Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets vs 12" Cast Iron Skillet: which is safer?
Lodge Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Lodge
Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 63/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
cast iron (bare or seasoned with oil)
Confidence
95%
PossibleIron leaching into food
PossibleRust formation and corrosion
PossibleThermal shock and cracking
Smithey
12" Cast Iron Skillet
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 59/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Cast iron, seasoned with oil
Confidence
92%
PossibleIron leaching into acidic foods
PossibleBacterial growth in seasoning layer or rust pits
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Iron leaching into food, Rust formation and corrosion and Thermal shock and cracking on the Lodge and not on the Smithey.
- We flag Iron leaching into acidic foods and Bacterial growth in seasoning layer or rust pits on the Smithey and not on the Lodge.
- The Lodge is cast iron (bare or seasoned with oil) where the Smithey is Cast iron, seasoned with oil, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More cast iron skillets, see the full ranking