Honestly, I wish it was cheaper, but it's like buying the Rolls Royce of skillets. Categories Kitchen Product Reviews. For roasting a whole chicken or searing four pork chops, we think 12 inches is the perfect width, though it might be slightly too wide for your favorite skillet cornbread. Cast-iron skillets from leading brands (including Victoria, The Field Company, and Lodge) are put to the test. This will cover most of your daily cooking needs.”. The French company is celebrated for its ultra-high-quality cast iron, and its enameled cast iron pans are no exception. Whether you cook every night of the week or just once in awhile, you almost certainly reach for a skillet on at least some of those occasions. Super easy to clean (I bought the nylon brush by Le Creuset). And if you like baking, it has an extra-thick base for stellar heat distribution. The skillets have an avid fan-base, with hundreds commenting on Instagram posts showing what goes on behind the scenes at the company. Amazon shoppers love their FINEX pans for looks and performance, calling them investment pieces. “Who pays this much for a cast iron pan? The handle has a comfortable thumb print similar to the Amazon Basics pan, and it's easy to grip and maneuver. First, it's lighter weight, cast in what the website calls a "thin design" that weighs 4.6 pounds, compared to the classic's 5.2. 4. This product is 33 inches long, 22 inches wide, and 10 inches deep. I have a small round wire rack that fits in the bottom of the pan and use it to steam large crustaceans (mostly dungeness crab) with corn and potatoes. Each piece of the Signature Cookware Set is made of the popular enameled cast iron from Le Creuset, which takes the best parts of the traditional cast iron and combines it with a modern flair. What’s more, it is designed with high ridges to leave those beautiful grill marks on your food. Courtesy of Amazon, Credit: Just try Ree's Skillet Cornbread recipe and you'll understand why! Okay, nonstick pans are great for scrambled eggs. As you read this review, you will find three of the best cast iron cookbooks in town. And, if you're still on the fence about getting a cast-iron skillet, here are 5 reasons to commit and click add to cart. Once cool, we fried and scrambled eggs and seared halved potatoes in each skillet again. It's made of iron, after all. We also heated oil in each pan and poured it into a separate container to test the pouring spouts. While you don't want to put the thing away drenched in water, you wouldn't do that with stainless steal or non-stick either. She covers kitchen tools and gadgets for The Spruce and is the author of Make Ahead Bread. Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson, Field Company's No. I have to say that I am glad that I can cook acidic foods (tomatoes & citrus heavy sauces) without worrying about losing or weakening any of my seasoning on my traditional cast. Lodge is a giant in the cast iron world, and for good reason. Love the enamel outside, in 'flame' coloring. Finally, we added Finex ($175-$275) to the mix, as the Portland, Oregon-based company has made a few changes to the design of traditional cast-iron skillets. Best Mini: Lodge 3.5-Inch Mini Cast Iron Skillet LMS3 Buy on EBay At 3.5 inches in diameter, this petite pan is perfect for individual desserts (hi, molten lava cake!) It's a little heavier than some of the other options out there, but it performs as well as anything else we tested and has a price that's hard to argue with. 1. Lodge is an American company known for … Nothing sticks, it heats evenly and retains heat. It comes pre-seasoned for a natural, easy-release (although seasoning it wouldn’t hurt). What’s more, the enameled cast iron also provides superior heat retention compared to other nonstick skillets and is dishwasher-safe for simpler cleanup. 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