19 Comments

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  Daniel Archer

  2 years ago

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  What will the final weight be with this design? The walls still look very thick, closer to modern cast iron designs. The biggest drawback for me using a modern cast iron is that extra pound or two of weight. Makes the pan very unwieldy.

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  JC

  4 years ago

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  As Luke stated there's plenty of example that can do the same job for a lot less money. Of course his examples? The more expensive knife will hold an edge longer and the granite countertop will last for ever if cared for vs. formica, and the laptop argument I won't even get into. But.... there's one thing that some people will spend $$$ and actually get less return and that's a watch. People will spend outlandish amounts on a Swiss automatic and they could've gone out and gotten a $50 Timex or Casio and had a quartz movement that was accurate within seconds a month vs. minutes a day with some/most automatics.
  
  I'm not saying this skillet is any better or worse than a Lodge. Sometimes people just want to buy something a bit different and that's good enough. I can understand not wanting to spend that much but I don't understand the hate for doing so. Not your cup of tea? Great. Move on.

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  vin

  5 years ago

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  Blah, the old tried-and-true cast iron skillet is just fine. and the process and over-design of this thing makes it a boat anchor. Cant even put this in the oven. ....and whats wrong with casting? the surface on a traditional cast iron skillet builds to a great non-stick surface- CNC milling it just makes the cost and care/upkeep a pain in the ass.
  

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  Luke

  5 years ago

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  @Ross
  
  Oh, Griswold stays glassy-smooth if you treat it right. That means not leaving tomato sauce or a vinegary reduction in there for a week while it rusts in the sink. That's sure to leave the surface all pitted and pebbly. Nevertheless, I'd still expect it to be smoother than a modern-day Lodge pan.
  
  Cast iron doesn't wear away so easily either. Unless you go and machine it yourself, a Lodge pan will never compare to Griswold in finish. It's rough, it's heavy, and the iron used is reportedly much more brittle.
  
  Speaking from personal experience, once you use Griswold, it's hard to go back to Lodge. I've got both, and my Lodge pans have served me well, but my one Griswold pan sees nearly all the use these days. There is a very tangible difference, even with prolonged use.
  
  I suppose I agree with your criticism of the handle, but I wouldn't expect it to break all that easily, and it's a repairable thing anyway. Likewise, the hexagonal shape doesn't seem to be that radical to me. It's different, sure, but I don't expect it to get in the way.
  
  No-one can reasonably predict how good or bad this Kickstarted pan will be until it ships and gets in people's hands. But, that aside, this appears to be quite a nice design. I don't agree with some of the hate it's been getting. The fact that it blew past its campaign goal suggests plenty of people would agree with me.

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  Ross

  5 years ago

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  I have to say, I support anyone's desire to buy anything they want. People are correct in saying that a milled surface is better out of the box than a non milled surface.
  
  However, I don't see the value in this product. My lodge pan has pouring marks that are more elegant. The hexagonal design is purely for pouring and I find it strange that such a small and simple problem has a disproportionally large solution applied to it.
  
  My main gripe would be with the handle however. Again, one design problem (the handle gets hot) is solved and then replaced with another problem. The problem being that cast iron easily lasts multiple lifetimes, but the first thing to break on this pan by a country mile would be the multiple piece handle.
  
  Finally, the surface. Milling the surface is a nice thing to bring back but it's not required. Cast iron pans last forever and can take a beating. Using a flat metal spatula like you should wears down pans like lodge to the smoothest of surfaces and even well used Griswold pans no longer show the milled surface as it's been worn down.
  
  Just my 2p.

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  Luke

  5 years ago

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  Why should anyone buy a $100 knife if you can go to Wal-Mart and buy one for $5? Why should anyone install a granite countertop when formica is available for a sliver of the cost? Or hey, why buy a $1000 MacBook Air if you can get an Acer laptop for $300?
  
  There comes a time where people who give a damn about a craft graduate to better products. You won't find many industrial designers using Crayola magic markers; you will find plenty using Prismacolor markers, though. Why, when Crayola is so much cheaper?
  
  Griswold, as noted in a prior comment, used to machine their cookware. Well-maintained vintage Griswold cast iron skillets sell for prices not incomparable to this Kickstarted skillet; here, you have a convenient outlet to buy a pan, whereas hunting down a Griswold pan that's survived in pristine condition since the turn of the 20th century can prove to be a challenge.
  
  It's really not a waste to machine castings if the surface benefits from being finished. Nobody looks at a milling table and says, "Good enough," right out of the mold. Seasoning your pan is only half the battle. Machining the cook surface smooth makes the pan outperform pretty much any other pan, since there surface is too smooth for food to grip it strongly, and any spatula would be so flush against it that it could scrape food without tearing it.
  
  There was a time companies gave enough of a damn to make things to a high standard of quality. There comes a point where cutting costs means you live in a disposable world made of cheap crap that's plain frustrating to use. What ever happened to having fewer, but better things?

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  G

  5 years ago

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  What material is the handle made out of? I'm curious as it's not specified but it looks like metal which I wouldn't want to touch after the skillet's been sitting on a hot stove. The spring design is supposedly meant to cool it down faster but I'm sceptical that it would burn to touch fresh out of the microwave.

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  ron

  5 years ago

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  ooo! a bespoke skillet! just what the world needs!
  
  NOTHING is improved when something that works great for decades and only costs $10 is twiddled with and then they charge almost 20x as much for it. this is everything thats terrible about "design."

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  K

  5 years ago

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  It's true that cast iron is a bit rough surfaced when you buy them, but that's what seasoning is for. If you want a cast iron skillet that doesn't require that, you know, fine, spend the (large amount of) extra scratch, but as noted by others, a cheap cast skillet properly seasoned and treated has excellent release qualities.
  
  I'm all for new stuff, and I actually do really like the handle... not having to use a towel or mitt every time you use your cast iron is something I can get behind. But the machined surface? Eh, cook bacon a few times and don't put soap in the skillet and you've solved the rough surface problem.

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  Autumn

  5 years ago

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  @Product Tank
  The end cap is bronze, not wood. So it will still be oven safe.

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  Jesse

  5 years ago

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  Riley, I think you are unfamiliar with cast iron skillets and what makes them a desirable tool for cooking. Ceramic coated stainless steel is not in any way comparable.

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  Stephe

  5 years ago

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  I worked in a grey iron foundry when I was in college, in the finishing room (it was a real treat). Why must it be CNCed? I would think that a grinder would work the surface to the same ends?

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  Product tank

  5 years ago

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  Nice skillet. The wooden tip to finish the handle would prevent me from putting the skillet in the oven, which I find useful. Maybe it's not the intended use, but hopefully food for thought for a version 2?

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  Riley Moore

  5 years ago

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  Geez, not picking too much fault, But what an intensive product in terms of material wastage, cnc time and high price tag...
  Doesnt even come with a lid...
  
  I like the octagonal profile for pouring, but for everything else it is a hinderance (string, flipping, cleaning)
  Why not press these from stainless, then ceramic coat and attach wooden handle?
  Could make them for 10dollars each and sell for 50?
  
  Just another kickstarter product that people sink money into with out thinking...
  
  Sorry for the harsh words, just think it could have been approached better/more efficiently

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  name

  5 years ago

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  I really don't know why you chose this as an example?? There are many outstanding projects on Kickstarter. This is more like meh..

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  David Lewin

  5 years ago

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  Most castings (like Lodge, Staub and Le Creuset) are not finished with any machining (or polishing) on the interior cooking surface, but stay "as cast". The antique Griswold skillets were finished on the inside in a smooth machined finish that isn't done today because of cost. This finish makes it immediately a non-stick surface

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  Pablo

  5 years ago

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  Hahaha! $200... What a joke. My Lodge 12" was $7 and it'll work just as good. And for his improvements... Not needed. What a waste. Oh but the logo was designed by draplin so it must be worth it...

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  Croberts

  5 years ago

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  It's a Milled Iron Skillet..... duh.

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  David Lewin

  5 years ago

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  I am so glad to see this skillet posted on Core77! I am the actual Industrial Designer that worked with Mike Whitehead on this. It was a true labor of love. Please see my link for more details: http://www.lewinindustrialdesign.com/portfolio/finex-cast-iron-skillet/

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