Victoria · Cast Iron Skillets
Victoria 12 in. Black Cast Iron Comal Skillet with Long Handle and Helper Handle
Lower PFAS concern, traditional cast iron with no added coatings or treatments.
Victoria's cast iron comal is seasoned cast iron with a long handle, a conventional cookware material with minimal PFAS risk. Cast iron relies on built-up seasoning layers (oil polymers) rather than synthetic Teflon-family coating coatings.
Shop Victoria on Amazon →Material
Cast iron, seasoned
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
This comal is solid cast iron with a factory-applied seasoning layer (typically a baked oil coating). Cast iron itself is chemically inert, iron does not leach into food at normal cooking temperatures. The seasoning is a polymerized fat layer that prevents rust and provides non-stick properties without synthetic polymers like Teflon-type coating (Teflon). Over time, seasoning naturally wears and builds with use, requiring occasional re-seasoning but posing no toxicity concern.
The brand's record and disclosure
Victoria is a Mexico-based cast iron manufacturer with decades of production history and no documented safety recalls or chemical disclosure controversies. The brand does not explicitly market PFAS-free claims, consistent with traditional cast iron makers who rely on conventional seasoning methods. No credible evidence of lead, cadmium, or coating degradation issues specific to Victoria cast iron cookware exists in public health records.
How it compares in its category
Cast iron skillets (seasoned or bare) carry lower chemical hazard profiles than non-stick cookware coated with Teflon-type coating or ceramic compounds, which can degrade and release particles. Enameled cast iron introduces glaze risk (potential lead or cadmium in older stock), but Victoria's black seasoned models avoid this. Among cast iron brands, Victoria is a mainstream, consistently produced line without documented manufacturing anomalies.
If you buy it
Season and maintain properly: hand-wash, dry immediately, and apply thin oil coats regularly to preserve the seasoning layer and prevent rust. Use on standard stovetops up to high heat and in ovens; cast iron distributes heat evenly and is durable for decades with proper care. Replace only if the cooking surface cracks, which is rare. Avoid prolonged soaking or dishwasher use, which degrade seasoning and promote rust.
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 does not leach iron at toxic levels under normal cooking use. Acidic foods (tomatoes, wine) may increase iron uptake marginally, but this is a bioavailable mineral, not a toxin. No established safety threshold exceeded.
Lead or cadmium in seasoning layer
Victoria's factory seasoning is applied as food-grade oil and baked on; it is not a ceramic glaze or enamel. No documented lead or cadmium contamination in modern Victoria cast iron. Concern is primarily with vintage enamelware or poorly sourced glazed cookware, not seasoned cast iron.
Rust and bacterial growth from improper storage
If left wet or stored in damp conditions without oil, cast iron rusts. Rust itself is not acutely toxic but indicates loss of seasoning and potential hygiene concern. Proper drying and light oiling eliminates this risk.
Coating degradation or flaking
Seasoning wears naturally with use but does not flake into food as synthetic coatings do. The layer integrates with the iron surface via polymerization and is replaced by user maintenance, not by manufacturing defect.
Thermal stress or handle integrity
Cast iron is mechanically robust and does not fail due to heat cycling. The long handle and helper handle design is typical for comals; no known brittleness or handle separation issues are documented for Victoria models.
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.