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Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, seasoned

Reader ratings
Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, seasoned

Smooth, light US-made cast iron seasoned with a non-GMO oil blend. One Lead Safe Mama XRF screen (2019, a gifted pan) found no lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic. Lifetime warranty with published terms. About $155.

Best for Cooks who want a lighter, smooth cast iron skillet made in the US at a lower price than the polished boutique brands.

Our rating
Good (4.3 of 5)
Price range
Premium
Size
10.5 in rim, 8.1 in cooking surface, 2.0 in deep, 19.4 in long with handle, 2.3 qt, 5.2 lb. Also sold bare (same price), as a 12 in skillet ($175) and as a 13.5 in braiser ($195)
Made in
Cast from US-sourced, primarily recycled iron and finished at the maker's headquarters in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania (stated by the maker)

approx. $155 for the 10.5 in seasoned skillet

See it on Stargazer Cast Iron’s site → (opens in a new tab)

We are not affiliated with Stargazer Cast Iron. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.

Also sold at Amazon ($155), Cast Iron Company ($155) .

Reader ratings & reviews

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    Reviews are personal experiences, not research, and they never change our quality ratings. Every review is read by our team before it appears.

    How we evaluated it

    How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Good, 4.3 of 5
    1. Cooking surface 40% of the rating 5 of 5

      Bare cast iron with an oil seasoning, no coatings. The maker names the alloy (gray iron), the oils and the casting method, and the 2019 outside XRF found iron with the usual casting traces. It does not describe a proprietary surface finish step.

    2. Independent testing 20% of the rating 3 of 5

      One XRF screen by Lead Safe Mama in 2019 found no lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic in a gifted Stargazer pan. It is seven years old, covers one pan of unstated size, and Mamavation does not list Stargazer among the pans it screened.

    3. Durability 20% of the rating 5 of 5

      A warranty with no expiration against manufacturer defects, with the exclusions written out (warping from heat, lost seasoning and rust), plus 45-day free returns. One-piece cast iron.

    4. Trust 10% of the rating 4 of 5

      Names its alloy, oils and process, and says its recycled iron is tested at several points. No Prop 65 notice or CPSC recall found. It publishes no test report, and the testing statement is unverified.

    5. Value 10% of the rating 3 of 5

      About $155, a third less than Lancaster's No. 10 and six times a Lodge skillet. The extra buys a lighter, smooth US-made pan with a clear warranty.

    The rating, 4.3 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank cookware and our standard.

    Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 2 stores
    • Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $155. Sold by Stargazer Cast Iron's own storefront and shipped by Amazon. The 10.5 in seasoned skillet was $155.00 and in stock when opened 2026-11-03.
    • Cast Iron Company (opens in a new tab) approx. $155. Independent cast iron shop in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Seasoned and bare were both $155.00 and in stock when opened 2026-11-03.

    Prices as we saw them on November 3, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

    What it’s made of What touches your food, water, skin or air 3 materials
    1. Gray cast iron from US-sourced, primarily recycled iron, poured in green sand molds
    2. Cooking surface CNC-machined smooth, hand-ground, then given a proprietary two-step surface finish treatment that the maker does not describe
    3. Seasoning (seasoned version): two thin coats of a blend of canola, grapeseed and sunflower oils, certified non-GMO and kosher
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 1 test
    • Independent Lead Safe Mama (XRF screening by Tamara Rubin; the site earns affiliate income from Amazon links, and said in 2019 that it had no financial tie to Stargazer) May 2019

      A 2019 XRF test of a Stargazer cast iron skillet that a reader sent as a gift: iron about 98.8%, manganese 0.6%, copper 0.2%, chromium 0.18%, nickel 0.07%, traces of tin, vanadium and titanium, and no lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic detected. The reading ran two minutes and was repeated. The post was updated in July 2024. The skillet's size and age are not stated, and XRF screens what the metal contains, not what comes out into food. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    Who paid, and why it matters
    • Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
    • Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
    • Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.

    A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.

    What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 6 questions
    Can cast iron made from recycled scrap contain lead or other metals?
    Mamavation's guide (opens in a new tab) warns that recycled scrap can carry traces of lead, arsenic or cadmium unless the maker tests. Stargazer says its iron is primarily recycled (opens in a new tab), tested at several points and held to a zero-tolerance policy for heavy metals, but it publishes no results. The one outside screen we found, from 2019, was clean.
    Why is it not in Mamavation's top group?
    Mamavation lists Stargazer ($175, made in the USA) in its better group, not its best group. It says the better group has no Prop 65 warning and tests its cookware independently, but may season with genetically modified oils. Stargazer's FAQ (opens in a new tab) says its blend of canola, grapeseed and sunflower oil is certified non-GMO. Mamavation says it XRF-tested its best group for lead and does not say it tested Stargazer.
    Does Lead Safe Mama have a financial tie to Stargazer?
    In 2019 the author wrote that she had no financial relationship with Stargazer and no affiliate link for it, and that she might ask about sponsorship. We found no later disclosure of a tie in the post, which was updated in 2024. A 2024 list (opens in a new tab) on the site links a 12 in Stargazer skillet on Amazon through an affiliate link, so the author earns a commission if you buy it that way.
    Is the seasoning safe, and can it flake?
    The seasoning is baked-on oil: Stargazer applies two thin coats of its oil blend. The maker says lost seasoning and rust are normal and fixed at home, and its warranty excludes them. A reader of the Lead Safe Mama post (opens in a new tab) objected in 2021 to the seed oils in the blend; the bare version lets you season with an oil you choose. See our cast iron article on what seasoning is.
    What is the proprietary surface finish?
    Stargazer's how it's made page (opens in a new tab) says each skillet is machined, ground by hand and given a proprietary two-step surface finish treatment before seasoning, and does not describe the treatment. Its product page lists no toxic coatings, and the 2019 XRF screen found iron with the usual casting traces, nothing that points to a metal-based coating. We could not confirm the process.
    Can I put it in the dishwasher?
    Stargazer says no: it would probably survive, but its warranty does not cover dishwasher damage.
    Why we chose it What put it on our list 4 points
    • Plain materials: gray cast iron and a three-oil non-GMO seasoning, no coatings, per the maker. The bare version arrives coated in mineral oil for shipping.
    • The one outside XRF screen we found, from Lead Safe Mama in 2019, found no lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic.
    • The warranty has no expiration and the exclusions are written down: warping from heat, lost seasoning and rust are not covered. Returns are free for 45 days.
    • At 5.2 lb the 10.5 in pan is half a pound lighter than Lodge's 10.25 in skillet (5.7 lb).
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 5 points
    • The metals evidence is old and covers one pan. Stargazer's own testing claim is not backed by a published report.
    • Its iron is primarily recycled. That is a reason to want current test results, which are not published.
    • About six times the price of a Lodge skillet. The extra buys weight, a smooth surface and a US foundry.
    • Not dishwasher safe, and it adds iron to food as all cast iron does.
    • A proprietary surface finish step is not described, and we found no California AB 1200 materials disclosure on Stargazer's site.
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    Stargazer makes one thing, a cast iron skillet, and says exactly how: gray iron, mostly recycled and sourced in the US, poured in sand molds, machined smooth and finished by hand in Pennsylvania. The 10.5 in pan weighs 5.2 lb, and the seasoned version is coated with two thin layers of a canola, grapeseed and sunflower oil blend that the maker says is non-GMO.

    The metals evidence is the weak spot. Lead Safe Mama's XRF screen, from 2019, found no lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic in a Stargazer pan, and the author said then that she had no financial tie to the brand. It was one pan, it was seven years ago, and Stargazer's own claim that it tests its recycled iron at several points is not backed by a published report. Mamavation's recent guide puts the brand in its second tier and does not say it screened it.

    The warranty is the strongest part: no expiration, with the exclusions written out, and 45 days of free returns. If a cheaper honest pan is enough, the Lodge is a quarter of the price. Our cast iron article covers the iron it adds to food.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 6 checks
    How Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet, seasoned measures up against our cookware criteria
    What we checked What we found
    No PTFE or PFAS coating Maker’s claim Stargazer lists no coating and says no toxic coatings; its seasoning is oil. We found no outside PFAS test.
    Plain, named materials Maker’s claim Gray cast iron, primarily recycled US iron, seasoned with a canola, grapeseed and sunflower blend, per the maker. A proprietary two-step surface finish is not described.
    Lead screening Verified Lead Safe Mama's 2019 XRF screen of a Stargazer pan found no lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic. The pan's size and date are not stated.
    Built to last Maker’s claim Warranty with no expiration for manufacturer defects; warping from heat, lost seasoning and rust excluded. 45-day free returns.
    Fits how you cook Maker’s claim Gas, electric, glass and induction stovetops, oven, grill and campfire, per the maker. Not dishwasher safe. 5.2 lb.
    Notices and recalls Verified No California Prop 65 notice names Stargazer Cast Iron (two 2025 notices name an unrelated cosmetics company) and no CPSC recall for it (searched 2026-11-03).
    What the labels mean
    • Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
    • Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
    • Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
    Sources Where our facts come from 11 sources
    1. Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet product page. Maker’s page. Read 2026-11-03: $155, 5.2 lb, seasoned or bare. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. Stargazer Cast Iron: FAQ. Maker’s page. Gray iron, US recycled iron, oil blend, dishwasher advice. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. Stargazer Cast Iron: How it's made. Maker’s page. Domestically sourced, primarily recycled iron, green sand casting and CNC machining. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. Stargazer Cast Iron: Warranty and returns. Maker’s page. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. Lead Safe Mama: Stargazer pre-seasoned cast iron, XRF results (2019, updated 2024). Test report. XRF screening by an independent advocate; the pan was a gift from a reader. The site earns affiliate income. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. Mamavation: Safest Cast Iron Cookware Investigation (5 October 2026). Test report. Lists Stargazer in its better group ($175, made in the USA, canola, grapeseed and sunflower oils). The site earns affiliate income and says so. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    7. Amazon listing for the Stargazer 10.5-Inch skillet. Independent source. Opened 2026-11-03: $155, sold by Stargazer Cast Iron, shipped by Amazon. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    8. Cast Iron Company: Stargazer 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Skillet. Independent source. Opened 2026-11-03: seasoned and bare both $155.00, in stock. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    9. Lead Safe Mama: April 2024 affiliate links for lead-free choices on Amazon. Independent source. Its 12 inch cast iron skillet link opens the Stargazer 12 in skillet on Amazon through an affiliate tag. No readings are given. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    10. California Attorney General: Prop 65 60-day notice search. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched by alleged violator on 2026-11-03; the only notices naming Stargazer were for Stargazer London Ltd. cosmetics. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    11. CPSC recalls API. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched on 2026-11-03; no results. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
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