Unboxing Review: Big Lots $10 Cast Iron Skillet 

Owning cast iron skillets is like owning dogs. They can be mutts or pure breeds, they can be smart or dumb, they can be strong and fast or weak and slow. But in the end, they are always loyal friends.

I really appreciate your honest and unbiased review of this pan. A lot of people can not afford the "nice" cast iron. I will say the $20 pre-seasoned cast iron pans at walmart are just as "nice" as the expensive vintage or expensive"nice/good" cast iron. I can't tell any difference at all. Truly enjoyed watching this video!! Subbed!

I should have watched your video before using the pan. I purchased the 11.5 inches from BigLots. The first food did stick to the pan. I stopped the cooking and checked RU-vid for instructions. Very informative, thank you!

I have a few of these for camping etc. I sanded the cooking surface down and it made all the difference in the world.

Excellent review. I have been one of those "snobs" that wouldn't buy a new cast iron skillet but watching this has changed my mind. I have enjoyed your videos over the years and appreciate your channel!!

Great job. This shows you don't need to spend $80-$100 for a star gazer or finet(how ever you spell it). Camping is a great place to use this type. I have a Grizwald, some Wagner, new and old Lodge and some with no marking. Use all of them and have sanded out some of the rougher ones to make a little better. Cast iron is cast iron, use em and abuse em, clean em and reseason em, good to go.

Over 1,000 views in only six hours. Apparently these videos about cast iron seem to be especially popular.

It just proves that along with care and proper use the knockoffs are a valuable item. No different than having a pedigree dog or a mutt. Take proper care and show it love and it will be loyal to you for many years to come. Thanks for your unbiased review which is very hard to get from a cast iron user.

Thanks for the great review. You made some very valid points as to why this pan may be the best you can get at the time. You also, perfectly, demonstrated how utilitarian this pans is.

Great review. I think point is; cast iron is what makes cast iron superior. I have a few Walmart mainstays pans that are maid in China and they have been used and seasoned to the point that they have a perfectly smooth surface. Lodge has the same “problem” but they end up the same; smooth as glass and the perfect kitchen utensil.

Very cool niche review. I like collector pans as much as the next, but good users are cool too. As usual, another interesting video from you, I watched the whole thing.

Very nice review. I just found some lodge on sale that I was barely able to afford, but even the two side handle pans are a bit heavy for me. I like the idea of a lighter cast iron for everyday use. I know, I know, the heavier cast iron actually cooks a bit better, but the thinner is better than no cast iron. When you are 69 and dealing with a lifting limitation due to surgeries, you take what you can get and are grateful!

A fun and informative review! Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Thank you for doing this review. I was given this exact pan for Christmas. So far it is a great pan that I am enjoying learning how to cook on cast iron

Thank you so much for the extremely informative video. After I stumbled upon your channel I have learned so much. my family and friends swear my cooking has improved tremendously but little do they know it was help from you and good old cast iron 😀

very good review! i am such a guy that cant spend a lot of money on a pan. i own a€ 12,-/$ 13,66 Vogue asian made skillet and grill pan. the skillet now after almost a just 2 years daily use is getting very smooth inside. never will i buy "non stick" pans again.

I got one pan like this one year ago and has been working really good 👍

I have felt the surface of those pans and said no way. You just demonstrated yes way. thanks!

I recently purchased a Walmart brand Mainstay cast iron which is also made in China. Sanded that baby down and wallah its a nonstick wonder. Paid a grand total of $7.50 for this pan and I'm super pleased with it. Always fun to get a bargain. I think I'm gonna start a collection of cheap cast iron pans to adorn my kitchen :-)

Bought my first cast iron skillet which was a lodge brand from amazon US (cheaper than buying one locally here in Australia) and love it and the seasoning is getting better every time I cook on it Bought a cheap $12.00 on from Kmart here in Australia so I can use two at the same time and that one not bad and a lot better than the non stick frypan I bought from Aldi's

Great video and subject to cover. I just purchased along with my older brother some cast iron cookware for our father. They were all Lodge brand, but for an extra pan or two, those cheap ones from BigLots! would be a practical low cost option. You demonstrate that the constant re-coating with Crisco is so easy to do that it's a minor thing. I bet that process of cleaning and coating will keep the pan rust free and in good shape for years.

I have a couple no name CI frying pans that my husband sanded down eliminating the bumpy surface. They're well seasoned, smooth as my great grandmother's pan, and work great!

I bought a set of 3 made in China cast iron skillets from Macy's for only $10. It came with a 5", 7", and 10" skillet. That was maybe about 15 to 20 years ago. I still use them to this day. Just baked a pizza in the 10" skillet. I don't care if they're not heirloom quality. They're better than any non-stick pan and are the best things I've ever bought for my kitchen.

I have quite a nice collection of cast iron cookware which I purchased this year and love them and my steel wok. They are used to cook about all that I eat and is easy to clean too. Most of my cast iron cookware is made by Lodge, but I also have the Stargazer skillet, and an old skillet which belonged to my grandmother who raised us when we was kids, and our mother was away working and trying to send enough to take care of us.I don't know who made the old skillet, but it is nice and I am fairly sure it was American made.

You did great service for this review. Thank you

Pour spouts look better than most of my vintage stuff.

Thanks Eric. Great video. Its nice to a review outside of some of the more expensive cast iron, which anyone can enjoy for years on end!

Good Video.The Trick to Cast Iron is, YOU HAVE TO USE IT!!!

Good review, funny I own a stargazer 10.5 and just pre-ordered their 12 inch skillet!

I have a Wagner CI pan and a Lodge CI pan that I use all the time. I season them outside on a portable electric inductive burner. They fry great burgers, eggs, bacon and I even make homemade english muffins on my cast iron pans. A few years ago I bought a Lodge CI wok. I love making chicken fried rice in it. It works well but I think a carbon steel wok would be better.

Way to be open minded & a way to adapt, to what one has. Very well said, thanks for sharing! :) Stay safe & be well.

Great video, sir. I have a dozen cast iron pieces and recently repaired three others for a friend. Aside from some surface imperfections from the casting process, the cheap Asian pans, properly seasoned, work just as well as any Lodge, BSR, or Griswold I've used.

In recent days I have seen some Lodge pans on sale at really low prices. I agree that once you get the pan seasoned properly they will work just fine, no matter who made it. Collecting is still fun though. Thanks for the review.

Great idea using the foreign pans for camping. I've been using my cheaper lodge, but would still be heartbroken if they were stolen or lost. Thanks for sharing!

I have been a cast iron guy since a child thanks to my parents, my kids gifted me an un seasond bengiman and mess in 8 in , I thought ugh, but now it's my favorite go to pan for omelets and Browning stuff I love it and I do have some Taiwan pot and pans cast of course that are just fine and I love so use whatever you have even the ruff stuff is slick as can be once. It's seasond enough to fill in the ruff cast, enjoy.

The scraping sound on this Chinese made skillet or the modern lodge disappears after you season it a few times

Nice to see that you season your pan at 400 degrees which is below the smoke point of Crisco. Bravo!

Just bought one of these today, christened with a grilled cheese sandwich. Came out great with a nice crispy crust. Nothing is better than cast iron! 12 bucks at Big Lots!

I bought a 8” square cast iron grilling pan at dollar general. Nothing sticks to it and it’s my second favorite pan, made in China. I also have a Smithey Foundry and Lodge. I also have an AFC US on the way. Just treat it well and love it! That’s what makes your cookware.

Great review! Way to shut down the snobbery. One of these would also be a great candidate for polishing.

I've watched dozens to hundreds of various videos about pots and pans and ($10 or not on a cheap Chinese made skillet) this one actually tells more than all the others combined in re cast iron skillets. All the other videos are nonsense for anyone simply looking to find something to cook with at a reasonable price. Cheap makes so much sense when it comes to cast iron. My advise to anyone looking to buy is to get the cheapest and when you need to use to clean it using water, make sure that you quickly dry it, and maybe put a super light coating of lard or Crisco.

Take some sandpaper to the cooking surface before seasoning it. Every pass of the sandpaper simulates days of use in the real world. Because of this my new Lodge 10" pan is as smooth as my old 12" 10 year old one.

Thank you for this review! I have found that cast iron cookware usage, compares with wine. Sure, we'd take a Joseph Phelps Insignia any day over a $10 bottle of Robert Mondavi. But having a cheaper wine with a steak is better than soda. I have a HUGE 17" CI skillet I bought from Harbor Frieght Tool about 10 years ago for the huge price of $10. It makes for an EXCELLENT chicken fryer. Sure, I'd prefer to cook in my Wagner/Griwold/BSR skillets for other everyday meals. But for frying chicken, my $10 Harbor Freight monster will far out-perform any of my #6 vintage skillets.

Gotta love this guy. All the other enthusiast youtube chanels push high end products for sponsor shipps and pretending to know more. Rough cast iron has better cooking properties than smooth. Hwavy pans hold more heat. Thin pans are more portable. Theres a use for all of them.

I got one from family dollar as my first ever cast iron just to get to learn how to cook with one and i have to say that it did not stick as much as i thought and i will.use this way more than my other nonstick pans

Great video! I have an 8 dollar pan I use all the time.

I’m going to Big Lots to try one of these $10 pans. Sometimes my large Lodge is not big enough for my family of 5, this $10 should be a good supplement and a fine cooking essential when camping as you pointed out. Thank you for an informative review.

When I first started collecting cast iron I became a cast iron snob. That has changed big time. I have found, as you demonstrated, that cheap cast iron cooks just as good as the expensive stuff. Does that mean I am giving up my granny's Griswold, Lodge, or Wagner?? Not a fat chance. :-) It's just that I learned to love the art of restoring cast iron back to life. I did find a Emeril Lagasse 10 inch at Goodwill for 15 bucks that was rusted and had so much crud that you could not even see that his name was stamped on the bottom. Brought it home. Cleaned it several times with oven cleaner for the crud and vinegar for the rust. Seasoned it and looks brand new. I use it as my daily cooker. I use my other pans/skillets as I rotate them out to keep the seasoning fresh. Next on my bucket list is an old #14 Griswold, but that's also a fantasy. LOL!!! Nice review!!

I recently bought a TINY Asian cast for a special application... It was HORRIFIC... Rough interior, casting flaws and even casting tags on the handle that hadn't been ground off!... I set up my detail sanders (Palm wouldn't fit) grabbed a beer, and got ready for a bit of nasty work... Before using "Power" I folded a piece of sandpaper and made a few light passes by hand... WOW! What a mess!... Black dust was filling the pan and covering my hands after only about a minute. (Note: If you are married, do this outside!) After dumping the dust out, I observed that the grainy bottom had a silver sheen and was already "softening" from an aggregate to more of an orange peel type texture... Cast sands like pine! The point is, it's a no-brainer and WAY easier than you would think... 35 minutes by HAND and the inside of the skillet was like GLASS!... Even before seasoning (No patience), I sprayed it with a little oil and fried an egg in it... I never touched the egg after cracking it. When it was fully cooked, a flick of the wrist sent the egg sliding against the side of the little pan just like my 100+ year old Griswold! I'm not easily impressed, but I was home alone and actually laughed a bit in amazement. After a full seasoning, this thing is crazy awesome. The arguments of Asian cast iron aside; you can do this to any new (or less than perfect, seasoned) cast pan and will find yourself not even noticing the difference between these and your vintage. I'm doing more of these to use with tomato-based foods that I won't subject the seasoning of my great grandfather's pans to. This isn't rocket science and uses no special tools...The perfect (Cheap) solution!

Nice job. This is excellent information. I have modern and vintage cast iron. I still much prefer the surface of a modern lodge over the Asian made equivalents but they will work.

Sanding that rascal smooth will go a long way to making it even more usable. The thinner material of the new cast iron skillets can heat up a lot quicker, but you have the danger of them warping or cracking if cooled too quickly.

Cast iron is cast iron, mostly. I have an ozark trail 12 inch skillet that I used right off the shelf for about 4 months and then the factory seasoning started to flake off. It was a rough surface also. I sanded the dickens out of the cooking surface before I reseasoned it. It's not glass smooth but it doesn't tear up a paper towel when you wipe across it anymore. I think taking a few days to sand down a pan and do a proper reseasoning is worth the time and effort before use. I did four seasonings in the oven with Crisco before I started reusing the pan. The only complaint I have about my cheap pan is thatthe bottom is a little too thin. It will bow up in the middle if it gets too hot. Other than that Asian cadt iron is perfectly fine and does the job just as good and will last a lifetime if not abused.

Rough or smooth surface is a personal preference. Mine is a smooth surface. It doesn’t hurt the pan or take too much time to sand or grind it smooth. If all you can afford is $10 for cast iron, it’s better than aluminum or “no-stick” clad pans. Buy the $10 pan, use it while saving for an American made Lodge. You won’t regret it.

Cast iron cooking is all in the cook & not in the pan. I dont see why people want to grind down a lodge skillet with an angle grinder either, this morning i made bacon eggs & pancakes in a new 12 in. lodge with no sticking.thanks chaos!

Thank you for an honest 'non-snobbery' review. Many reviews I've seen feel to be thinly disguised bragging about their collections or affiliate commercials. I'd like to see more of this style of objective evaluation of all varieties out there for all budgets.

I see value even in this. After all it`s cast iron and will last forever

I found that a sanding disc attachment @ 40 grit works well for smoothing out cast iron. Theoretically, it also leaves enough of a rough surface for seasoning to stick to.

I have 2 China cast iron skillets, treat them good,they perform good.

I use mostly modern asian cast iron, but mine seem to have a better finish then that one and don't produce that irritating scraping sound. I am glad to see you do this review though, it shows people they don't have to be rich to enjoy better cookware.

I personally only buy Lodge cast iron, but a relative bought me a commemorative 12" deep Asian made pot (just as you suggested would be how we might get Asian cast iron.) Considering who it was that was giving it and what it was commemorating, I graciously accepted it but let it sit around for a few years - always leery of Asian iron. But there came a time when I was headed to camp and needed one more pot than usual and so had to throw that one in as well. My fears were needless - it worked fine. I used it just like all the others, charcoal and right in the fire. No problems at all. I'll stick with Lodge because I know you have to think about warping and fit with Asian iron, but if I need that pot again I'll use it. BTW, my wife makes the best cornbread ever in a 12" cast iron frying pan. Love that stuff.

I buy cast iron pans at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores for a few dollars each. Most are no-name, but sometimes Lodge, Wagner and Birmingham Stove show up. No Griswalds, but I am fine with that. You and I season pans the same way

Thank you for saying all this! My family has always been the people who did not have the money for expensive cookware. Of course we'd always keep our eyes peeled for cast iron second hand but if we bought it new you better believe it'd be as cheap as possible at a store like Walmart. My go to pieces of cast iron that I bought when I moved out of the house as a young adult are a camp chef skillet I got at big 5, a large stansport deep rectangular pan and lid/griddle, and a Dutch oven I found at Walmart. All 3 of these items were cheap cheap cheap! The stansport pan set I got for $4!!! And the camp chef after the sale and my employee discount was around maybe $10 and the Dutch oven is the same story, they were cleaning out stock at Walmart and I snagged it for under $10! They may not be heirloom pieces or something that others will be jealous of but I use em all the time, I'm not afraid to take em on camping trips and I'll be darned if these pieces don't last me a lifetime. Who knows maybe when I die my children and grandchildren will keep using these pans and not care that they came from Walmart. They will be nicely seasoned by then after all.

I have skillets made by Lodge, and Stargazer and love all of their products. I also have two dutch ovens from Lodge and love them also and can cook indoors or outside with them. Since I do go camping I needed good cast iron products to cook in and for also emergency cooking outside the home if the power stays off for any long term.

Thanks for telling the truth. I have a few pces of cast iron, nothing fancy, i am not a collector but i love cooking with cast and my pces get used all the time and they work great.

I have two of the Great Gathering skillets. They work great.

You could grind or sand that pans cooking surface down and season it if you wanted it to be smooth.

I have purchased some American made skillets that are as close to rough cast as can be found. Enjoyed the video very much and have no problems with purchasing a cast iron skillet like you have and using it. The more it is used the better it performs. Thanks.

That’s very interesting. I have one question...how heavy is it compared to either a vintage Griswold and a modern day Lodge in the same size?

these "cheap" cast iron pans are also a great starter pan to get used to how to season/maintain a pan...if you mess it up there is not tragedy of ruining an expensive or vintage one

Nice review, I've only been into castiron a couple years and have always heard to leave the overseas stuff on the shelf. Now ya got me thinking twice.👍👍

It's okay if you don't have much money and try skillets like this. However, if you can afford it I would say buy a decend 40-50 dollar skillet. I'm a believer in the old term "you get what you pay for". I would rather pay the extra money for a skillet that will last for 100+ years as long as its taken care of.

These pans are excellent pans to "test" various finishes on cast iron. Making cast iron totally smooth makes it rather difficult for the seasoning to stick, fortunately I figured this out on $8 walmart cast iron pan. My favorite finish that I have found is either from a light sanding of 60 grit sandpaper or from a 60 grit flap wheel on an angle grinder. Now that I have my lightly sanded Lodge, I have the ultimate daily driver pan, with the ozark trail being used as a camping pan.

To me the eggs were a little over cooked. Keep making RU-vid Videos thank you..

Good beater. Like you said, good for camping and not being scared something will happen to it out there. Just imagine this skillet becomes collectible in 20 years for some weird reason. 10 dollar pan worth 100. Just like the ones made in the early days sold for cents, now worth alot more.

My secretary gave me my first cast iron, just like you said! I don’t know the brand, but it’s an old super well seasoned 10”. Started using it, and I love it. Bought some more lodge and it’s all I use now! Great review! Sand, season, and it will be fine!

Thank you so much for doing this review everybody tells me Asian made cast iron‘s no good I’ve got news for him I own expensive cast-iron and I went out and bought Asian cast-iron everything cooks great thank you keep up the good reviews we will keep watching

Hats off to you Modemac, for keeping it real yet another time! My first dutch oven was a christmas present from a cousin who likes to do breakfest in d.o.'s because they don't splat as much oil. After I got into collecting, I ventured to turn it over for a look and what do ya know? Made in Taiwan! the bottom as smooth as any vintage, tite fitting lid and auto basting dimples like a bsr. pure quality! on the other hand, the worst pan I have ever seen is a bsr #8, purchased in the early 80's as part of a set of 3. The bottom is the deformed result of a very bad casting and I have never been able to straighten it out. It's like old cowboy Kent says, look before you buy. I look forward to your presentations each week and I wish Jeffery Rodgers would, again, start doing more.

Once again this video proved that a cast iron skillet/pan doesn't has to be mirror smooth to be non-stick. I have 8 pieces of Lodge skillets and dutch oven and a BareBone reversible grill/griddle and they are all in their original factory "rough" finish and yet none of them stick, of course I seasoned them well.

The performance of this skillet would improve 100% if you used a palm sander on the cooking surface and along the crease where the side meets the bottom. When smooth to the touch apply 3 seasoning cycles. No more scraping sound and bacon and eggs will slide around as if on ice.

This is something I wondered about, thank you for your video.

How long at 200°f? Also thanks for reassuring me that I made an ok choice for getting one of these

Thank you for this fair review and not being a cast iron snob. A lot of poor folk can get a lot of good use from these pans.

Fact or Fiction ? : ~Using a steel flipper with the scrape-y sound slowly levels & smooths the lumpy texture of the pan bottom~

Great video! Cheap cast iron is a much better choice than pans costing much more, but made from aluminum. Keep up the great videos! You've definitely inspired me to cook more!

I actually own a cast iron just like that.I had it for 4 years it’s not rough any more and it don’t stick

I’d never heard that about Crisco, although did know for many years cooks swore by it. Too many flaxseed oil snobs around today.

One of my favorite pans is a cheap Chinese pan that I don't even know where it came from, thanks to the fact that every time one of my roommates destroys the seasoning, soaks it in soapy water, or otherwise abuses it I can just tell them to re-season it. This means I don't have to stress about my well seasoned vintage pan and they can learn about how to treat cast iron.

Thank you for the great cast iron tips, I just discovered your channel and I've subscribed! 😊

I moved out. Had to start over with kitchen stuff. Bought two cast iron skillets from Big Lots. One was just too big, did not use it. The other one, well, I did sand it some and re-seasoned it. It did a great job for several years. I do prefer vintage, and now have some, but the cheap cast iron pan worked very well for several years. I think I gave it away. Will have to look.

Thanks for the review👍🏻👍🏻

I probably will never buy one of these Chinese cast iron pans and for good reason: I already have enough cast iron to last several lifetimes. If for some reason I would have to start over I certainly would buy whatever I can afford. Chinese or not.

I have a fair number of C.I., but this is my most used skillet. It has worked great. A season of Crisco every so often and keep on cooking.

You can get Lodge 10.25" skillets for $10 at Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc. Just need to watch sales. Lodge 12" skillets go on sale for $15.

I bought a set of Chinese cast iron. It contained 2 large Dutch ovens and 3 skillets. I really like the 20" Dutch oven and the small skillet. But I do like the old ones better for feel.

Good information. I never considered these pans. I still love my Lodge pans and will continue buying and using them. Keep up the videos 🍳

I was given a couple of cast iron dutch ovens by a customer a couple years ago that was hauling them to a resale shop, I just let them sit. Then I bought a $10 square 10 1/4", turns out to be an unmarked Wagner at a resale shop, let it sit. A couple months ago I got interested, watched some vids and restored the square unmarked Wagner. The first thing I cooked was a pound of bacon, then eggs, it was so good. Then I found out I have castironitus, an incurable disease. You can live with it, but most people don't understand it. Now I have invested in 6 Wagner Sidney 'O' pans and have a total of $110 in all of them, found a couple at a time for Steal-of-a-deals, a #5,#6, 2-#10's and my prize for now is the #12. I bought a new 10" Lodge before I found the Wagner 10's, its rough, but nothing has stuck yet. Threw away all coated pans, didn't even want the chickens eating out of them!

Your look and demeanor reminds me of some sort of cast iron wizard from a fantasy setting. I dig it. Subbed for more arcane cast iron secrets.

$10 is a good introduction for someone who has heard of cast iron but never used it. Hopefully they get the bug as I did and start searching tag sales, goodwill,savers discount stores for old cast iron.

Great review. Too many people disparage inexpensive cast iron even though it is often a better value than anything else in its price range.

Wish that I could find a Griswold at a thrift store but to no avail. I had to settle for a Lodge, still seasoning it but not highly impressed. Glad that I bought the small one.