The 6 Best Cast Iron Cookware Sets of 2024, According to Our Editors (and the Internet)

Lodge’s cast iron cookware checks all our boxes: It’s high quality, invincible and one of the most affordable options out there. It’s a solid choice for first timers because it comes seasoned with vegetable oil for a nonstick finish. The more you use it, the slipperier it becomes (as long as you properly season and wash it regularly).

“We really like Lodge’s 12-inch skillet, which arrives preseasoned and quickly gets more and more nonstick,” explains McManus. “It’s not as rough as really cheap pans. It’s also very affordable; a great basic choice. Grab a 10-inch one [too] and you can do many things with those two pans on the stove, in the oven and even on the grill,” says McManus. (You can also use it to cook over an open flame.)

Our editors love this timeless choice, too. “It’s an absolute classic,” says editor Abby Hepworth. “The [12-inch skillet] easily fits recipes for two but isn’t so large that it’s too heavy to wield.” While this set doesn’t include the 12-inch pan, it does come with small and large skillets, as well as a grill pan for making impeccably seared burgers, steaks and veggies indoors.

Fast Facts

• What’s Included: 8-inch skillet, 10.25-inch skillet, 10.25-inch grill pan
• Colors available: one
• Rave Review: “Really enjoying my Lodge seasoned cast iron set. The protective silicone handle works wonders for pulling the skillets out of the oven! Super excited to explore with this set!”

Associate editor of SEO Marissa Wu calls these pans “a true marriage of form and function.” (The satin-smooth, polished finish *is*easy on the eyes, no?) “The copper color makes [the skillets] so beautiful you want them on your range all the time, but nothing is precious about them. Since there’s no enamel coating, you don’t have to worry about chips or temperature thresholds. Their subtle beauty adds a classic touch and [the pieces are] something you can keep and pass down forever. They make cooking a joy.”

This collection of three skillets is stovetop agnostic and crafted to be as light as possible for optimal heat retention—your wrists will thank you. (Psst: If you’re in the market specifically for a pan and pot, opt for The Essentials Set, which includes a 5.5-quart Dutch oven and a 10-inch skillet.)

Fast Facts

• What’s Included: No. 8 Chef, No. 10 Traditional, No. 12 Traditional
• Colors available: one
• Rave Review: “Absolutely worth every single penny. The quality of these is a work of art, but not a fragile one. I completely expect someone to smile every time they use these 150 years from now.”

Few cookware brands are as iconic and aspirational as Le Creuset. The French cookware company is beloved for its cast iron cookware, which is as effective as it is Insta-worthy. This five-piece collection boasts an enameled interior that resists staining, dulling and years of wear and tear. The skillet, saucepan and Dutch oven also have large handles, so you can grip the hefty pieces with ease—even with oven mitts. We like that this set includes a small saucepan, a rarer find when it comes to cast iron cookware sets. Splurging on it is easy; the tough part is choosing a color (we’re partial to artichaut).

Fast Facts

• What’s included: 9-inch skillet, 1.75-quart saucepan with lid, 5.5-quart round Dutch oven with lid
• Colors available: ten
• Rave review: “After only using inexpensive cookware, I finally took the plunge to use nontoxic fine cookware. After extensive investigation and reading lots of reviews, I chose Le Creuset. These are wonderful to cook with and easy to clean, not to mention beautiful-looking cookware. Purchase of a lifetime.”

Everything from beef bourguignon to skillet pizza is within reach with these versatile staples on your side. All three pieces are oven-safe up to 500°F (like most cast iron cookware) and stovetop agnostic. We love that the skillet is a full 12 inches wide, so it can tackle just about any family-style recipe you throw at it. (Many cast iron cookware sets only feature a small skillet.) Use the large Dutch oven for crowd-pleasing roasts and stews; the smaller one is great for baking bread, preparing soup and everything in between. As for the skillet, it can tackle everything from cinnamon buns to tamale pie.

Fast Facts

• What’s Included: Dutchess (large Dutch oven), Dutch Baby (small Dutch oven), King Sear (12-inch skillet)
• Colors available: three
• Rave Review: “We cannot believe these heavy, beautiful and useful pans! We will use them for years to come and I will pass them down to my daughter-in-law. Oh, the possibilities. Thank you. Worth every dollar and more.”

With two pots and a roomy skillet, this set is indispensable. The Dutch oven has been awarded for its stellar heat retention and circulation, while the skillet is great for frying and searing (and it weighs less than some others on this list at 5.8 pounds to boot). The enameled finish makes it easy to wipe clean and hand wash. The French-made pieces also have an exceptionally high temperature threshold, and they’re induction-compatible to boot. We also love that Made In offers four-, five- and nine-piece sets, so you can shop multiple pieces at once and choose based on your budget and needs. The smallest includes two sizes of Dutch oven, while the largest has three Dutch ovens, the skillet and a saucepan.

Fast Facts

• What’s Included: 5.5-quart round Dutch oven, 2-quart saucepan, 11-inch skillet
• Colors available: two (four-piece set available in three colors)
• Rave Review: “It looks beautiful and cooks beautifully. Even heating, maintains an even heat whether it be high or low. I’ve used it for slow cooking meals on the stovetop and in the oven roasting vegetables. It can even put a lovely seared crust on meat before you add vegetables and liquids for a complete flavor profile that is complex with no burning. And did I mention it is beautiful? Guests cannot wait to taste what is being created inside.”

We reviewed Our Place’s cast iron Always Pan shortly after it launched, and we were thoroughly impressed. (It was the brand’s first oven-safe pan; now the standard nonstick Always Pan 2.0 is also oven safe.) Now, you can purchase a set of cast iron goodies, including a pot, grill pan and skillet. In classic Our Place fashion, the pot and pan are both designed to replace multiple cookware pieces. The skillet can braise, sear, steam, sauté, fry and bake, and the pot can do all the work of a stockpot, Dutch oven and saucepan. Oh, and they’re both stovetop agnostic.

But those aren’t the only multipurpose features—even the lids do double duty. The pan’s lid is equipped with steam release capabilities, and it’s made of glass so you can watch your food cook. The pot’s lid self-bastes, so your food is guaranteed to turn out moist. As for the grill, it’s enameled and comes with a press (hello, smashburgers).

Fast Facts

• What’s Included: 10.5-inch Always Pan, 5.5-quart Perfect Pot, 10.5-inch Hot Grill, grill press
• Colors available: six
• Rave Review: “Love it. Fast and easy to clean. So much easier than my old cast iron pans, and so pretty! I'm glad you made a cast iron option and gave it such a nice warranty. My first adventure into enameled cast iron. So far, very impressed.”