Does Stargazer make the best Cast Iron skillets in the world?
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- Опубліковано 21 вер 2024
- I'll admit it freely, I'm cast iron obsessed, but not in a traditional way. Don't get me wrong, I love and admire traditional old-school heavyweight cast iron but I am not a traditionalist. I believe that constantly refining and tweaking an item or process usually brings good results. I can say that this is the case for Stargazer. Peter Huntley, the founder and CEO, decided to design a better mousetrap and the result is maybe the most progressively perfect cast iron pan available.
Why? The surface finish, handle design and finished weight are as close to perfect as I think you can get. In this video, I spoke with Peter about how he is able to make a pan that works so incredibly well. I hope you enjoy it.
Stargazer is now available at Cook Culture: www.cookcultur...
In the USA you can buy it here: www.shareasale...
Don't forget seasoning paste and chain mail to clean your pans: www.cookcultur...
I've owned the 10.5" now for about 5 months. It was born on 02/11/2021, recieved it in April, and I have used it every single day since, I look forward to using this pan for the rest of my life! I love every single thing about it, thank you Stargazer!
Awesome!
Beautiful pans. Such care and attention to the process. Respect.
Thank you for making your products in the United States. Also, thanks for avoiding selling your products on Amazon.
I LOVE this pan and this company! I hope they will make lids and a sizable Dutch oven with lid!!!
Lids are coming!
This is a great video on how Stargazer is USA hand made. I didn't know about all these steps on how they were made when I order my two pans last Christmas based on Kent and Shannon Rollins recommendations of cast iron. I used cast iron when I was a kid in the 50's and 60's when I had to cook my parents breakfast 5 days a week before they went to work. My two Stargazer pans are my first cast iron since the 50's. I cook a lot on electric stove, gas stove, grills and camping stoves. I am extremely pleased with the 10.5" and 12" Stargazers on even heating and cooking. I have only used hot water and a brush to clean my pans. I did three additional seasonings with grape oil in my gas grill at 360 degrees for 1 hour. Then I cooked bacon and eggs without sticking problems, only hot water clean up. I love the long handle and the helping handle to move about the cooking area. The long handle usually stays cool to the touch for most cooking seasons, but I do have pot mitts for the times the cooks are over thirty minutes. These cast iron pans are so much better than my traditional stainless steel pans that the only time I use stainless steel pans is for long cooks of tomato based foods. I very pleased that all parts and labor are in the USA, This provides many families with jobs that puts food on their tables and reduces the cost of SNAP.
Awesome!! Thanks for the note
Thank You for this video… I have Mineral B because of your recommendations, seasoned based on your methods and its been awesome. Thanks for imparting your knowledge.
You are very welcome! It's a fun journey!
I'm excited that my Stargazer will be delivered tomorrow (12/01/21). I'd done a lot of research earlier this year into the new premium cast iron pans. A friend of mine makes the most wonderful cornbread, it has a great texture I haven't been able to duplicate. I asked her secret, and she told me she uses her grandmother's cast iron pan which is probably in the range of 100 years old now. She mentioned the finish plus that the pan was not cast quite as thick as more modern examples by a major US cast iron pan company. So my research brought down my choices to Field and Stargazer, and after some more reading I decided Stargazer was the pan to get. People may complain about the price, but you get what you pay for, a well designed and finished pan that is manufactured here in the USA, providing employment for US workers. I'll always pay extra for that!
I'm living in France and probably won't be able to buy one locally any time soon and won't be able to know if it's the best one, but one thing for sure is that the design is beautiful and the best looking I seen so far. Congratulations to peter for making it.
Thank you for the comment. If you contact Stargazer they may be able to ship to you!
I went to town with a detail sander on my last Lodge, for hours, to smooth out the interior. That interior surface looks amazing. I know what will be on my wish list, next year!
I have both skillets and they are two of my favorite pans. Attention to detail and American made!
Awesome!
I love my Stargazers. Got a crazy deal during veterans or 4th of July a year ago (can't remember which one) and ended up paying under $200 for a 10" and 12" Stargazer cast iron. The 12" did ship a little later but I absolutely adore my Stargazers. I'm hoping they release a smaller version in the future.
Great design..like the extra large helper handle and big cooler handle..i really like mine
Agreed. Excellent pan!
Great video and highlight of the Stargazer brand/owner. I can relate to the design background and love the "you get what you see" honesty.
Great video showcase & really appreciate your shop carrying both high end cast iron brands :) Looking forward to trying out this pan
Thanks!
I'd buy one. Its worth it. I've seen people take the time to polish and smooth the pan bottoms on lodge pans. Just not worth my time or money if brining it to a machine shop. These guys do it all.
have one and love it
I just ordered both sizes based on several people’s high praises (including yours). I love that I was able to get TWO really great high end skillets for the price of 1 of the others but still have then benefits of some of the vintage cast iron.
Cast Iron certainly has its place. I had some seabass last night off mine! 5 mins each side and 5 mins @450 in the oven = winner!
I do want a set of good carbon steel pans though. Same principal as the cast iron, but they perform like a traditional pan and have further versatility. they are non stick but can handle really high temperatures. To me they are the lifetime non-stick pan.
I'm going for the De buyer Mineral B Pro line of pans. similar in price to the stargazer, and another lifetime product. Also, carbon steel is a little lighter than cast iron.
Love the video. Very educational and well explained! Keep it up!!
Glad you liked it!
Great video and very VERY informative. My Stargazer 12" is on order and having watched this video just makes me feel very good with my decision. Thanks so much.
Right on!
Premium cast iron brands in short:
Want a light classic skillet like the vintage ones? Buy Field Company.
Want a modern design, medium weight and the best finish? Buy Stargazer.
Want the thickest, heaviest beast? Buy Smithey.
HAHA! Thanks...in a nutshell!! (although I really struggled with Smithey's seasoning for quite a while)
I believe they do it’s like having a already super smooth surface that’s gets better and better with use , the handle itself has at least 4 features one is that it makes a geeat spoon rest with its great design/ shape , no drip lip surface ,worth the investment like other high end cookware
100% agree. Thanks for the comment!
Amazing about the Stargazer partnership. I have the exact same pan as you. I also have Lodge, Field and just ordered Butterpat. But like you, absolutely LOVE my Stargazer!
Stargazer was my 3rd CI skillet purchase and my fav. skillet I have.
@@djC653 I cook a lot outdoors on fire and I love the longer handle and after cooking with it For the last year, I’ve built up an awesome seasoning. Especially using the cook culture proprietary blend of cast-iron seasoning, which I also totally love
We're honoured to be their first retailer!
My 27 year old son loves to cook and he likes using cast iron. I will buy a stargazer for him after watching this video. Thanks for the tour. I noticed that even the handle is curved so you can lay a wooden spoon on it.
Good on you. The best gift ever!!
I recently reduced my cast iron collection down to two pieces. Both are stargazers. It was tough selling off my field, cast iron, but I didn’t need it all, and I wasn’t really using it all.
Good Choice
Business is well deserved to companies who offer a military discount. Thank you stargazer for that
Have the 10.5 and the 12. Love them. I also have some Lodge pieces and a Field, and they’re great, too. The Stargazers are my “go to” skillets🍻
Most people tell me that!
This is awesome! Way to go cook culture!
Thanks for the support!
Yes. Yes he does. I have a 12" Stargazer and it's fantastic.
Nice!
Guessing that they are shot peeling (cold working/tempering) to get the “dented” surface back. Apart from making the seasoning stick better it also help to prevent cracks from forming
They call it their 'secret' process!
All I have is a Lodge but this will be in my home soon. I’m no longer on the fence. I’m getting the 12 because I cook a lot of proteins for a carnivore diet. This is essential equipment.
You could say it's essential for any diet. It takes at least 4x the food volume to get the same density of some nutrients from plants than you get from meat!
Enjoyed watching the process of how you make your cast iron pans. You speak of the thickness and weight of your pans, as heavier is better. Well, I have older Griswold skillets that are quite light weight. They are lighter in weight than the Wagner skillets. How do your pans/skillets compare to the Griswold in weight with each size? My skillets have been handed down from family members.
Hi, you would find a Stargazer to be heavier than your old Griswold.
@@Cook-Culture thank you for your reply. My “old skillets” are in excellent condition. Well taken care of. I wish you the best on your product.
My 12” born 5-14-2019 is so fun to use my Stargazer and my 2 Matfers are with me till the end
Awesome!
Yes Stargazer are seriously the best cast iron out there. I also own Finex, Lancaster, Copco, Lodge. i go for the Stargazer 9/10 times in my cooking. i also like Finex which has an awesome cooking surface but a lot of factors including weight, price go against Finex but a really great product. Overall, all things considered Stargazer is the winner!
Just curious, why would you say stargazer is better than the other top brands?
@@4tCa4mzUPqRZZo it cooks so well, doesnt burn like Lancaster ,is easy to clean unlike Lodge, has the best pan side food doesnt get caught in the edge, the pan thickness is just right, the price is excellent, handle great.. the only downside is they are not light but i have come to the realisation that cast iron needs to be thick to work well, retain heat, not burn. i think Finex is another great product but its expensive. its 10 inch pan is too small, the 12 inch you need a crane to move it. i love the 8 inch i use it every day for reheats, side dishes, scrambled eggs etc. its a honey. In life ya pays yer money, and take yer chances but Stargazer is a pretty safe bet.....
Absolutely loved this video, I'll definitely be picking up a couple of these stargazer products up here in Ontario, Canada.
Thanks for this video.
👍👍
Glad you liked it!
The proprietary process used on those pans is a type of media/sand blasting. Not bead blasting. There are various grits and types ranging from silicon carbide to walnut shell. For a pan like this i would suggest a rough to medium grit silicon carbide.
If you're wanting to test any of this start with a finer/less aggressive media. You can work your way from finer to coarser until you achieve the desired texture.
This method should also work to completely refinish any cast iron/carbon steel pan (careful if your handles are stainless). Giving the pan a perfect deep clean in the process, or should I say resurfacing!
Its my dream cast iron skillet
Will wait till your stargazer brand oversea. Or can I order through the mail and your side can make the delivery to Malaysia. Thank. Very much love your product unique feature that I want. Thank.
Gorgeous Pans - wow
I have both Stargazer and Feild and it has been my experience that the Stargazer outperforms the Feild in every category. My Stargazer was bought many years ago and does not have a date code?
Good to know!
So true, Field seasoning flakes away because they just cover the rings with their “proprietary” seasoning
I cant wait to cone home and cook
Everything comes out tasty amd appetizing
I’m not sure I could get use to the handle but I like the rest of the pan.
Very nice iron for sure! That cooking surface 🔥🔥
Hey again... 24:40 The secret sauce.... This is what I was talking about before when you had mentioned taking the pan down to the silver. Once you smooth out and polish or remove the textured cooking surface of a cast iron pan, it's pretty much wrecked. It will never hold the seasoning. I have been using a wire brush by hand, over the course of several days now on that Wagner I mentioned. Soon I'll be able to re-season it. I might have to get one of these though. 12 to 14 inches....Yeah!
Great video. Love to see more How Things Are Made videos. Geeky!
Hi Ken, my #1 bucket list trip is to the Staub factory in France! I will make that happen one day.
I just received my 12" Stargazer and I'm super excited with it. I've added 3 layers of grapeseed oil seasoning on top of the factory seasoning and will probably put it into action later today. I will probably retire some of my other skillets lol. I also just got a Lodge Blacklock 14.5" skillet. I already have a hard time deciding which skillets to use so I'll probably put my Lodge skillets that I've sanded smooth on display like art. And yes I will be getting the 10.5" Stargazer soon.
I've tried cast iron and it's not for me, but after watching this, this is one I'd consider if I were ever to get cast iron.
Their QC is obviously impeccable.
That it is!
I thought this guy had a zoom background. Dude straight up sitting on the beach 😂
It's a hard life!
I have a few pieces of carbon steel, and lots of cast iron. I just started going into carbon steel after years of using cast iron. Although CS heats faster and is lighter, it seems so much harder to maintain and can rust easier.
Try post seasoning more often
The best carbon pans are going to be nearly as heavy as cast iron, and vice versa with cast iron, if you get a well designed, balanced weight, smooth cast iron pan, you're basically getting the same product. There's I think only a 1% difference in the formula's.
I wish Stargazer would smash out an amazing griddle or crepe pan! Can you suggest that to him next time you talk to him please?
Thanks. He's working on lots of ideas. Lids and a 13" double handled pan are next up.
Interesting process but I used to be a metal worker, and I feel for those workers. Hot, dirty, hell work.
Thank you for the very informative video with the creator of Stargazer. It has helped me decide on which brand to buy.
Awesome!
I LOVE my 10-inch Stargazer; I would marry it if I could! I am not impressed with Lodge at all, but trying to work with my Lodge pieces and resisting my frequent urges to throw them in the trash...especially the 5-quart dutch oven.
Haha. Find them a good home!!
Lots of variation in bottom of pan thickness with the impressed logo casting. Not criticizing, just curious why this isn't a factor if other tolerances are important. I just bought a flat bottom C.I. & a carbon steel skillet. Going to cook up a storm soon. But back to bottom thickness..
I have the 12 inch and love it
Awesome!
i bought a stargazer for my son for xmas 2021. He asked for cast iron skillet.
And I thought Stargazer might of been named for camping with cast iron and cooking under the stars. But, yeah, the name was a big part why I got this pan in the 1st place, that and the design.
Same :D
I wonder how she'd season fresh off the cnc those swirls looked awesome
North America is Canada, USA and Mexico (also, Cuba).
You make me want a Stargazer now…
My wait was for 2 years. I'm so glad I have mine. If you use it for making skillet cornbread it would be money spent. It's a beautiful pan and wonderful no stick. I wouldn't take something pretty for mine.
Thanks for sharing
I originally thought stargazer was pretentious...But there was a lot of work put into the skillet hopefully they will get their own machines so dtgey can cut the cost a little bit ..Awesome video.
Thanks. Truly works of art
If you had to pick only one, field, stargazer, finex, smithey, butter pat, lancaster, marquet, which one would it be??? I own a field but have used all but marquet extensively and I would choose a field in a heartbeat.
I get asked that all the time and I really can't choose. They are all so good!!
Cast iron is magical
Lodge is good but their 10.25 inch weighs 5 3/4 lbs..this weigh 4 lbs and has a very smooth cooking surface..expensive but a life time of a very high quality pan that you will be proud to own..big handle is cooler and big helping handle very nice...just the best
So I'm at the point where he talks about the "magic finish" so what about the ones that came before but still have that awesome slickness that we all enjoy?
I had other Q's but forgot while TRYING to not stop'n'post for everyone I think of.
haha! Don't worry about asking questions as you go!! I'll explain it as best as I can. My Stargazer pan was super slick right away and continued to stay that way with very little effort. What I found was that my SG pan performed better than anything that I'd ever used, even 100 old heavy stuff. So what Peter talks about their 'magic finish' is that they condition the surface so much that it delivers an exceptionally smooth surface while having micro-texture for the seasoning to stick to. I have yet to see another pan with the same finish. I hope that makes sense.
You can polish your current cast iron pan. Takes a lot of time but if its free if you have the abrasives and time to do so.
@@Cook-Culture oh I understood the process which I believe others have used too like Aus-Ion or their US counter Co. I was being funny(I thought lol) and asking cause my pan is from the times they didn't treat it or had B.Days etched in.
@@tacticalcenter8658 I was talking about the newer finish on SG skillets and my older SG skillet. So I already have a smooth finish just not the "Satin" finish as other Co.s call it.
My lodge is rough but it does great with the finish it came with. No need to grind it, waste of time/energy I think
@@djC653 gotcha!
I signed up to the Stargazer website. I'd like to buy a set at some point if possible. Even if it was a small set, like 2-3 pans.
What if you already have too many great vintage pans. If your fortune enough to be able to get a modern high end, do you upgrade and pass the historic pieces on or do you stick with what you have?
I like to know, Will it work on glass- top stove?
Yes it will
Vintage cast iron is great, But some of these newer foundries are making good products, It's never bothered me they don't have lids, My Wagner glass lids fit perfectly to Stargazer, And there easy to come by cheap,
Great video & good for the US. Can anyone tell me where or how I can get hold of a Stargazer skillet here in England?
UA-cam cut to a commercial when you were grabbing your product. And when the film returned the you were putting it back. Never saw the skillet. Finding this to be a major problem on alot of UA-cam channels with commercials interruption. Try duplicating your video on Rumble. No advertising there to black your product. Thanks.
@Cook Culture I wish you had asked him between the BARE vs SEASONED? I like the BARE and season it myself. Also, wish you had asked him about the future of Lids. Great interview otherwise.
Lids are coming
So why wouldn't they come out with a lower end Stargazer that didn't do all the finishing and be like others with a rough business end? Cost of the product I guess is the answer.
That is just not what Peter would want to make. He is a detailed guy who is driven to make the best cookware on the market.
I don’t know how good one of these pans is, and I’m unlikely to ever find out. There is a very good explanation of how the founder got into the business of making cast iron cookware. There are a lot of superlative adjectives about the product. There is a discussion about manufacture, where we learn that there is NO difference in the material used down through the years to make the pan, and no difference in the method. So, we are told, it comes down to the finish. So- look at my 55 year old cast iron skillets. Their internal finish now is a smooth black after years of seasoning. I don’t remember how smooth the inside was when we got them. They are used regularly, they cook evenly, with all the characteristics of cast iron. There are no markings on the bottom save “Made in USA.”
While I’m sure that the price of this cookware has a lot to do with the amount of hand finishing shown in the video, I haven’t been shown a single reason why I should use Stargazer over the cast iron I already own.
Hi, there is no reason. If what you have is working, then there is no need for a new pan!
I looked at them but all they sell is the larger skillets and not the smaller ones I like to use.
Yes, hopefully they will add a smaller pan soon!
👍👍
Maybe im a minimalist but I like Lodge.
So do we!
👍
Why is the pan 75 more on your site?
We are in Canada, and on the other side of the continent. So exchange (1.3X) and shipping
Por favor quero uma panela de presente 🎁.
I was next after 555 :)
LOL. Recycled iron. My new cast iron skillet may be a reincarnated 63 Oldsmobile. What a thought.
Haha, it could be!
I like heavy.
31:15
So am I the only one who's going to "inspect" their pan after this?
Let us know how the 'inspection' goes!!
That ridiculous "helper handle" on the 10 1/2-inch skillet is a deal-breaker for me.
I have a tight kitchen without a lot of room to waste. That enormous appendage gets in the way of fitting the skillet in a drawer or of washing it in the sink without it knocking into things. Especially for a comparatively light-weight skillet like this one, the exaggerated extra handle is completely unnecessary.
I'd recommend Field Cast Iron for you
I suggest you hang the skillet from a hook on the wall or ceiling
You could cut off the helper handle pretty easily
@@Cook-Culture I use a Lodge. I'm not persuaded that a Field or a Stargazer or a Finex would actually cook any better. (But the Field certainly has a more reasonable "helper" appendage than the Stargazer.)
@@kipwoods8400 I could also not buy the pan. That would be even easier.
5 commercials in 14 mins.
$145….. yeow…
That's USD. More with exchange and freight in CAD!
No, that would be Field Company. They make the best cast iron pans.
Field are truly great, but SG has it's home in my collection too
well - so you're catching up....next is perhaps made in carbon steel....maybe
Not completely following what you are saying but here is my review of Made-In Carbon Steel: ua-cam.com/video/g6-AMgN8mms/v-deo.html
Lodge. Materials sourced and made by my family in Alabama/Tennessee. Family and friend owns and cook with pieces about 100 years old. Lodge or nothing at all.
Not by a long shot! That title must and obviously go to the almighty holy grail of cast iron LODGE!!!!!!!!
I dunno about that. Lodge is fantastic but I sure do love my Stargazer!!
No pour spouts. 👎
Beautifully rounded edges!
They’re decent, but far from the best.
Yes he does. I’ve have my 12in for a little over 2 years. Zero regrets.
Lodge is the only cast iron company
Definitely good!
More brands than lodge 🤦♀️ to each their own
@@n2skiing76 I was told that lodge was the last American cast iron company.
The answer is: No. Save yourself the time and get a good cast iron pan from a thrift shop
Haha. Thanks for the comment. This is like telling someone to buy an old (expensive) Honda instead of a Ferrari.
@@Cook-Culture no, it is like buying used ferrari instead of new ferrari with custom made spoilers or some other useless crap. If you will compare like that, you are a pure idiot
@@NenoSvjetlanovic Hi, thanks for the comment. Why would someone buy a Ferrari with a custom-made spoiler? I have never seen that before
Yeah, there’s little question but that this is a top-end product. For people without that kind of budget for cookware, garage sales start in earnest around here next month, and a nice cast iron skillet can be had for $10 or maybe less. If it needs seasoning, watching this video provides enough info on how to do it.
not interested in waiting months for something I pay for up front!
We have them in stock,,,but we are in Canada!
@@Cook-Culture I thought they were for order only direct!? Do they have retailers in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area?
$100 more than the Lodge...??? Un-American...
A Corvette costs much more than a Malibu. Is that un-American?