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Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet

Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet

Scored on 122 verified owner verdicts, from 2,162 comments read across 2 communities
TL;DR
Most owners land firmly in the 'love it' camp, praising the Blacklock's lighter feel compared to a classic Lodge, its steady progression to a genuinely nonstick surface with regular seasoning and use, and its ability to sear steaks and chops at high heat while lasting for decades. Several owners also rate it as better value than premium brands like Field, Stargazer, or Smithey. A meaningful minority pushes back hard, though, singling out the redesigned handle as uncomfortable, sharp-edged, or even at risk of snapping, and complaining that the factory triple-seasoning flakes off within the first few cooks, sometimes leaving food sticking despite proper care. A smaller group also questions whether the higher price over a standard Lodge is worth it given the thinner, lighter build, and some still find the pan heavier than expected to handle day to day.

76% of 122 verified owners recommend the Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

See the problems 16 owners report →

What 122 owners say
2,162 comments reviewed · scored on the 122 clearest verdicts
76%
Recommend
93 owners
11%
Neutral
13 owners
13%
Don't recommend
16 owners
Last 6 months:70% recommend(33 recent verdicts)→ holding steady vs older reviews
Source
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
76%
122
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiowner comments
64%
89
No clear verdictiSetup, tips & quirks
117

The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. YouTube is shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.

What owners like
  • Turns nonstick after a few uses and regular seasoning, with eggs sliding out clean · 15 · 12%
  • Noticeably lighter than a classic Lodge, making it easier to lift, maneuver, and wash · 12 · 10%
  • Holds up better than pricier competitors like Field, Stargazer, and Smithey for the price · 7 · 6%
  • Built to last for decades and get passed down through generations of use · 6 · 5%
  • Excels at high-heat searing for steaks, pork chops, and chicken · 6 · 5%
What owners flag
  • Handle is uncomfortable, has sharp/rough edges, or feels like a weak point that could snap · 10 · 8%
  • Factory pre-seasoning is thin and flakes off quickly during early cooking · 9 · 7%
  • Still heavy enough to be tiring or hard to handle for some owners, especially larger sizes · 7 · 6%
  • Food, especially eggs, still sticks despite the seasoning and nonstick claims · 5 · 4%
  • Premium price over the regular Lodge skillet feels unjustified given thinner material · 5 · 4%
Who it's for
A great fit if
  • Cooks who want a lighter, easier-to-handle alternative to classic Lodge cast iron
  • Steak and sear enthusiasts who want a pan that heats fast and holds high heat
  • Buyers wanting near-vintage smoothness without hand-sanding a regular Lodge
  • Anyone who already accepts cast iron upkeep and wants premium fit/finish for less than boutique brands
Look elsewhere if
  • Anyone bothered by the stock rough/gritty cooking surface before seasoning builds up
  • Buyers sensitive to handle comfort, the redesigned handle draws repeat complaints
  • Those wanting maximum durability/heat retention over weight savings, or hoping to avoid QC-defect returns

Synthesized from what Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet owners say — not a spec sheet.

Top quotes, sourced

2,162 reviewed · 211 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
YouTube▼ don’t recommend

the lighter weight, redesigned handle with the triple pre-seasoning doesn't seem to me to be worth the over double cost

YouTube▲ recommend

I love my Blacklock. It’s surface is smoother than the rest of the Lodge line, and I’ve never had anything stick.

YouTube— neutral

Great skillet, stupid handle

YouTube▲ recommend

Beautiful piece of cast Iron!

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

I'd recommend the regular Lodge because it's cheaper, more durable, and will retain heat a lot longer than the thin Blacklock.

YouTube— neutral

But Lodge is a good process towards this direction.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

I dont like the one you un boxed. Why fix whats not broken. Ill stay with my classic lodge skillets i have

YouTube— neutral

Ive bought one new cast iron pan and it was a lodge. I've had it 15 years.

Reddit▲ recommend

Got a brand new Lodge Blacklock today and was desperate to try this! I topped mine with prawns and onions as its all I had, worked out really well!

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

consider the weak point which is the redesigned handle. It may be for lessening heat transfer but I see that as a break point

YouTube▲ recommend

I just bought the 10" Blacklock because I preferred it so much over the regular.

Reddit— neutral

Had the flaking (inexcusable if you ask me), so I stripped with yellow cap, and started over. Looks less ‘perfect’ than the spray tan they give it, but performs great.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

As soon as I picked one up I didn't like the feel of the handle.

YouTube▲ recommend

still performs just as well as the classic Lodge my mom has

Reddit— neutral

On one hand I got it for a good discount and it’s still $100+ cheaper than Field, Stargazer, etc.. On the other you’re correct about the need for higher quality control on their premium cookware.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

I would just play it safe and get the traditional.

YouTube▲ recommend

Lodge is the best bang for my buck.

Reddit— neutral

I have the same one and it's the one I use the most. The triple seasoning will not last, that's normal. Only complaint is the handle. It is not very comfortable.

Reddit— neutral

It's great for I'll call light weight cooking like bacon and eggs. It's too thin to fry chicken. Or I did it wrong. My chicken burned. I really like mine.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

I prefer my Field #10 over Lodge.

YouTube▲ recommend

Nothing stuck since the beginning and the Blacklock skillet became our go-to skillet

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

Is it just me or does it look like that handle is gonna snap off

YouTube▲ recommend

I actually like my blacklock because it heats fast and cools fast for steak.

Reddit— neutral

I don't really consider this a flaw, just a character mark of rough iron. Other than that, there are no flaws that I can see.

Showing 124 of 211

Common problems & things to know

Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.

Redditⓘ good to know

I saw a Blacklock at a store the other day, it’s significantly lighter than a regular Lodge. The other big difference is the sides: it’s shaped like an omelette pan with curvy sides

Redditⓘ good to know

For the most part they were sliding I did have a little bit stick it’s a new pan. No It’s a week old I didn’t season it I just washed it when I got it and been cooking with it No I hope that helps

Redditⓘ good to know

Lighter weight. Thinner walls. Somewhat smoother finish out of the box, handle design is different (supposed to help slow getting hot), it comes triple seasoned.

Redditⓘ good to know

And went so far as to smooth the interior to create a radial pattern on the bottom surface to vaguely evoke the mill marks of some vintage cast iron skillets.

Redditⓘ good to know

The handle and helper cover don’t work well with the Blacklock. They fit my other lodge perfectly. I would say the spout is the same as my other lodge.

Redditⓘ good to know

Yeah, my 12" regular Lodge fits, but the Blacklock is nearly an inch longer: https://i.imgur.com/kuh08vj.png