Perfect pan! Will last a lifetime.
OK, I wanted a cast iron skillet because I was tired of buying non stick pans with bad for me coatings that flaked off. Cast iron pans are cheap but scary for a couple of reasons: seasoning and weight. So, after reading food blogs and ratings for weeks on the Internet, I decided Victoria was best for me because the factory seasoning was supposed to be better out of the box and the 12 inch pan was 1.1 pounds lighter than Lodge with a longer handle and a better helper handle. So I got a good deal for a few bucks more than Lodge and here are the results. (1) SEASONING. Even though the factory seasoning is supposed to be good, everything I read said you must enhance it for the best performance. I enhanced the seasoned by heating it on the stove, wiping it all over with Cisco (if it was good enough for Grandma, good enough for me), and placing it upside down in an oven at 500 degrees for one hour, let it cool in the oven, and wipe off excess, if any. I did this 4 times. Some people recommend 6 seasonings but the pan had gotten really dark and black after 4 so I called it quits. Every time I use the pan I wash it out with water and a scrub brush (no soap), put in on the stove over medium heat to dry, wipe all over with Crisco, let it set to cool off a bit, and then wipe off excess. Avoid using paper towels when seasoning because they leave little bits of paper behind and that is not something I want included in my seasoning. Use a lint free towel instead. After only six weeks, I am thrilled that my eggs (using a pat off butter) slip around this thing better than my non stick pans and they cook more evenly. (2) WEIGHT. I have some arthritis issues in my hands and back. Was I crazy for getting a 6.6 pound frying pan? I sure as heck wasn't going to be tossing stir fry or flipping omelettes in this baby. But with that extra long handle and the nicely designed helper handle, I can move this around pretty well. You always have to use oven mitts because the handles gets screaming hot but still it isn't hard to hold onto. I can brown a nice pork loin roast with rub on all sides in the pan, remove, thrown in some root vegetables and onions and toss in oil, put the roast back in, throw in the oven at 350 degrees until roast is 145 degrees ( about an hour) and have a great one pot dinner with fabulously carmelized vegetables without killing my back. The frying pan is lighter than a cast iron dutch oven. Have you tried cast iron pizza? It is the crispiest pizza crust I have ever eaten. Corn bread?Yum. BOTTOM LINE. A cast iron pan is incredibly versatile. My Victoria 12 inch cast iron frying pan is well-designed, lighter-weight, incredibly well-seasoned after only 6 weeks. It is an amazing value that I expect to last the rest of my life. I am having a heck of a lot of fun discovering a new way of cooking. Although there is a new rule in my house, no one touches my cast iron but me!
✔ Verified Purchase
A great skillet. Great price
This is a great iron skillet. I love that it's a little bit lighter than Lodge skillets this size. The handles are perfect and make it so much easier lifting and using the skillet. I did wash it well and did a few rounds of seasoning before I gave it as a gift to my son for Christmas.
✔ Verified Purchase
J
Jonathan
October 28, 2025
I absolutely love these cast iron skillets!
This pan is the perfect size and fits my stove perfectly. Even though it’s a bit heavy, it’s really easy to clean. Over time, it develops a nice seasoning that keeps food from sticking. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you care about your health and don’t mind putting in a little effort to maintain it, it’ll last a lifetime. I absolutely love these cast iron skillets!
✔ Verified Purchase
Love Victoria Cast Iron. I now own 3 pieces. Will compare to Lodge.
I own the 12" skillet, the 2 qt pot and the 8" skillet.I came across Victoria when looking for a basic pot. When you check out their store you will find they sell a number of unique items in cast iron. I was very impressed.When I purchased my 12" skillet I went with Victoria over Lodge because it's just over a pound lighter and those skillets weight enough as it is.When it came time to buy an 8" skillet I again went with Victoria.Victoria cast has a smoother finish than todays Lodge cast. It is equal to or sometimes slightly lighter in weight than Lodge. This is not cheap, light weight cast from an unknown company. This is heavy weight cast of superior quality, meant to last a lifetime.They use a different oil than Lodge when pre-seasoning that has a lower smoke point. Rather than jet black, the cast resembles more of a gun metal. Manufactures pre-season cast to prevent a pan from rusting. It is simply a base to work off of when continuing to season a pan yourself. You can season via cooking or through a seasoning process. I season mine but I had some scallops I wanted to cook did so straight out of the box. Amazingly they didn't stick. I will still season it.To season cast, use a quality, high temp, cook oil. I use grape seed oil. Wipe all over and then wipe it off. Place it in an oven upside down and cook it to 20-50 deg above the smoke point of the oil. Turn the oven off and wait for your pan to cool. Repeat so than you have done this 2-3 times. Every time you wash your pan, you wipe it down with oil and wipe off the excess.When you cook, pre-heat your pan. Cast cooks evenly but it takes awhile to heat up. Once heated, add your oil and turn down your heat to a low to medium setting. When your done cooking, add a bit of hot water to the pan & go eat. When your done eating, rinse the pan in hot water. It should be clean. If it's not, scrub with a stiff brush or chain-mail. Dull black is carbon, you don't want that. If you end up scrubbing down to metal, just re-season once in your oven. There is a learning curve going from aluminum non-stick pans to cast iron. Some pans take longer than others to season. Much of this depends on how you cook and what you cook. No worries, yours will pass the egg test in no time.If a pan gets a slight bit of rust. No worries. Mix up some citric acid or use lemon juice, it will come right out. Oil it and bake it in the oven.
✔ Verified Purchase
