New Kickstarter promises lighter, smoother cast iron

Cooks love cast iron. The combination of durability, simplicity, and excellent heat retention makes cast iron skillets the workhorse of many kitchens. Well-seasoned vintage pans can fetch hundreds of dollars at flea markets and antique stores. Compared to most new cast iron pans, vintage pans offer a smoother surface which translates into better seasoning and less sticking. The older pans are often a bit lighter as well, making them easier to handle.

If you’re ever wished that modern cast iron could be as good as the vintage pieces, you’re in luck. A company named Field is making a new cast iron skillet that will incorporate the smooth finish and lighter weight of the best old pans. Field’s Kickstarter project started with a modest goal of $30,000 USD. They’ve exceeded it and then some – so far they have raised over $1.4 million.

The Field Skillet is touted as being “a meticulously designed smoother, lighter cast iron pan reminiscent of the best vintage American skillets – but with a modern twist.” The developers intensely researched cast iron science, traveling as far as Poland to find the answer to the question “why don’t they make them like they used to?” After a long period of studying and testing, Field contracted with a foundry that would produce pans to their exacting specifications.

The Field Skillet – made in the USA – will come pre-seasoned and its developers claim that the pan will “pass the fried egg test” right out of the box. If you’re interested in backing this Kickstarter, you shouldn’t tarry. There is just over one full day left in the funding period – and they will ship internationally.