Lancaster vs. Field, Smithey, and Lodge: Choosing an Everyday Cast Iron Skillet

A cast iron skillet should feel good to cook with, not just look good when you unpack it. Can you lift it comfortably? Is there enough room for dinner? Can you pour from it without making a mess? Those are useful questions when comparing Lancaster, Field Company, Smithey, and Lodge.

In CNN Underscored’s cast iron skillet review, Joe Bloss chose Lancaster as the best machined skillet and Lodge’s 10-inch Chef Collection as the overall winner. For shoppers looking for a smooth, lighter premium pan, the Lancaster No. 8 makes a particularly strong case.

The Four Skillets at a Glance

Lancaster vs. Field: A Close Comparison with a Useful Difference

CNN found Field and Lancaster closely matched. Field heated a little more evenly, while its spout-free rim spilled often enough in the reviewer’s testing to give Lancaster a narrow advantage.

Field’s No. 8 has much to recommend it: a polished cooking surface, thinner walls, and a simple silhouette. It arrives seasoned with grapeseed oil, is made in the United States, and is listed at $165. For someone who prefers a continuous rim, that design may be appealing.

Lancaster takes a different approach to the edge of the pan. Its pour spouts are machined, giving oil, pan juices, and sauces a dedicated route out of the skillet. That gives you a useful way to direct liquids when serving or pouring off fat.

There’s a size difference inside, too. Lancaster’s cooking surface measures 9¼ inches across, compared with Field’s 8¾ inches. That extra width offers more room to arrange ingredients in a single layer. At $175, Lancaster costs $10 more. For a home chef who wants the spouts and additional cooking room, that is a modest step up.

Lancaster vs. Smithey: Smooth Iron with a Different Feel in the Hand

CNN used Smithey as an example of why “looks aren’t everything with cast-iron skillets.” The reviewer praised its initial food release and searing, but preferred a lighter pan. A beautiful finish is appealing; how comfortably you can lift, tilt, and wash the skillet matters every time you cook.

The Smithey No. 10 has a polished interior, pour spouts, a helper handle, and a 2-inch depth. It is an attractive American-made skillet, pre-seasoned with grapeseed oil. Its published cooking surface is 9 inches across, and its listed price is $180.

The heft is the biggest deciding factor. Smithey lists the No. 10 at approximately 6.7 pounds, compared with about 4 pounds for Lancaster’s No. 8. That is roughly 2.7 pounds more to lift before adding food. Once dinner is in the pan, holding it in one hand can be demanding, particularly when you need to tilt it or move it away from your body.

For a heavy or full skillet, use both handles with suitable heat protection rather than straining to hold it one-handed. Lancaster’s lighter build gives you less weight to manage when serving dinner or cleaning up. If that comfort matters to you, the No. 8 is the more appealing everyday choice, and its price is $5 lower.

Color changes should be expected on seasoned iron. A bronze finish will darken and can look uneven as seasoning develops; that happens with Lancaster, too. Choose the pan for how you’ll use it over the years.

Lancaster vs. Lodge: What the Premium Buys You

CNN’s overall winner, Lodge’s 10-inch Chef Collection, paired strong cooking results with a low price. The review listed the 10-inch Chef Collection at $30.

It’s worth being precise about the model. The 10-inch Chef Collection skillet belongs to Lodge’s line with spatula-friendly sidewalls and ergonomic handles, rather than the standard skillet many people already know. It comes seasoned with vegetable oil, is made in the United States, and works on induction as well as other stovetops.

Lancaster’s $175 price buys a different finish and feel. The cooking surface is machined smooth, the pour spouts receive their own machining, and the pan has the lighter construction that defines the No. 8. Those details matter most to someone who uses a skillet frequently and enjoys the feel of refined cookware.

You don’t have to dismiss Lodge to appreciate Lancaster. If the lowest purchase price is the priority, Lodge is difficult to overlook. If you’re buying a pan you expect to reach for most days, spending more on the surface and handling you prefer can be a worthwhile choice.

What About Made In and YETI?

CNN also tested Made In’s 10-inch seasoned cast iron skillet and the YETI Cast Iron Skillet 10. In the Made In test, Joe Bloss found the pan difficult to maneuver one-handed and its heating too uneven to place it among his top picks. He also noted the generous helper handle for a needed, secure two-handed grip.

YETI earned praise for unusually even heating, but its chicken skin was less crisp in the reviewer’s test. At the price and five-year warranty described in the review, Bloss did not find enough additional value over competing skillets. Those are findings about the particular models tested; the full CNN comparison gives the broader context.

What to Know About Heating and Seasoning

CNN found Lancaster heated fastest and retained heat well, but flagged slight uneven heating, especially over a small burner. It also found that a smooth surface alone did not guarantee substantially better food release than textured iron.

Start your Lancaster on low to medium-low and give it time to warm across the base. Match the burner to the pan, then adjust for the recipe. That gentle start is especially helpful on induction. Add cooking fat as appropriate and leave space between ingredients when browning.

The No. 8 arrives with two layers of grapeseed-oil seasoning. Regular cooking, thorough drying after washing, and sensible heat management help you get comfortable with it. Lancaster's cast iron care FAQs cover the routine in more detail.

A Skillet You’ll Reach for Every Day

The Lancaster No. 8 brings together the details that make a skillet comfortable to use often: a smooth cooking surface, machined pour spouts, a 9¼-inch cooking surface, and a weight of about four pounds so that you can easily lift it with one hand. There’s room to brown ingredients in a single layer, with less weight to manage when lifting the pan from the oven or carrying it to the sink.

It’s a practical size for breakfast, a weeknight dinner, or a cake baked in the same pan. Made in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and comes pre-seasoned twice, the No. 8 is ready to become part of your regular cooking routine.

Choose a skillet for the meals you make and the way you like to cook. The Lancaster No. 8 is a standout If you’re looking for smooth American-made cast iron that feels manageable in your hands and a pan you can keep cooking with for years.

Find out more about the Lancaster No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet, or read CNN Underscored’s full review.