RATINGS GOOD: ★★★ FAIR: ★★ POOR: ★ TESTING CAST-IRON SKILLETS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED PERFORMANCE TESTERS’ COMMENTS We tested eight cast-iron skillets, each Lodge Logic 12-Inch Skillet EGGS: ★★★ Classic shape provided “plenty of room” in ★★★ approximately 12 inches in diameter, MATERIAL: Cast iron, preseasoned STEAK: steak and chicken tests, but small handle PRICE: $26.95 CORN BREAD: ★★★ made pan feel heavy when lifted. Eggs stuck along with our top-rated nonstick and COOKING SURFACE: diameter 10"; CHICKEN: ★★★ “considerably” and took “tons of scrubbing” stainless-steel skillets. We compared the bottom thickness 5.66 mm. DESIGN: ★★ to clean the first time around but barely performance of these pans in a number WEIGHT: 7.2 lb. stuck and cleaned up easily the second time. Corn bread was crusty, with perfect release. of cooking tests. Mail-order sources for the top pans are on page 32. The Camp Chef SK-12 Cast ★★★ Heaviest and thickest pan in the lineup was Iron Skillet EGGS: STEAK: ★★★ “a beast” to handle, but its heft made it MATERIAL: Metal and fi nish of pans. BEST BUY CORN BREAD: ★★★ shine in our cooking tests, where a con- MATERIAL: Cast iron, preseasoned CHICKEN: ★★★ sistent heat and deep sear were desirable. PRICE: $17.99 PRICE: Retail price at Boston-area DESIGN: ★★ Right out of the box, we made scrambled COOKING SURFACE: diameter 9 3/4"; eggs that didn’t stick and corn bread that stores or online cookware sites. bottom thickness 10.37 mm. browned well and released perfectly. WEIGHT: 9.2 lb. COOKING SURFACE: Diameter RECOMMENDED PERFORMANCE TESTERS’ COMMENTS of interior cooking surface measured (in inches) across the bottom of the ★★★ “Gorgeous” browning on the fried chicken skillet and thickness of pan bottom (in Lodge Pro-Logic 12-Inch EGGS: Skillet STEAK: ★★★ and steak. Eggs improved dramatically, from millimeters). MATERIAL: Cast iron, preseasoned CORN BREAD: ★★★ “horrible sticking” to “very easy to clean” by PRICE: $29.95 CHICKEN: ★★★ the end of testing. Handle is wide and well WEIGHT: Weight of skillet. COOKING SURFACE: diameter 9 1/4"; DESIGN: ★★ balanced, and loop-shaped helper handle is bottom thickness 5.44 mm. easy to grasp. Curved (rather than angled) EGGS: We prepared scrambled eggs in WEIGHT: 7.4 lb. sides make sauces easier to scrape up. each pan as the fi rst test (after season- ★★★ “Pretty” pan was well proportioned and ing pans that required it), noting degree Le Creuset Round Skillet, EGGS: 11-Inch STEAK: ★★★ easier to handle than others. Sloping sides of sticking and ease of cleanup. We MATERIAL: Enameled cast iron with CORN BREAD: ★★★ made eggs and sauce easier to scrape up. did it again after completing all other matte-finish black enamel interior CHICKEN: ★★★ Achieved “beautiful crust” on steak and ★★ corn bread. On first test, eggs stuck fero- cooking tests, to observe whether pans PRICE: $109.95 DESIGN: COOKING SURFACE: diameter ciously, but results improved dramatically in became more seasoned during testing. 9 3/4"; bottom thickness 10.26 mm. second round, with minimal sticking. Can’t Rating refl ects performance in the sec- WEIGHT: 6.5 lb. use metal utensils or stack anything inside without damaging enamel finish. ond round. ★★ Chicken and steak browned beautifully in STEAK: We pan-seared steaks and pre- Olvida 13-Inch Skillet EGGS: MATERIAL: Cast iron covered with STEAK: ★★★ this heavy, roomy, silver-colored pan with pared a tomato-based pan sauce in each nickel plate CORN BREAD: ★★★ “steady heating.” The fond for pan sauce pan. We preferred pans that provided a PRICE: $98.95 CHICKEN: ★★★ was a little light on flavor, almost like the ★★ nonstick skillet. Eggs stuck a moderate well-browned crust and a good fond that COOKING SURFACE: diameter DESIGN: 10 3/4"; bottom thickness 9.87 mm. amount, without much change as test- led to a complex, fl avorful pan sauce. WEIGHT: 8.65 lb. ing progressed; pan cleaned up easily. Dishwasher-safe. CORN BREAD: We put the pans in the oven; we preferred those that made RECOMMENDED WITH RESERVATIONS PERFORMANCE TESTERS’ COMMENTS corn bread that released easily from the ★★ Slightly less steady heating than higher- pan and had a crisp, golden crust and Wagner Collection Skillet, EGGS: 113⁄4-Inch STEAK: ★★★ ranked pans, but good results shallow- moist interior. MATERIAL: Cast iron, unseasoned CORN BREAD: ★★ frying chicken and searing steak. Eggs stuck PRICE: $19 CHICKEN: ★★★ moderately, even as testing progressed, CHICKEN: We looked for shallow- COOKING SURFACE: diameter 9 3/4"; DESIGN: ★★ and pan always required some scrubbing. fried breaded chicken cutlets that were bottom thickness 5.82 mm. Corn bread browned well but stuck to pan. Thumb-hold on handle is nice feature. crisp and golden brown outside and moist WEIGHT: 6.8 lb. inside, preferring pans that retained heat Cajun Classic 12-Inch Cast EGGS: ★★ Straight-sided pan was crowded while well, even when food was added, and did Iron Skillet STEAK: ★★ shallow-frying two chicken breasts and ★★★ not get crowded. MATERIAL: Cast iron, unseasoned CORN BREAD: when searing a pair of steaks. Steak pan PRICE: $16 CHICKEN: ★★★ sauce had a slight metallic taste, indicating 1 ★★ DESIGN: We considered design fea- COOKING SURFACE: diameter 9 /2"; DESIGN: the acid had reacted with the pan. Eggs bottom thickness 8.15 mm. continued to stick in second round but tures such as helper handles, weight, WEIGHT: 5.85 lb. cleaned up easily. and shape, and performance features that helped make the pan easy to use Bayou Classic Heavy Duty EGGS: ★ Thin bottom caused steep temperature and clean. Pans that required strong Cast Iron Skillet, 12 Inches STEAK: ★★ drop when chicken was added to hot oil. ★★★ arms lost some points. MATERIAL: Cast iron, unseasoned CORN BREAD: Steaks cooked unevenly and with unsteady PRICE: $11 CHICKEN: ★★ temperatures (too hot, then too cool). COOKING SURFACE: diameter 9 1/2"; DESIGN: ★★ Pan was crowded and began steaming bottom thickness 4.06 mm. steaks. Scrambled eggs stuck considerably WEIGHT: 6.15 lb. throughout testing. Cooking surface was roughest of the lineup. SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2 0 0 7 27 .