Heavy, slow, and it holds its heat when the steak goes in · review
The default American skillet: 10.25 inches of pre-seasoned cast iron, made in the USA, with a lifetime warranty listed, for about $23.
A 10.25-inch pre-seasoned skillet with a teardrop handle, sold by Amazon.com at about $23. Lodge states it is made in the USA and free of PFOA, PTFE and PFAS, because the only surface is iron and oil.
It heats a typical large burner evenly and fits two chicken thighs or one big steak. If you cook for four, the Lodge 12-inch is the upgrade.
The Victoria 12-inch adds pour spouts and a longer handle, and the Utopia Kitchen 12-inch is the cheapest route to a bigger pan. Neither is made in the USA.
The table quotes a capacity of 10.25 cubic inches, which is the diameter dropped into the wrong field, and calls the model “Miniature Skillet”. Ignore both. No weight is given.
Prices quoted in this text are dated readings and can differ from the live price in the buy box.
| Diameter | 10.25 in (26 cm) |
|---|---|
| Material | Cast iron |
| Seasoning | Pre-seasoned at the factory |
| Stovetops | Induction compatible, oven safe, usable at camp |
| Handle | Teardrop handle |
| Origin | Made in the USA |
| Coating | None; PFAS-free stated |
| Warranty | Lifetime listed |
| Weight | Not published in this listing |
| Amazon reference | B00006JSUA |
Yes. It arrives pre-seasoned. The listing says the finish improves with every use, which is the honest part: the factory layer is a start, and release gets better as you cook fat in it.
Yes, iron is magnetic, and the listing table says induction stovetop compatible. Lift rather than slide it on a glass cooktop.
8.1/ 10
The benchmark. Nothing on this shelf costs less, and nothing else here is made in the USA.
Close prices, same category: comparable cookware and knives. We keep only the specifications all of them publish, because a column with gaps compares nothing.
| Model | Price | Diameter | Seasoning | Origin | Coating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge Pre-Seasoned 10.25 in | $23 | 10.25 in (26 cm) | Pre-seasoned at the factory | Made in the USA | None; PFAS-free stated |
| Utopia Kitchen 12 in Pre-Seasoned | $26 | 12 in (30 cm) | Pre-seasoned with vegetable oil | Not published | None; PFAS-free in the title |
| Lodge Pre-Seasoned 12 in | $30 | 12 in (30 cm) | Pre-seasoned at the factory | Made in the USA | None; made without PFOA or PTFE, per the table |
| Lodge 12 in Dual Handle Pan | $30 | 12 in (30 cm) | Iron and oil only, pre-seasoned | Not stated in this listing | None; free of PFOA, PTFE and PFAS stated |
A first cast iron pan, for two people or smaller cuts.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for cookware and kitchen knives and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
12 in (30 cm) · pre-seasoned cast iron · teardrop handle · made in the USA · PFAS-free stated
The family-size Lodge: the same pre-seasoned iron and made-in-USA claim as the 10.25-inch pan, for about $7 more.
Best for: Cooking for three or four, and a burner big enough to heat it evenly.
≈ $30
12 in (30 cm) · pre-seasoned cast iron · two assist handles · induction compatible · 2.1 L · PFAS-free stated
A 12-inch Lodge with two loop handles instead of one long one, which is what you want for lifting a full pan out of the oven.
Best for: Oven dishes, cornbread and anything you carry to the table.
≈ $30
12 in (30 cm) · flaxseed-seasoned cast iron · long curved handle · two pour spouts · made in Colombia · 7.5 lb
A 12-inch skillet from Colombia seasoned with flaxseed oil, with a longer curved handle and two pour spouts, the details a Lodge does not have.
Best for: Anyone who finds the Lodge handle short.
≈ $31
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
