Carbon steel was born in the iron foundries of France generations ago, but it was not until relatively recently that American-made carbon steel came into commercial production. Yes, blacksmiths and artisans have been creating their own pans for years, but it has been small-scale…until now!
When something becomes popular, it is common for cheap knock-offs to pop up from places where quality control may be questionable. But if you buy reputable carbon steel from Europe, you’re going to be paying a pretty penny. That’s where US-made carbon steel comes in. I can promise you that there are carbon steel pans made in America that are well worth the investment.
In this article, I’m going to give you a complete list of the carbon steel brands manufactured in the US and give you some recommendations for my favorite pans from these brands.
What Brands of Carbon Steel Pans are Made in the US?
Tracking down all the brands that manufacture carbon steel in the USA is easier said than done! Many companies boast that they’re US-based, but their products are actually just assembled in the US from imported parts.
Here, I have put together a list of all the companies I can find that manufacture all of their carbon steel cookware in the United States.
The Best Carbon Steel Pan Made in USA
You can get incredible hand-forged one-of-a-kind carbon steel pieces from blacksmiths and artisans in many small US towns. But if you’re looking to order a pan online, these are the products that I’d most highly recommend.
Lodge Carbon Steel Skillet– Best Affordable Carbon Steel Skillet
Lodge CRS12 Carbon Steel Skillet
- Weight: 3.41 lb
- Thickness: 14 gauge (2.0mm)
- Sizes available: 8”, 10”, 12”, 15”
If you want a lot of bang for your buck, then I have to recommend the Lodge Carbon Steel Skillet.
Lodge is known for making cast iron pieces that rival their expensive competitors, and their carbon steel offerings are no different. The appearance isn’t anything to write home about, especially compared to the hand-forged options you’ll find later in this list. But if you want a functional carbon steel pan that will last you years, then the Lodge will serve you well. It's also very easy to get hold of, which can’t be said for pieces from the smaller blacksmiths.
👍 Affordable
👍 Available on Amazon
👍 Pre-seasoned
👎 Plain appearance
👎 12” size only has two small handles
👎 Handle gets hot
Marquette Castings Carbon Steel Skillet– Best Carbon Steel Skillet Made in Michigan
Marquette Castings Carbon Steel Skillet
- Weight: 4.4 lb
- Thickness: 3mm
- Sizes available: 10.75”
Marquette is a small company that manufactures their cookware on the coast of Lake Superior, where more iron ore is produced than any other region in the country. Marquette focuses on a small selection of products of the utmost quality.
Their carbon steel offering is the Marquette Castings Carbon Steel Skillet. The only size they have right now is 10.75”, and I think that’s a good size for a versatile, all-purpose pan. It's middle of the range regarding price, so this is an excellent pan if you have a budget for quality but aren’t ready to shell out over $300.
I wouldn’t recommend this pan for anyone with mobility or strength issues as this pan is quite heavy, thanks to its thick 3mm construction.
👍 Stay cool handle
👍 Middle of the price range
👍 Great for searing
👎 Heavy
👎 Only one size option
👎 Preseasoning is flaxseed oil, which can be brittle
Cast-a-Way 10” Pioneer Pan – Best Carbon Steel Pan for Baking
Cast-a-Way 10” Pioneer Pan
- Weight: 4.6 lb
- Thickness: 11 gauge (2.9mm)
- Sizes available: 8”, 10”, 12”
This Cast-a-Way 10” Pioneer Pan is an excellent alternative to a frying pan because it doubles as a baking pan. The small handles are low-profile and designed to slide onto an oven rack easily. Though, I must say, these small handles get hot and can make it hard to handle.
Cast-a-Way has a very small selection of pans available, but they are well worth considering. Compared to many small foundries, this brand’s pans are very well-priced, so you can support a small business without breaking the bank.
👍 Most affordable small business
👍 Great for baking
👍 Pre-seasoned
👎 Small handles get hot
👎 Heavy
👎 Limited pan types available
Copper State Forge Hand-Forged Carbon Steel Roasting Pan– Best Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
Copper State Forge Hand-Forged Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
- Weight: 6 lb
- Thickness: 12 gauge (2.6mm)
- Sizes available: 15x10.5”
I’m not going to beat around the bush; there’s no getting away from how beautiful this Copper State Forge Hand-Forged Roasting Pan is. Each of the Copper State Forge carbon steel pieces is hand-forged, so each is unique and has a stunning hammered finish.
This 15x10.5'' roaster harnesses the even heating and superior heat retention of carbon steel and applies it to bakeware. This is a very expensive piece, especially when compared to aluminum bakeware. But when you buy cookware like this, you’re buying the story behind the product and its show stopping aesthetic presence, too.
👍 Stunning appearance
👍 Each piece is unique
👍 Oven-to-table serving
👎 Very expensive
👎 Needs to be seasoned, unlike other roasting pans
👎 Hard to acquire
Blu Skillet Ironware 10” French Skillet– Best Carbon Steel French Skillet
Blu Skillet Ironware 10” French Skillet
- Weight: 3.15 lb
- Thickness: Not supplied
- Sizes available: 8”, 9”,10”, 13”
If you want a skillet that will last a lifetime and looks visually stunning, the Blu Skillet Ironware 10” French Skillet might be for you. Only 1000 Blu Skillet Ironware pans are made per year, so they come at a very exclusive price. But you could argue that you will use this pan for the rest of your life, so it's worth it!
A French skillet is a cross between a frying pan and a saute pan, making it very versatile. The only drawback I see is that the pan has been pre-seasoned with coconut oil, which is not a great oil for seasoning. I recommend seasoning it when you get it using a high smoke point oil like canola or grapeseed.
👍 Heirloom piece
👍 Lightweight
👍 Each piece is unique
👎 Very expensive
👎 Hard to acquire
👎 Pre-seasoning is coconut oil
Smithey Hand-Forged Carbon Steel Set– Best Carbon Steel Set Made in America
Smithey Hand-Forged Carbon Steel Set
- Weight: +/- 5.2 lb
- Thickness: Not supplied
- Pans included: Wok, farmhouse skillet, round roaster, oval roaster
If you want to go all out and buy a whole carbon steel set, then you can splurge on this Smithey Hand-Forged Carbon Steel Set.
The first thing about these pans that caught my eye was their appearance. The bronze-toned, hammered finish is beautiful, and each pan is unique because they’re hand-forged. The second thing that caught my eye was the inclusion of the wok! I love carbon steel woks and this is one of the only brands that offer one made in the USA.
👍 Stunning hammered appearance
👍 Pre-seasoned
👍 Includes a wok
👎 Very expensive
👎 Heavy
👎 Hard to get hold of
How does US-made Carbon Steel compare to European-made?
When you’re searching for high-quality carbon steel cookware, the first brands that are going to come up are European – mostly German and French. Manufacturers like Mauviel, de Buyer, and Mafter Bourgeat make products known for their purity and time-tested construction.
I mean, Europe is the birthplace of carbon steel; European pans have a rich history behind this material, so it’s no wonder it’s so sought after.
Since the production of carbon steel in Europe has been happening for so long, most of their pans (at least that are sold in the US) are factory-made. They have streamlined the production using high-tech production techniques so every pan comes out the same every time.
American carbon steel cookware production is relatively new, and most options on the market right now are hand-forged. I’m sure that as the years go on and these pans grow in popularity, more American factories will pop up that will automate production.
However, there are some areas in which I feel that America has the upper hand.
In short:
Summary
Taking quality, price, and environmental factors into consideration, I think carbon steel made in the USA is well worth a purchase. I will always recommend shopping locally where possible, and, as you can see from this roundup, there are some beautiful pieces to be found from skilled artisan blacksmiths.
I recommend the Lodge 12-inch Carbon Steel Skillet as an affordable factory-made option and the Smithey Hand-Forged Carbon Steel Set if you want to treat yourself.
