Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet Review
- 10.25" pre-seasoned cast iron skillet, about 2 inches deep
- Oven safe to 500°F; works on induction, gas, electric and campfire
- Made in the USA, PFAS-free, with a lifetime warranty
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A 5.4-pound, pre-seasoned skillet made in the USA that goes from stovetop to oven to campfire. Here's what it does brilliantly, and what it asks of you in return.
Quick verdict
The Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet does what cast iron does best: it holds heat, sears hard and moves from burner to oven to campfire without complaint. It arrives seasoned with vegetable oil, is made in the USA and carries a lifetime warranty. The trade-offs are weight, a handle that gets hot and a little routine care, but as an everyday skillet that can outlast its owner, it is hard to argue with.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Cast iron holds heat for steady searing and frying
- Arrives pre-seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil
- Oven safe to 500°F and compatible with induction, gas and electric
- Equally at home on a grill grate or over a campfire
- Helper handle and two pour spouts make it easier to manage
- Made in the USA and backed by a lifetime warranty
What could be better
- At 5.4 pounds, it is too heavy for one-handed tossing
- Hand wash only; needs drying and an occasional coat of oil
- The cast iron handle gets hot, so keep a mitt or sleeve nearby
- Acidic, long-simmered sauces can wear on young seasoning
Key features, explained
Heat retention for real searing
Cast iron is slow to heat and slow to cool, and that is exactly why the Lodge excels at searing. Once the 10.25-inch pan is up to temperature, it holds that heat when a cold steak or a batch of potatoes hits the surface, so you get a crust instead of a steam. Lodge positions it for searing, frying, pan roasting and baking. Give it a few minutes of preheating on medium, especially on smaller burners, and it rewards you with steady, even results across the cooking surface.
Pre-seasoned and PFAS-free
Lodge seasons the skillet at the factory with 100% natural vegetable oil, so it is ready to cook on out of the box. There is no synthetic coating: Lodge says its seasoned cast iron is made with just iron and oil, without PFOA or PTFE. The seasoning is what gives the pan its release, and it builds with use. Eggs may stick a little at first; cooking with some fat, plus plenty of searing and shallow frying early on, helps the surface turn slicker over time.
Stovetop, oven, grill and campfire
The pan is oven safe to 500°F and works on gas, electric coil, smooth-top and induction cooktops. Lodge also calls it safe on the grill and over a campfire, which makes it one of the few pans that can follow you from the kitchen to a camp kitchen. That range opens up skillet cornbread, pan pizza and steaks seared on the stove and finished in the oven. At about 2 inches deep, it also handles shallow frying and one-pan bakes.
Handles, spouts and weight
The main handle has Lodge's signature teardrop shape and a loop for hanging, and a helper handle on the opposite side gives you a second grip when the pan is full. Two side spouts let you pour off grease or pan juices. The handles are cast iron along with the rest of the pan, so there are no rivets to work loose. The flip side is 5.4 pounds of iron with a handle that gets as hot as the pan, so plan on two hands and a mitt when it comes out of the oven.
Care and long-term ownership
Cast iron is low tech but not no-care. The skillet is hand wash only: clean it with hot water and a stiff brush or scraper, dry it right away, and wipe on a thin film of oil before storing it. Skip the dishwasher and long soaks, which strip seasoning and invite rust. If rust ever appears, scrubbing it off and re-seasoning brings the pan back. Lodge backs it with a lifetime warranty, and with basic care a pan like this can easily outlast the kitchen it starts in.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet specs
| Brand | Lodge |
|---|---|
| Model | L8SK3PLT |
| Material | Cast iron, pre-seasoned with vegetable oil |
| Diameter | 10.25 inches |
| Depth | About 2 inches |
| Weight | 5.4 lb |
| Oven safe | Up to 500°F |
| Cooktops | Gas, electric coil, smooth-top, induction |
| Outdoor use | Grill and campfire |
| Handles | Teardrop main handle plus helper handle |
| Coating | None; PFAS-free seasoned iron |
| Care | Hand wash only |
| Made in | USA |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
| Prices change often. See the live price: Check Price | |
Who should buy it?
Great for
- Searing steaks, chops and burgers with a deep crust
- Cooks who start dishes on the stove and finish them in the oven
- Campers who want one pan for the grill grate or the fire
Skip it if
- You need a light pan you can toss with one hand
- You want every pan to go in the dishwasher
- You cook delicate eggs daily and want instant slick release
Frequently asked questions
Is the Lodge 10.25-inch skillet ready to use out of the box?
Yes. Lodge pre-seasons it with 100% natural vegetable oil, so you can cook on it right away. A light coat of oil before the first few uses helps reduce sticking while the seasoning builds.
Can the Lodge cast iron skillet go in the oven?
Yes. It is oven safe to 500°F, and Lodge also lists it as safe on the grill and over a campfire. Use a mitt, because the cast iron handle heats up with the pan.
Does the Lodge skillet work on induction cooktops?
Yes. It is compatible with induction as well as gas, electric coil and smooth-top cooktops. Lift it rather than sliding it to protect glass surfaces.
Can you put a cast iron skillet in the dishwasher?
No. The Lodge is hand wash only. Wash it with hot water and a brush, dry it immediately and rub in a thin layer of oil to protect the seasoning and prevent rust.
How heavy is the Lodge 10.25-inch skillet?
It weighs 5.4 pounds. That mass is what gives cast iron its heat retention, but it also means two-handed lifting when the pan is full.
Is the Lodge skillet PFAS-free?
Yes. Lodge says its seasoned cast iron is made with just iron and oil, without PFOA or PTFE and with no synthetic coating.
Final verdict
The Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet is the definition of a kitchen staple: pre-seasoned, PFAS-free, made in the USA and oven safe to 500°F, with the heat retention to sear properly and the toughness to go over a campfire. It asks for a little care and a strong wrist, and it will never be as effortless as nonstick for delicate eggs. For nearly everything else, it is a pan worth owning for decades.
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