The Essentials Houseware
Yeti Cast Iron (Butter Pat)
YETI bought Butter Pat Industries, the small Maryland foundry that revived the slick, thin cast iron of Griswold and Wagner. This is that pan, made in Wisconsin, at a price a normal person can reach.
What it is
A cast iron skillet made in Wisconsin, sold in 8, 10, 12 and 14-inch sizes. It is the production version of what Butter Pat Industries had been doing since 2013 — reverse-engineering the vanished quality of pre-war American cast iron — after YETI acquired the company in 2024. YETI's first collaboration skillet, a 12-inch, ran $400 and sold out in a day. The permanent line starts at $150 for the 8-inch and rises with size.
Two things separate it from a modern hardware-store skillet. It is cast in a ceramic-like mold rather than sand, which yields a hyper-smooth cooking surface straight out of the box instead of the pebbled texture that has to be seasoned into submission. And it is cast thick only where it needs to be: the 8-inch weighs three pounds. It ships pre-seasoned, with two pour spouts, an angled handle, and induction, gas, ceramic and live-fire compatibility.
Why it's on this list
American cast iron used to be machined smooth and light in the hand. Sometime after the war, the foundries stopped doing the extra work and left it rough. Butter Pat's whole argument was that the old way was better and that somebody should do it again. YETI, whatever you think of the brand, put money behind that argument and kept the manufacturing in Wisconsin.
What you feel is the smooth face. Eggs behave. Fish releases. The pan reaches the state a Lodge takes two years of seasoning to approach, and it starts there. Start with the 10-inch — it is the size that does the most work.
What to know before you buy
- The price is the caveat. A Lodge skillet cooks food, holds heat, lasts a century, and costs a fraction as much. Nothing here will make your food taste better than a well-seasoned Lodge. You are buying finish, weight and heirloom quality. If that is not worth the difference to you, buy the Lodge and spend the rest on beef.
- Pre-seasoned is not non-stick yet. YETI is explicit about this: run fat, fill the pan, cook hot for the first several uses. Expect to earn the release.
- Hand wash, always. No dishwasher. Dry it on the burner, then wipe a thin film of neutral oil over every surface. If you will not do that, buy stainless.
- Casting marks are normal. The ceramic mold makes them more visible than on a sand-cast pan. They fill in with seasoning and are not defects.
- The 14-inch is heavy and expensive. Unless you cook for a crowd over fire, it will live in a cabinet.
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