5 Best Cast Iron Skillet For Professional Style Cooking

Updated 17 Jun 2022

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We compare the most popular brands and models, and we boil them down to the top five to give you the most in-depth and dependable buying recommendation - so you can make the best buying decision possible.

BEST OF THE BEST

How We Tested

These products are recommended based on a thorough research process that aims to cut through the clutter and uncover the best products in this category. We spend hours looking into the elements that matter with the assistance of experts to provide you with these options.

Models Considered

180

Consumers Consulted

Hours Researched

Updated 17 Jun 2022

Written by

Revuu Buddy

Victoria Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

BOTTOMLINE
Customer Favorite
This cast-iron skillet is a must-have in your kitchen.

PROS
It is made of cast iron, has a diameter of 13 inches, and is pre-seasoned. It comes with two bent handles and is seasoned with flaxseed oil. It's oven-safe and has grease-spewing spouts.

CONS
Some customers claim that the product rusts quickly.

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LODGE Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

BOTTOMLINE
Trusted Brand
Based on our tests, this is an excellent quality cast iron skillet that has good heat distribution and cleans easily.

PROS
This model is popular among its users because it's heavy, long-lasting, adaptable, and of excellent quality. This was discovered to work well with vegetables, cooking them through without losing that seared texture.

CONS
Only a few individuals had problems with rust.

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Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron 3 Skillet Bundle

BOTTOMLINE
Most Comprehensive
If you want a large number of cast iron skillets for your kitchen, this is a fantastic set.

PROS
This three-piece set includes a 12 inch, 10.5 inch, and 8 inch cast iron skillet. All of them feature long handles and the two bigger ones include a short handle for easier transportation. The slices are sprayed with vegetable oil and baked in the oven.

CONS
Some buyers state the skillets were not properly seasoned before being put on sale.

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AmazonBasics Cast Iron Skillet

BOTTOMLINE
Feature-Packed
Cast-iron skillets prioritize pleasing the customer over everything else.

PROS
This cast iron skillet has a diameter of 15 inches and is pre-seasoned. This model has two pouring spouts and an assist handle, making it ideal for serving a variety of beverages; oven-safe up to 500°F.

CONS
Some consumers stated that the center of this pan gets too hot, in contrast with the edges.

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Le Creuset Enameled Signature Cast Iron Frying Pan

BOTTOMLINE
Superior Quality
A stylish enameled cast iron pan with a beautiful pattern that's perfect for serious home cooks.

PROS
The entire cooking surface will be equally heated with this heat distribution model. The handle is designed with an easy-grip surface. The interior of this black enamel cast iron skillet is dishwasher-safe for cleaning.

CONS
This is the most expensive cast iron skillet on our list, but many people believe it's well worth the money.

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Buying Guide for Best Cast Iron Skillets

Even if you only cook once a week, you've almost certainly used a skillet to some degree. Skillets are the workhorse of cookware and are ideal for scrambling, stirring, sautéing, frying, searing, and other culinary activities. While there are skillets constructed of a variety of metals, cast iron has unique advantages that make it a pleasure to cook with.

If you're shopping for a cast-iron skillet and don't know where to start, we've got you covered.

WHY USE CAST IRON WHEN COOKING?

There are several types of cookware available on the market, including copper, glass, stainless steel, and aluminum. To name a few. Each of those materials has strengths that make it appealing. Skillets, on the other hand, have been in use for hundreds (or even thousands) of years by cooks. There are several compelling reasons for this.

● Durability: Cast iron is quite durable. It's not uncommon for a cast iron pan to be used for many years with little visible wear or tear. For many families, handing down their cast iron skillets for several generations is a tradition.

● Nonstick: Another advantage of cast iron is that once seasoned and used regularly, it becomes nonstick. However, it isn't quite as nonstick as a Teflon-coated pan. The nonstick characteristics of cast iron, on the other hand, are a significant benefit for cooks who want to avoid potentially hazardous anti-tarnishing chemicals.

● Stays Hot: In comparison to other metals, cast iron heats up slowly and poorly transmits heat. It heats up quickly, so it's ideal for cooking large batches of food. Once it reaches temperature, however, it maintains that heat for a long time – far longer than other types of cookware. Cast iron's ability to retain heat makes it ideal for searing, crisping, and forming a crust on your food.

● Oven-Ready: If you appreciate cooking stovetop-to-oven recipes, you'll be pleased to learn that cast iron performs equally well in the oven as it does on top of the stove. Not only that, but it's also completely usable over a campfire or other open flame.

● Induction-Ready: On induction stoves, cast iron is effective. This is not a feature of all stainless steel, copper, glass, or aluminum cookware.

● Imparts Iron: Cast iron has several health advantages: uncoated cast iron leaches tiny amounts of iron into food during the cooking process, which is beneficial to your health. Those with iron-poor anemia or anyone who requires extra iron in their diet will benefit from this.

● Affordable: Cast iron is a popular choice among cooks on a budget since it is rather inexpensive, especially when compared to copper and high-end stainless steel cookware.

● Of course, cast iron has drawbacks.

● Requires Seasoning: To remain nonstick and maintain its resistance to rust, a metal that hasn't been enameled needs to be seasoned regularly.

● Hot Handle: The handle of a cast-iron skillet is also composed of cast iron, making it one piece. Use an oven mitt to pick up the handle, or you'll risk a burn. During cooking, this handle can become severely hot, so you'll need to protect your hand with an oven mitt - or risk a burn.

● Heavy: Cast iron is a very hefty material. A cast-iron skillet weighing about five pounds is ten inches in diameter. If you drop a cast-iron skillet, it might scratch a tile or wood floor, as well as a countertop.

● Requires Hand-Washing: You can't put your cast iron skillet in the dishwasher; you must clean it by hand. Cast iron is also prone to rusting without an enamel layer.

● Reactive to Acidic Foods: Tomato juice, for example, might cause the seasoning to come off a bare cast iron pan, releasing more iron into the dish and changing its flavor.

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite the widespread misconception, cast iron does not distribute heat effectively, so a cast iron pan will be hotter directly over the heat source than at its edges. However, cast iron retains heat for a long time.

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ABOUT ENAMELED CAST IRON

Enameled cast iron skillets are not uncommon. The iron is coated with an enameled paint, as is the case with many other cast iron cookware. The outside of the skillet may be a bright color, while the inside is often black.

There's no need to season a cast iron skillet that has an enamel coating if you have one. The iron won't corrode, and you won't have to worry about acidic meals eating away at the metal.

The enameled version is more expensive and the enamel may break if the pan is dropped or mishandled.

CAUTION

It's not advised to put a cast iron skillet in water or place it in the dishwasher. Removing the seasoning from the pan would cause oxidation and rusting.

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SKILLET, FRY PAN, OR SAUTÉ PAN?

The terms "skillet," "fry pan," and "frying pan" are all similarly defined as a piece of cookware. A skillet is a pan with gently sloping sides and a long handle that has a slim design.

Lids are not supplied with most skillets, although they may usually be purchased separately. Cast iron skillets are heavier than aluminum or stainless steel pans and sometimes include a "helper" handle on the far side to make lifting easier.

Skillets have sloping sides and are shorter in length than sauté pans. A lid is usually included. Sauté pans are used for foods that need liquids, such as frying and sautéing.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A CAST IRON SKILLET

Cast iron skillets are meant to be used and enjoyed, so they should be a pleasure to cook with. Here are some characteristics you might wish to consider while shopping.

● Enamel: Consider a stainless steel skillet if you don't want to bother with seasoning your cookware, or if you want a brightly colored addition to your kitchen.

● Spoon Rest: While cooking, many cast iron skillets feature indentations that act as spoon rests.

● Silicone Handle: Metal handles are standard on most cast iron skillets. Some, though, have silicone-covered ones. Because of this, it's much easier to move or pick up a hot skillet.

● Pre-seasoning: The cast iron is fully seasoned as soon as it arrives. If your cast iron skillet isn't pre-seasoned, it will need to be seasoned before you use it. Many cooks, on the other hand, feel that even pre-seasoned cast iron requires a seasoning treatment before its first use.

● The Right Size: Skillets come in a variety of sizes, with the most popular being eight inches, ten inches, and twelve inches. All of them are useful, but if you only have one to pick, the 10-inch cast iron skillet is likely to be the most versatile.

● The Right Price: You don't have to spend a lot of money to use a high-quality cast iron skillet. Lodge Cast Iron skillets, for example, are among the most affordable options on the market.

"Do you want to know what you can cook in a cast iron skillet? A far better question is what can't you prepare with this versatile cooking equipment? You may scramble, sear steak, fry chicken, bake cornbread, construct pan pizza and paninis in a cast iron skillet. At virtually every cooking technique, a cast iron skillet shines.

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HOW TO SEASON A CAST IRON SKILLET

However, even if your cast iron cookware has previously been seasoned, you should still season it yourself to enhance the pan's nonstick qualities. The procedure is straightforward and follows these steps.

Start by cleaning the frying pan.
Remove as much of the oil as you can using a paper towel. Corn, vegetable, and canola oil are excellent choices.
After the oil has cooled, wipe it with a clean cloth to remove any remaining residue. Remove all traces of the oil by lightly buffing it with a soft cloth.
In an oven preheated to 450°F, place the baking dish on its handle end. Set the pan aside for 30 minutes. You may notice the pan smoking a little; this is to be expected. It's a good idea to put a layer of foil beneath the pan to catch any oil drops.
Allow the pan to cool.
Repeat the procedure three more times.