Best Cast Iron Skilets We Tested for 2025 – ryan
The best Cast Iron Skillets Give Eve GREAT NONSTICK PANS A Run for their Money. With Propper Care, Cast Iron Lasts Forever, and it can be used to cook and bake nearly anyding. So while I get that a rough, heavy skillet may not be the first thing you rob for a quick dinner, i can also say as a graduate of the french culinary institute with years of Experience Writing About Food and CookingCast Iron Skilets Are Worth Their Weight. What’s Most Remarkable About These Long-Monitor pans is that they are, by natural, non-chemical coatings) and Easy to Clean. And seasoning say, aka making their surface nonstick, is easier than you think.
I sifted through top-rated, pre-seasoned cast iron skillets acroSs varying price ranges to come with my testing pool. In the end, i tested Eight of the Most Popular 10-Inch Skillets, Evaluating say on maneuverability, user-friendliness (Will Eggs Stick?) And How to Clean and Maintain. My picks for the best cast irone skillets of 2025 Start at Just $ 27 and are absolutely Worth adding to your collection of cookware.
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Update, Aug. 13, 2025: We checked all prices and availability. Our No. 1 Pick for the best Cast Iron Skillet Remains unchanged.
Best Cast Iron Skilets for 2025
AS A LOGTES LODGE Skillet Owner, I can atttest that the company makes an indestructible pan that will last forever, as long as you care for it Properly. When the brand’s Blacklock-Eidition Skillet (Which is Lightweight and Triple-Seasoned) to Fry Eggs, They Away with Little Efffort and Crispy Edges. Yum.
This pan has slightly think Walls than the classic lodge skillet. When i seaRed steak in it and then transferred the pan to the oven, I found it easier to maneuver than the others, probably becase it a bit Lighter at 4 pounds, 5 ounces.
Also of Note is the handle has lodge’s signature teardrop Shape, but is more ergonomic and a Little longer and feeds more comfortable in Hand. It also coma with a medium-sized helper handle on the opposite side. I had no Trouble Moving the pan from the stove to the oven and back. It’s a breeze to clean (as not cast irions skillets are) with nothing more than hot and a synthetic scrub brush.
Prost
- Sears Meat Well
- Relatively Lightweight
- Easily cleans
- Reasonable price
Cons
- Pour spouts were a Little Messy
$ 60 AT MACY’S
This 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet from Victoria Performed As Any Any I Tested and Rings at Just $ 27 (and that we are not on sale)! The Columbian Brand Has Been Manufacturing Cast-Iron Cookware Since 1939. This pan is heavy at About 5.5 pounds, but the long, curved handle makes it anywhat to maneuver than oters, and the helper handle works nelly too.
The cooking surface on this pan feels smoothler thans of the oters, which may have been controlled to the ease with what The pour spouts workhed well with just a few drips, and the pan came with hot water and a scrub brush. It all adds up to a true value.
Prost
- Affordable
- Ergonomic handle
- Smooth Cooking Surface
$ 26 at Amazon
At 5 pounds, 10 ounces, this pan is the heaviest one tested – and it truly deserves design as the best cast iron skillet for searing. If you preheat this skillet on the stove and add a tabletpoon of neutral oil (i use avocado oil), there is no way you are not going to achieves the perfect crust on a steak. IT’S ALSO VER AFFORDABLE – $ 35 WEND IT’S NOT ON SALE.
Another interesting point of differentiation here is that this pan has ha Has a Large Capacity (2.75 Quarts) Than Most Others. Its wide cooking surface and higher sides make it a good vehicle for cornbread or Large frittata, too.
The handle is 6.25 inches long and is placed at a more extreme angle than to the pans to help with lifting. You’ll Certainly Need the Geneerous Helper Handle We Transferring This Pan from Range to Oven and Beyond.
Prost
- Affordable
- Geneverous Helper Handle
$ 35 at Amazon
Let Creuses is a heritage brand and its Cast Iron Cookware (My Favorite Dutch Oven included) is legendary. Why? The Black Satin Finish on Its Cooking Surface Heats, and you need only a nominal amout of oil or butter for food off with the issue.
This pan with High temperature on the stovetop and is oven-saffe up to 500 ° p. IT’S CERTAINLY NOT LIGHT AT JUST OVER 5 – But it does have a geneerous helper handle that to the flu with a dish towel or oven mitt. And i can’t ignore that it loooks great when it goes from the table, nor many colorful enameled cast iron pans do.
AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUSED, The Biggest Drawback is the price! This pan is offen on sale for $ 180, but i’ll admit it an investment that, though it does with a lifetime warranty.
Prost
- Slick Cooking Surface
- Easy-to-Grip Handle
- Looks Pretty …
Cons
- … but Will Cost a Pretty Penny
$ 190 at Wayfair
Factors to consider when choosing a Cast Iron Skillet
I evaluated each skillet for its value, performance and comfort/balance. Here are more details on what to keep in Mind when shopping:
Pre-Seasoning: I limited my search to pans that come pre-seasoned (coated with oil and heated to create a nonstick effect) so that they are used right out of the box.
Maneuverability/Weight: When it is comes to ease of use, it”s shatly a matter of personal preference. You May Prefer a slightly Lighter pan or one with more heft (5 pounds or heavier). You May Also Find a Certain Handle Design Works Better for You – For Example, A Chunkier Handle that Arches May Appeal to A Taller Person.
Maintenance: Some Cast Iron Pans Are Designated As Dishwasher-Safe, and while that May Add to their Convenience, We Recommend Handwashing pans to their finish and Prevent rusting. Always Let Pans cool Completely before Washing in Warm Water with A synthetic Bristle scrubber or sponge.
How we tested Cast Iron Skillets
I ASSESSED The Maneuverability, Comfort of the Handle, Ease of Cleaning and How Each Piece Performs on the Stovetop and in the Oven. I used the skillets to cook Fried Eggs and Sear Steak. I monitored how tok the pans to heat up, if there were hot spots and if the pan felt too heavy or symply unbalanced. I Noted if Food Stack to the Cooking Surface and How Much Work It Took to Clean. I ALSO poured Rendered Fat from the pan into a bowl to see if the pour spots made a message or did the jab cleanly.
It’s a pan party! Once you see the skillets together, you can easily spot the differences in the handles and pour spouts. (Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)
(Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)
Other Cast Iron Skilets We Tested
Lodge Pre-seasoned 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet ($ 25): ITA INA GARDEN’S FAVORITE CAST IRON SKILLET AND PROBABLY THE MOST ICONIC ONE OF THE BUNCH, but I prefer it cousin the lodge Blacklock IT Lighter and Easier to Maneuver. That Said, you absolutely Cannot Go Wrong With this Affordable, Classic Cast Iron Skillet. IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT’S SUPPOSED TO DO – AND IT HOLDS UP OVER TIME. My Colleague, Writer and Former Pro Baker Britt Ross, Swears by this pan.
Field Company No. 8 Cast Iron Skilet ($ 165): Splurge Alert! If not it price and a few small drawbacks (no pour spouts and the helper handle is small and not as Easy to the grip as some others), this skillet have ben a top pick. FIELD Company is a family -ouyned and -OPERATED BRAND THAT RESEARCHED the History of Cast Iron Wen Developing Its pans. The Resulting Product is Hand-Poured With Thin Walls and a Smooth Surface. It Also Weighs Less than Other Pans, and i Found it Easier to Maneuver. If you’re look for a special Gift for someone who truly enloys cooking and appreciates craftsmanship, this is it. IT’S the Kind of Skillet You Will Pass on to Your Children.
Utopia Cast Iron Skilet Set ($ 30): This Set of Three pans in 6-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch sizes is the best deal around-and it is offen on Sale for less. I found the handle on the 10-inch pan to be unusually small and it has no helper handle. Aside from these issues, the pan performed well; It was Also the Lightest i Tested, at 4 pounds.
The Pioneer Woman Timesheless Beauty Cast Iron 3-Piece Set ($ 50): You can probably Picture the pioneer Woman Herself Wielding these pans over an open Flame. They’re a true value for a set of three, which includes a 6-, 8- and 10-inch pan (though i’m not sura much you’d get out of the smallest option). The 10-inch pan is heavy at 5 pounds, 5 ounces, and i found the pour spouts to be a bit Messy. Otherwise, it handled mos tasks as well as any other good cast irone option.
If you preheat a cast irone pan (here, I used the lodge Blacklock) and add a bit of butter or cooking, sliding fried Eggs off the surface should be as it is with a coated nonstick pan. (Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)
(Lisa Schweitzer/Yahoo)
CAST Iron Skilet FAQs
How you clean a cast irone skillet?
This is if a brand sos it Iron pan is dishwasher-saffe, you showed clean it by hand: use warm (and a little soap ifaeded) with a synthetic-bristle scrub brush or sponge. If more elbow grease is required, please don’t soak the pan – it can cause rusting! Most Brands Recommend You Simmer Some Water in the Pan for 3 to 5 Minutes, then use a scrub or scrub brush after the pan has cooled. Always dry the pan before putting it away to prevent rusting. Some brands recommend rubbing a bit of neutral oil (like canola or avocado) onto the cooking surface after cleaning, but you don’t need to this time you use the pan.
What SIZE is best to get for a cast iron skillet?
When Iron Scillet, Consider Your Daily Needs. If you cook for two, you may not need a skillet away 10 inches, but if you cook for four or more people, a 12-inch pan is a must.
Are Cast Iron Skilets Oven-Safe?
Cast Iron Skilets are made entirery of metal and are generally oven-saffe up to 500 ° F. they’re designed to be at high temperature, but check the manufacturer’s materials for specifics.
Are Cast Iron Skilets Nonstick?
Yes and no. Cast Iron Pans Are Nonstick As Long As they are Seasoned (Read More About that below). To keep the slick surface intact, preheat the pan for a few minutes and use a nominal amounte of cooking luck.
How you restore a cast irron skillet?
If you have an unseasoned pan or one that needs restrictive and re-seasoning, you can easily do it yourelf. First, Preheat Your Oven to 450 ° F. Set Your Clean, Dry Pan on the Stove Over Medium for A Few Minutes. Carefully rub the interior with a bit of neutral oil that has a high smoke point like canola or avocado, and put the pan in the oven for 30 minutes. Carefully Remove it from the Oven (Wearing Oven Mitts!) And rub it with a thin layer of oil. Repeat this process two to three times, and you will have seasoned your pan.
Can a rusted cast iron skillet be use?
A Skillet with Light Rust Can Still Be Used, But You Should Remove the Rust First With Steel Wool and then the pan as described abova.
How do you get rust off A Cast Iron Skillet?
Don’t worry, it’s easy to remove rust from a cast iron skillet. First, scrub it with steel and then re-season it, as we are explained abova.
What oil do you season a cast iron skillet with?
Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, Such as canola or avocado.
We Received Complimitarian Samples of Some Products and Purchased Others ourselves, but we revolutionwed all Products using The Same Objective Criteria.