The Best Cast Iron Skillet According to Our Editors—Plus Other Favorite Cast Iron Cookware

It’ll last a lifetime, so you might as well get a good one! While a whole lot has changed in kitchens over the last hundred years—from the days of ice boxes and wood-burning stoves to microwaves, then Instant Pots and smart fridges—one thing has stayed the same: the cast iron pan loved by home cooks. There’s a reason why cast iron has stuck around so long. Not only is it incredibly durable, it’s the bar-none best skillet for a wide variety of cooking, roasting, and frying. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet can put a sear on a steak like no other, gives fried eggs their crispy-golden edges, makes perfect pancakes, and can easily switch from stove top to oven, letting you roast a chicken on top of sautéed potatoes and root veggies, for instance. As a technology goes, it’s very difficult to improve. In fact, vintage cast iron is often superior to the newly made stuff, being lighter and easier to handle. But possibly the best part of cast iron is that it can be so inexpensive to buy. Though it does require a little care — dishwashers do terrible things to the seasoning and it’s not great for cooking acidic foods, being prone to rust (though that’s easily fixed with reseasoning)—a cast iron skillet is and should be one of the basic pieces of equipment all cooks have in their kitchen, along with a sharp chef’s knife, a good cutting board, and a spatula. But cast iron is good for more than just skillets. Dutch ovens, griddles, and other cookware is also superior when made from the heavy, heat-retentive material. And not all cast iron is the same — nor is cost a good indication of quality. Some of the best stuff is very inexpensive, and some of the most splurge-worthy is still worth the investment. Below, find 10 of our favorite cast iron cookware, including our all-time favorite pan, and more.