Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets vs Cast Iron Chef Skillet No. 8: which is safer?
Smithey Cast Iron Chef Skillet No. 8 is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
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
Our pick
Smithey
Cast Iron Chef Skillet No. 8
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 71/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
Cast iron, seasoned finish
Confidence
92%
PossibleSeasoning degradation and rust exposure
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 Seasoning degradation and rust exposure 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 finish, 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