Our Editors' Favorite Cast Iron Skillets
1) Best All-Purpose Skillet
Victoria
Amazon
$22.36
If you only buy one cast-iron pan in your life, it should be a 12 inch skillet, which is big enough to handle large dishes without being overwhelming. Victoria Pans, based in Columbia, are high quality, very reasonably priced, and all their pans come with a very durable flax-oil seasoning, so they work great right out of the box.
2) Best Vintage Cast Iron
Believe it or not, some of the best cast iron you can get is used. There's a couple reasons for that. First: Cast iron's seasoning gets better with repeated use. And second: There were a few manufacturers—no longer around—that made very light, easy to hold pans, using techniques that would be too expensive to reproduce today. You can find them at antique stores if you're lucky, or online. Look for either Griswold or Wagner, two of the most highly-regarded makers.
3) Best Splurge-Worthy Skillet
Field Company
fieldcompany.com
$215.00
If you're looking for a useable pan that also functions as a kitchen showpiece, then look no further than The Field Company. The U.S. company has been making pans in Wisconsin and Indiana since 2016. They're not only beautiful, but they're well balanced, decently seasoned, and fun to cook with.
4) Best Enameled Pan
Le Creuset
Williams-Sonoma
$129.95
Cast iron skillets can be your go-to for most oven and stovetop cooking, but they have one big drawback: The seasoning doesn't handle acidic ingredients like tomatoes or vinegary sauces well. To handle those, we recommend investing in an enameled pan. Le Creuset is known for sturdy, long-lasting enameled cookware, and their pans are about as beautiful as they are durable.
5) Best All-Purpose Dutch Oven
Lodge
Amazon
$49.90
Dutch ovens have gotten a reputation recently for their ability to turn out high-quality homemade bread. But they're handy for all kinds of cooking, from soups and stews to pot roasts, and more. Lodge's versatile Double Dutch Oven (see what they did there?) is extra-genius: The lid flips over to become a two-handled pan capable of roasting a chicken or making pancakes. Genius!
6) Best Leave-on-the-Stove Dutch Oven
Great Jones
$160.00
If you're whipping up a big pot of Coq au Vin for a fancy dinner party, you may want the pot to be as presentable as the stew inside it. While Le Creuset is a classic choice, we just love the distinctive look and gorgeous colors of Great Jones. This pot, called "The Dutchess" (get it?) comes in mustard, blueberry, Earl Grey, and more.
7) Splurge-Worthy Bread-Baking Pan
Challenger Breadware
Challenger Breadware
$279.00
Designed by bakers, for bakers, this cast iron bread pan is super easy to load and can batards, boules, demi-baguettes, and other loaves of almost any size. Added bonus, the bottom of the pan can also be used to roast a chicken and veggies.
8) Best Cornbread Pan
Lodge
$29.95
Don't just settle for just wedges when it comes to serving cornbread. Spoon batter into the slots of this kitschy cornbread pan and wow your guests with cornbread shaped like cute ears of corn.
9) Lodge Drop Biscuit Pan
Lodge
Sur La Table
$39.95
For a perfectly golden brown biscuit reach for the Lodge cast iron biscuit pan. It makes seven perfectly shaped biscuits and even work over a camp fire.
10) Best Grill & Griddle Pan
Lodge
Williams-Sonoma
$52.95
Whether you're looking for a smooth, flat surface for pancakes or grilled cheese sammies, or to get great grill-style sear marks on a steak or some veggies, this large, reversible pan is the ideal tool. It's large enough to cover two burners on your range, so you've got plenty of space to cook, and it will absorb and hold heat as only cast-iron can.
Cast iron is incredibly durable and the best for a wide variety of cooking, roasting, and frying. Here, find our favorite cast iron pans, dutch ovens, and more.