Compare Frying Pan
Field Company No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime
The cooking surface is bare cast iron — machined and stone polished, with no synthetic coating between your food and the pan. You're cooking on iron and polymerized oil, so nothing can chip, flake, or degrade into a meal. It requires hand-washing and periodic re-seasoning, but there's no coating to wear out.
Sensarte says this coating is PFAS-free, but that's a brand claim — no independent lab has tested it. 'Ceramic nonstick' covers a wide range of formulations, so the declaration doesn't confirm what's actually in the coating.
No third-party safety certifications are listed. That's not a concern here — bare cast iron has no synthetic coating, so there's no PFAS or nonstick chemistry that would need certifying. The surface is iron and oil, full stop.
No third-party certifications (such as LFGB or FDA compliance testing). There's no external body confirming what the coating releases at cooking temperatures.
Field Company seasons with grapeseed oil, which has a high smoke point and polymerizes reliably into a solid release layer. It's a strong factory seasoning choice — functionally similar to flaxseed oil and better than lower-smoke-point alternatives.
This is a nonstick pan — no seasoning is required or relevant. This criterion doesn't apply.
No oven-safe temperature is listed for this pan. That's a real gap — cast iron typically handles very high oven temps, but without a confirmed spec you can't plan recipes that require finishing or baking in the oven.
Oven-safe to 428°F, which covers most roasting and protein-finishing tasks. If your recipes regularly call for temperatures above 425°F, you're near where nonstick coatings begin to degrade.
This pan works on induction cooktops. Cast iron's ferromagnetic base is naturally induction-compatible, so no adapter or special setup is needed.
Works on induction cooktops with no adapter needed — fully compatible out of the box.
The cooking surface is 8.5 inches — enough for a single egg or one portion, but you'll need multiple batches for family meals. At $165, that size limits its everyday utility as your primary pan.
The usable flat cooking surface is 9.5 inches, smaller than the 12-inch total diameter suggests. For a family of four, expect two batches when cooking proteins like chicken thighs or salmon fillets.
Cast iron requires periodic re-seasoning when the surface looks dry or starts sticking. Every use means hand-washing, immediate drying, and occasionally rubbing in a thin layer of oil. If you're coming from nonstick, that's a real shift in routine.
No seasoning required — use it straight out of the box. That's standard for nonstick and means zero prep before the first meal.
This pan can't go in the dishwasher. Dishwasher detergent strips the seasoning and can cause rust, so every use requires hand-washing and immediate drying.
Dishwasher safe — no hand-washing required after meals.
Field Company backs this pan with a lifetime warranty. Exclusions typically cover commercial use, accidents, and misuse — normal home cooking should be covered, but read the terms before assuming full protection.
Limited 1-year warranty. If the coating chips or the handle cracks after month 13, you're buying a new pan. Most mid-range competitors offer at least 2 years.
The cast iron handle gets hot during stovetop use. You'll need an oven mitt or handle cover every time you cook — don't plan on grabbing it bare-handed mid-recipe.
No published data confirms the handle stays cool during stovetop use. Until you know otherwise, treat it as needing a mitt.
Everything you need to make the call — who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You cook on induction and want a surface with no synthetic coating — cast iron is naturally PFAS-free and works on every heat source.
You want a pan that outlasts nonstick by decades — the seasoning builds up over time rather than wearing off.
You do most of your cooking on the stovetop at moderate heat and have the patience for a 10-minute preheat before searing.
You cook on induction and need a budget nonstick that's fully compatible.
You want to throw the pan in the dishwasher instead of hand-washing.
You're outfitting a secondary kitchen or need a low-stakes everyday pan under $40.
The main thing to know
At $165, you're paying a premium for lightweight cast iron that still demands the same upkeep as a $30 skillet — no dishwasher, hand-dry after every wash, and re-season when the surface starts to look dull.
The Sensarte uses a Swiss ILAG nonstick coating marketed as PFAS-free, but no independent lab has verified this claim — if coating transparency matters to your family, that's the gap to know about.
Skip this if you...
You need to cook for a full family — the No. 10 cooking surface is smaller than it sounds and won't fit more than two portions comfortably.
You want quick, responsive heat — cast iron holds temperature well but reacts slowly, so high-heat stir-fries or fast temperature drops aren't this pan's strength.
You're weighing this against Lodge — Field Company's lighter casting is a real difference, but not a $130 difference for most cooks.
You want independently verified PFAS-free or PTFE-free certification on the coating.
You're buying a pan you expect to last several years — the thin construction shows wear quickly.
You need a pan large enough to cook for a family in one batch, since the 12-inch cooking surface runs small due to the sloped sides.
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Frying Pan options at every price pointEvery Frying Pan in our database is scored using R3's V4.2 deterministic rubric — the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Field Company and Sensarte across 3 independent criteria: Safety (50%), Efficacy (25%), Usability (25%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers — no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Field Company Field Company No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet - it scored 6.9/10 overall in our V4.2 rubric. Safety carries 50% of our scoring weight, followed by performance (20%), usability (20%), and value (10%). Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
We use our V4.2 deterministic rubric with four weighted pillars: Safety (50%), Efficacy (20%), Usability (20%), and Value (10%). Every score is reproducible - the same product data produces the same score. Each product is evaluated across multiple criteria within each pillar.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the value scores and prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
