I have a Finex and Lodge I recently purchased. The Finex feels like a mirror, no pits. The Lodge feels like sandpaper. I guess sanding for two hours or more will smooth out the Lodge but not remove any pits it might have.
In my opinion the smithy is over priced. The smoothness of the cooking surface is overblown. My lodge cooks just as well, and in some case better than my Griswald. Lodge is a good brand, at a good price point.
@@bd1a210 I own a bunch of lodge, from my youth, when it was all I could afford! 😢 No shame there, buy what you can afford! However, It’s all been relegated to “camping” cookware now! It works well enough but, a well seasoned, smooth, cooking surface is superior! For the most part, I’ve transitioned over to “carbon steel” but, cast iron still has its place. Big fan of “smooth” cast iron, and having to wait a year, for something that’s inferior to improve, is not that cost effective! IMO! YMMV. 🙈 Do the math! Buy a Lodge turd! Then go buy an orbital sander, multiple pieces of sandpaper, now add you’re time invested (the big killer for me), my time is more valuable then minimum wage! YMMV! 😊 The Smithy Ironware ends up being cheaper in the long run. Without any risk of breathing metal dust, while you grind away! “To each, his own!” 👌
When I have the money, I may get something else, but for me, it's hard to beat Lodge. You can sand it smooth, but you don't need to. In about a year of steadily cooking and re-seasoning each time, they develop a smooth, non-stick surface. Also, Lodge does make and sell glass or cast iron lids for their skillets. The best way to get a cast lid is to buy a Dutch oven that matches pan size, ie. 7 quart = 12" skillet.
The Smithey lid rim also allows placing coals from a fire on top to use as a shallow Dutch oven. So, making corn bread while camping is easier with the Smithey.
None of those pans are "bespoke". Bespoke means custom made to the customer's specifications. A tailor-made suit is an example of "bespoke". If I bought any one of those pans it would come out of the same mold as the one that you have, or the one that anyone else has, i.e., they are "off the shelf", which is the opposite of "bespoke".
@I came here to say that, but I knew in my heart it had already been said. Ring ding.... Hello? ... Facebook tags groups don't work on RU-vid. Oh really? ... Thanks, I guess. ... Stop calling me at work. ... Fine. ... I have to go back to work. ... Fine. ... 'bye. ... I'm putting the phone down now. 'bye ...
I’m probably one of the rare ones that finds the Finex handle to be an eyesore. I do like the functionality though. If I ever go to that price range for a cast iron pan, I have no idea what I would pick.
I have it, the functionality would be great if it worked. It does indeed get hot. The brass tip at the end is just as hot as the cast iron itself. I find myself having to use a rag to handle it. The thickness of the handle with/without the rag makes the pan feel heavier than it is.
I own Griswolds, BSRs, Fields, Wagner’s, vintage Lodge, and a Lancaster Pa skillet. You can’t beat a Lodge...it’s a workhorse. Just cook in It. No need to sand or polish.
I am just pointing out your statement is illogical. MY best guess is that you were trying to say that spending more on a cast iron frying pan than a Lodge costs does not yield enough return. But what you actually posted is "You can’t beat a Lodge". Yes, you can. In a direct comparison between the Smithey and the Lodge, the Smithey is the same or better on every attribute of the pan, which is the Lodge getting beat. You also posted "No need to sand or polish" which is true. There is no need to sand or polish. But there is an advantage to the pan having been sanded and polished. In comparisons on various videos between brand-new, newly seasoned, and well used (50 times or more) polished versus non-polished cast iron, the polished has a very small advantage (larger when brand new). Need? no, not a need but also not a zero difference. I also note that you claim to own many different premium, modern cast iron pans. Why do you if as you posted "You can’t beat a Lodge"? I suspect that you just like cast iron and what you truly meant was that a $20 Lodge cast iron pan is very good, and price should not be a barrier to joining you in cooking with cast iron.
@@paulmoore3216 I have to agree if you know how to work a rough lodge it's non stick ...I prefer a rough lodge you don't gave to chase your egg like a smooth finish skillet. I also have a vintage GSW skillet that is smooth I personally prefer my new lodge.
@@be.A.b Don't have a Field. It will sit atop a Lodge, but why bother? Go to the Goodwill or any other local thrift store, and pick up a glass lid that will "fit" neatly inside the circumference of the desired skillet. This one was made to "fit" a 12 inch Smithey.
You just can’t beat Lodge for the combination of price and performance but if you are really into higher end cookware Smithey is the king of cast iron. ❤
Only high-end CI I got is Stargazer and that handle rules them all. I do know that brass nut at the end of Finex skillet will get'cha good if you're not paying attention.
Great job thank you for this video. I have some Wagner’s and Griswolds and lodges. I’m one of those people that use a power tool and ground down my two Lodge’s and re-seasoned them. I wouldn’t mind one of those newer more expensive skillets though. I keep thinking about buying one.
@@tzDub92 im sure he means the regular lodge, since its cheaper . side note: my friend bought the lodge blackstone skillet. still not a smooth finish, but slightly better than regular stock :/
I wish you had chosen to include the Stargazer. I have my eye on it as the best. One big reason is that it has a helper handle. I weigh about 100 pounds and the helper handle is almost essential to my comfort in using it. But it also has a great handle.
I don't care for the round handle on the Finex, it's hard to hold level as it can twist in your hand. Cooks Illustrated agrees. I love cast iron, I have several Lodge, Griswold, my great grandmothers Wagner Ware, one Le Creuset Dutch oven, and lots of junk shops finds which I strip, season, and give away.
@@dimmacommunication Tiny, out of the way towns. In a trendy area with lots of antique shops they think all cast iron is collectable and worth a fortune. I got a Wagner in a junk shop on the Illinois River for $5, bargained down from $10. If it sits flat and isn't cracked they can be restored.
I love these videos, but I cringe everytime he says bespoke. Bespoke is not a synonym for high-end or artisan-crafted. There is some cross-over there to be sure, but something is not bespoke unless you ordered it custom to your specifications from the makers. It refers to customized products only and does not necessarily mean superior quality, as you might request lower quality materials or a less suitable feature. How much customization is required to qualify is up for debate, I suppose. But it really should be a significant amount of specification from the customer to qualify anything as bespoke. The term originated in tailoring and custom footwear.
I would like to see a test on thermal spotting and heat transfer. In other words, which pan heats up most evenly and has the least amount of heat spots.
Great review but you missed one of the best selling points of the Finex. If you turn the lid instead of lining it up perfectly you have 8 fully adjustable steam vents for even venting. No other lid allows that.
In three decades of cooking, not once have I wanted to vent a pan nor pot with a larger gap than the tiny hole as is often found in glass lids. And that is there only as a safety feature on glass due to the constant rattle that can occur on certain parameters. None of my metal lids have such a hole, and nearly all are designed to fit quite well. I am not going to argue against "steam venting" being a feature (it is a feature), just that its a feature no one needs when cooking.
Lodge is best for the money hands down! They season up well and hold it well! I have a Lodge, Field, Griswold, and a Wagner. That's my opinion! You can buy 4 Lodge 12" pans for what Field and these other Co.s like Smithey charge. Also you can pick up a Lodge #8 griddle and use it for a lid on a #8 pan...Field for sure since I just did it!
I own Finex and Smithey carbon steel farmhouse. I use mostly Smithey. Finex is beautiful and it will grab attention of your guests for sure. It’s super heavy too, I pick it up with both hands🤣
Cast iron is amazing if you're on a budget Lodge is amazing you can't lose with this company it might take longer to get the seasoning on but once you have it you'll never lose it eggs will slide off of your pan like nothing cornbread or slip right off like nothing happened I love cast iron
Heat retention comparison should be based on exact same starting temperature for all for skillets. This was done for the heating comparison, but not for the cooling comparison. Heat loss and gain is not a linear function (heat loss decreases at a decreasing rate), which is the assumption being erroneously made in this review. Also, Heat retention *comparisons* are usually based on the percentage of heat decrease over time and not solely on the temperature difference.
I was fortunate in that I inherited some WagnerWare and a No 10 Griswold. The Field took its inspiration from the Griswolds and has that thinner and finer milling. The WagnerWare is a bit heavier but I went with Field (Smithey was a close second....) for a couple pieces to augment the old stuff ( a new number 6 and 8) and the French dutch ovens. I really like the weight and the design. Alot of people bag Field for no spouts... But like FINEX... The design mitigates that. The radius on the side of the pan allows for clean pouring. The Gris, Wagner, Lodge, Smithey all have straight sides and need the spout... Field did some out of the box thinking... Down to 4 pieces of stainless... All sauce pans..... I tried a Lodge in the early days but did not compare to the Grz and Wagner... Rough as guts.... So gave it away.
I commented on this video before it got reuploaded You got me hooked up on cooking meat the tight way , I bought a infrared thermometer now I will probably buy an iron skillet. Can't get those brands here in EU though.
Smooth or rough. They will be non stick if you know how to cook them and season them. Everyone seem to obsess over smoothness. Field had the best handle by far. It elevates just enough to go cradle your hand. Field was also designed to pour out anywhere. There is a lid for the #8 Field skillet and that lid can be used on Field dutch oven.
Sand casting holds seasoning better and that's why Lodge patented the process. I have vintage cast Griswold and Wagner but prefer Lodge. You're right about people obsessing. Eggs slide in my cheap Lodge as well as any other. The only pros of others are weight and handle comfort.
I don't even have to watch this comparison. I know that I will be buying Lodge. It's a quality product, works great straight from the factory, and I don't have to float a loan to afford it. Now, for those who can afford these others, that's great, go for it!
The Finex steel coil does indeed get hot. The brass tip at the end is just as hot as the cast iron itself. I find myself having to use a rag to handle it. The thickness of the handle with/without the rag makes the pan feel heavier than it is.
One of the best thing about cast iron is the fact you can buy a good pan for cheap. You can't really braise, or cook acidic food with out serious fanfare. At $160 plus, you can buy an all-clad pan that cooks almost as well, if not the same as an cast iron pan plus have the ability to braise or cook acidic foods. Lodge is the clear winner.
For me hands down lodge beats everyone every time. The price point outweighs everything for me. Don’t get me wrong I have 5 different brands of cast iron and all are nicer than lodge. However they don’t out preform lodge by leaps and bounds so why not spend less money? Also... With every lodge piece I buy, I put some time and elbow grease into polishing them. After the polish and proper season, they end up being the same quality performance than the others and you don’t have to worry about them like you would a $200 piece. Just my thoughts on this subject.
@@G17-911 That is true... and definitely something to consider. With a 12 inch skillet it takes me about 30 mins to sand and polish, then another 1-2 hours to season it. I enjoy doing it this way as you can get it to the level of smoothness that suits you. I guess it depends on if you want to pay someone else to put the work in by buying a better quality piece up front and save the money and do it yourself. I actually think I can get it smoother myself than even the premium pieces come out of the box. Another consideration that has come into my thought process over the years is this... in my opinion and from my experience, I have found that lodge’s casting process seems to be an extremely superior to most higher end brands, it’s just the finishing process that is lacking. The reason I think this is I have actually cracked several other brands of skillets using them on campfires where they heat up or cool down rapidly. I have never cracked a lodge piece of cast iron. Maybe I’m just lucky idk but I have skillets and Dutch ovens i have been using on camp fires for many many years.
@@MrWhooodat I know you didn't ask me but it just really depends on what you are looking for. In my opinion Lodge's Blacklock and Field's cast iron skillets are the best if you don't want to find vintage skillets. I use my cast iron skillets almost every single day and the weight difference is very noticeable. Both still provides excellent heat retention while being easier to maneuver. The Blacklock in particular is the lightest of the bunch. The pour spout is excellent, handle stays cool longer, and it heats up quicker. The helper handle is also nice to grab onto. The price is more expensive than a regular Lodge, but it's still affordable compared to all the boutique cast irons ($50-70ish in my area but I got it for slightly cheaper back in 2019 before they increased in price). The only downside I can see is the pebbly or rough surface, but once you get enough layers of seasoning it doesn't matter. It already comes tripled seasoned so it doesn't take long to get a nobstick surface. Lodge's chef collection is a slightly cheaper alternative that's a nice in between. The Field skillet is lightweight (compared to most cast iron skillets), has a smooth surface with machining marks that allows it to take on seasoning like a champ (some other manufacturers polish theirs too much where seasoning has a hard time forming), has a handle that doesn't take up too much space, and performs closely to the vintage Wagner and Martin Stove & Range cast irons skillets I grew up seeing my family members use. I've found that I didn't need to do the initial seasoning process with my Field skillet as much before it became nonstick. The downsides would be the price (still cheaper than the $200+ cast irons) and the lip that you're suppose to use as a pouring spout. Liquids/oils drip out in an inconsistent manner and I wish the lip was more the the ones found on the Stargazer cast iron skillet. My honorable mention would be the Stargazer. It's the most affordable boutique cast iron skillet (even cheaper with a military discount), has a smooth surface that takes seasoning well if you purchase the newer ones after Stargazer fixed the surface from being too polished, and has a long handle that dissipates heat well. I personally don't prefer this as much after I moved to Manhattan for work and my loft comes with a compact range. The long handle takes up a lot of space which is a bad thing in a cluttered range or if you use the oven often with your skillet. This isn't an issue for most people though. Again this comes down to what I prefer and what works for me. For others who prefer maximum heat retention, something like a Smithey, Finex, Austin Foundry Cookware, and so forth would be better. Those skillets are heavier and thicker while having a smooth surface to differentiate themselves from the standard cast iron skillets. If you don't care where your skillets are made, there are many different varieties online. Victoria makes a great one with an ergonomic handle and wide pour spouts while being made in Columbia. There are a few made in Australia as well. The ones made in China comes in varying quality with various features. There are some cheaply made if you just need a cast iron skillet, nicer ones with a smooth surface for under $50, and extremely high end, hand made ones from the people where cast iron was invented almost 2000 years before anyone else ever used cast iron. It just really depends on what you are looking for.
I own 2 fields and 1 lodge been cooking on them for 2 years side by side and their is no difference besides weight and price stick with lodge imo lesson learned
I think what you mean is that spending more on a cast iron skillet than what the Lodge costs is not worth it to you. The aesthetic difference is real for example.
It’s fascinating to see these new companies pricing chunks of iron like it’s copper or something more valuable. The Smitheys even seem to be made to look like copper to maybe make people think they fit into that higher value range. Fact is tho that for cooking, lodge is going to get you over 95% of the way to anywhere you want to go, even if you’re a professional chef. Yes, $200 isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things, but even so you should always be aware you are paying for looks and a nice feeling, not increased performance or better food or even longevity. Lodge can last decades as well. If you want a nice looking pan to hang out that smithey does look very nice.
If the links provided are correct you reviewed the #8 Field skillet which is 10 1/4" top diameter and the #12 Smith Skillet which is which is 12". Give that you have two different size skillets it seems like an apples to oranges comparison with regards to the skillets weight.
Had my Field for 2 years. Had all brands but the smithey. Hands down the best cast iron I’ve ever owned. Right out of the package it comes pre seasoned. Incredibly smooth. Light weight and the handle is amazing. I get nice even heats and it holds its heat very well. If you can afford it, buy it. If you cannot buy a lodge and sand it down smooth. If you cannot grind down your lodge, Spend a few years cooking on it so you can maybe eventually cook eggs….
@BBQ and Bottles totally agree, just have heard other also. I'm not a $200 dolla pan kinda guy. I restored some I found and they're fantastic, use em every day
Finex is a bit more cumbersome to clean and season since it is not round; it's easy to unintentionally "underseason" the creases if you're doing quick seasoning swipes with your oil.
I am not sure how you can claim Field is the best when they do not make a skillet with pouring spouts. You even decided to purchase a more expensive Smithey because for you, its better. I am unwilling to accept that you think Field is better. :)
@@nobeliefisok9174 a pouring spout is unnecessary due to the angle of the rim being conducive to pouring through all 360 degrees. The downside to a spout is that oil and grease almost always drip down it while cooking. That's why they purposely did not include a spout in the design.
"Bespoke" means 'custom made for you personally'. These are all production items, made on an assembly line, at least of sorts. There is nothing "bespoke" about them, and my god you mis-used the word over and over. And over.
There is absolutely no reason to sand a Lodge smooth. Zero. I've been using Lodge for years and have had zero issues with sticking. The texture has nothing to do with it being non stick. They perform equally to all of my vintage
If a person has a disposable income greatly exceeding yours, is your claim still true? It might be for someone who values price more than all else. But no for one who prefers the design of another pan. None of the four pans in this review look the same, weigh the same, have the same handle, etc. They are different. To you "Lodge destroys these" is based purely on the difference in price. For some people, the difference in price matters not one bit. And looking at it from another viewpoint, most people will only buy a single cast iron skillet in their life. Why wouldn't they buy the one they like the look of best?
Do you understand why these pans are the price that they are? Once you find out why, then maybe youll sing a different tune; I highly doubt it though, unfortunately.
You can get a better skillet from a yard sale, a flea market. Anywhere from 20 to $80. I bought a grizzwald for 40 dollars, smooth as glass. Made in nineteen forty two still going strong. Also gotta b Sr Dutch oven. Oh a 100 years old for $45. Smooth as glass also.
Lodge for $20 hands down $300 for smithy with a lid your insane...show me all the great features that make Smithy $280 better....you can't it's just greed....how about giving folks a fair price.
Neat ! I do a lot of shopping at Scandinavian Outdoor, and for most of my cast iron cookware a place called Motonet. I did pick up a nice Lodge Combo Cooker at Verkkokauppa, too !
no, but if your build up of oils does peel, then scrap and sand it down until even again, then re-season. You cant patch a spot that peels off, you got get back to even surface first.
IF I were given all those pans, I'd likely enjoy one of the expensive brands but I have one 12" $14 cast iron pan for the campfire. Season it yourself multiple times in the oven and get the cheapest one, your camping. The absolute best pan for everyday cooking is stainless.5 layer is better than 3 but either will treat you great for many many years! Stay away from all "non-stick" those are ALL garbage. Fun video to watch though.
None of these pans are bespoke. The standard Smithey doesn’t come with the lid, so clearly that’s not a one to one comparison between price points. Wish there was basic research done before this video because a lot of key details are missing. And this kind of unboxing review provides such little value. Actually cooking on these pans would be so much more useful to viewers.
Bespoke cast iron? What? Is it made with a handle that custom fits my own hand and a custom bottom surface that matches my range? Confused. Oh you mean it’s cast iron with California marketing.
Just get the bloody Lodge. The seasoning will be smooth after you cook with it for a while. Spending $200 on a cast iron skillet will not improve your cooking.
I dropped a Lodge 12" skillet on the kitchen floor and it broke in two. I only owned it for a month. This is because it's a poor quality casting with a lot of porosity. I know this because I worked in a foundry for several years.
I try my best to be about MADE IN USA. I feel that Lodge has tried as well to do this over 100 years. These "new kids on the block" make some fine C/I. Hope they all make it. I'm a fan of show America's Test Kitchen and enjoy watching. BUT that said, the best test kitchen in the world was all the many generations of mothers standing over a hot stove using cast iron all their lives. Seasoning is an ongoing process for the life of the cast iron. And those ladies protected it like one of their children! Just my rant🤔
