Yeti Solid Iron Skillet Evaluation

Once I heard Yeti launched a forged iron skillet, I knew I needed to check it. In spite of everything, Yeti is a significant participant within the gear world, with coolers that’ll maintain your meals chilled for days and sturdy and colourful tumblers and mugs that lots of our editors use and love. May Yeti’s new forged iron skillet match (and probably surpass) forged iron heavyweights like Lodge? I acquired my fingers on its newly launched 12-inch skillet and put it by means of a battery of assessments to seek out out. 

The Assessments

• Warmth Map Check: I set the skillet over medium warmth on my electrical vary and used an infrared thermometer to take the temperature of the left aspect, heart, and proper aspect of the skillet’s floor. I did this each 30 seconds for 4 minutes to see how rapidly and evenly the skillet heated. 
• Pancake Check: I made pancakes on the skillet noting in the event that they caught and if it was straightforward to maneuver an offset turner spatula beneath the pancakes to flip them. 
• Fried Egg Check: I remodeled straightforward eggs within the skillet, flipping them with a fish spatula and seeing in the event that they caught. 
• Seared Rooster Thigh Check: I seared skin-on hen thighs, noting how rapidly and evenly the pores and skin crisped. 
• Seared Steak Check: I cooked two filet mignon steaks within the skillet to check the pan’s searing skill. 
• Cornbread Check: I baked cornbread within the Yeti skillet, noting if the consequence was evenly cooked and if it turned out readily onto a cooling rack. I additionally famous if the skillet was straightforward to maneuver out and in of the oven.

What We Realized

The Yeti Is a New-College Fashion Skillet

Longtime forged iron skillet makers like Lodge and Victoria make pans which are tough across the edges—actually. Out of the field, these skillets have pebbled surfaces and are oily black from a number of rounds of seasoning. New-school skillets, like these from Lancaster, Discipline Co, and now Yeti, are markedly completely different: They’ve {smooth}, polished surfaces which are coppery or ashy grey. Whereas they’re seasoned, it’s as much as the prepare dinner to construct up that blackened patina. They’re additionally usually lighter than the beefy choices from Lodge. 

I like each kinds of skillets: The Lodge and Victoria deliver strong efficiency at an reasonably priced value, whereas the brand new college of forged iron affords smooth, light-weight pans that’ll price you extra. The Yeti falls into the latter class, with a buttery-smooth floor, coppery patina, and comparatively light-weight kind. 

Its Efficiency Was (Largely) Good 

As I wrote in my evaluation, forged iron is deceptively easy: “At their core, forged iron skillets are only a massive honkin’ piece of metallic. No cladding, no nonstick coating—only a strong pan that retains warmth rather well.” And the Yeti was no exception. It was adept at getting a golden brown crust on steak and hen, and cornbread baked evenly and launched simply. That stated, I discovered the 5.25-inch deal with quick, particularly since I examined the bigger 12-inch skillet. This made flipping the skillet to take away the cornbread an acrobatic feat, although it did emerge cleanly. It additionally made swirling oil across the pan a two-handed process. 

The pan was principally good at releasing meals, although I did have some sticking with pancakes and eggs. Nonetheless, it’s doubtless the pan simply wasn’t sizzling sufficient. 

It Heated Up Shortly and Retained Warmth Nicely 

Forged iron might not warmth evenly, however it positive does maintain onto warmth. The Yeti hit 430°F within the heart after 4 minutes, which was spectacular. To not point out it noticed a 97% warmth enhance between 30 seconds and 60 seconds, leaping from a 70ºF common floor temperature to 139ºF. It additionally held onto warmth nicely, showcased after I seared a number of pairs of hen thighs in a row and every emerged with crispy, golden pores and skin. 

The Verdict

Forged iron skillets are easy and as such, most “flaws” need to do with form, weight, and ergonomics. With this in thoughts, the Yeti is a wonderfully acceptable forged iron skillet. It heated up rapidly and retained warmth nicely, seared meats properly, and baked cornbread that launched simply. The 12-inch skillet I examined is seven kilos, which is heavy, however the 10-inch skillet is a little bit beneath 5 kilos, which is on par with the opposite 10-inch skillets I examined in my forged iron pan evaluation. It appears to be like good, with a coppery end and {smooth} floor. My largest qualm with the Yeti is its value: The ten-inch skillet is $200, whereas the 12-inch skillet is a whopping $250. You will get incredible efficiency from skillets which are a lot cheaper. That stated, if you wish to get your fingers on this skillet, it does its job nicely.

The Execs

The Yeti skillet has a big floor space that heated up rapidly and seared steak and hen thighs golden brown. It additionally baked up good cornbread, and I had no points with sticking after I turned it out onto a cooling rack. When it got here to frying eggs, I did have some sticking, although the yolks didn’t break, so I’ll name {that a} win. Total, the skillet did what it was speculated to do. 

The Cons

It’s the most costly forged iron skillet I’ve examined. Whereas I did notice in my unique evaluation {that a} pricier forged iron skillet isn’t a nasty factor, the 10-inch Yeti is costlier than the heritage skillets I favored in that testing: The Yeti 10-inch skillet is $200, versus $165 for the Discipline Co 10-inch providing, and it’s not prefer it carried out exponentially higher. Past value, I did have some sticking after I first used the skillet to prepare dinner pancakes, although I feel the skillet simply wanted to be hotter. I additionally had some sticking after I fried eggs, although they did keep entire.  

Key Specs

• Sizes accessible: 8, 10, and 12 inch
• Weight: 7 kilos (12-inch mannequin)
• Deal with size: 5.25 inches
• Thickness: 4 millimeters
• Backside diameter: 10.5 inches
• Prime diameter: 13 inches
• Helper deal with: Sure
• Pre-seasoned: Sure
• Cleansing: Hand-wash, dry, and rub with excessive smoke level, impartial oil
• Induction-friendly: Sure

FAQs

Does Yeti make a forged iron skillet?

Sure, Yeti has launched a forged iron skillet that is available in eight, 10, and 12-inch sizes. 

What dimension forged iron skillet is finest?

We predict a 10-inch skillet is an efficient dimension for most individuals because it serves two to 4. A 12-inch skillet can turn out to be useful for cooking bigger dishes or teams. 

Why We’re the Consultants

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Critical Eats 
• She examined forged iron skillets for the location and has been cooking with forged iron for years.
• To check the Yeti skillet, she used an infrared thermometer to take its temperature each 30 seconds for 4 minutes. She made pancakes, fried eggs, seared steak and hen, and baked cornbread. 

Editor’s notice: We obtained a press pattern of the Yeti forged iron skillet, however all of our opinions are our personal.