Lodge Chef Collection 12 Inch Cast-Iron Skillet

It ranks #1 (S tier) on our consolidated cast iron skillets board, drawn from 4 independent outlets.

Anyone who wants one cast iron pan that does everything. Reviewers praise its versatility across searing, baking and other cooking methods, its excellent heat distribution, and a smooth surface that stays non-stick for years. It is the only S tier pan on our board. If you cook for one or want something easier to lift, the Lodge Blacklock 10.25 Inch Cast-Iron Skillet in A tier is the better size. If you cook on induction, the Lancaster No. 8 Cast-Iron Skillet is the pan reviewers single out for that.

Decades, with basic care. Reviewers describe the performance as reliable and the smooth surface as staying non-stick for years. Like any bare cast iron pan it can be stripped and re-seasoned if the surface is ever neglected. Dry it after washing and it will outlast every nonstick pan you own.

It is lighter than comparable 12 inch cast iron skillets, which reviewers list as one of its strengths. Any 12 inch cast iron pan is still heavy compared with aluminium or steel, and you will lift it with two hands when full. If weight is the deciding factor, the Lodge Chef Collection 10.25 Inch Cast-Iron Skillet is the smaller, lighter version of the same design, though it sits in C tier on our board.

Yes. It is solid cast iron with no coating or plastic, so it goes from hob to oven to grill at any temperature a home oven reaches. Reviewers specifically praise it for baking as well as searing. Use a dry cloth or handle cover when taking it out, because the handle will be as hot as the pan.

Scrub it with hot water and a brush while warm, dry it straight away, and wipe a thin film of oil over the surface before storing. It arrives pre-seasoned, so normal cooking with fat builds the surface up from there. Avoid soaking it, the dishwasher, and leaving acidic sauces in it for long. If it ever rusts, scrub the rust off and re-season it in the oven.