Five Great Reasons to Love Vintage Cast Iron Pans

  Within the Pimbleberry Collection are some of the finest examples of American Cast Iron Pans that were produced in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are several reasons why we are enamored with old cast iron skillets. From the history, to the way they were made to their health benefits these pans are incredible kitchen accessories. We have listed below some of the best things about old cast iron pans.   

These are a few of our favorite things about vintage cast iron skillets

1. How Vintage Cast Iron Was Made

 Vintage cast iron skillets were not made the same way that cast iron skillets are made today. Old cast iron was made by hand and this allowed for a better and lighter product ( yet still sturdy) to be made than what comes out of a factory in modern times. Hand poured into sand molds these vintage pans were finished to make thier surfaces smoother. You will see that when comparing vintage cast iron to modern cast iron skillets that you need far fewer layers of oil to season a vintage pan and get a great non-stick surface.  

2. A Superior and Healthier Non-Stick Cooking Surface

  Cast Iron Skillets were renown for their even heat distribution as well as their non-stick surfaces. In modern times thinner pans coated with chemicals to create non-stick surfaces were invented, but these surfaces scratched. Studies later found that when cooking on scratched non-stick pans than people ingested the particles from these surfaces such as those made with Teflon. There were also concerns about the gasses that their surfaces would emit when these modern pans would overheat. You have NONE of these worries with vintage cast iron skillets. You can go from the stove top straight to a hot oven and even cut a steak in these pans.  There is also the added health benefit that your body will get extra iron from foods cooked in a cast iron skillet. 

3. A Piece of Americana 

  If your grandmother or great-grandmother used cast iron cookware, then chances are they were either made by Griswold, Wagner or Lodge. These were the big three of American Cast Iron cooking. Founded in the later 19th century these companies helped Americans feed their families for decades to come. When you own one of these pans, imagine how many mouths it fed. Just think of how many birthday dinners or holiday meals from last century were prepared with that same Pan.  

4. Family History

  It is far from uncommon for cast iron skillets to be passed down from one generation to the next and then to the next. That is one of the enduring qualities of vintage cast iron, they endure! They become family keepsakes not only for sentimental reasons, but for practical reasons. These pans are utilitarian in nature. They can be used for delicate work such as cooking eggs, to baking a batch of corn bread to roasting vegetables. Who would not want to be reminded of the wonderful meals your mother or grandmother would cook in that exact same pan that now adorns your own stove top?  

5. Vintage Cast Iron Skillets are the Perfect Gift

  A vintage cast iron skillet has been considered a thoughtful gift given to newlyweds, as part of a kitchen starter kit for people moving into their first apartment or as a house warming present. They truly are the perfect and practical gift to give to someone who is beginning a new chapter in their lives.  

Every home should have a vintage cast iron pan in their kitchen. A good vintage cast iron skillet makes an excellent kitchen accessory that will not need to be replaced every few years due to wear and usage. In fact, it can quickly become a family treasure that is worthy of being passed down to the next cook in the family. 

 Please be sure to check out some of our vintage cast iron skillets that are available now from Pimbleberry in our kitchen collection   

- The Pimbleberry Team