Why Carbon Steel Pans Are Better Than Cast Iron

In this video, I'll tell you why I think carbon steel pans are better than cast iron and why you should consider switching over. I'll go over all the similarities and differences between carbon steel vs cast iron skillets.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:32 - Background
01:50 - The Similarities and Differences
02:55 - Which Pan Sears Better?
03:37 - Which Pan is More Versatile
04:33 - Which Pan Is More Durable
05:33 - Weakness- Acidic Food
06:50 - Price and Value
07:13 - Advantages of Carbon Steel
08:05 - Final Thoughts
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[@tomwadek]

Check out my latest video on why I personally don’t use aluminum cookware. Why I Don't Use Aluminum Cookware | The Risk Of Leaching kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZOqdZmejt54f9k

[@da900smoove1]

I remember about when I turn 8-9 (1974-75) my parents visited a restaurant supply store and got a complete Resturaunt Grade Aluminum Pot/Pan set that we used till at least late 80s... The Visions Cookware Also joined in the early 80s and a few of the smaller Aluminum pieces were retired.... Only Nonstick items were Heavy Duty Aluminum Nonstick Frying Pans which were always $10-$20 (wood-plastic Utensils only)

[@alw6824]

I have both. Two advantages of cast iron for me. 1) country fried potatoes are uber easy in cast iron with little to no attention, 2) easy pan cornbread that literally falls out of the pan and is perfect every time with little to no attention.

[@tomwadek]

Thanks for sharing. Fried potatoes are where it’s at!

[@rstumbaugh43]

I’ve got cast iron, AND carbon steel, AND stainless steel.. I LOVE THEM ALL…THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE RIGHT JOB…..

[@tomwadek]

Haha, that’s the way to go!

[@FrumpyPumpkin]

As I said before, you do such a great job conveying information. You helped me a lot in researching stainless steel pans. I’m really considering a carbon steel pan now!

[@tomwadek]

Thank you again for the kind words. Glad I could help!

[@dbkfrogkaty1]

Bottom line every serious cook should have at least one of all three types of pans. Cast iron for cooking in the oven low and slow, and searing proteins, carbon steel also for searing, and frying egg dishes and other general cooking. (Also don't forget about a carbon steel wok). And last, a quality minimum three clad stainless steel pan for all those lemon, vinegar, tomatoes and other acidic foods.

[@tomwadek]

Completely agree, it’s the perfect combo. Thanks for watching Douglas!

[@lostcat9lives322]

Nope. Just get a George Foreman grill out of a secondhand store and call it good.

[@paulgooding803]

Also agree. The whole idea of obsessing over which pan is "better" than another is the stuff of ginning up views for a YT channel. Don't waste your time over those choice-making mindboggles. Use all types of pans, my collection has examples of all types. I use whatever seems to fit my "today" cooking chore, and try to learn as much as I can about techniques for each type of pan. I can do the hockey-puck-egg thing in any kind of pan. Swirly swirly goes the egg. Any pan. New or old, seasoned or not. It's doable in any pan. Just takes practice. Once I got that down, it's just a matter of picking out the pan that feels best for "today's" job and then I can focus on what really matters, like, the ingredients. The temps. The timing. The flavors. And the fun of cooking.

[@electricant55]

@@paulgooding803 "it makes no sense picking the best pan because you can just spend 3 times more money" perfect argument there

[@firecrow7973]

@@electricant55 "i am poor waaahhhhh" perfect argument there

[@AereForst]

I’m exactly there with you. I have a large number of cast iron skillets in every size including lodge’s giant 17” fry pan which is the only one I honestly still use because I can bake a whole family meal in the oven with it. I even have the square and flat griddle by lodge. Reason I got tired of cast iron? Too damned heavy. What a pain. I recently bought a Camp-Chef FTG600 outdoor flat top grill which is essentially a 21”x36” outdoor cast iron griddle, all 42,000 beautiful BTUs of it which eliminated 95% my indoor cast-iron cooking. Still left me with a need for a good non-stick fry pan which is why I’m looking at the lodge carbon steel pan

[@tomwadek]

Thanks for sharing your experience with ci. Flat top griddles are a thing of beauty.

[@S1L3NTG4M3R]

I have all 3 now. And a wok too. Thanks for the video

[@tomwadek]

Thanks for watching!

[@Indy29045]

It depends on the pans. I have been using cast iron for years and recently bought a carbon steel pan. The carbon steel pan is superior to a Lodge cast iron pan but is not as good as my Griswold pan.

[@carlom.3737]

Loved this video. My experience went a little yours, but with an added step which led me back to cast iron. I started with a standard Lodge CI skillet. Once I got a Matfer Bourgeat CS, I loved the much smoother finish than Lodge, lighter weight, and nearly identical performance. I essentially stopped using my Lodge. And then came Smithey, which a local shop happened to be a dealer for. Now I have a 6" skillet, 10" traditional skillet, 10" chef's skillet, all from Smithey. They have the super smooth benefit that Matfer's CS has, but the heftier weight/mass to give the better searing performance, and also look like amazing heirloom pieces, whereas carbon steel (and Lodge) has a very "workmanlike" look to it. So in my experience, cheap cast iron was replaced by good carbon steel...which then was ultimately replaced by high quality cast iron. I am looking for an 8" cast iron, and am thinking of trying out a Field Co. piece, as they are lighter than other "heirloom" cast iron (around 3 lbs for an 8" which is how much my 8" Matfer weighs). So ultimately Field may combine the aesthetics and benefits of cast iron, with a weight closer to carbon steel.

[@tomwadek]

There’s something very special about the antique ci. Thanks for sharing your story. You might stumble on some antique cs 🤯 lol. Cooking can be really fun at time! Happy cooking.

[@christopherboccuzzi8761]

I have the Field #8 and #10. I started years ago with an array of Lodge (gifted or thrifted). Then to Field. I spent the past year hoping a Darto would maybe replace the Field (s), but it frankly didn't do anything particularly well and I was happy to sell it. Once a sale comes up I will be grabbing a Field #6 and then I think I am done.

[@joaoricardo6903]

Nice content and production.

[@tomwadek]

Much appreciated! Cheers

[@hugobloemers4425]

I have been using cast iron for a long time and I have been thinking of getting a carbon steel skillet. But very recently I actually dug up a cast iron skillet in a garden we share with 10 people. I have since restored it, and seasoned it, and now I have so much fun with it that the carbon steel skillet has to wait a bit longer.

[@tomwadek]

Oh wow, it was buried underground?

[@hugobloemers4425]

@@tomwadek Yes, it was. I found it whilst digging trenches for the foundations of a green house. It must have been a land fill at some time. We also dig up ceramic and glass bottles sometimes. though it was fully rusted, it was only surface rust. I used a flappy abrasive disk to smooth-en the inside and under side. I seasoned it with grape seed oil in the oven. I agree that getting a skillet passed down in the family or restoring one your self, makes it a special tool. That is something you can not get when you buy it.

[@tomwadek]

@@hugobloemers4425 that’s a crazy find. What brand is it?

[@hugobloemers4425]

@@tomwadek It is a Lodge 5SK, so nothing special. But it gets interesting if you consider that I live in Dresden which is the east side of Germany. What puzzled me is how the heck did a skillet made in the USA end up buried under ground in former East Germany.

[@tomwadek]

@@hugobloemers4425 that’s so cool. I wonder the history about it. Thanks for sharing

[@eminusipi]

I use both cast iron and carbon steel pans. I have a well seasoned carbon steel pan(Matfer) that I use for eggs. I use my Lodge cast iron (smoothed out a bit and re-seasoned) for things that take longer to cook. I use a tri-clad stainless steel pan for acidic foods like tomatoes.

[@tomwadek]

That’s the way to go. Perfection!

[@paulyang748]

I have both. Cast Iron searing is better, but carbon steel has better nonstick attributes. Even got a few carbon steel woks. Now, I just need a stainless steel wok for cooking acidic foods.

[@tomwadek]

Thanks for sharing

[@SchwachsinnProduzent]

I have to disagree on the price: I paid much less for my carbon steel pan than for a cast iron one. Maybe the prices here in Europe are differently, but I clearly remember paying for my big "Walzstahlpfanne" 15€ at Aldi, while the cast iron pan from Netto costed ~25€.

[@tomwadek]

In the USA it’s the opposite. Debuyer is usually around $65-80 where a Lodge ci is around $30

[@Visitkarte]

I just bought a De Buyer crepes pan for 21€. Extremely cheap. I did buy a cast iron for 18€ once, but that was almost 10 years ago. A new one of the same size would cost mw roughly 30€.

[@NinjaMonkeyPrime]

For me it seems that cast iron is more forgiving when it comes to care and maintenance. But the weight of cast iron makes it harder to adopt daily. Funny thing is that I have a Lodge tiny 10" skillet that works great but I struggle with my Misen pans.

[@tomwadek]

That can be true. Some carbon steel pans can be heavy, almost as heavy as ci. I also agree, because of the base factory seasoning, ci can be a bit more straight forward. Thanks for watching

[@freeheeler09]

In this one way, my cast iron skillet is better than any other, fancier pan. Both of my parents were good people and good cooks. They passed young so we didn’t inherit much from them. My prized, and one of my most often used possessions, is my mom’s old, 12-inch, cast-iron pan. I use it, the tea pot, and my veggie steamer so often that they rarely leave the stovetop!

[@tomwadek]

Never let that skillet go and pass it down to your children! Thank you for sharing that awesome personal story.

[@legambaz]

A fun kitchen is a kitchen with variety of cooking tools. I don't restrict myself of only having 1 type of cookware. I like'em, I buy'em.

[@tomwadek]

I totally agree!

[@seancoyote]

I love my cast Iron, but I just picked up a Matfer and eggs are sliding on it with ease first day...today. I am sold. But, it isn't what I would call light, but is lighter than cast iron, and it has a proper handle. I am surprised you didn't mention enameled.

[@tomwadek]

Enameled is good stuff too that I tend to use for Dutch ovens. For skillets, I prefer bare

[@Arika_VR]

Thank you for the detailed explanation, I have so many lodge cast iron skillets, and I love them. But recently I noticed some black residue in scrambled eggs I think that's the seasoning coming off, so I want to switch to carbon steel, but I have a question does carbon steel has same issue like black speckles mixing into food like it happens with cast iron?

[@tomwadek]

Yes, it’s the seasoning coming off. I have a video on that. Carbon steel tends to be a bit better at that but it can happen. Troubleshooting Cast Iron Seasoning Mistakes kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZWQgYx6j96oock

[@superwoofer9251]

CS definitely has the same issue. IMO, it's hard to say which is better regarding that issue in general. I guess it depends on which cs/ci you have. Some cs/ci tends to be more difficult to maintain the seasoning than other cs/ci.

[@RebelScumJack]

I currently cook (almost daily) with a well-seasoned iron cast pan, and am considering the benefits of either carbon steel or stainless steel. Since stainless steel pans are made using an aluminum base/conductive core, should I be worried at all about any possibility of aluminum leeching into the food? or is it basically impossible to accidentally break through the stainless steel exterior through wear and tear from cooking? Thanks for the knowledge - Godspeed and God bless!

[@tomwadek]

A well constructed ply ss pot or pan will be a great tool in the kitchen. Don’t worry at all about deconstruction and leaching. Thanks for watching.

[@SolarCookingGermany]

The main reason why I prefer carbon steel over cast iron is because it reacts quicker to temperature change and the handles are longer which means they don't get as hot. Also the weight... not that I'm a weak guy, but I have a few pans more than sane people and if they were all cast iron the bottom of my kitchen drawer would break 😂

[@jj25397]

Another advantage that carbon steel has over cast iron is the fact that it's EASILY repaired in the event that a bend or warpage occurs and even if a rivet gets loose it can be replaced by a local welder. None of this can be said of cast iron.

[@kiltedcripple]

I'm not sold on stainless steel for any occasion. Any of the applications that cast iron and carbon steel fail at (acidic braising) I turn to my enameled cast iron. I still have my old stainless steel cook set I got when my wife and I got married, but I only really use the stock pots anymore and even then only when I'm cooking a lot of pasta or potatoes. I can set an enameled cast iron of water on my induction cooktop and it's faster to the boil than my big stainless stock pots, but it's too heavy to cook like 5 lbs of potatoes to mash, and a tad narrow for a pound plus of pasta.

[@XRPatriot17]

Have you tried Misen branded carbon steel pans? If so, thoughts?

[@tomwadek]

I have not. Sorry.

[@maristarragusa2893]

My goal is to eliminate use of a “non stick” pan for egg dishes in particular. Will Carbon steel pan achieve this? Great video. thanks

[@tomwadek]

Yes it can. Thank you for watching

[@Will-fr9hg]

How often should I season the carbon steel if I’m using it 3-4 days out of the week and do I have to worry about any toxicity elements? Any fumes or anything like that?

[@janem3575]

Ok. Big Question. Ikea Vardagen carbon steel pan. Opinion(s)?

[@tomwadek]

Never used it, there’s better brands out there.

[@sankh0]

The one disadvantage I find with de Buyer is the enamel coated handle- too long in the oven and it will melt and flake off. One of mine did that. I have a Ballarini that I use for the oven -any tips for the de Buyer?

[@tomwadek]

to be honest, I let mine burn off. I hated the coating. They make a "pro" line without the coating but I didn't see the value in extra $$

[@sankh0]

@@tomwadek haha cool I’ll do the same 🤩

[@da900smoove1]

Fact Is...... Every kitchen needs Cast Iron, Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, and Non Stick pans and pots and Pyrex/Glass cookware/bakeware. There is No 1 Does It All Set and people need to Stop thinking that way about Cookware. A Car/Truck requires many Different Tools to Maintain it for long life

[@tomwadek]

100% lean to use tools and you can fix anything. Thanks for watching

[@TheHuggybear516]

I personally wish they’d make a carbon steel Dutch oven. But I’m too invested to switch I have a lot of cast iron at this point and I love it. But carbon steel is very nice

[@tomwadek]

Oh man, I love my cast iron Dutch oven! Lol

[@Visitkarte]

Actually Dutch ovens are truly better at cast iron. The email coated Le Creuset is very light compared to a Staub or the raw cast iron versions.

[@nramorrisg8415]

Either one is better than the other let's get that straight I have pans pass down to me from the 1800 for my grandparents of great grandparents they both have their pros and cons it all depends what you're making understanding the difference when you're cooking that's the difference what foods you're working with take care.

[@JulianAndresKlode]

It's funny you mentioned Germany because I have never seen a cast iron or carbon steel or wrought iron pan in my life in others. My grandma, my parents, all use non-stick PTFE pans.

[@djc4962]

See I've been using my cast iron for 5 years and never had any problems I want carbon steel but I really don't want to pay the price when I have skillets that work perfectly fine and if I want to cook stuff quick I'll use my stainless steel cookware

[@cameronharris2862]

counterpoint, a nice carbon steel pan is cheaper than a nice cast iron. Think Stargazer vs mineral b proline.

[@RFranks]

Don't really have a favorite, I like cast iron for searing meat/fish, carbon steel for omelettes because it's lighter and you can move it around more easily and stainless steel for sauces/acidic stuff. I think a carbon steel wok is the most fun to cook with though, especially if you have a big flame to play with.

[@tomwadek]

Lol, good point in the wok!

[@Julian-zc9vm]

If my only option for cast iron was a heavy and rough lodge, I'd get a de buyer carbon pan. But when you have smooth options like Smithey and Stargazer cast irons, and light + smooth options like Field Co and Lancaster cast irons, I don't really see the benefit of carbon steel. Pound for pound, a Field or Lancaster cast iron gives you more cooking surface area than a De Buyer cast iron. These thinner cast iron pans also cool down quicker like carbon steel if that's what you're into. On top of that, the shape of cast iron is perfect for things like cornbread or pan pizza. Can't do that with a carbon steel pan.

[@HarryMcW]

I use my carbon steel pan (Lodge 12" that I sanded smooth) a lot more often than the cast iron.

[@tomwadek]

I've used that pan before, I agree with sanding it down.

[@tomwadek]

Which pan would you buy over the other and why? Leave me a comment below!

[@DA_Fishman]

I just seasoned my first carbon steel pan. Egg test passed with flying colors. Does the water drop test for pre-heat not work for CS like it does for stainless? My water was exploding at a much lower temp than on my all-clad stainless. In fact, I almost ran out of low numbers. Still, the egg cooked beautifully. Thanks for all the info, experience, and opinions you share. I bought an all-clad D3 and Matfer Bourgeat based on your videos and I’m really enjoying learning how to cook on them.

[@tomwadek]

@@DA_Fishman I’m glad I could help and you are seeing great results! Theoretically the droplet test should work similar to ss but since it’s a seasoned surface and not as smooth as ss, it’s harder to get them to float. Ci and cs do have a higher temp tolerance for sticking as well.

[@DA_Fishman]

@@tomwadek that’s what I thought too. I’m not sure my sparkling clean All-clad is less sticky than the Matfer. I’m not sure how to measure smoothness other than dragging a fingernail across the surface. CS wins even before seasoning. It’s punched out of a sheet of very smooth steel. They sand it a bit (they could sand it more). I deburred the rim. In any event. Water should bead up and slide around the pan at the right temp. Right? Maybe I’m past the water test and just go by feel and instinct? I’m cooking stuff and it’s delicious and not sticking, so…

[@tomwadek]

@@DA_Fishman sounds like you don’t need the water test and have figured out your pan through just using it. Congrats. If it’s working for you, I think you should keep doing what your doing. Maybe buy a thermogun to take some measurements for your reference.

[@DA_Fishman]

@@tomwadek I have a gun. What is the temp range?

[@cristibaluta]

I don't season my cast iron, i think it actually perform better when perfectly clean. Then i cook for a while without washing till something sticks too bad or the dirt gets too old. I think i understand now why my tomatoes sauce gets dark every time. I bought a carbon steel out of the hype but can't say is better, i'm thinking now to get stainless steel since i cook a lot of sauces.

[@tomwadek]

I tend to use ss more and more these days. I make a lot of sauces too. Ss is less forgiving but extremely versatile. Thanks for watching

[@johnsmalldridge6356]

Ideally you would own both. Each has things that they excell at.

[@tomwadek]

can't go wrong with that

[@GeeDeeBird]

I make chili, stew and spaghetti sauce in my 60 year old cast iron chicken fryer regularly with minimal effect on the seasoning. Wash it, heat it, ultra thin coat of Crisco, and it's good to go.

[@tomwadek]

That’s wonderful! Keep at it. Happy cooking

[@bngr_bngr]

I see restaurants use aluminum pans. Have you tried them?

[@tomwadek]

they were very popular during the late 80s and early 90s but aluminum leaching into the food so most restaurants have switch over to SS.

[@tomdonaghy8625]

Both my Matfer Bourget and my de Buyer carbon steel skillets ended up in the garbage after they could not take the heat from my electric glass top stove. My cast iron skillets, no issue. Also, getting a seasoned finish on the carbon steel skillets was difficult, not so on cast iron. I guess I just don’t get carbon steel.

[@tomwadek]

sorry to hear that. It sounds like cast iron is a better solution for you

[@Mythyval]

I’ve heard carbon steel pans are prone to warping on electric and induction stoves. Something else to consider when deciding.

[@tomwadek]

Some are but a good quality one is just like any other pan. If people are cranking the heat up all the way and not watching temps, any pan can warp. Well, except for maybe cast iron lol

[@JulianAndresKlode]

@@tomwadek at those stress levels where carbon steel warps, cast iron just explodes, doesn't it? Either way warm up gently, warping or exploding are a function of one spot expanding faster than the rest of the pan and that causes stress on the material which it resolves by warping or breaking.

[@tomwadek]

@@JulianAndresKlode yeah, cast iron tends to crack when over heated. I rarely have to go over medium to medium high on my stove top.

[@cameljoe008]

cast iron and carbon steel and also stainless steel are great the main thing is learn how to use them heat temp is the secret to using them and pre heat the pans i love cast iron and have recently started using carbon steel and absolutely love it for eggs and such research it learn how to use it and you will be surprised with it

[@pinikpikantv3555]

I will be buying my first cast iron since I am a beginner I opted to have lodge as it is best bang for the buck offer made from US. If you can review asian carbon steel from asia vs european. From what I gathered, carbon steel wok is better from asia as it is thin enough so the heat transfer is instant while european carbon steel is like an offspring of an stainless steel and a cast iron they married each other. Asian carbon steel vs european carbon steel comparison will be a great one.

[@tomwadek]

Thanks for the suggestion and watching the video

[@casseyelsie2824]

Vintage cast iron are much lighter than most new cast iron in the market. My multiple brands of vintage cast iron are even lighter than my Matfer or my debuyer carbon steel of the same size.

[@kalobpierson9753]

I love all of my cast iron An I have a lot But my new carbon steel is so none stick wow I love this pan New favorite

[@tomwadek]

I'm glad you're enjoying the carbon steel lifestyle!

[@superwoofer9251]

Each pan has pros and cons. If you are serious about cooking, you need to have cast iron, carbon steel, decent claded stainless steel and even coated non stick pan. But I agree with the fact that CS pan can replace the cast iron in most cases.

[@Visitkarte]

All of the above minus non stick teflon like coatings. The last needs to be illegal. The “forever chemicals” aren’t worth the slightly better non stick quality of a NEW non stick pan.

[@Rainer19]

Could I make a meat sauce in a carbon steel pan.? Like just heat up a little sauce. How bout lemon chicken

[@tomwadek]

Better to use ss

[@Rainer19]

@@tomwadek what about tacos

[@danieledwards4274]

I hope to upgrade to a gas stove. I van never get carbon steel to work right on my glasstop

[@fivelakesyj]

I'm slowly making the switch to carbon steel from cast iron. I'm keeping my cast iron and still using the smaller pans and dutch ovens. My cast iron will go to my son in due time and hopefully my granddaughters after that. Same with the Jeep. They are quite different girls, though. The older one (12) is scared crazy of bugs. The younger one... Grandpa, can I pick it up? I'm thinking the younger one will want the Jeep. :) The older will want the carbon steel, the younger one the cast iron. At 6, she already helps her dad in the kitchen. Question... Do you have a carbon steel wok and would you recommend it over others? I had one some years ago... The one my son has looks vaguely familiar....

[@tomwadek]

Your family sounds wonderful. I have a young daughter and she also love to help dad. Passing down these things and the knowledge to our loved ones is the ultimately goal. I do have a wok a reviewed that has held up well. The Helen Chen's Flat Bottom Wok | A 6 Month Updated Review kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYHVn52La72Xe9k

[@janaboyling85]

I just found this channel.. I Have a de buyer mineral(?) But is way too heavy.. Can anybody recommend a light but good quality carbon steel skillet. I've been looking at Metfer and Made in.. I am a female and I have some money issues with my wrist...TIA

[@janaboyling85]

I said minor not money haha

[@tomwadek]

Take a look at my budget friendly buy. It’s really light weight. FYI, There’s rumors that the manufacture has changed the materials and is using a hybrid carbon and aluminum pan now. Highly Recommended Carbon Steel Pan For Under $45 kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4vVqKibf9ioj8U

[@irmotomassen8942]

Just buy them all, they re not that expensive. En enameled cast iron dutch oven (well that ons is expensive, but the best for stews), one big cast iron skillet, a few carbon steel skillets (different sizes), and for some products a good quality nonstick still has its purpose. If i d to make one portion if fried eggs, i d take my carbon steek skillet (because its perfectly seasoned, if not yet, use a nonestick), if d to make gried eggs for a big group of friends, using the same pan over again, i would use my cast iron skillet because it retains the temp better over a long time

[@h.al.8801]

Both require oil maintenance, carbon steel is so much lighter. The food cooks well on both.

[@tomwadek]

Yup, great summary. Thanks for watching. Happy cooking.

[@TN-vf3cr]

All the advantages of CS you can get by buying a high end smooth CI

[@christopherboccuzzi8761]

Completely disagree. In fact, I just sold my Darto after giving carbon steel a one-year trial. I wanted to like it. I really did. But here's where it fails compared to cast iron. 1.) The material is too thin and prone to warping. 2.) It is nearly impossible to find ones without a riveted handle. Those that don't, like my now former Darto, are either grossly oversized and/or highly uncomfortable. The rivets also LOVE to collect gunk and can be an annoyance to clean. 3.) I can't tell you the last time I have sauteéd anything in a cast iron pan, but so far a cladded aluminum/stainless steel has done that best. 4.) The primary strength of the cast iron is its heat retention. The carbon steel does not simply have the mass to resist thermal change, but it is quick to rebound. 5.) There's far more selection when it comes to cast iron. I really wanted to switch to carbon steel. The perfect carbon steel pan doesn't exist yet. For now I'm happy with my Field #8, and when a sale comes around again, I'll be picking up the lighter and slightly smaller #6.

[@tomwadek]

It’s ok to disagree. Everyone has their preference and what works best for them. Thanks for sharing your point of view. Happy cooking!

[@tomdonaghy8757]

Carbon steel skillets have a flared edge that permits tossing. Cast iron does not. So when you are doing say, qasparagus, or an egg, the CS pan is easier to do than the CI pan. Another reason to get a deBuyer CS pan and get over your Lodge collection. It is all part of growing up. You started with Teflon, right?...

[@tomwadek]

I started with cs

[@andyhall5287]

As age catches up to me, I find cast iron a little cumbersome to use. Wait till you hit your 80’s and you’ll understand.

[@tomwadek]

I understand! Happy holidays!

[@landline00]

It's weird that guys are sooooo into pans 😮

[@tomdonaghy8757]

Nope! had both, tossed the carbon steels in the bin. Back to cast iron--it doesn't warp with uneven heat sources and it seasons easier.

[@tomwadek]

Sorry to hear that. Sound like cast iron works well for you. Happy cooking!

[@panda55c]

I prefer carbon steel over cast iron due to my arthritis condition … 🙁

[@tomwadek]

That’s ok, carbon steel rocks

[@panda55c]

@@tomwadek Yes! I concur 👍👏

[@Gorkilein]

I disagree. Iused both and if you use cast iron its way better. You don't throw stuff for obvious reasons but in general it's way better. But I love your channel that goes deep into all cookingware instead the regular "how to season" stuff. So I subscribed.

[@tomwadek]

Thanks for the sub! This video is actually poking fun at itself ( and the internet). Both are fantastic and you can’t go wrong.

[@camatis9661]

Cast iron is better than carbon steel when it comes to appearance. it blackens. Carbon steel blotches. Carbon steel are not that light either.

[@tomwadek]

Can’t go wrong with either! Thanks for watching

[@mac1414]

Carbon steel pans aren't better. First, they typically weight less than cast iron and, as we all know, heavier pans simply have better performance (more mass is less heat variability). Second-and this is big-cast iron seasons better and it retains seasoning for longer. Carbon steel is very finicky and hard to keep seasoning on; it involves a lot more maintenance. You season cast iron and seasoning sticks for ages. You season carbon steel and seasoning comes on and off all the time. Third, carbon steel has inferior heat distribution parameter to cast iron, which means more pronounced hot spots. With carbon steel it is frequently the case that some area of the pan is 190C whereas other areas are 100C. Not good if we want to have less sticking (proper heat). Last thing is minor but most carbon steel pans have epoxy handles and aren't as suited for oven as cast iron.

[@tomwadek]

Great points! Let’s keep the debate going! Remember, this video is poking fun of itself. Carbon steel is the better pan for me. Sounds like cast iron is the better pan for you. Both tools are amazing though

[@mac1414]

@@tomwadek There's honestly not much difference between Carbon steel and Cast iron. I myself have both and use them heavily. The only major drawback is that Carbon steel doesn't keep seasoning very well. Carbon steel's seasoning is changing constantly (it is not stable). It simply means more maintenance and more work.

[@julesl6910]

You didn't mention that obviously cast iron leeches more iron flavor with acidic foods. While carbon steel will lose its seasoning, the taste will not be ruined.

[@xecoq]

footage way too dark

[@davidtseng5565]

Why iron pans are always dirty and greasy? I won't eat foods which are burned into brown and black.

[@tomwadek]

It’s seasoning. It polymerizes to form a protective layer from rust.

[@johnschneider4160]

A confusing video with too many distracting tangents that go nowhere.

[@tomwadek]

i'm sorry to hear that John. Which part confused you? The video is poking fun at the internet. Both pans are great but my personal opinion is CS has a slight edge because of both the similarities and the slight differences it share with CI. Ultimately, I think all 3 (CI,CS,SS) have their place in the kitchen and you can't go wrong with having both or all of them.

[@lostcat9lives322]

Screw all this. Buy a George Foreman grill from a secondhand store and call it good. Someday in the distant future, you can hand it down to a homeless person.

[@tomwadek]

Hahahahaha