Griswold Cast Iron Skillet Review (Vintage Buying Guide + 5 Modern Picks)

Griswold hasn’t made a skillet since 1957. Every one for sale today is used, and some of them are fakes.

That doesn’t make them a bad buy. A good Griswold is thin, light and glass-smooth, and it can cook beautifully for another 70 years.

The short version: You can’t buy a new Griswold. You have two good options. Buy a vintage one carefully, checking the logo, pattern number, flatness and cracks, and accept that it has no warranty. Or buy a new skillet made in the same light, smooth style. Our pick for that is the Lancaster No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet. It weighs about 4 pounds and has a polished cooking surface. It is the closest thing to a Griswold No. 8 you can buy new.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best overall Griswold alternative: Lancaster No. 8 Cast Iron SkilletJump to review ↓
• Best vintage-style design: Field Company No.8 Cast Iron SkilletJump to review ↓
• Best polished finish: Smithey No. 10 Cast Iron SkilletJump to review ↓
• Best handle and rim: Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron SkilletJump to review ↓
• Best budget pick: Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet (L8SK3)Jump to review ↓

Vintage Griswold vs. Modern Picks Compared

Skillet	Top diameter	Cooking surface	Weight	Surface	Warranty
Vintage Griswold No. 8	About 10.5”	About 9.5”	Light for its size	Machined smooth	None (used)
Lancaster No. 8	10.5”	9.25”	About 4 lb	Polished smooth	Lifetime
Field Company No.8	10.25”	8.75”	4.3 lb	Polished smooth	Lifetime
Smithey No. 10	10”	9”	About 6.7 lb	Satin polished	Lifetime
Stargazer 10.5”	10.5”	8.1”	5.2 lb	Machined smooth	Lifetime
Lodge L8SK3	10.25”	Not listed	5.66 lb	As-cast, pebbly	Lodge warranty

Specs come from each maker’s product page. The Griswold cooking size is from collector guides, since Griswold pans varied a little by era.

1. Lancaster No. 8 Cast Iron Skillet: Best Overall Griswold Alternative

Lancaster is the closest match to the Griswold feel on this list. The maker calls it the lightest cast iron skillet in its class. At about 4 pounds, it weighs well under the Lodge and Smithey pans below.

That low weight is the thing people love about old Griswolds. Thin walls mean you can lift the pan with one hand to pour off fat or slide an omelet out. It also heats up faster than a thick pan, because there is less iron to warm.

The cooking surface is polished smooth, like the machined surface on a vintage pan. Smooth iron holds a thin, even layer of seasoning. That is why eggs release more easily from it than from rough, pebbly cast iron.

The trade-off is heat storage. A thinner pan holds less heat than a heavy one. So when you drop a cold steak in, the temperature dips a little more. Preheat it a few minutes longer and it sears well. Lancaster says it works on induction, glass, gas, grills and campfires. If you cook on glass, read our guide on how to protect a glass top stove from cast iron first.

Who should buy it: Anyone who wants the light, smooth Griswold No. 8 experience in a brand-new pan with a warranty.

2. Field Company No.8 Cast Iron Skillet: Best Vintage-Style Design

Field Company says it models its skillets on the most celebrated vintage makers, Griswold and Wagner. It uses green sand casting and machined-smooth cooking surfaces. That is close to how cast iron was made a century ago.

At 4.3 pounds, the No.8 is almost as light as the Lancaster. The walls are thin and the profile is low. It feels like a pan you would find at an estate sale, just without the rust.

Field also uses Griswold-style numbers. A Field No.8 is sized like a classic No. 8, so it fits the same lids and recipes. If you want a smaller pan for one person, Field makes sizes down to a No.4. Our guide to the best cookware sizes for cooking for one helps you choose.

The cooking surface is a bit smaller than the Lancaster’s. That matters if you cook for three or four people. In that case, look at the Field No.10 or a 12-inch Lodge instead.

Who should buy it: Cooks who love the look and weight of vintage cast iron and want a new pan built on the same pattern.

3. Smithey No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet: Best Polished Finish

Smithey is the heaviest pan in the premium group. At about 6.7 pounds, it will not feel like a Griswold in your hand. But the cooking surface is where it shines.

Smithey describes it as a satin-smooth, polished finish. There are few tiny pits for food to grip, so it wipes clean fast. Smithey also says the steep walls on its traditional skillets nod to the best of vintage American cast iron.

The extra weight has one real upside. More iron stores more heat. So a Smithey holds its temperature better when you add a cold steak or a batch of potatoes. It is a better searing pan than the lighter picks, and it is a good match for reheating pizza in a skillet with a crisp base.

It has pour spouts and a helper handle with three holes. Use the helper handle with a good pair of heat resistant gloves, since both handles get hot.

Who should buy it: Cooks who want the slick Griswold surface and do not mind a heavier pan that holds more heat.

4. Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet: Best Handle and Rim

Stargazer is made in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It takes the smooth vintage surface and adds two modern touches. The first is a flared rim that pours without dripping down the side. The second is a long handle designed to stay cool longer on the stove.

At 5.2 pounds, it sits between the light Lancaster and the heavy Smithey. You can order it pre-seasoned or bare. Bare suits people who like to build their own seasoning from the first layer.

The flared rim does cost you some flat cooking space. The rim is 10.5”, but the flat base is 8.1”. So it cooks more like a 9-inch pan. We cover this pan in more depth in our Stargazer cast iron skillet review.

The wide flare also makes it easy to slide a metal spatula under food. That helps with fish, eggs and smash burgers.

Who should buy it: Cooks who pour off fat or sauces often and want a pan that is easier to handle on the stove.

5. Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast Iron Skillet (L8SK3): Best Budget Pick

Lodge is the budget answer, and it is a good one. It costs a fraction of the other pans here. It is made in the USA and covered by Lodge’s warranty.

It is not a Griswold clone, though. The surface is left as-cast, so it feels pebbly instead of smooth. It is also heavier at 5.66 pounds. Lodge fans will tell you the texture smooths out as seasoning builds up. Some owners also sand the surface smooth themselves.

The extra mass makes it a steady searing pan. It is a common first skillet for a reason. See our full Lodge cast iron skillet review for every size and what each one suits.

If you want to know how a skillet differs from a regular fry pan, our guide to the difference between a skillet and a frying pan explains the shape and wall angle.

Who should buy it: First-time cast iron buyers, and anyone who wants to try cast iron before paying Griswold-level prices.

Why Do People Still Want a Griswold Cast Iron Skillet?

Griswold pans were cast thin and then machined smooth on the inside. Most modern mass-market cast iron skips that step. So a Griswold is lighter, and its cooking surface feels like glass.

That smooth surface matters because seasoning is only a thin film of baked-on oil. On rough iron, the film has to fill tiny valleys before it feels slick. On smooth iron, it sits flat from the first few layers. Food has less to grab.

The light weight matters too. A pan you can lift with one hand is a pan you actually use. It also heats up faster, since there is less metal to warm. The flip side is that it cools down faster when you add food.

Then there is history. Griswold began in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1865. It became one of the best known cast iron names in the country. Owning one feels like owning a piece of that story. The question of whether a premium pan earns its price is one we look at in is expensive cookware actually worth it.

Is Griswold Still Made? What Happened in 1957

No. Griswold is not made today, and it has not been for decades.

The Griswold family sold the company in 1946. In 1957 McGraw-Edison bought it and passed it to the Wagner Manufacturing Company. Production in Erie ended.

Wagner’s owners kept using the Griswold name for a while. Those later pans were made at the Wagner plant in Sidney, Ohio, often on Wagner patterns. The name was dropped by 1973.

Collectors treat these post-1957 pieces differently. They usually lack “Erie” on the bottom, and they sell for much less. If you want the real thing, look for Erie markings.

How to Identify a Real Vintage Griswold

Flip the pan over. Nearly everything you need is cast into the bottom.

Read the Logo

Griswold changed its logo several times. The Cast Iron Collector’s history of the Griswold trademark is the best free reference. Here is the short version.

Logo	Rough dates	Heat ring?	What collectors say
”Griswold’s Erie”	1905–1909	Yes	Early and scarce
Slant logo, “Erie”	c. 1906–1916	Yes	The classic italic logo
Slant logo, “Erie PA USA” (Slant EPU)	c. 1909–1929	Yes	Highly sought after
Large block logo	c. 1920–1940	Some yes, some smooth	Bold block letters, “Cast Iron Skillet” text
Small block logo	c. 1939–1957	No (sizes 12 and up still had one)	The most common Griswold today
Post-1957 marks	1957–1973	No	Made in Sidney, Ohio, lower value

Dates overlap because Griswold phased logos in and out. Treat them as rough windows, not exact years.

Check the Pattern Number

Most Griswold skillets carry a pattern number near the handle. A No. 8 skillet uses the 704 series. A No. 10 uses 716, and a No. 12 uses 719. A letter after the number marks the mold it came from.

A missing or odd pattern number is a warning sign. It does not prove a fake, but it means you should look harder.

Look at the Heat Ring

A heat ring is a raised ring around the outer edge of the bottom. It was made for old wood and coal stoves. Early Griswolds have one. Most small block pans do not.

Heat ring pans still cook well on gas. On a flat glass or induction top, the ring touches first. That leaves a small gap under the center. See our guide to using non-induction cookware on an induction cooktop if you plan to use vintage iron on induction.

Spot the Fakes

Reproductions exist, mostly of small, valuable pieces. The Cast Iron Collector’s guide to reproductions and counterfeits lists the common tells. These are the big ones:

• Rough, grainy casting. Real Griswolds are clean and smooth. Fakes often feel like sandpaper.
• Blurry or wrong letters. Soft edges, wrong fonts or uneven spacing under the name are red flags.
• Odd numbers. Pattern numbers that do not match the size, or extra mold numbers on the bottom.
• Wrong weight. A recast pan is often heavier or a slightly different size than a real one.

How to Check a Used Griswold Before You Pay

A vintage pan is a used-market purchase. There is no warranty and usually no return. So check it in person if you can, or ask the seller for clear photos.

1. Do the spin test. Set the pan upside down on a flat counter and press one edge. If it spins or rocks, it is warped. Our guide on how to fix a warped pan explains why cast iron rarely comes back.
2. Look for cracks. Check the walls, the base and where the handle meets the pan. Tap it gently with a spoon. A clear ring is good. A dull thud can mean a crack.
3. Check for pitting. Deep pits on the cooking surface usually come from long rust. Light surface rust is fine. Deep pits rarely smooth out fully.
4. Ask about the history. A pan that was put in a fire to strip it can warp or turn red. Ask how it was cleaned.
5. Match the logo to the size. Use the table above. A logo that doesn’t fit the size or era is worth questioning.

Cracks and deep pits are deal-breakers. Warping is almost always one too, especially on a glass top.

What Should You Pay for a Griswold Skillet?

It depends on the logo, the size and the condition. Common pans are cheaper than many people expect. Rare ones are not.

A small block No. 8 is the most common Griswold, and it is usually the most affordable.Unrestored pans at yard sales or online often go for less.

Early slant logos, large block pans and odd sizes sell for more. Sizes like No. 13 and No. 20 are collector territory. One collector’s Griswold price list notes a single skillet sale of $17,000.

Here is a simple way to think about it:

What you’re buying	Typical pricing	Worth it for
Small block No. 8, used condition	Usually the lowest Griswold prices	Daily cooking
Restored small or large block No. 8	Often around the price of a new premium skillet	Cooking and display
Slant EPU or early logo	Clearly higher	Cooks who also collect
Rare sizes and marks	Hundreds to thousands	Serious collectors only

If a common No. 8 costs more than a new Lancaster or Field, the vintage pan is mainly a collector buy. That is fine if you want the history. It is not the best value if you only want to cook.

How to Restore a Rusty Griswold

Many vintage Griswolds turn up rusty or crusted with old grease. Most clean up well.

1. Strip it. Old crud comes off with a lye-based oven cleaner and time, or with electrolysis. Avoid a fire. Heat that high can warp or crack the pan.
2. Remove the rust. Soak it in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. Check every 30 minutes or so, because vinegar also eats bare iron if left too long.
3. Wash and dry right away. Rinse, scrub, and dry on a warm burner. Bare iron rusts in minutes.
4. Season it. Wipe on a very thin coat of oil, then wipe most of it off. Bake it upside down in a hot oven for about an hour. Repeat a few times.

Our guide on how to season stainless steel pans covers how baked-on oil works on another metal. The idea is the same. A thin layer baked hard is better than a thick, sticky one.

Once it is seasoned, keep it that way. Wash with a little soap and hot water, dry it on the stove, and add a light wipe of oil. The same wash-and-dry-fast habit shows up in our guide to how to clean stainless steel pans.

Griswold vs. Lodge: Which Is Better for You?

A Griswold is smoother and lighter. A Lodge is cheaper, heavier and easier to find. Both cook well once seasoned.

	Vintage Griswold	Lodge L8SK3
Surface	Machined smooth	As-cast, pebbly
Weight	Light	5.66 lb
Heat holding	Good	Better, thanks to more iron
Price	Varies widely	Low
Warranty	None	Yes
Where to buy	Estate sales, dealers, online auctions	Everywhere

For everyday frying and eggs, a Griswold’s smooth surface is nicer. For hard sears and deep dishes, the Lodge’s extra mass helps. The same trade-off shows up in our Le Creuset cast iron skillet review, where enamel changes the picture again.

Using Vintage or Modern Cast Iron on Different Stoves

Cast iron works on every common stove. How well it works depends on the bottom.

On a glass top, a flat, smooth bottom is key. Lift the pan instead of dragging it, since cast iron can scratch the glass. Warped vintage pans can also rock and heat unevenly on glass.

On an electric coil, heat comes up in a spiral. That can leave hot rings in the pan. Our guide to coil stove cookware explains why a thick base helps there.

Cast iron works on induction, since iron is magnetic. Heat it slowly, though. Blasting a cold pan on high can crack it. Our explainer on carbon steel on induction covers the same slow-heat rule for another iron pan. If you are shopping for a new cooktop, our list of the best induction cooktops for the money covers models that play well with cast iron.

Living With Cast Iron in a Small Kitchen

Cast iron is heavy and awkward to store. A few habits help.

Hang your most-used skillet on a wall rail or hook. That saves cabinet space and keeps the surface from getting scratched. Our vertical storage ideas for small kitchens show how to set that up.

If you stack pans, put a paper towel or pan protector between them. It stops rust spots and keeps seasoning from chipping. See our guide to storing pots and pans in a small kitchen for layouts that work.

One good skillet can also replace several pans. It sears, fries, bakes cornbread and even roasts. It can also stand in for a sauté pan on many nights. Our guide on how to stock a small kitchen for solo cooking shows how a cast iron skillet fits into a short list of core tools.

Which One Should You Buy?

If you want the real Griswold experience new, get the Lancaster No. 8. It is the lightest pan here and has the polished surface.

If you love the vintage look, the Field Company No.8 is built on Griswold and Wagner designs.

If you care most about the slickest surface and better heat holding, choose the Smithey No. 10.

If you want a pan that pours cleanly and has a cooler handle, pick the Stargazer 10.5-inch.

If you are on a budget, the Lodge L8SK3 does the job for very little money.

If you want an actual Griswold, buy a small block No. 8 from a reputable dealer. Do the spin test, check for cracks and pits, and budget for restoration. Go in knowing it is a used pan with no warranty.

Either way, a good cast iron skillet will outlast your stove. After that, the next pan worth adding is often a flat griddle. Our pick for that is in the best griddle pan for pancakes guide.

Related Guides

• Lodge Cast Iron Skillet Review
• Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet Review
• How to Protect a Glass Top Stove from Cast Iron
• Milo Dutch Oven Review
• Best Camping Cookware
• How to Organize Pots and Pans
• Best Cookware for Induction Cooktops
• What Your Cookware Sounds Are Telling You

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Griswold cast iron still made?

No. The Griswold company was sold in 1957 and the Erie, Pennsylvania foundry stopped making its cookware. Wagner's owners used the Griswold name on some pans made in Sidney, Ohio after that, and the name was dropped by 1973. Every Griswold skillet you can buy today is a used, vintage piece. There is no new Griswold and no factory warranty.

Why are Griswold skillets so expensive?

Supply is fixed and demand is steady. Griswold skillets were cast thin and machined smooth, so they are lighter and slicker than most modern cast iron. Collectors also chase rare sizes and early logos. Common small block No. 8 skillets are fairly affordable, but rare sizes and early marks can sell for thousands, and one skillet reportedly sold for $17,000.

How can I tell if my Griswold skillet is real?

Check the bottom. A real Griswold has a crisp, even logo, the words Erie or Erie PA, a size number, and a pattern number such as 704 on a No. 8. The casting should be clean and the cooking surface smooth. Rough, grainy iron, blurry letters or odd numbers often point to a reproduction.

Is a Griswold better than a Lodge skillet?

It is lighter and smoother, which many cooks prefer for eggs and everyday frying. A Lodge is heavier, rougher and far cheaper, and it holds heat well for searing. Both cook well once seasoned. The Lodge is new, easy to find and covered by a warranty. A Griswold is a used purchase with no warranty.

Can I use a vintage Griswold on a glass top stove?

Yes, if the bottom is flat. Smooth-bottom Griswolds sit fully on the glass. Heat ring models touch the glass only on the ring, so they heat slower and can rock. Lift the pan instead of sliding it, and do a spin test first. A skillet that spins or wobbles on a flat counter is warped.