Best Cast Iron Cookware

There are many types and brands of cast iron, which can make shopping confusing. Luckily, weve tested them all. These are the best pieces weve tried in every category.

Options abound: pricey and cheap, smooth-surfaced or pebbled, big and small. But much of what makes a great cast iron skillet boils down to a cooks preferences. To find the best ones for cookware geeks and the cast iron-trepidatious alike, I tested 12 cast iron skillets.

Whether you have a budget of $20 or $200 these are the best cast-iron skillets for even-heating, beautiful browning, and quick-searing. We have tested the best of the best in cast iron cookware, curating the six top picks for indoor and outdoor cooking, suitable for every budget and cuisine style. When it comes to cookware, materials matter.

Whether youre drawn to the durability of stainless steel, the responsiveness of copper, the heat retention of cast iron, or the convenience of... We took more than a dozen popular cast iron pansfrom the classic skillet to pans for grillingand tested them side by side, paying special attention to heat conductivity and distribution, comfort in hand, maneuverability, and nonstick ability.