Review Methodology

At The Iron Patina, we don’t guess. We don’t parrot marketing. We live with cast iron—day in, day out—so our reviews reflect how cookware, oils, tools, and maintenance products actually perform in real homes and workshops. Our editors have restored hundreds of skillets, stripped rusted pieces back to bare iron, and taught proper seasoning and care for years. That experience, paired with disciplined testing, is what you can trust here. Questions about our process? Reach us anytime at https://ironpatina.com/contact-us/.

Our Testing Philosophy

  1. Real Usage: We put cast iron on gas, electric, induction, and over open flame. We preheat, sear, bake, and simmer—focusing on heat behavior, release, and control. No lab-only hypotheticals. Real conditions. Real results.
  2. Hands-On Seasoning: We strip, season, and re-season. Multiple cycles. Different oils and temperatures. We evaluate adhesion, polymerization quality, and how quickly nonstick performance develops and holds up.
  3. Instrumented, Repeatable Tests: Thermal imaging and IR thermometers for heat maps. Thermocouples for stabilization curves. Calipers and straightedges for flatness. Scales for weight and balance. Repeatable protocols—so numbers mean something.
  4. Comparative Benchmarks: We test side-by-side against leading alternatives—modern and vintage—using the same seasoning baseline and cooking sequences. Head-to-head makes strengths and weaknesses obvious.
  5. Unbiased and Independent: No pay-for-praise. Ever. When a sample is provided, we disclose it; it doesn’t buy influence, access, or a higher score. We also purchase products anonymously to keep brands at arm’s length. Editorial decisions are ours alone.
  6. Durability & Maintenance Reality: We stress-test seasoning against soap, salt, steam, and high heat; evaluate rust resistance in humid environments; and review maintenance tools (scrapers, chainmail, brushes, oils, waxes) for real-world ease and results.
  7. Safety & Materials Transparency: We verify finish types (bare vs. enameled), look for coating defects, and favor clear labeling and documentation. Cast iron should be straightforward and safe; we hold makers to that.

The Scoring System

We rate products on a 1-10 scale based on the following criteria:

  • Performance & Heat Behavior (30%): Evenness, heat retention, preheat time, responsiveness, and searing/browning quality.
  • Build & Craftsmanship (20%): Casting quality, surface finish, flatness, lid fit, pour control, and overall balance/weight.
  • Seasoning & Nonstick Potential (20%): Quality of any factory seasoning, how well it accepts new layers, durability across multiple cycles, and real release performance.
  • Ease of Use & Ergonomics (15%): Handle comfort and heat transfer, helper handles, compatibility with common cooktops, and day-to-day usability.
  • Value, Warranty & Support (15%): Price-to-performance, warranty clarity, parts/accessory availability, and responsiveness from customer support.

Each category is scored from objective tests and documented observations, then weighted to produce the final number. We don’t round up. We revisit and update scores when products change—or when long-term testing reveals something new. If we correct or update a review, we mark the page accordingly.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some links on The Iron Patina are affiliate links. If you click and buy, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. These funds keep our testing gear calibrated, our photo studio lit, and our editors independent. Our policy is simple: we never take money for positive coverage, we choose links after the product is evaluated, and we follow FTC guidelines for clear disclosure. If you have questions about this policy, contact us at https://ironpatina.com/contact-us/.