Smithey vs Field Company: an honest comparison

Two American makers of smooth, polished cast iron, built around different priorities. Here's where each one wins, with the numbers.

Prices, specs and policies checked on smithey.mom and fieldcompany.com on October 8, 2026.

Match the sizes first

The two brands number their skillets differently, which trips up a lot of comparisons. Field uses vintage-style numbering, so its No. 8 is roughly the same size as our No. 10, and its No. 10 is closer to our No. 12. Here's how comparable sizes line up, using each company's published specs.

Weight: Field is lighter

This is Field's biggest advantage, and it's real. In the 10-inch class, the Field No. 8 (listed by Field at 4.3–4.5 lb) is about 2.2–2.4 lb lighter than our No. 10. In the 12-inch class, the Field No. 10 is about 2.7 lb lighter than our No. 12. Field gets there by machining its sidewalls thin. If you'd like a lighter Smithey, our No. 10 Chef Skillet (about 4.8 lb) and No. 8 Chef Skillet (about 2.5 lb) have extended handles and sloped sides made for everyday sautéing and flipping.

The extra mass in a Smithey is intentional. Most of it sits in a thick cooking surface, which is what keeps the temperature steady when cold food hits the pan. That tradeoff shows up in the heat tests below.

Heat: Field heats faster, Smithey holds heat longer

Prudent Reviews ran two separate heat tests on 12 cast iron skillets in 2026. In the heating test, each pan sat on the same burner at medium heat for two minutes, and the reviewer measured the surface temperature at the center and near the edge. In the cooling test, each cooking surface was heated to 400°F, taken off the heat, and measured again five minutes later.

Prudent tested Field's No. 10. It didn't say which Smithey size it tested, so treat these as brand-level results rather than a size-for-size match.

One sample of each skillet was tested. Full methods and data are in the Prudent Reviews article.

Field got hotter faster. Smithey spread heat more evenly in that window and retained more of it: Smithey had the second-best heat retention of all 12 skillets, while Field had the second-lowest. In practice, a lighter pan reacts quickly when you turn the burner down, and a heavier pan stays hot when you lay down a steak or a batch of chicken thighs. Neither is wrong; they suit different cooking.

Induction and warping

Prudent Reviews also checked each skillet with a straight edge before and after holding it at 425°F on a powerful induction cooktop. The Smithey's center bowed slightly, but its heat ring kept the pan sitting stable with no wobble. The Field's center bowed past its heat ring, and the pan wobbled noticeably. Again, that's one sample of each, and both brands say their skillets work on induction. Preheating gradually is good practice with any cast iron on induction.

Cooking surface and seasoning

Both skillets have smooth, machined cooking surfaces, and both are pre-seasoned with grapeseed oil. Smithey's is machined and polished to a satin finish.

Here's an honest concession: early seasoning on a polished Smithey can look blotchy or fade in spots, especially after high-heat cooking. Prudent Reviews noted this and called it mostly cosmetic; it darkens and evens out over months of cooking. What matters more is release. In Prudent's egg test, the egg slid freely in the Smithey right away and in the Field after a slight nudge. America's Test Kitchen reported that the Smithey No. 12 released food much like a nonstick pan.

Handles and pouring

Field's main handle is a bit longer, about 5¾ inches according to Field's own comparison page. Prudent measured the Smithey handle at 5.3 inches and found its wide, flat shape comfortable and resistant to rotating in your hand, even with a towel or mitt. Prudent also found Field's helper handle the smallest of the 12 pans tested. Handle temperatures were nearly identical.

Smithey keeps two pour spouts; Field uses a flared rim you can pour from anywhere. Both poured cleanly in Prudent's test.

Price, returns and warranty

In the 10-inch class, Field is $15 cheaper ($165 vs $180). In the 12-inch class, Smithey's No. 12 ($220) and Field's No. 10 ($215) are within $5, and Field's own 12-inch-plus skillet, the No. 12, is $265.

Field accepts returns of used pans within 45 days, with the customer paying return shipping. Smithey accepts returns of new, unused cookware within 45 days; engraved pieces and factory seconds are final sale.

Both companies stand behind their cookware for life. Field offers a lifetime warranty. Smithey guarantees every skillet for life: if it's defective we replace it, and if it fails after honest and normal use we repair or replace it.

Is a Smithey right for you?

Not sure which size? The No. 12 is our best seller and suits a family of four. The No. 10 is right for one or two people. For a lighter pan, see the Chef Skillets above.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Smithey heavier than a Field skillet?

Yes. Comparing similar sizes, the Smithey No. 10 (about 6.7 lb) is about 2.2–2.4 lb heavier than the Field No. 8 (4.3–4.5 lb), and the Smithey No. 12 (about 8.7 lb) is about 2.7 lb heavier than the Field No. 10 (6 lb).

Which Smithey is the same size as a Field No. 8?

The Smithey No. 10. The Field No. 8 has a 10¼-inch top and 8¾-inch cooking surface; the Smithey No. 10 has a 10-inch top and 9-inch cooking surface.

Which holds heat better, Smithey or Field?

Smithey. In Prudent Reviews' 2026 testing, Smithey was still 217°F five minutes after reaching 400°F, versus 183°F for Field's No. 10. Prudent didn't state which Smithey size it tested.

Does a polished Smithey hold seasoning?

Yes. Seasoning on a new polished skillet can look uneven at first, which is cosmetic, and it darkens and evens out with regular cooking. Food release is excellent from the start, according to both America's Test Kitchen and Prudent Reviews.

Do Smithey and Field skillets work on induction?

Both work on gas, electric, glass and induction cooktops. In Prudent Reviews' induction warp test, the Smithey stayed stable while the Field developed a noticeable wobble (one sample each).

Can I return a used Smithey?

No. Smithey accepts returns of new, unused cookware within 45 days of delivery. Field accepts used returns within 45 days. Both offer lifetime coverage against defects.

Is Smithey worth it over Field?

If you value heat retention, stability on the cooktop and an easy-release polished surface, yes. Smithey led Field in third-party heat-retention and induction-stability testing, and America's Test Kitchen named the Smithey No. 12 a winner in its cast iron testing.

More comparisons: Is a Smithey worth it?, Premium cast iron skillets compared and Polished vs rough cast iron.

Sources

• Prudent Reviews, "Best Cast Iron Skillet? I Tested Lodge, Griswold, Smithey, Made In & More" (updated September 16, 2026)
• America's Test Kitchen, cast iron skillet review
• Field Company, "Field Company vs Smithey" (handle length, No. 8 weight)
• Field Company skillet specifications and returns
• Smithey No. 10, Smithey No. 12, Smithey refund policy and FAQ