Lodge's basic cast iron skillet has long been one of our most popular cooking tools, and it continues to be so today. It's a touch heavier than some of the other alternatives, but it outperforms everything else we tested and comes at a price that's hard to beat. When you consider that it's built in the United States by a reputable corporation with a proven track record, we don't see why most people (in the United States) would seek elsewhere. The smaller 10.25-inch skillet is probably the most practical for most individuals, but the larger 12-inch skillet is also handy, particularly for larger families.