Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets vs 12" Cast Iron Skillet: which is safer?
Lodge Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets is the clear pick. Smithey 12" Cast Iron Skillet carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.
Our pick
Lodge
Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleIron leaching into food
PossibleRust formation and corrosion
PossibleThermal shock and cracking
Smithey
12" Cast Iron Skillet
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
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 with seasoned oil coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Lodge is the one to buy.
Both products run through the same public rubric: 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