Lodge, Victoria or a Set? The Best Value Cast Iron Skillet

1. Lodge 10.25-inch Cast Iron Skillet – The Pan That Pays for Itself

Best value overall

This is the skillet most American kitchens started with, and still the one to buy if you want the most cooking for the least money. Lodge casts it in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, seasons it with soy-based vegetable oil and sends it out ready to cook. Its trade catalog lists it at 5.35 pounds, heavy enough to hold heat but manageable with one hand and a helper handle.

America’s Test Kitchen named it the Best Buy 10-inch skillet. In ATK’s words, it “loved how deeply this pan browned foods”, producing a steak with a dark crust and fond for a pan sauce. Its scrambled eggs stuck a little when the pan was new, and ATK points out that it needs drying and a little oil after every use, but called those “minor quibbles” for a great pan at an excellent price.

The 10.25-inch size is the sweet spot for two to four people, according to ATK, and it fits on a standard burner, in a small cupboard and in most ovens next to another dish. In a Mexican kitchen it is the pan for chorizo and eggs, a batch of fajita vegetables for two, or a quick pan sauce of charred tomatoes and chiles.

Lodge says to cook on any heat source, including glass-top stoves and induction, and the listing adds the oven, grill and campfire. Care is three steps: hand wash, dry promptly and wipe on a thin layer of oil.

Why we like it

• Named ATK’s Best Buy 10-inch cast iron skillet
• 5.35 lb, manageable for daily use (Lodge catalog)
• Pre-seasoned with soy-based vegetable oil
• Any heat source, including induction, according to Lodge
• Made in the USA, with a lifetime warranty per the listing

Why we recommend it

It suits almost everyone: first-time cast iron buyers, small households, and cooks who want a second pan next to a larger one. Few pieces of cookware give this much use for the money.

Skip it if you regularly cook for five or more; ATK recommends a 12-inch skillet for that, and the set below includes one.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

2. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet Set, 8, 10.25 and 12-inch – Every Size in One Box

Best value set

If you already know you will cook in cast iron every day, buying three sizes at once is the most economical way to do it. This set bundles Lodge’s three classic skillets, the same pans sold individually: the 8-inch, the 10.25-inch and the 12-inch. America’s Test Kitchen rated all three in its cast iron review, naming the 12-inch its Best Buy overall, the 10.25-inch its Best Buy 10-inch and the 8-inch its best 8-inch skillet.

Each size has a job. ATK says a 12-inch pan feeds up to six people and is the best single size for most cooks; the 10-inch suits two to four; the 8-inch handles one or two servings and small tasks such as toasting nuts or browning butter. In a Mexican kitchen that maps neatly onto a big pan for carne asada or a skillet of rice, a mid-size pan for eggs and chorizo, and a small one for toasting cumin seeds or dried chiles.

Lodge’s catalog lists the three at 3.2, 5.35 and 7.9 pounds. All are pre-seasoned with vegetable oil, made in the USA and, per Lodge, usable on any heat source including induction. Care is the same for each: hand wash, dry promptly, oil lightly.

Why we like it

• All three sizes ATK recommended in its review
• Covers small, everyday and family-size cooking
• Pre-seasoned and ready to use
• Any heat source, including induction, according to Lodge
• Made in the USA

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you are setting up a kitchen, replacing tired nonstick pans, or cook for a family and want the right size for every dish. It is three proven pans with nothing to second-guess.

Skip it if you have little cupboard space or only need one pan; three cast iron skillets weigh over 16 pounds together and take up room.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

3. Victoria 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet – Long Handle, Low Cost

Best long handle

Victoria has made cast iron in its own factories in Colombia since 1939, and its skillets are the main budget alternative to Lodge. The difference you notice first is the handle: long and curved, where Lodge’s is short. America’s Test Kitchen, reviewing the 12-inch version, called that handle terrific and said it made the pan easier to lift, and described the skillet as a well-made pan at a remarkable price.

The 10-inch has the same design. Victoria describes a thicker edge, a deep vessel for sauces and larger foods, and drip-free pour spouts on each side. It is seasoned with non-GMO, kosher-certified flaxseed oil, with no PTFE or PFOA coating, and the listing rates it for the stove, induction, the oven, a grill and a campfire.

The finish is textured rather than smooth. In ATK’s review of the 12-inch, the factory seasoning started well but lost ground, with some sticking by the end; ATK expected it to regain its seasoning with use. Help it along by cooking with a little extra fat for the first few weeks and oiling it lightly after each wash.

Why we like it

• Long curved handle for better grip and leverage
• Drip-free pour spouts on each side
• Seasoned with flaxseed oil; no PTFE or PFOA
• Stove, induction, oven, grill and campfire
• Made in Colombia

Why we recommend it

Choose it if a short handle is what bothers you about cast iron. It costs about the same as the Lodge and is easier to lift and move off the heat.

Skip it if you want the most reliable factory seasoning; ATK found Victoria’s slipped during its review of the larger pan, so expect a short break-in.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

4. Cuisinel 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet – Big Pan, Handle Cover Included

Best large on a budget

Cuisinel’s 12-inch skillet is the large pan to consider if you want an alternative to Lodge. America’s Test Kitchen recommended it in its cast iron review, describing a heavy, classic pan with excellent heat retention that deeply browned steak, fries and cornbread. ATK weighed it at a little over 8 pounds, with sides about 2 3/8 inches tall, which leaves room for shallow frying.

The listing describes an assist handle opposite the main handle, so you can lift a full pan with both hands, and a silicone handle holder with a hang hole. ATK found the cover “very handy” on the stovetop, though it could not protect hands once the pan had been in a 500-degree oven. The listing rates the skillet for gas, electric, induction and glass tops, the oven, grill and campfire.

The surface is rough. ATK found it gained seasoning and released food beautifully by the end of its review, but it snagged lint from towels and stayed a little oilier and gummier than ideal. Cuisinel’s care instructions are to rinse while warm, dry on low heat and wipe on a thin coat of oil, without soaking or using the dishwasher.

Why we like it

• Recommended in ATK’s cast iron skillet review
• Heavy pan with excellent heat retention, per ATK
• Assist handle plus a silicone main-handle cover
• Rated for induction, oven, grill and campfire

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you want a full-size, heavy skillet for family cooking with a handle cover in the box. It performed well across ATK’s cooking tasks.

Skip it if you want a pan that is easy to wipe clean early on; the rough surface takes longer to become slick than Lodge’s, according to ATK.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

5. Lodge Chef Collection Skillet Set, 10 and 12-inch – Sloped Sides, Two Sizes

Best for flipping

For a step up from the classic Lodge, the Chef Collection reshapes the pan for cooks who flip a lot, and this set gives you two of them: a 10-inch and a 12-inch skillet. Lodge describes a chef-inspired, spatula-friendly design, with sidewalls sloped so a spatula slides under eggs, pancakes or a quesadilla, along with ergonomic handles and generous pour spouts for pan sauces and gravy.

The 10-inch pan is also a little lighter than the classic. Lodge’s catalog lists the 10-inch Chef Collection skillet at 4.61 pounds, against 5.35 for the classic 10.25-inch; the set listing does not give the 12-inch pan’s weight. Lodge’s single-pan Chef Collection listings say the pans are seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil and made in the USA, and the set listing rates both for the stove, oven, grill and open fire. Lodge’s general care guidance covers induction and glass-top stoves for all its seasoned cast iron.

Care is the Lodge routine: hand wash, dry promptly, wipe on a thin layer of oil, and keep it out of the dishwasher. Like any Lodge, the surface is as-cast rather than machined, so cook with a little extra fat for the first few uses.

Why we like it

• Sloped sidewalls for easy flipping
• Two sizes, 10 and 12-inch, in one box
• 10-inch is 4.61 lb, lighter than the classic 10.25-inch (Lodge catalog)
• Ergonomic handles and generous pour spouts
• Made in the USA

Why we recommend it

Choose it if most of your skillet cooking is eggs, tortillas, pancakes and quick sautés, where getting under the food matters. The set costs more than a single classic Lodge, but you get a lighter everyday 10-inch plus a 12-inch for bigger batches.

Skip it if you deep-sear or shallow-fry often; sloped sides give less depth than the classic skillet’s straighter walls.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

6. Lodge 12-inch Cast Iron Dual Handle Pan – Oven to Table

Best for the oven

Swap the long handle for two loop handles and a 12-inch skillet becomes far easier to fit in an oven and carry to the table. Lodge’s dual handle pan does exactly that: the same pre-seasoned cast iron, 12 inches across, with a secure dual assist handle on each side, according to the listing.

Without a long handle it is compact for its size, and Lodge’s catalog lists it at 7.57 pounds. That makes it a strong value buy for oven work: roasting a chicken, baking cornbread, finishing enchiladas under the broiler or carrying a skillet of queso fundido to the table. The listing rates it for stovetops, ovens, grills and campfires, calls it induction compatible and says it is made only with iron and oil.

The trade-off is on the stovetop. Two short loops are less convenient than a long handle for shaking a pan or tilting it to baste, so this is a second pan rather than a first for most cooks. Care is the same as any Lodge: hand wash, dry promptly and oil lightly.

Why we like it

• Two assist handles for a secure grip in and out of the oven
• Compact for a 12-inch pan
• Induction compatible, per the listing
• Pre-seasoned, iron and oil only

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you bake and roast in cast iron as much as you fry, or want a pan that doubles as a serving dish. It is a lot of cooking surface for the money.

Skip it as your only skillet if you do a lot of stovetop sautéing; a long handle is easier for that.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

7. Lodge 8-inch Cast Iron Skillet – Small Pan, Small Outlay

Best small skillet

The cheapest way into cast iron is also one of the most useful. Lodge’s 8-inch skillet weighs 3.2 pounds, per its catalog, and handles one or two servings or small jobs, the size ATK suggests for toasting nuts or browning butter. America’s Test Kitchen named it the best 8-inch skillet in its review, and it loved how deeply the pan browned food: cornbread came out with an all-over golden crust and almonds toasted evenly.

ATK also found its high sides kept scrambled eggs in the pan even with vigorous stirring. As with the larger Lodges, some eggs stuck while the pan was new and it needs drying and a little oil after every use; ATK called those minor quibbles.

In a Mexican kitchen a small skillet earns its place next to the comal. It toasts cumin, oregano and dried chiles for a salsa, fries a single egg for huevos rancheros, and reheats a couple of tortillas when the big pan is busy. It is made in the USA and works on any heat source, according to Lodge.

Why we like it

• Named ATK’s best 8-inch skillet
• Light at 3.2 lb (Lodge catalog)
• High sides contain eggs, per ATK
• Made in the USA

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you cook for one or two, want a second pan for small jobs, or want to try cast iron before committing to a bigger pan.

Skip it as a main pan for a family: its 6.45-inch cooking surface, as measured by ATK, crowds quickly.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon

8. Lodge Essential Enamel 11-inch Skillet – Enameled Iron on a Budget

Best budget enameled

Enameled cast iron usually costs several times as much as bare iron, which makes this Lodge skillet a rare bargain. Its porcelain enamel means no seasoning, according to the listing, and a smooth glass surface that will not react with ingredients, so you can simmer tomato sauce, salsa verde or a wine braise without worrying about the pan. The rim and cooking surface are black matte enamel, and the listing rates it for the oven up to 500°F.

America’s Test Kitchen reviewed this skillet in another color in its enameled cast iron review and said it “would be a good budget pick”. ATK found it light and easy to maneuver thanks to a large handle, and fit and cooked everything in it, but noted that it lacks pour spouts, its sides are a little low at 1.75 inches, and its rough interior snagged lint from towels.

Lodge’s care advice for its enamel: use it on any stovetop, including glass-top, preheat gradually with oil on a similar-sized burner, and use wooden, silicone or nylon utensils, since metal can scratch the enamel. Hand wash with warm soapy water once it has cooled; it is technically dishwasher safe, but Lodge says hand washing preserves the finish. The enameled line is made in China to Lodge’s specifications, unlike Lodge’s bare cast iron.

Why we like it

• No seasoning needed; enamel resists acidic ingredients
• Called a good budget pick by ATK
• Light and easy to handle, per ATK
• Oven safe to 500°F

Why we recommend it

Choose it if you want an enameled skillet for sauces and braises without paying for a premium brand, or a pan that needs no seasoning at all.

Skip it if you want a pan that becomes nonstick over time or can go on the grill. ATK says enameled pans never become nonstick, and enamel should stay away from very high direct heat.

Pros and cons

Check price on Amazon