Cast Iron Skillets · owner-verdict comparison

Lodge Blacklock 12 Inch Skillet vs Stargazer 10.5 Inch Cast Iron Skillet: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Stargazer 10.5 Inch Cast Iron Skillet: 82% of 56 owners recommend it, vs 76% of 122 for the Lodge Blacklock 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 →

Stargazer 10.5 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

82%of 56 owners recommend
82% recommend · 9% neutral · 9% don't
Owners praise
  • smooth machined cooking surface that's nearly nonstick
  • long handle stays cooler and gives better leverage
  • heirloom-grade quality you'll keep for life
Owners complain about
  • seasoning is tricky to build on the slick surface
  • handle can still get hot for some owners
  • still a heavy pan despite the weight savings
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 Stargazer 10.5 Inch Cast Iron Skillet owners say

“I have used my Stargazer for over 2 years now daily.”
— @ronnyb20 on YouTube
“I’ve got both, nothing wrong with lodge, but given the choice, I will fight a body over my gazer!!!!🥰💯”
— @rstumbaugh43 on YouTube
“the Stargazer was getting no use in comparison to my favorite Field skillet. I had always had trouble with seasoning this pan (I have heard this was an issue with the first edition of the pan), and I realized if I wanted to start using it again I was going to have to re-season the whole thing as it had started to rust from lack of use.”
— LIFOMakesJesusCry on Reddit