Cast iron is a great way to make cookware. It’s cheap and can easily be cast into complex shapes. It’s safe too; if you ground a cast iron pan into a fine powder, you could safely eat it over the course of 18 months.
This simplicity heightens the importance of the quality of the cast iron. Cast iron is mostly iron, followed by 2-4% carbon. Higher carbon makes it harder and gives it a lower melting point, while lower carbon makes it more ductile. There are also impurities in cast iron; notably phosphorus. Phosphorus generally makes cast iron more brittle when exposed to rapid temperature changes or on impact, and while a little can be good during casting it’s considered an impurity. As little as 0.1% can make it more brittle.
What’s important is different mines have different concentrations of phosphorus and other impurities. Chinese mines often have higher concentrations of phosphate minerals than the US, largely due to the types of deposits found in each country. While much of Asia (including China, India, and Kazakhstan) have more oolitic deposits, countries like the US, Brazil, and Australia tend to have hematite and goethite deposits. Oolitic deposits contain more phosphorus, and may produce a more brittle cast iron product.
To make the argument even more compelling, Chinese pans are not meaningfully cheaper than American made pans. Lodge, the largest manufacturer of cast iron cookware in the US, sells $20 10.5-inch pans , which is about the same price you’d pay for a Chinese made pan. Since the US produces so much iron, and the iron which is imported usually comes from countries like Brazil and Canada, it's reasonable to think you're getting a higher quality iron for a similar price just by buying American made cookware. Even if your pan is made from scrap iron and steel (which is not uncommon), that scrap metal is more likely to have started life as a higher quality steel if it is sourced from the USA.
This guide isn’t foolproof. Carbon content would likely have a larger impact than phosphorus impurities, and despite its weight they do ship iron ore overseas. They can also use scrap iron and recycled steel to make cast iron, which is a bit of a wild card. Phosphorus can also be removed. That said, higher quality cast iron may be a good reason to skip the Chinese-made pans, and instead opt for something made in America.
Cookware Made in America
I’m not a reviewer, and I have no interest in shilling a particular brand. However I do like cast iron cookware and American made products, and I have bought them for myself and as wedding presents with great success. So here are some American-made pans. While there is no logical reason to spend more than ~$40 on cast iron, it can be rationalized given their ~50 year lifespan.
| Company | Factory Location | Cost of 10" Pan | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge | Tennessee | $20 | Available in Walmart, Target, etc |
| Victoria | South America (Medellín, Colombia) | $19 | Major affordable brand from the Americas (not USA) |
Boutique (Expensive) Pans that are Made in the US
Listed in no particular order.
| Company | Factory Location | Cost of 10" Pan | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finex | Portland, OR | $200 | Lodge's premium brand, they also do factory tours |
| Stargazer | WI -> OH -> PA | $135 | |
| Smithy | USA | $150 | |
| Austin Foundry | Sheboygan, WI | $140 | |
| Lancaster Cast Iron | USA | $225 | |
| Fredericksburg Cast Iron Co | Texas | $175 | |
| Marquette Castings | USA | $90 | Enamel coated goods; Marquette is best known for their dutch ovens |
| Field Company | USA | $215 | |
| Butterpat Industries | USA | und. | Purchased by YETI, although all of the pans are sold out as of this article |
| Nest Homewares | Indiana -> Providence, RD | $155 | Unique tree-shaped handle |
| Borough Furnace | New York | $210 | |
| Grizzly Cookware | USA | $175 | Nickel coated, similar to an enamel coating in regards to cleaning/seasoning |
Although now dated (the Stargazer pan, for instance, has been updated), Cowboy Kent made the definitive cast iron pan review.