When it comes to purchasing cast iron, it is essential to choose a company that produces great quality products. If you are someone that enjoys using cast iron, you will know how important this is. When looking at modern cast iron products, there are a handful of companies that are worth considering, one of which is Smithey Ironware.
To give you a better understanding of their products, we have reviewed them thoroughly. We have focused on aspects such as their company background, the available products, price range, and overall quality.
Smithey Ironware Company Background
Smithey Ironware was founded by Isaac Morton. Morton enjoyed restoring vintage ironware pieces in his spare time, and his company was created based on this interest. From this, Morton decided to create his own range of cast iron kitchen products, and the company has grown significantly since its creation.
They are now one of the most popular modern cast ironware companies, and produce fantastic quality items.While they now produce carbon steel cookware, they are most well-known for their ironware. The products are all manufactured and created in the USA. They are quality checked thoroughly, and when you purchase their products, you know that they are intended to last for many years.
Available Products
To begin with, let’s take a look at all of their available cast iron skillets. There are 4 available:
- No. 8 Cast Iron Chef Skillet
- No. 10 Cast Iron Chef Skillet
- No. 12 Cast Iron Skillet
- No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet
There is a good amount of choice available, and these products are of a high quality. While two of the choices available are chef skillets and can be used in a professional setting, they can be used at home too.
They are all created within the US, and have the same style finish. They are of a high quality. Overall there is a good amount of choice, with three different sizes to choose from, depending on your preference.
Quality of the Products
The quality of the products available are fantastic. They are all made using high quality cast iron, and have a satin-smooth, and polished finished. They look high end, and this is reflected in the quality of the product when it is in use too.
When these skillets are seasoned, they are non-stick, and easy to use. The No. 10 and the No.12 Skillets both feature pour spouts on each side, making it easy to use them. The handles are long, and all the options feature an extra handle at the top of the skillet to allow you to carry the pan easily when it is in use.
They are covered by the Smithey Ironware guarantee. If they are defective, the company will replace the product with no issues. This emphasizes how great the company is and as they are high quality, it is unlikely that you will run into any issues with your purchase.
Sizes of the Products
There is a good range of different sizing options available.
No. 8 Cast Iron Chef Skillet
- Diameter - 8”
- Depth - 1.6”
- Handle to handle - 15”
- Weight - 3 lbs
No. 10 Cast Iron Chef Skillet
- Diameter - 10”
- Depth - 1.6”
- Handle to handle - 17.25”
- Weight - 4.75 lbs
No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet
- Diameter - 10”
- Depth - 2”
- Handle to handle - 16”
- Weight - 5.5 lbs
No. 12 Cast Iron Skillet
- Diameter - 12”
- Depth - 2.25”
- Handle to handle - 18”
- Weight - 8 lbs
As you can see, there is a wide variety of options available, and some are bigger, deeper, and heavier than the others.
Given that they do vary, you will always want to take this into consideration before you purchase a skillet to ensure it is the correct size for you.
Price of the Products
When purchasing cast iron, you need to be aware that they are not cheap skillets. In comparison to the majority of other types of skillet, they do have a higher price point.
However, when you take into consideration the quality of the materials, and the length of time that they last for, this is understandable. The price of the Smithey Cast Iron Skillets are justified.
While they are some of the more expensive cast iron options available, they are covered by a great guarantee, and they can be relied upon. In addition to this, the smaller skillets are less expensive in comparison to the larger options.
The Finish
The Smithey Cast Iron Skillets have a particularly interesting finish. While cast iron is typically gray, the coating that is used to coat the Smithey skillets allow them to have a copper colored, smooth finish. This finish is very appealing. The more the pan is used, it will become a black patina color that is well associated with cast iron.
Smithey Ironware skillets can be easily identified by the three holes that are featured on the helper handle on the lip of the pan. There is no specific reason behind these being finished, other than to emphasize who the manufacturer is.
The skillets are pre-seasoned with pure grape seed oil which allows them to be ready to use when purchased. It enables the skillets to have a very high quality finish.However, you can use these holes, or the hole in the skillet handle to hang your skillet when it is not in use too. On the bottom of the skillets, they feature the Smithey Logo and product information.
Smithey Ironware offers the option to have the skillet personally engraved, for a small cost, which is a great addition. Given they are an investment that will last for a very long time, this is something nice to do, especially if they are being purchased as a gift.
Cooking With The Products
Cooking with the Smithey Cast Iron Skillets could not be easier. As they are naturally non-stick when seasoned, you do not have to worry about your meal or skillet being ruined.All of their options heat up the food quickly and evenly. You can cook a whole host of different food in the skillets, from vegetables and meats, to eggs.
They are quick to heat, and maintain a temperature which is essential in cooking. The longer handles of the non-chef models are fantastic. This enables you to cook safely, without having to worry about being too close to the heat source while cooking. As these skillets all feature interior walls that are slightly curved, this helps to prevent food from falling out of the skillet while you are cooking.
This means that you have less mess to clean up, and more food to eat!The skillets have a good depth, especially the No. 10 and the No. 12. This allows you to cook more food, and it also reduces the amount of mess that is created. This is particularly useful if you are adding many ingredients as you are cooking a meal.
Finally, the pouring spouts featured on the No. 12 and the No. 12 are particularly useful when you are serving the food. It allows you to pour sauces accurately, without the liquid spilling.The only downside to these skillets is that they are fairly heavy, especially when you take into consideration that the No. 12 weighs 8lbs.
This is very heavy, even when carrying using the two available handles. While this is to be expected when purchasing cast iron, it is still something that can be off putting.If you are looking for the lightest option, we would recommend the No. 8, as this only weighs 3 lbs. Cleaning
Given that these skillets are naturally non-stick, the cleanup process is fairly quick and easy. You will not have to worry about having to scrub these skillets clean or leaving them to soak for many hours.
Pros:
- Great quality - All the Smithey Cast Iron Skillets are fantastic quality and are made to last. They are certainly worth investing in.
- Naturally non-stick - This is particularly useful when it comes to cooking with the skillet, and it makes the cleaning process easier.
- Pre-seasoned - The skillets are all pre-seasoned with pure grape seed oil, which is of a high quality and is long lasting.
- Available Options - There are a good number of different options to choose from.
Cons:
- Heavy - These skillets are significantly heavier than many other options, which can make cooking more difficult.
Summary
We hope you have found this article useful. As you can see, the Smithey Cast Iron Skillets are certainly worth purchasing. They are all of a high quality, and come pre-seasoned ready to use.
There is a good amount of choice available when it comes to different sizes, and while they are heavier than the average pan, they are better overall.
They cook food quickly, and evenly. They can be cleaned easily, and thanks to the naturally non-stick surface, cooking is so simple.
We would certainly recommend investing in these skillets as they will last for many years, and they are also covered by a fantastic guarantee too.
