Smithey Ironware Co. · Cast Iron Skillets
Smithey No. 11 Deep Skillet with Glass Lid
Lower PFAS concern, traditional cast iron with no synthetic coatings.
Smithey No. 11 is a bare cast-iron skillet with natural seasoning, not a nonstick coating. Cast iron has no PFAS-bearing Teflon-family coating layer and poses lower concern than coated cookware. The brand makes no PFAS claims because none are needed for an uncoated product.
Shop Smithey Ironware Co. on Amazon →Material
cast iron, seasoned finish
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
cookware is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
Uncoated safe material
Bare, uncoated material (cast iron, stainless, carbon steel, or glass) with no surface treatment to contain PFAS.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Smithey No. 11 is solid cast iron with a seasoned (oil-polymerized) cooking surface, not enameled or chemically coated. Cast iron's inert nature means no risk of synthetic coating breakdown, flaking, or fume release during normal use. The glass lid is typically soda-lime silicate, chemically stable under typical stovetop and oven temperatures. This material combination avoids the hazard classes associated with polymer-coated cookware (Teflon-type coating, epoxy resins, etc.).
The brand's record and disclosure
Smithey Ironware Co. does not publicly disclose PFAS testing results or certifications for this product, though the product design itself (traditional cast iron) carries low inherent PFAS risk. The brand has no documented recalls or safety controversies on record for this model. As a heritage cast-iron maker, Smithey's production focuses on casting and seasoning rather than synthetic coating systems, which aligns with lower-hazard construction.
How it compares in its category
Traditional seasoned cast iron is among the lowest-hazard cooking vessel options available; it avoids concerns that affect enameled cast iron (lead in glaze, enamel flaking) and nonstick cookware (Teflon-type coating degradation, fume risk above 500F). The Smithey sits at the premium end of cast-iron pricing but offers no safety advantage over budget cast-iron alternatives in this respect. Glass lids are inert; this is a neutral choice versus metal lids.
If you buy it
Season and maintain the cooking surface regularly with food-grade oil to preserve the protective layer and prevent rust. Avoid prolonged acidic food contact (tomato sauce, wine, vinegar) on unseasoned or thin-seasoned areas, as iron can leach into acidic foods at levels some consider undesirable, though this is not a regulated safety threshold. Use on medium-high heat; cast iron tolerates oven use to 500F safely. Replace the glass lid if it cracks, as thermal shock and sharp edges pose injury risk.
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 into acidic foods
Cast iron naturally leaches iron into acidic or long-simmered foods (pH below 4); this is nutritionally irrelevant for most but may be undesirable for people managing iron intake. Seasoning quality and food acidity determine severity. This is not a regulatory safety violation.
Rust if seasoning degrades
If the oil-polymerized seasoning is damaged (prolonged wet storage, metal utensils, neglect), bare cast iron will rust. Rust itself is not toxic, but flaking rust particles in food are unpleasant. Maintenance prevents this entirely.
Thermal shock of glass lid
Rapid temperature changes (adding cold liquid to hot glass, cold water on hot lid) can cause thermal stress cracking in soda-lime glass. Cracked glass poses cut risk. Handle as you would any glass lid.
Lead or cadmium in cast iron or glaze
The Smithey No. 11 has no enamel glaze, and cast iron sourcing from modern foundries does not include lead or cadmium as intentional components. No recalls or test reports indicate contamination.
Teflon-type coating fume risk
This product uses no Teflon-type coating (Teflon) or synthetic nonstick coating, so fume risk at high temperature does not apply.
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.