Stargazer Cast Iron · Cast Iron Skillets
Stargazer - Seasoned 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Lower PFAS concern, bare cast iron and traditional seasoning carry no known fluorochemical risk.
Stargazer's 12-inch cast iron skillet is seasoned cast iron with no nonstick coating, Teflon-family coating layer, or intentional PFAS-bearing treatment. Traditional oil-based seasoning on cast iron does not use PFAS chemicals.
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Cast iron with seasoning (oil/fat layer)
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.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
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 Stargazer 12-inch skillet is solid cast iron with a factory-applied seasoning layer (typically soybean or mineral oil baked on). Cast iron itself is inert and does not leach harmful chemicals under normal cooking conditions. The seasoning is a polymerized fat coating that prevents rust and enables non-stick performance without synthetic polymers like Teflon-type coating (Teflon). Over time, this seasoning layer builds and regenerates with use, creating a naturally protective surface.
The brand's record and disclosure
Stargazer Cast Iron has no publicized recalls, safety certifications, or formal product testing disclosures in available safety databases. The brand does not market PFAS-free claims, nor has it faced documented controversy over chemical contamination. As a small specialty cast iron manufacturer, Stargazer maintains a low public profile on material sourcing and testing transparency, but cast iron cookware as a category has an established safety history spanning centuries.
How it compares in its category
Cast iron skillets broadly avoid the chemical risks present in non-stick coated cookware (Teflon-type coating fumes, coating failure over time) and ceramic-enameled cast iron (lead/cadmium in glazes, glaze chipping). Stargazer sits in the traditional bare cast iron segment, which carries no coating degradation risk and requires no special coating maintenance. It is heavier and requires seasoning upkeep compared to enameled competitors, but this is a trade-off for chemical simplicity.
If you buy it
Maintain the seasoning by drying thoroughly after each wash and occasionally wiping with a thin oil layer; avoid prolonged soaking. Cast iron is safe for all heat levels and cooking surfaces (stovetop, oven, campfire). Replace only if the cooking surface becomes severely pitted or cracked, which is rare. Avoid acidic foods (vinegar, tomato, wine) during early seasoning build-up, as acid can strip the coating; this limitation fades as seasoning layers deepen over months of use.
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 leach small amounts of iron into acidic or prolonged-contact foods, especially in unseasoned cookware or early in the product's life. This is not a toxicological hazard for most people (dietary iron is essential), but those with hemochromatosis or iron-sensitivity disorders should minimize cast iron use.
Seasoning strip/re-exposure of bare iron
If seasoning is stripped by harsh scrubbing, chemical cleaners, or aggressive acid exposure, the underlying bare iron is exposed and may rust or leach more readily until seasoning is rebuilt. This is a maintenance issue, not a manufacturing defect.
Lead or cadmium in cast iron
Cast iron itself does not contain lead or cadmium as intentional components. Contamination from recycled scrap metal is theoretically possible but has not been documented in food-grade cast iron skillets from established manufacturers. No recalls or testing data suggest this is a concern for Stargazer products.
Bacterial growth in seasoning layer
The seasoned surface is a polymerized fat layer, not an environment for bacterial colonization. Proper drying after washing prevents water pooling that could harbor pathogens on any cookware; cast iron is not uniquely vulnerable in this regard.
Manufacturing contamination or heavy metals in seasoning oil
No public testing or recalls document heavy metals, pesticide residues, or contaminants in Stargazer's seasoning oil. The brand does not disclose the source or testing of its seasoning oil, but food-grade mineral and vegetable oils are standard across the cast iron industry and rarely contain hazardous contaminants.
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
Lodge
Cast Iron Classic Cast Iron Skillets
cast iron (bare or seasoned with oil)
Lower PFAS concern, bare cast iron has no synthetic coatings.
⚠Risky category by default
Lodge
Cast Iron Skillet Pan 6"
cast iron, seasoned with oil
Lower PFAS concern, bare cast iron with traditional seasoning, no Teflon-family coating coatings.
⚠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.