Unboxing the Stargazer Cast Iron Skillet and Cooking Breakfast For Dinner
In February of 2020 I received an email from an unexpected party: Stargazer Cast Iron, asking me to review their 10.5 inch cast iron skillet. I'd been eyeing Stargazer's cast iron pans for a while now, since these new "elite" cast iron manufacturers have been showing up over the past decade. I do already have quite a few cast iron skillets, though, and it was difficult to justify the cost of buying yet another cast iron pan, especially when the Stargazer pan sells for $95 on their Web site. But, I had a lot of fun using this, and I could definitely say if you felt like investing in this pan, you would not regret it one bit. This is a lifetime investment, just the same as if you were to pay a hefty price for a vintage Griswold pan, and indeed it would be better to compare this to a vintage Griswold rather than a Lodge. This pan definitely lives up to its promise, and when you use a Stargazer cast iron pan, you can be sure you'll be returning to this pan again and again. I do have quite a few vintage skillets in my collection, and I'm always looking for reasons to use them -- but you can be sure I'm going to be tempted to use this Stargazer pan, probably even more often than my Finex skillet.
I hope you enjoy this review, and I hope it helps you to form an honest opinion of the Stargazer cast iron skillet. This skillet can be purchased at the Web site for Stargazer Cast Iron, at: www.stargazercastiron.com
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Crisbee Cast Iron Seasoning: crisbee.org/
Cowboy Kent says season EVERY TIME you use “iron”. All Stargazer did is get you started. There is no implication that the seasoning is going to be maintenance-free for any period of time.
Cowboy Kent also says to grind down Lodge pans. That’s one reason why I don’t bother following Cowboy Kent and why you don’t see him referenced or mentioned on this channel.
@@castironchaos it seems that for every 10 people you talk to about caring for cast iron, you get 11 opinions. My opinion is that you have to season your cast iron regularly. Maybe not every time, but often. Do you disagree?
@@emmgeevideo Only 11? :P Yes, cast iron does have to be seasoned regularly, but exactly how often differs from person to person.
@@emmgeevideo After the initial seasoning I have never seasoned any of my cast iron and the seasoning has held up great, even on the pans that only get used every few months. I of course always preheat the pan and oil the inside of it before cooking and this seems to be enough to maintain the seasoning.
@@castironchaos are you referring to new or vintage Lodge? There are sellers on Etsy who grind down brand new Lodge pans to a beautiful, smooth finish and I've considered getting a few. Is there some reason I'm not aware of that makes that a bad idea? Genuine question/concern.
Man, don't we wish they only weighed 5 1/2 ounces! Keep up the great work!
Nice video. I have two Stargazers. I cooked with the first one right out of the box and found the seasoning from the factory didn't hold up the greatest, although it did seem better than your experience. I seasoned the 2nd one three times before cooking with it, with much better results. So, going forward, I would recommend applying at least two rounds of seasoning before using.
I have a Stargazer and love it even heat, nice helper handle far away enough to not burn your knuckles, can pour off liquid at any point, it takes the handle awhile to heat up and the handle is a cooking spoon rest...very versatile...use it alot
I've seen several reviews of these Stargazer skillets and the response always seems to be a thumbs up. Looks like a really good product. But I've been happy with my Lodge collection and probably won't be spending the bucks for the Stargazer. I could use one more 12" skillet and will probably grab one if I stumble across it somewhere. Here in the west there's plenty of old iron hanging around unused that can be picked up for not much. That's what I and my cheapskate wallet will probably do. Great review - you put it to a good test and it passed with flying colors. Nicely done. Thanks.
I love love love my stargazer. I use it pretty much daily. I could have sanded down a lodge but I felt like the price of a stargazer was worth it and its actually a good bit cheaper than competitive smooth modern cast iron.
Nice...it makes me want one. Thanks for the video.
Stargazer is an awesome company but they're prices are through the foundry's roof.
Great video and stargazer is in my future 👍😊 I really like that smooth finish and I love cast iron.
Had mine for a couple years now, easily my favorite skillet of the half dozen(ish) I have
Always enjoy your videos.i will say they are a beautiful skillet .at the moment my favorite is my #10 early 1920s Wagner .
I have one got it at a thrift store cleaned up and I love it
Great video, was a lot of fun to watch an "out of the box, Right to the kitchen" video. Awesome.
I finally found a 10.5'' Stargazer from a private seller here in Germany (you can order them from Stargazer, but the shipping costs are insane). The inside finish is simply perfect. The outside and handles could be a little smoother for my taste, they still tear apart towels (although much less than a Lodge). I'm thinking of polishing those parts myself like I did with all my other cast iron skillets. At the prices they're sold in the US, I think the Stargazer skillets are priced very fairly if you know the amount of manual work put into them. Yes, the initial seasoning doesn't hold up very well but the same goes for my self polished cast iron. It simply takes some time and care in the beginning. I really like the design and craftsmanship of the Stargazer. If they buffed the outer sides and handles a little better, I would be 100% satisfied. Due to the long handle and the big helper handle, the 10.5'' skillet barely fits my oven. So does a 14'' Lodge L12SK3 which has a lot more cooking surface. I don't regret buying the Stargazer. Using and cleaning it is fun and it is also a beautiful skillet to look at. I'm going to spent a few months in the US at some point within the next two years. I hope, Stargazer will have come up with a 14'' skillet with two helper handles by then. I'd love to bring such a skillet and another 10.5'' with me when I travel back home.
That is absolutely BEAUTIFUL.
I noticed your necklace is similar to the emblem on the skillet, coincidence? Lol, just being a smart Alec, I couldn't resist. I own the 12 inch I purchased last year, it is my go to for everything. I love this skillet. I cannot wait until they come out with an 8 inch, it will be a wonderful addition to my collection. Love the videos, I'm jealous of many of the pans you have. Have an awesome day!
great review! results as i expected them to be ... if i were to break away from my vintage pans, Stargazer is (and has been) at the top of my list ... IMO Stargazer is the clear innovator in the boutique cast iron arena; love the handle & lip/no pour spouts ... thx Eric!
Ive been using my stargazer since 2016.After many attempts to keep the seasoning uniform I gave up, because it always seemed to come off. Now I just cook with it and don't worry about looks.
The important part is how well it cooks. That's why I wasn't concerned with the seasoning coming off with the first use.
I'm gonna 'Lodge' a complaint! They stole your logo!
Thank you for your honest review, I have a friend whom works for Stargazer! I have to say that everyone at Stargazer are truly dedicated to making the best cast iron pans that they possibly can and the pans are truly a good comparison to the great pans of yesteryear
Hi Jim, I noticed that you mentioned that you have a friend who works for Stargazer, could you drop a bug in his ear and mention that they need to get busy on an 8 inch, I'm holding out buying one so I can purchase from them when they come out with that size. Mucho appreciated. I own the 12 inch and I'm a huge fan, I love that skillet!
ronnor58 I drop him the hint! Totally agree there pans are awesome 👏
ronnor58 Hey just spoke with my friend from stargazer he said it’s in the works for early 2021 for the 8 inch pan you are looking for. Hope that helps you!
Thank you very much for the update, I truely appreciate the time you took to ask and respond back with the information. The beauty of You Tube! I hope you have an awesome day inspite of all that's going on! Let your friend know I'll wait. A loyal Stargazer customer.
ronnor58 you’re most welcome 🙏 You Stay healthy and blessed
Well now I have a good basis for making eggs and hash but I never thought about.... thanks @castironchaos ! I got one of these somewhere towards the beginning and I found that it was hard to get a seasoning layer to stick because of how smooth it was. I also just don't have enough Room for the skillets I own and I try to use them but I have more than I can use. So no one skill it gets too much continuous use.
What lid are you using? Thanks for the great video.
Best value while maintaining performance in all of Modern Cast iron
I can not get stargazer in Scotland but have a few Lodge pans and have just used for the first time my brand new Victoria 12 inch pan had to wait a couple of weeks for delivery from Amazon US but well worth it. So impressed with this pan. It's pre seasoned but not as rough as my Lodge so didn't bother sanding just used it and wow I'm blown away can't praise it enough. Beautiful high long handle and helper. recommend this pan. Always looking out for others though. We do not have the same cast iron choice you have in the US your seasoning Crissbee? is about $45 to get here. Just love Cast iron cooking and watching KZhead videos. Cheers everyone.
Omg, u had me when u brought out the Wagner magnalite lid!!!
those eggs looked perfect! yum
Thanks for the video! Good on you for turning down the affiliate program. Like you I believe that you get a more honest review of products that way. I will certainly be looking at getting one of these pans in the future.
I happened upon this great video as I was sitting down to a swiss cheese omelet with rosemary and wild garlic scallions picked from my yard and prepared in my vintage bsr chefs skillet .so alas, you did not get to make me hungry this time! congrats on copping a terrific skillet for free and thanks for posting this fun review. the pan looks absolutely fab. to rich for my blood though, at least at this time. a question, do you happen to know if anyone has done a review of the "greater goods" 10" cast iron pan. greater goods claims a smooth cooking surface at a reasonable price. around 49-50 bucks I recall. they also claim to share profits with charity organizations, and that's a good thing. I would be well pleased if you could drop me a line on that subject and as always I look forward to your great video's and content!!!
The bottom is to pretty 💓thank you for sharing this with us! I was disappointed in the rough texture of my campchef Dutch oven I received for Christmas . Everything stuck to it because of the rough texture. I never find any good cast iron in my thrift stores . You are lucky in my area if someone wants to part with one at a garage sale. Any good Dutch oven brands new or used you'd recommend for bread soups etc?
You can't go wrong with a Lodge dutch oven, or a vintage dutch oven if you're lucky enough to find one.
@@castironchaos thank you for your recommendations!
I inherited a Wagner and a couple of Vollrath skillets. Very smooth and non stick. If I didn't have those I would get a Stargazer, no more room!
Nice review, star gazes are nice.
These look nice, but also check out the new Austin Foundry pans made in Sheboygan, they have smooth ground interior.
Hot tip: Lodge makes a chainmail scrubber thats wrapped in a sponge shaped block of silicone which lets water run through it. $20 or get a knock off for $11 on Amazon. I like that it has structure and you can just grab and scrub. Check it out!
You should re-season your pan after every use.
dude what's the skinny on the perfect lid for the stargazer ? please and thank you.
Use the Easy Percy Seasoning Stick for seasoning...try it!
Been eyeing the Stargazer for awhile now. Curious to know why you (seem to) like it over the Finex?
I received the Finex as an Xmas present in 2014. Since then I've had to re-season it at least twice, because it doesn't hold seasoning well. It's the best pan for cooking steaks.
From the video it looks like a iron colored enamel coating inside the pan. From your opinion, does this have a light enamel coating or is it just a pure cast iron with preseason?
It's bare cast iron with two initial coatings of seasoning (with vegetable oil).
Crazy question but I’ll ask! Wonder if it would lay flat on a glass cooktop stove without wobble hopefully it should but who knows. peace
They flatten the bottom and even measure it with a special tool. Well, actually they put a slight upwards bow to it so it flattens out when heated up. My 10.5'' isn't perfectly flat on my induction stove, but it's easily within the usual 'tolerances' of cast iron and doesn't affect the cooking performance at all.
Lancaster is making pans here in PA, maybe they will be smart and send you some. They look really well made and figure about double the price of this stargazer. Thanks
R C Is there a company In Lancaster, name? I go to Lancaster often from here in NJ.
@@Rob_430 Lancaster cast iron
I love my stargazer. It sure was worth the money to me and I’m on a fixed income. I don’t like the surface on the new lodges. As they say you get what you pay for. Thanks
Hello. I would like to know if the skillet darkened overtime. I like my skillets black looking Looking foward to your response. Thank you.
What’s the lizard for?
Thank you for your review and thoughts of the Stargazer pan. Miss your old counter top though.
I want one for sure
Mmmm potatoes. I still have yet to master them in one of my skillets.
The Field #8 lid fits the 10.5" Stargazer skillet perfectly. 12/26/20
Glad to hear that Field has a lid.
Me and you have the same exact oven, even sounds the same lol
That's a very cool pan. I would never pay that much for one though. For that kind of money, I would buy a good carbon steel pan for that kind of money.
How often should it need reseasoned
Eric, great review, ide love to see a 1 year review, and have just a couple questions…1, do you think using the less starchy yellow potato haloed to avoid sticking, and 2, it didn’t appear the eggs, made any or hardly any contact with the pan, do you think that, also avoided a sticking issue? Maybe next time we could see some regular russets, and some scrambled eggs and maybe an omelette…..
Star Gazer, if you want me to do a review of your product, no problem! Send me a free skillet and a few stickers and magnets and I'll do it up. All of my iron is pre-1939 (Wagner, Griswold, some turn of the century Canadian makers, etc.), so if I like this thing, it'll certainly be an endorsement!
I do like my Stargazer, but I feel like I got B-grade product. It took almost a year for mine to ship, and between my order date and the ship date they switched foundries because the first one couldn't keep up with demand. As a result, I feel like I received a unit that wouldn't have normally passed QC. Instead of the bottom being flat and evenly textured like show in the video, mine has a sanded smooth area in the middle. My assumption was it didn't come out flat, and they just sanded it flat so they could ship it since they were behind on orders. It still cooks fine, but just a bit of a bummer because for the price you'd expect perfection. I really doubt this is a problem anymore. I played my order in July 2016, and received it June 2017. They were switching foundries in late 2016. I would imagine the kinks are worked out by now.
I do feel the pan itself is a first-rate product with no flaws, but the seasoning is turning out to be a problem.
@@castironchaos If mine didn't have the one issue with the bottom, it would have been first-rate for sure. I have been doing OK with the seasoning on mine, using their included puck after each use to give it a light coat. And also cooking things that are generally fatty in the first place (bacon), or using oil during the cook (fried potatoes). But I did ruin my seasoning by cooking something I should have just used a non-stick for (frozen orange chicken meal), and then waiting until the next day to clean it. I just ordered a Larbee stick to try out when I redo the seasoning. It's made by Crisbee, and is the same as their Crisbee stick/pucks, but lard based. Lard is tried and true, and these sticks are just convenient/less messy. Hopefully it works out well!
@@castironchaos do you think it might be because of the smooth surface? I ground down a Lodge to a very smooth surface without the typical course texture of the pan. Found it to take a while to get seasoned correctly. During the process end I used Flax-seed oil which gave it a nice thick seasoning and worked pretty good.
@@castironchaos Thank you for your honesty. I thought I wanted one, but not if the seasoning will not hold up. In my area it is close to impossible to get decent vintage cast iron because there are so many collectors that snap them up for resale at a high profit, mostly higher than Stargazers prices.
That's a very cool pan. I would never pay that much for one though. For that kind of money, I would buy a good carbon steel pan.
Reasonable in comparison to other new ci brands
They have a new 13.5 Braiser available soon. 11/25/21
Yes, regarding the search for lids… why do these manufacturers not make proper size damn lids for their skillets!?!? Victoria wins the star on the fridge for their lovely little 6.5 inch pans which have a (order separately) perfect size glass lid with a nice little stainless steel lid that fits dead on. They are on American Amazon. I purchased 2 and they are a dream right out of the box (plus 1 seasoning) to cook perfect eggs. Also reasonably priced - $12.99 for the skillet and $13 for the lid. No, I don’t work for Amazon or Victoria but I’m just so damn thrilled with the skillet I like to spread the word. I think a lot of these new skillets are nice, but way over priced. I saw little pits in your Stargazer as you turned it. They’re all just grey iron after all.
Because designing and producing a (cadt iron) lid pretty much cost the same as the same process for a skillet. The expected revenue is much less, so it's a financial risk for a young company like Stargazer. Even Lodge, who have been around for quite a while, only offer a few lids in the most popular sizes. There's dozens of affordable aftermarket lids (mostly made of glass or stainless steel) to chose from. It shouldn't be too hard to find one that fits the Stargazer skillet.
@@berniem.6965 glass
I had oven roasted yellow potatoes in my square Lodge today. I thought the stargazer handle would stay cool longer. It's similar to the Lodge Blacklock Skillet's handle which stays cool quite a while on my induction cooktop. Now you have me craving bacon. Might be my late night snack.
Why didn’t you do the recommended FULL SEASONING BEFORE your first cook ? You would have discovered your bacon would not have stuck at all.
Because the instructions also stated the pan came seasoned and could be used right out of the box. However, the bacon didn't stick anyway. :)
Now I have to go make breakfast. I'm starving after watching this.
Hmmm, $145 and 8 week wait for a Stargazer or $20 and pick up today at Walmart for a Lodge... tough one! Oh wait, $15 for the 10.25"...
Plus a few bucks for sand paper or a quick strip disc and beetween 30 minutes and 2 hours of dirty work to polish the Lodge. Plus another 30 minutes up to many hours to reseason it (depending on the method and numbers of layers). You're comparing apples and oranges. Why buy a Mercedes, Bugatti or Lamborghini? A used Ford Pinto will transport you from A to B as well.
*the way ?
14:25 Aaaaaaa! Horrors! Chain mail? You did exactly what they told you not to do. That's why the seasoning didn't stay. Thank you for showing us the cooking. I wondered if it would be the first pancake throwaway situation. It looked like you were having a problem with one spot when cooking the bacon but it went away when you did the potatoes. Did the factory seasoning feel a bit splotchy when you were doing the bacon?
Dude .. that’s the problem when everyone and their mother makes videos about cast iron. The first thing you cooked was „of course“ bacon .. Let me quote the *cooking tips* from the stargazer website: „Contrary to popular belief, bacon is a terrible choice to cook first in a new skillet. Bacon and all other meats are highly acidic and will remove your seasoning“. You could see the grease from the bacon sticking to the pan in the video. And I know, it is actually a quite popular belief to start with cooking bacon, and while the pan dealt with it pretty well, I wouldn’t recommend it for your first cooking with the stargazer. Just my two cents, I know that if you ask 10 people about cast iron, you will get 11 different opinions.
Bacon has lots od sugar so it will stick and yep its not a good one to start with..
Bacon is a good choice for first cooking and is not acidic
I meant Easy Peezy
I like mine …..handle feels wide for my smaller hands though
Season it new again before using it
95 dollars isn't expensive! That is cheap when you step up above Lodge.
Correction: the weight is 5.25 LBS, not ounces. Obviously, of course, unless you speak metric normally.
Hmm, your necklace either just happens to match the company's logo... I think you are the secret owner of Stargazer.
No such luck. :)
Your suppose to preheat skillet with a little olive oil, use ((low heat)) always then your food, once done with cooking you should rinse the skillet with hot water and a drop of dawn dish soap and then a drop of vinegar scrub skillet with nylon brush, rinse. Dry, then re-season with olive oil, then let skillet naturally cool.
No. Wrong. Soap not necessary. Vinegar to wash? To season? For maintenance? Absolutely not! Shouldn't speak out like you are a cast iron expert when you most certainly are not. There are many different techniques all over KZhead and elsewhere. Some methods are personal and some are very misinformed. Anyone thinking of following this advice should do diligent research first. Just remember the differences in opinions and egos of the self-proclaimed experts should only be followed with caution and eyes wide open.
Dish soap / Dawn? Sure, perfectly fine as long as you apply a little fresh oil to the dry skillet afterwards. But vinegar? Why? What effect do you expect from it? It's an acid, so it will affect the seasoning to a certain extent, even if only applied shortly. What benefit do you get in return? I do use acids like vinegar, oxal acid or citric acid to clean stainless steel (or glass surfaces). The acid doesn't affect those materials so I have the cleaning effect with no drawbacks. But on iron cookware? I see no residue that couldn't also be removed using other methods that have no negative effect on the seasoning (hot water, scraper, brush, chainmail, soap, coarse salt).
5 1/4 punds not ounces..o
I own loads of great cooking iron. I purchased one of these 12" models about a year ago. I really want to like this skillet but it is my least favorite piece of iron for the simple reason that it does not hold seasoning. I have others like a Field, several pieces of antique iron, a Finex and loads of Lodge. I have never had a skillet more willing to release its seasoning than this Stargazer. I season it properly, many times in the oven, but then if I use it to cook steaks or something the juices from the cooking process will just lift that seasoning right up and away leaving a shiny piece of steel, ready to rust. Ahhhh! Well, Cast Iron Chaos, let us know how your experience is, but as far as I can tell I would only recommend a Field skillet if you're looking for some good modern iron. Otherwise just grab a Lodge.
They have updated their method since then, using some kind of sand blasting technique that holds seasoning better. I have had mine for almost a year so maybe it's not long enough but I have never seen any seasoning lost.
I thought I wanted one, but am now scared to spend the $ if the seasoning won't hold up.
LOL, I love these cast iron videos that put a TON of oil in a pan and then talk about how its not sticking. With that much oil it shouldn't stick...not even to stainless steel. I just think its funny. Ill stick to my $20 lodge. The prices for these "modern" caste iron skillets is OUT. OF. CONTROL.
He didn't put oil its just the bacon grease. It would've stuck if the surface wasn't as good. The bacon would've stuck before it had a chance to release of of it's grease They're expensive because it's made in the USA. Much rather have them made on China and have them be cheaper but yes American pride
Agreed. That is a ton of grease.
New CI skillets need oil, whether they cost $20 or $200. You can back off with it quite a bit once you have used them a bit.
LOL 5+1/4 oz
Nothing should stick if you are using all that fat. Not a legit non stick test.
sell out
And can you describe how?
sir, you can't cook.
such boring reviews zzzzzz