Cast Iron Skillets & Frying Pans are some of the most sought after frying pan in America. Looking at google trend, you can see the search results of these Cast Iron Skillets & Frying Pans soaring. Part of the allure is just plain nostalgic feel. They are affordable, durable and sear food better than your non stick pan, not something that usually goes together. However, with this trending phenomenon, manufacturers have been coming out with artisinal cookware that is demanding very high prices. Vintage cookware like Griswold has reached astronomical level. For the most part they perform pretty similar, but what really sets them apart is the shape of their frying pan and skillet and their functionality.

Le Creuset

Le Creuset is known as the defacto cast iron cookware manufacturer. They are one of the most famous cookware brand out there and commands one of the highest price. Below, you will find a list of their cast iron skillets & frying pans.

All Enamel Low Side

This is Le Creuset’s classic cast iron skillet. The entire frying pan is covered in enamel except for the lip. Because enamel is coated throughout the pan, it does not have the pitfall that most bare cast iron skillet have. As long as the enamel stays in tact, rust wont become an issue. Another benefit is that you can actually wash this pan. Cast Iron Skillets with no enamel coating cannot be washed with traditional soap. If you do that, the seasoning will be stripped. It will lose any non stick property that comes with cast iron.

Pro

Easy Clean Up
Beautiful Color
Low Side for easy food turning

Cons

Not as non stick as bare cast iron
Expensive
Handle Get Hot
Enamel can chip

Enamel Coated Skillet with Wooden Handel

Le Creuset Wooden Handle Cast Iron Skillet sure is one of the prettiest frying pan in their line up. It has almost all the same benefit of the all metal version but with a wooden handle. The wooden handle does not transfer heat that effectively so it makes for the perfect stove top cookware. The one downside to this is that it is not recommended to be put in the oven at high heat. Wood will eventually degrade and become brittle, you would then need to get a replacement handle.

Pro

-Easy to clean
-Wood handle gives a vintage look
-Handle can be detached

Con

-Not recommended to be used in the oven
-Not as durable as an all metal design
-No pouring lip

Lodge

Lodge is one of the oldest America’s Cast Iron Skillets & Frying Pans manufacturer. Most of their cookware is made in america and their pans are amazingly affordable. Their signature pan can be found for less than 30 dollar for a 12 inch skillet. They are pretty much indestructible and even if they do break, you can always replace it.

Lodge Preseasoned All Metal Cast Iron Skillet

This is lodges signature cast iron skillet and it is one of the most affordable and best skillet that you can buy. These come pre seasoned but I recommend that you cook in it for a while before you start cooking eggs in it. It takes time for for the whole non stick property to adhere. Some issues that I have with this pan is that it rust if I do not keep up with the seasoning. Not to mention that cleaning it is a bit of a pain. You need to clean with with salt or a soft metal scrub after cooking. Using soap will strip the paint.

Pro

-One of the most affordable pans out there
-Almost impossible to destroy under normal cooking
-Non stick coating that gets better over time

Con

-Hard to clean
-Will rust if you do not keep it seasoned
-Handle gets hot

Lodge Enamel Coated Skillet

Lodge Enamel Skillet is one of the few cookware that is not made in the USA. These are outsourced to China probably to maintain the affordability that lodge has known to provide. As far as I know, there are no American made enameled coated cast iron skillet. If you want a enamel coated skillet that is not made in China, I recommend you get the skillet from Le Creuset. In my experience, the coating from Le Creuset are more durable but it also cost more than twice as much.

Pro

-Wont Rust like bare cast iron
-Affordable
-Long Handle for easy maneuverability

Con

-Enamel Coating durability issue
-No Pouring Lip

Cuisinart

Cuisinart pretty much make all of type of cooking utensils and cookware. Given that, they have decided to make their own cast iron skillet. Even though they are not as specialized as Lodge or Le Creuset, they do have the financial power to make their own very well made skillet.

Cuisnart Enamel Coated Cast Iron Skillet

In general, this skillet is very well made. Over a thousand review on Amazon has given this skillet a 4.5 star rating, something that is very hard to get. The main downside that I see about this skillet is mainly the apperance. I personally find that the shape is not as elegant as the one you can get from Le Creuset. The enamel coating is also not as durable as the one you can get from Le Creuset.

Pro

-Affordable compared to Le Creuset
-Pouring Lip to easily pour juice and sauces
-Long handle to move the pan around easily

Con

-Enamel coating durability
-Helper Handle is really small

I hope you like this Cast Iron Skillets & Frying Pans Review, If you would like to see more, please visit our Pots and Pans Review page.