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The best cast-iron skillets can last long enough to become heirlooms. Once you find one you love, you can hold onto it for decades—because with a little care and tenderness, that’s how long it's going to last you. If you're on the market for one, we've got you.
Ahead, discover the absolute best cast-iron pans that we rely on for even-heating, quick-searing goodness. Jump ahead to any or check them all out:
But first, here are a few notes on what to keep in mind when shopping for a cast-iron skillet.
Ten or 12 inches is ideal here; anything larger and you'll likely end up with something so heavy you'll have a hard time lifting it from cooktop to oven easily. After settling on the 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet range you then have to choose pre-seasoned or unseasoned. It doesn’t really matter which one you choose but we recommend seasoning your pan regardless to maintain and improve its nonstick surface.
Classic, heritage brands like Victoria and Lodge have been making high-quality, traditional cast-iron cookware for over a century. But you could also opt for a new-school, “vintage-style” pan like those from Butter Pat Industries or Field Company. With these new-school pans often comes a heftier price tag, but the tradeoff is beautiful design and a noticeably more lightweight product.
If you’ve been putting off adding a cast-iron skillet to your arsenal because the idea of needing to season it fills you with dread, never fear: All of the options listed below come pre-seasoned, which means you can practically sear a rib eye with it fresh out of the box. See the end of this piece for some tips on maintaining that lovely nonstick layer and developing it even more over time.
Now that you know what to look for in a skillet, we'll share our top picks.
The Lodge skillet is a great pick for cast-iron newbies and it’ll only set you back about twenty bucks. At 5.35 pounds, it’s a bit weightier than some of the lighter weight, vintage-style options on this list, but not so heavy that it’ll stop you from sautéing veggies, pan-roasting chicken, and frying eggs with ease.
This 10.25-inch skillet is an ideal size for two people. The Lodge is also available in a 3.5-, 6.5-, 8-, 9-, 13.25-, and 15-inch varieties.
A similar but slightly larger pan is the Victoria 12-inch skillet. In addition to its two pour spouts, which almost all the pans here have, this one is beloved for its long handle that stays cool-ish plus a helper handle, and its even heating. It also comes pre-seasoned; the slick coating is 100% non-GMO flaxseed oil. It weighs in at 6.7 pounds, making it relatively light given its larger size.
Smithey, a small maker based in Charleston, gives this pan such a glossy, highly polished sheen that the surface is quite nearly nonstick right out of the box. It comes with a few thin layers of initial seasoning, and will develop a more mature, durable coating over time as you use it. Like all cast iron, the Smithey is induction-safe.
There are two sizes available. The 10-inch skillet is 7 pounds and the 12-inch skillet is 7.5 pounds. Both feature an ergonomic handle for easy gripping.
Heather 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
The hand-cast, USA-made skillets from Butter Pat Industries are a favorite of Bon Appétit food director Chris Morocco. Cast-iron geeks like Chris covet vintage cast iron skillets because their cooking surfaces are often worn down until they have a glassy, smooth surface. They are often thinner and therefore lighter than their modern counterparts. “Butter Pat’s cast-iron manages to be just as slick as the old stuff,” Chris says, “saving you years of effort to break it in. It looks and feels great, and let's face it, it’d better—chances are it will be around for a loooong time.” He’s not wrong: Butter Pat is so sure of their pans’ longevity, they offer a 100-year warranty that promises they’ll repair, replace, or refund any product that fails to last a lifetime. The Heather cast-iron skillet, weighing in at 4.8 pounds, is designed to work with gas, electric, induction, and live fire outdoors.
Butter Pat’s American-made cast-iron pots and pans come in a number of sizes beyond our recommended 10-inch Heather, each with its own moniker. If you're looking for a smaller skillet, pick up the 3-pound, 8-inch Estee. Want something larger? Check out the 12-inch Joan (clocking in at 6.9 pounds) or the 14-inch Lili (a hefty 9.8 pounds).
Another pricey but gorgeous cast iron pan is the 13⅜-inch pan from Field Company, also made in the USA. Yes, it’s larger—but at 4.5 pounds, this one is lighter than most cast-iron pans because, similar to the Butter Pat skillet, it’s engineered to mimic the hand-poured vintage pans made around the turn of the 20th century. All that to say that if you’re after a roomy skillet, this is the one for home cooks who lack the upper-body strength of a rock climber.
Heavy-duty, even-heating, satisfyingly weighty skillets are staples in our test kitchen because of their versatility. A regular, lightweight stainless-steel frying pan gets hot quickly, but it doesn’t have the heat retention capabilities of cast iron. And while a nonstick pan is nice for scrambled eggs and crispy-skinned fish, many are not oven-safe should not be exposed to super high heat.
But a cast-iron pan is as useful on the stovetop as it is in the oven, as dependable for braising cabbage as it is for shallow-frying chicken. It’s ideal for Dutch babies, frittatas, or these aromatic chicken thighs. Cornbread, obviously. Other baked goods, too. Roast a whole chicken in your cast-iron, and you’ll find that the combination of low sides and great heat distribution leaves you with perfectly bronzed skin, jammy lemon slices, and gorgeous, already reduced drippings. And lastly, it’s pretty much unparalleled when it comes to getting a great sear on pork chops or a New York strip steak.
When you first get your pan, you’ll want to season it (some pans will come labeled as pre-seasoned, but another coat doesn’t hurt). To do this, just lightly rub a bone-dry pan with a thin layer of high-heat, neutral vegetable oil and place it upside down in a scorching oven—450°F-500°F should do the trick. Leave for an hour, turn off the heat, let it cool in the oven, rub with a tiny bit more oil, and store. You can season cast iron as many times as you’d like to build up a glossy nonstick surface; when the pan looks dull or dry, it’s time to moisturize.
No, you can’t chuck it in the dishwasher, and you won’t be using your normal hand wash methods, but a cast-iron skillet really doesn’t require much love. When it’s time to clean up, simply wipe a damp rag across the surface of your pan, then dry it thoroughly. Often, that’ll be enough. But if there are any crusty bits, try pouring coarse salt in there and going at it with a Tawashi scrubber, which has soft bristles that whisk away any detritus. Many will tell you to avoid soap at all costs lest you ruin your careful seasoning, but a little dish soap is fine—just don’t let it sit in hot water. (Read our complete guide to cleaning cast iron.)
For really baked on crumbs, try The Ringer, a handy chain mail scrubber that easily rinses clean between uses. After cleaning your cast iron, be sure to wipe your fry pan very dry—this is key for preventing any rust spots. Then take a teeny bit of neutral cooking oil (like canola or vegetable), smear on a paper towel, and give it a light coating. Take care to get the handle and the bottom as well as the cooking surface, as rust can crop up anywhere (here's how to save a rusty cast-iron skillet in case it happens to you). And you’re good to go! It sounds involved, but it really only takes a few minutes. (A well-seasoned pan takes virtually no time at all, so dutifully season and you’ll be rewarded.)
Toss your skillet in the sink absentmindedly or leave it out in the rain, only to find it’s developed a layer of orange rust? Don’t panic—rusting can happen pretty easily if you allow your pan to come into contact with water for an extended period of time (it is made of iron, after all), but that doesn’t mean it’s ruined. A salt scrub will help with most small spots, while a vinegar soak is the cure for more serious cases. (Read more on dealing with pesky cast-iron rust patches.)
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