Keepers Updated September 16, 2026
No. 12 Cast Iron Skillet

Is it worth it?

No. 12 Cast Iron Skillet

Smithey · $220

84Keeper

Yes. It scores 84, which makes it a Keeper: built and backed to last.

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We score it again October 1.

Where the 84 comes from

Warranty26/30

Lifetime guarantee. If it is defective Smithey replaces it, and if it fails after honest and normal use they repair or replace it.

Build29/30

US-made cast iron with a polished satin-smooth surface, pre-seasoned, about 8.7 lbs with pour spouts and a helper handle.

Track record10/20

Smithey is a younger maker in Charleston, SC, so its record is shorter than the old foundries.

Repairable19/20

Bare cast iron can be re-seasoned, and Smithey runs a restoration service that strips, de-rusts and re-seasons cast iron.

Image: smithey.com

Numbers checked September 16, 2026. See the main source.

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How the score works

Things

  • Warranty, 30. What the company will actually fix or replace, read from their own policy.
  • Build, 30. Materials and construction, and whether there's anything to wear out.
  • Track record, 20. How long the maker has been making this well.
  • Repairable, 20. Whether you can get it fixed instead of replacing it.

A Keeper is our bet on what lasts. Some releases show it right away: the reviews, the players and the people behind them all point the same way, the way they did for Elden Ring. For albums, games, films and shows, 85 or above is a Keeper and 75 to 84 is worth your time. Things need 80. We score everything again as time goes by, and a Keeper that fades loses the label. Nobody pays to be here or pays for a score. Every score links to where its numbers came from. Each one has a link to find it on Amazon, and as an Amazon Associate, Keepers earns from qualifying purchases.