: Yes (with 100% natural vegetable oil)
- Warranty: N/A
$14.19 from Amazon
IMAGE: Field Company
BEST HIGH-END SKILLET
Field Company’s Field No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet
Harkening back to the polished vintage skillets of bygone years, Field Company makes ultra-smooth cast iron cookware that you can hand down to your grandkids’ grandkids.
- Preseasoned: Yes (with cold-pressed grapeseed oil)
- Warranty: Lifetime
$125 from Field Company
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BEST ENAMELED SKILLET
Le Creuset’s Signature Skillet
Le Creuset’s rainbow of enameled skillets lets you reap most of the benefits of cast iron while cooking with acidic ingredients.
- Preseasoned: N/A
- Warranty: Lifetime
$99.95 from Amazon
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BEST DEEP SKILLET
Lodge’s Cast Iron Deep Skillet
If casseroles, long-simmered stews, and deep-fried foods are often on the menu at home, you (still) can’t go wrong with a Lodge.
- Preseasoned: Yes (with 100% natural vegetable oil)
- Warranty: N/A
$24.97 from Amazon
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BEST GRILL PAN
Lodge’s Square Cast Iron Grill Pan
Reddit begrudgingly recommends buying Lodge for all of your grill pan needs, but only if your life depends on it.
- Preseasoned: Yes (with 100% natural vegetable oil)
- Warranty: N/A
$18.90 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR CAMPING
Lodge’s Cast Iron Combo Cooker
If there’s any cast iron pan worth lugging into the great outdoors, it’s this all-in-one skillet from Lodge.
- Preseasoned: Yes (with 100% natural vegetable oil)
- Warranty: N/A
$38.39 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT SKILLET
Matfer Bourgeat’s Black Steel Frying Pan
A carbon steel skillet is the closest thing you’ll get to a lightweight cast iron pan, and this centuries-old French brand makes one of the best.
- Preseasoned: No
- Warranty: Lifetime
$47.99 from Amazon
