The 6 Best Cast-Iron Skillets for Every Budget
They’re all workhorses in the kitchen.
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THERE AREN’T MANY pieces of cooking hardware that can last generations. If you can take care of a good-quality chef’s knife, maybe. A cutting board? No way. No-cry onion goggles? Ask yourself why you own a pair of those anyway.
But a cast-iron skillet, if well loved, now there’s something in the kitchen that’s actually built to last.
The “love” part is essential, because unlike nonstick cookware, cast-iron is prone to rust. That doesn’t mean that it’s weak or fragile (quite the opposite in fact). It just means that you need to be extra careful with keeping cast iron clean and helping the cookware retain its “seasoning,” or the coating atop the cast iron itself. (More on all that here.)
Just in case a cast-iron pan wasn’t bestowed upon you from one of your ancestors, here are a few great pans to start with. You’ll love them. As will your great-great-great-great-great-great grandkids.
Best Deal
Lodge, the company, has been around since 1896. Eighteen-ninety-six. Grover freakin' Cleveland was president of the United States of America.
And it's existed for that long because the brand has, unlike Grover Cleveland, did a pretty damn good job. All its cast-iron in made in the US, is incredibly durable, and will last multiple generations.
The Blacklock line comes triple-seasoned from the factory. That means that it's non-stick so it's less of a hassle to clean.
If you’re cooking for more than just yourself, you’re gonna need a bigger pan. The beefy Lodge 15" Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet has a huge surface and a factory seasoning that makes both cooking and cleaning easy.
Utopia Kitchen Pre-Seasoned 12.5 Inch Cast-Iron Skillet
Pros
- Indoor/outdoor use
- Available in 4 sizes
Cons
- Susceptible to Cracks
This 12.5-inch cast iron skillet can also hold a heck of a lot of food, and it’s also seasoned out of the box. It’s slightly less heavy the the prior option, which makes it especially good for those new to the heft of cast-iron cooking.
Staub Cast-Iron Fry Pan
Pros
- Sloped Sides
- Available in Various Colors and Sizes
Cons
- Enamel can chip
Enameled pans make re-seasoning unnecessary due to a pre-seasoned reinforced coating. Staub makes a great one—and the red color doesn’t hurt either, eh?
If you’re in the market for a smaller skillet, the Field No. 8 is a great choice. A little over eight inches of cooking surface (the equivalent of four fried eggs) this guy only weighs 4 1/2 pounds. It’s ready for your next camping trip.
These Portland-based craftsmen apply an octagonal shape of their skillets for easier pouring. The spiraled stainless-steel handle makes for no-burn transportation. Looks stunning too.
Paul Kita is a Deputy Editor at Men's Health, where he has covered food, cooking, nutrition, supplements, grooming, tech, travel, and fatherhood at the brand for more than 15 years. He is also the author of two Men's Health cookbooks, Guy Gourmet and A Man, A Pan, A Plan, and the winner of a James Beard Award.
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