Cast Iron Skillet vs Stainless Clad Fry Pan: which is safer?
Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan is our pick, better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Lodge
Cast Iron Skillet
PFAS grade
Excellent 75/100
Overall grade
Good 71/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
not stated
Confidence
100%
PossibleIron transfer to food
Our pick
Made In
Stainless Clad Fry Pan
PFAS grade
Excellent 100/100
Overall grade
Excellent 96/100
Verdict
Buy
Hazard flags
⚑ 1
Material
Stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating
Confidence
90%
PossibleClad separation or delamination over time
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Iron transfer to food on the Lodge and not on the Made In.
- We flag Clad separation or delamination over time on the Made In and not on the Lodge.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Made In is the one to buy.
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 cookware, see the full ranking