green light again to purchase second high quality CI pan

[Jon Liebers]

so the board was helpful last year when I purchased the Smithey no 12 and now I am looking to add to collection with another pan. Interested in something a little smaller for everyday use. Love the smithey , especially for searing but man its heavy. I was thinking maybe the Field? what say you?

[Red Man]

Stargazer 10” is really nice and a bit lighter than most.

[ComfortablyNumb]

I have a Field paired with a No.12 Smithey. Field is very light, I highly recommend it.

[Jon Liebers]

which Field do you have?

[Spinaker]

I am a huge fan of the Field skillet for a lighter option. It is about a pound lighter than the Stargazer of the same size. The Stargazer is still a bit lighter than the 10" Smithey, but only by about 3 oz.

The Field and the SG are both great skillets. The SG has a better handle, without a doubt. But if you are looking for a light weight option, it is tough to beat the Field. Another Skillet to consider is the Lodge BlackLock. They are much lighter than the regular Lodges and they are great pans. I own a few. Not sure on the weight when compared to the Field, but I know they are considerably lighter than the Smithey.

[Spinaker]

A No 10 is always a good buy. They are not huge but you can still use them for most cooking applications. The Black Lock NO 10 is 3.96 lbs and the Field is 6 lbs. However, the Field No 10 is slightly larger. Jon Liebers

[Jon Liebers]

only the Field NO 10 is actually larger cooking surface than the Smithey 12 I have(if I got that right?). I was thinking the Field No 8....also what are your thoughts on the seasoning and surface of the Blacklock? seemed to me it wasn't much smoother than ordinary Lodge stuff.

[Spinaker]

The Field No10 has a slightly smaller cooking surface than your Smithey. You would be very happy with the No. 8 though. I love mine. Jon Liebers

[mountainsmoker]

Are you looking for a pan or another skillet. I have the new Lodge BlackLock line in a 2 Qt and a 10" skillet. They are lighter than my Fields of the same size and have become my every day CI cookware.

[Jon Liebers]

you like the No10 better than the Field No 10?

[mountainsmoker]

Yes it is slightly lighter and the handle feels better. But I am a big man so the weight of the Fields doesn't bother me. Just check them both out for you, everyone fits a pan differently.

[Jon Liebers]

can also use a recommendation for a dutch oven CI to use in our BGE. Tired of scrubing clean the outside of the LeCrueset every time I make smoked chili. thx

[Spinaker]

Yeah, You don't want to use enameled cast iron on the grill. it can chip as well. And once that starts, it is hard to stop.

[Jon Liebers]

I see there is a Blacklock dutch oven. Maybe that is a good choice

[Spinaker]

Any of the regular Lodge Dutch Ovens are great. I go with the wire handle DOs for the grill. I remove the handle and just use the cast tabs that are left. This gives you more clearance to get the DO on the grill.

The DOs without the wire handle have large handles that stick out and can limit the size you can go too. As long as you are wearing grill gloves (which you'd have to do any way to grab a wire handle that has been on the grill) you will be just fine.

[Spinaker]

Yeah, it is fine. Nothing like the Field though. Jon Liebers

[Jon Liebers]

got it. That seals it for me, as I really like the smooth surfaces. but I may do the Blacklock Dutch oven for the grill.

[Jon Liebers]

so ordered the Field No 10 and picked up the Blacklock dutch oven this weekend. Blacklock stuff is pretty nice , big improvement over everyday Lodge. Decent surface , not glass like but ok. and light.

[Jon Liebers]

so ordered the Field No 10 and picked up the Blacklock dutch oven this weekend. Blacklock stuff is pretty nice , big improvement over everyday Lodge. Decent surface , not glass like but ok. and light.

[TripleB]

How about an old Griswold off eBay? Great pans and amazing lighter than the new CIs.

[Jon Liebers]

not very confident buying from ebay. I would rather actually see and inspect personally before buying ....unfortunately I've only found one old wagner piece in my area. A small round griddle, and it doesn't work on the induction cooktop so was pretty much a bust. I've used it to sear on the BGE but I don't really need it at all.

[TripleB]

I hear ya. Personally, I've never bought anything off of Ebay, but I know others who have. I found my Griswold at a flea market.

[FireMan]

The Stargazer might only be 3 oz. lighter than the Smithy, but the handle makes it easier & better to handle. The 10” is also perfect for cookin one or two.

[Jon Liebers]

received my Field No 8- love the smooth surface on this piece!

[grantgallagher]

I dont know much about cast iron being that i no longer own any...but thanks to this forum i wanted to get back into it. Ultimately i ended up going with carbon steel. People here recommended as a good alt to CI and much lighter. Im very happy with my decision but ive never done a side by side.

[Jon Liebers]

i have carbon steel pans also , but for heat retention and long cooks, nothing like CI.
For steak searing, nothing as good as a solid , heavy CI. Also don't forget we all need a little iron in our diets/ cant say the same for steel.

[IowaGirl]

Very pleased with my new Stargazer 10". The helper handle is wonderful. I really appreciate the smaller size and lighter weight compared to the Wagner #10 beast that I've cooked with for years. The Stargazer is about right for cooking 4-6 eggs or browning and braising 2-3 chicken breasts.

I will say if you buy a Stargazer, don't waste the extra $10 on the version that's been seasoned. The factory seasoning was nicely applied, but it's pretty thin, so it's really not something you can use right out of the box with good results. You really need to season it even with the factory seasoning. (I intended to get the unseasoned pan but inadvertently clicked the wrong selection and didn't realize my mistake until too late.)