Cast Iron Pans

Many people love cast iron pans, and for good reason: they're durable, oven-safe, produce a delectable sear, get better with each use, last a lifetime, and don't even have to be expensive. What's not to love?

With cast iron being very popular lately, lots of people are adding it to their kitchen arsenal. However, most people who've tried an inexpensive pan have been disappointed. Food sticks all the time and the pans are difficult to clean. Plus, the season doesn't seem to improve. But there's an explanation for this: the pan isn't smooth.

Before the 1950's, the insides of cast iron pans were ground smooth at the factory. This was standard practice, regardless the price of the pan. Manufacturers also used fine casting sand that resulted in a fairly smooth finish overall. So vintage skillets from an estate sale, antique dealer, or second-hand store are usually fantastic pans.

Starting mid-century, though, manufacturers (Lodge in particular) decided to skip the machining step to save money. Additionally, most makers now use very coarse sand for casting. These important changes in production create pans with a cook surface that's rough, full of pits and bumps. Consequently, food sticks badly, the pan is hard to clean, and it doesn't seem to build a season well

Smooth cast iron offers a completely different experience. A smooth cast iron pan can be the best pan you've ever had.

If you want to read more on this from an industry leader, here is a quick article on the topic, from the founder of Butter Pat (a maker of swanky pans). 

You can pay over $200 for a nice skillet from sellers like Smithey, Butter Pat, Field Co, or Finex. These are beautiful pans (well, maybe not Finex), but the only thing that makes them perform beautifully is their smooth cook surface. The rest of the pan is essentially the same as a Lodge.

The best size for you depends on how you cook. Here is my advice on Lodge pans.

8" - The small pan is ideal for smaller meals. A couple eggs, a two-egg omelette, single-serving portions.

10.25" - Not too small, not too big. The classic frying pan size works well for smaller families. Three fried eggs, a small pizza, the perfect-sized omelette. This is my favorite size.

10.25" Griddle - great for pancakes and crepes, you can also use this for eggs. Most popular use at our house? Griddled cheese.

12" - The full-size skillet suits large families well. To make a large pizza, a heap of scrambled eggs, a goodly portion of grilled peppers and onions... you'll need the large skillet.

Some things to consider: you can cook a small meal in a large pan, but not vice versa. However, the larger the pan, the longer it takes to heat up. So for a quick, small meal, a small pan is great. Also, the Lodge 12" pan is pretty heavy (over 8lbs).

Lodge pans are categorized according to the outside edge.

Here are the measurements of each size of pan:

12" pan = 10" cooking area

10.25" pan = 8.5" cooking area

10.25" griddle = 10" cooking area

8" pan = 6.5" cooking area

Alas, you cannot.

From November 2020 until June 2025, I sold pans like the ones pictured here. However, I have moved on to a new phase of life, and I could not keep up the business. Thank you, though, for reading! I hope some of this info is helpful!