Butter Pat Industries · Cast Iron Skillets
NO. 12 Cast Iron Skillet
Lower-concern cookware, cast iron has no inherent PFAS risk.
Cast iron skillets are bare metal cookware with no synthetic coatings, so they do not require or typically contain PFAS. Butter Pat Industries makes traditional seasoned cast iron, which carries negligible PFAS risk compared to nonstick or treated cookware. No disclosure needed because the material itself is not a PFAS vector.
Shop Butter Pat Industries on Amazon →Material
cast iron (bare metal)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Uncoated safe material
Bare, uncoated material (cast iron, stainless, carbon steel, or glass) with no surface treatment to contain PFAS.
Category baseline
cookware is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The NO. 12 is bare cast iron, a metal alloy of iron and carbon with no synthetic coating. Cast iron cookware has been used safely for over a century and does not leach harmful chemicals into food under normal cooking conditions. The material itself is inert at typical stovetop and oven temperatures, and the seasoning layer (oil polymerized on the surface) creates a natural, food-safe finish that improves with age. No Teflon-type coating, ceramic, enamel, or other synthetic coatings are present, eliminating risks associated with those materials.
The brand's record and disclosure
Butter Pat Industries maintains a low public profile with minimal transparency statements on safety testing or material sourcing. No formal certifications (such as NSF or FDA approval documentation) have been located in standard public sources. No recalls, safety controversies, or formal complaints about the NO. 12 have been established in available records. The brand's silent stance on PFAS and other chemical testing is typical for small/mid-range cast iron manufacturers but leaves independent verification limited to material category knowledge.
How it compares in its category
Bare cast iron skillets are among the lowest-risk cookware options from a chemical hazard perspective, lacking the coating degradation or leaching concerns of enameled, non-stick, or ceramic alternatives. Cast iron sits alongside stainless steel as a durable, non-coated option. The NO. 12 is competitively positioned in the standard bare cast iron market; performance and safety are determined primarily by manufacturing and maintenance rather than brand differentiation.
If you buy it
Maintain the seasoning layer by hand-washing (not dishwasher), drying immediately, and light oiling after use; avoid prolonged soaking or acidic food storage. Cast iron is safe for all stovetop, oven, and broiler use up to 500F (standard oven limit). Replace only if the cooking surface develops deep pitting, cracks, or excessive rust that cannot be restored by re-seasoning. Monitor for rust in humid storage; wipe and re-oil if discoloration appears.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Iron leaching
Cast iron can transfer small amounts of iron to acidic or prolonged-contact foods (tomato sauce, wine, high-moisture preparations). This is not a toxicity hazard for most people but may be relevant to those managing iron intake medically. Leaching increases if seasoning is thin or damaged.
Lead in raw material
No recalls or test results indicating lead contamination in Butter Pat Industries cast iron have been identified. Cast iron ore and scrap feedstock used by reputable manufacturers typically show negligible lead; however, Butter Pat Industries has not published sourcing or testing documentation.
Rust and oxidation
Bare cast iron will rust if exposed to moisture without protective oil seasoning. Surface rust is not immediately hazardous but can degrade the cooking surface and may impart metallic taste; it is preventable and reversible with proper maintenance.
Seasoning compound exposure (if user-applied)
The NO. 12 arrives pre-seasoned; however, if re-seasoning with high-heat oil (e.g., grapeseed, avocado), users should ensure oil is food-grade and applied thinly. Factory seasoning is not documented publicly, but bare cast iron itself carries no inherent seasoning hazard.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 92% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Cast Iron Skillets
Caraway
12” Enameled Cast Iron Large Skillet
Enameled cast iron
Lower-concern cookware; enameled cast iron is an inherently safer base, and Caraway has publicly committed to PFAS-free formulations.
⚠Risky category by default
More cast iron skillets grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.