Cast Iron Frying Pans
Why buy your cast iron frying pan from Claudia&Julia
Since we started in 2012, we have championed traditional cooking and frying pans without non-stick coatings, and iron has always been one of our favourite materials. In cast iron, we bring together the leading manufacturers: Le Creuset and Staub, which make their pans in France; Lodge, which has been casting its pans in Tennessee since 1896; and WMF, with its Flavour range made in Germany. We know every model, we know how it performs at home and we help you choose the one that best suits your kitchen. More than 1,100 verified reviews from customers who already cook with their cast iron frying pans from Claudia&Julia, with an average of 4.7 out of 5, back this up.
Advantages of cast iron frying pans
- They store a lot of heat. They are thick and heavy, which is why they hold the temperature evenly. That is what gives meat a proper sear and a crispy crust.
- Robust. They are cast in a single piece, with no rivets and no non-stick coatings that could peel off. On seasoned pans you can use metal utensils.
- From hob to oven to table. Single-piece pans go in the oven, on the barbecue and over a wood fire, and they keep food hot when you bring them to the table to serve.
- For every hob. Gas, ceramic, electric and induction.
- They get better with use. On seasoned cast iron, every time you cook with oil the patina builds up and food releases more easily.
How to choose a cast iron frying pan
Cast iron is poured into a mould and cast as a single piece. The first decision is the finish: seasoned or enamelled cast iron. Both cook equally well; what changes is the care.
| Finish | What it is like | Care | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasoned cast iron | Bare iron, pre-seasoned at the factory with vegetable oil. It arrives ready to use and the patina improves every time you cook. | Wash by hand, dry thoroughly and wipe on a thin layer of oil. | Lodge Skillet, Lodge Yellowstone Skillet, Lodge Chef Collection Skillet |
| Enamelled cast iron | Interior with a matt black enamel that helps food brown. No seasoning needed. | Simpler: it does not rust and there is no need to oil it after washing. | Le Creuset Skillet, Le Creuset Deep Skillet, Staub Skillet, WMF Flavour |
Next, look at:
- The size. The minis, from 12 to 16 cm, are for a single egg, individual portions or serving tapas. The 20 cm is for one or two people. The 26 cm is the most versatile. The 30 cm is for families, for the oven and for making pizza.
- The shape. The skillet does almost everything. Deep frying pans are for frying, stews and rice dishes. Pans with two handles are easier to handle in the oven and to serve at the table. Grill pans, with ridges, give meat and vegetables those grill marks. And crêpe pans are flat, with a low rim so you can flip with ease.
- The handle. Iron handles get hot, but they let the pan go in the oven. Wooden handles stay cooler, but then the pan cannot go in the oven.
- The weight. It is the price of their stability: a 26 cm skillet weighs around 2.4 kg. Those with a helper handle on the opposite side can be lifted with both hands.
If this is your first cast iron frying pan, we recommend starting with a seasoned 20 or 26 cm skillet. To cook with it from day one, read our guide to using and caring for a cast iron skillet.
Looking for a pot for stews? Discover our cast iron cocottes. And for cast iron griddles and grill pans, take a look at our grills and griddles.
Cast iron, carbon steel or stainless steel
All three are frying pans without a non-stick coating, but each one has its own strengths.
| Cast iron | Carbon steel | Stainless steel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it is made | Cast in a mould, as a single thick piece. | Pressed carbon steel sheet, thinner. | Steel with aluminium in the base or throughout the body. |
| Weight | The heaviest | In between | The lightest |
| Heat | Slower to heat up, but stores the most heat. | Heats up quickly and reaches very high temperatures. | Responds quickly when you turn the heat up or down. |
| Care | Pre-seasoned at the factory (or enamelled); dry and oil. | Initial seasoning at home; dry and oil. | No seasoning; most are dishwasher-safe. |
| Ideal for | Searing, oven roasting, pizza, barbecue cooking and serving at the table. | Griddled meat, omelettes and stir-fries over high heat. | Everyday use, sauces and dishes with acidic ingredients. |
If you are looking for a lighter iron frying pan, take a look at the De Buyer Mineral B collection or all our iron frying pans.
The best cast iron frying pan brands
- Le Creuset. Founded in 1925 in Fresnoy-le-Grand (France), where it still casts its pieces. Its skillet, with a black enamelled interior and a coloured exterior, is the best-selling cast iron frying pan in our shop.
- Staub. A French maker of enamelled cast iron, founded in Alsace. Its frying pans have a matt black enamel interior that helps food brown and needs no seasoning, and they come with a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.
- Lodge. Founded in 1896 in South Pittsburg (Tennessee, United States), it is a family business that still casts its pans there. In 2002 it was the first to sell factory-seasoned cast iron, seasoned with vegetable oil, so you can cook with it from day one. Its skillet is one of the best-selling cast iron frying pans in our shop. See all Lodge.
- WMF. The German manufacturer, known for its stainless steel, has its enamelled cast iron range in Flavour, made in Germany: a high-sided sauté pan that also works as a shallow casserole and an oven dish.
Comparison of the leading cast iron frying pans
These are the four leading options in our shop. All four are cast iron, suitable for induction and the oven, and they cook beautifully; what changes is the finish, the shape and the character of each one.
| Le Creuset Skillet | Staub Skillet | Lodge Skillet | WMF Flavour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | High-end | High-end | Mid-range | High-end |
| Finish | Enamelled: black interior and coloured exterior. No seasoning needed. | Enamelled: matt black interior and grey or black exterior. No seasoning needed. | Iron pre-seasoned at the factory with vegetable oil, in black. | Matt black enamel, inside and out. No seasoning needed. |
| Shape | Skillet with helper handle. | Skillet with helper handle. | Skillet with helper handle in the larger sizes. | Sauté pan with high, straight sides (3.4 litres) and a helper handle. |
| Sizes | 16, 20, 23 and 26 cm | 26 cm | 16, 20, 23, 26, 30 and 34 cm | 28 cm |
| Induction and oven | Yes | Yes, up to 260 °C, and barbecue too | Yes, plus barbecue and wood fire | Yes, up to 250 °C |
| Made in | France | France | United States | Germany |
| What sets it apart | The best seller in our shop and the one with the most colours to choose from. | Its textured matt black enamel interior delivers excellent browning and searing. Limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. | Authentic cast iron in every size, from 16 to 34 cm. Arrives pre-seasoned, ready to use. | Three pieces in one: frying pan, shallow casserole and oven dish. Each pan carries a production number and a 30-year enamel warranty. |
| Worth bearing in mind | It is robust and the handle gets hot. For eggs, preheat it well. | To look after the enamel, wooden, silicone or nylon utensils are best. | It is robust. The first few times it takes a little practice to stop food sticking. | Heat it gradually and always with a little oil, never empty. Non-metal utensils are best. |
| Who it suits | Those who want a coloured skillet for cooking and bringing to the table. | Those looking for the best browning, with a sleek, professional finish. | Those who want to get started with seasoned cast iron or have the pan in several sizes. | Those who want a single piece for sautéing, stews, rice dishes and baking. |
How to read the comparison. Le Creuset and Staub are French, enamelled and need no seasoning. The difference is on the inside: Staub's textured matt black enamel helps food brown and sear at high temperatures; Le Creuset stands out for its range of colours. If what you want is the best browning for meat and vegetables, we recommend the Staub. The Lodge is the best way into seasoned cast iron: it arrives ready to use and comes in six sizes. And the WMF Flavour is not a skillet but a high-sided sauté pan: if you want a single piece for sautéing, stews, rice dishes and baking, it is the most versatile of the four.
How to cook with a cast iron frying pan
- Take food out of the fridge a while beforehand. Thin steaks, 20 to 30 minutes before; thick cuts, such as a thick rib steak, one to two hours before, depending on the size and how warm your kitchen is. If you put meat in straight from the fridge, the cold draws heat from the pan, so it does not sear properly and cooks unevenly: done on the outside and cold in the middle.
- Preheat without rushing. Put the pan over medium heat for a few minutes before adding the food; with enamelled pans, always with a little oil. This is the key to stopping food sticking, especially eggs.
- No need for high heat. Because it stores so much heat, over medium heat it cooks like other frying pans do over high heat.
- Mind the handle. If it is iron, it gets hot. Use a silicone handle holder or an oven glove.
- Wash it once it has cooled a little. With hot water and a brush or non-metal scourer; never put it under cold water while it is very hot, because sudden changes in temperature are not good for it. Dry it thoroughly, ideally for a few seconds over the heat, and wipe seasoned pans with a thin layer of oil before putting them away.
What our customers say
Customers who cook with our cast iron frying pans especially highlight how well they spread and hold heat, the results with meat, vegetables and pizza, and that they cook better and better with them. Together they have more than 1,100 verified reviews with an average of 4.7 out of 5. The most common concern at first is eggs sticking, and that is solved by preheating the pan well. The weight, which some customers mention, is precisely what gives it its temperature stability.
Questions about cast iron frying pans
What is a skillet?
Skillet is the English name for the traditional cast iron frying pan: round, with low, sloping sides, cast in a single piece with the handle and often with a helper handle on the opposite side. It goes on the hob, in the oven and on the barbecue, and it is as good for cooking as it is for bringing to the table.
Are cast iron frying pans suitable for induction?
Yes. Iron is magnetic and works on induction, gas, ceramic and electric hobs. On induction and ceramic hobs, lift the pan rather than sliding it so you do not scratch the glass, and turn the heat up gradually.
Is the size the top diameter? What base size does it have for my induction hob?
The size is the top diameter, not including the handle or helper handle. The base is smaller: the 26 cm Le Creuset skillet has a 22 cm base and the 26 cm Lodge skillet about 20 cm. On induction, choose the cooking zone closest in size to the base. If you are going to put it in a small oven, check the total length including the handle on the product page.
Do you need to season a cast iron frying pan? How do you season it, even without an oven?
Lodge pans come pre-seasoned at the factory with vegetable oil: before first use, simply rinse them with hot water, dry them and wipe on a thin layer of oil. Enamelled pans, such as those from Le Creuset, Staub or the WMF Flavour, need no seasoning. If you ever need to re-season a bare cast iron pan, spread a very thin layer of oil over the whole surface and put it upside down in a hot oven for an hour. Without an oven, you can also do it on the hob: heat the pan with a thin layer of oil until it starts to smoke, let it cool and repeat three or four times. We explain it step by step in our guide to use and care.
Why does food stick? Can I cook eggs, tortilla or fish in it?
Yes. Food usually sticks because the pan is not hot enough. Heat the pan over medium heat for a few minutes (enamelled ones always with a little oil), take the food out of the fridge a while beforehand and do not turn it until it has seared: then it releases on its own. For more delicate white fish, you can put a piece of baking paper between the pan and the fish. For a Spanish tortilla, wash the potatoes well to remove the starch. Use a little more oil the first few times: with practice you will get the hang of it.
How do I clean it? Can I use washing-up liquid?
Wash it by hand with hot water and a brush or a non-metal scourer. If something has burnt on, pour a little water into the pan, bring it to the boil for a few minutes and scrape off the residue with a wooden spatula. A little washing-up liquid will not spoil the seasoning. The important thing is to dry it straight away, ideally for a few seconds over the heat, and wipe on a thin layer of oil before putting it away. Seasoned pans should not be left to soak or put in the dishwasher. Enamelled pans are simpler: they do not rust, they do not need oiling and, if something has stuck, you can leave them to soak for a few minutes in hot soapy water; they are also best washed by hand.
A rust spot has appeared. Is the pan ruined?
No. It happens if the pan is left damp. Scrub the area with a scourer until the rust is gone, wash it, dry it over the heat and wipe on a thin layer of oil. If the spot was large, season it again: a very thin layer of oil over the whole pan and an hour upside down in a hot oven.
Can I put it in the oven or use it on the barbecue?
Yes, if it is a single piece of iron with no wooden parts. Lodge skillets go in the oven, on the barbecue and over a wood fire, and single-piece enamelled pans, such as those from Le Creuset or Staub, can also go in the oven. Pans with a wooden handle cannot go in the oven: check the product page for each model.
What is the difference between a cast iron frying pan and a carbon steel one?
A cast iron pan is cast in a mould and is thick and heavy: it takes longer to heat up, but it stores a lot of heat. A carbon steel pan, such as De Buyer's Mineral B, is made from carbon steel sheet: thinner and lighter, it heats up quickly and is ideal for searing over high heat. See all iron frying pans.
What is vitreous enamel? Does it scratch? Can I use metal utensils?
It is a glass-like enamel applied to the cast iron at high temperature. It is not a non-stick coating and contains no PTFE: it protects the iron from rust, which is why enamelled pans need no seasoning and no oil before storing. It is very hard-wearing, but to look after it, it is best to use wooden, silicone or nylon utensils, as metal ones can leave marks. To clean it, use a sponge or soft scourer, never an aluminium one.
How much does a cast iron frying pan weigh?
It depends on the size. As a guide, for Lodge skillets: about 1.5 kg for the 20 cm, about 2.4 kg for the 26 cm and about 3.6 kg for the 30 cm. That weight is what gives it its temperature stability. If it concerns you, choose a model with a helper handle so you can lift it with both hands.
