Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets vs No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet: which is safer?
Smithey No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet 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
No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 67/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
Cast iron, seasoned with oil
Confidence
92%
PossibleIron leaching into food
PossibleSeasoning degradation and rust
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Rust formation and corrosion and Thermal shock and cracking on the Lodge and not on the Smithey.
- We flag Seasoning degradation and rust on the Smithey and not on the Lodge.
- Both carry a flag for Iron leaching into food, so neither choice avoids it.
- 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