Cast Iron Skillets · owner-verdict comparison

Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet vs Lodge Chef Collection 12 Inch Skillet: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 76% of 122 Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet owners recommend it, vs 79% of 24 for the Lodge Chef Collection 12 Inch Skillet.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet

76%of 122 owners recommend
76% recommend · 11% neutral · 13% don't
Full owner report →

Lodge Chef Collection 12 Inch Skillet

79%of 24 owners recommend
79% recommend · 13% neutral · 8% don't
Owners praise
  • Noticeably lighter than the standard Lodge skillet, making it easier to lift and maneuver
  • Sloped, flared sides are excellent for eggs, omelettes, and flipping food as it cooks
  • Used daily as an everyday pan and a strong value in an upgraded cast iron
Owners complain about
  • Occasional quality issues out of the box, such as sharp or rough edges, gouge marks, or pits on some units
  • Shallower than the traditional skillets, with rounded corners some find less ideal for baked items
  • Thinner, lighter build means less heat retention than the heavier classic model
Full owner report →

What Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet owners say

“I love my Blacklock. It’s surface is smoother than the rest of the Lodge line, and I’ve never had anything stick.”
— @gingerchipper on YouTube
“Beautiful piece of cast Iron!”
— @Passionforfoodrecipes on YouTube
“the lighter weight, redesigned handle with the triple pre-seasoning doesn't seem to me to be worth the over double cost”
— @paulnormandin5267 on YouTube

What Lodge Chef Collection 12 Inch Skillet owners say

“I checked out the classic 12" skillet at Walmart and noticed how heavy it was compared to my 12" Chef Collection skillet”
— @dbkfrogkaty1 on YouTube
“I recently bought a Lodge Chef Collection pan which has shallower angled sides and was able to make a French tri-fold omelette.”
— es330td on Reddit
“Both need longer handles.”
— @HeyISawThat on YouTube