12-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
By Stargazer
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Why It Earned Gold Label
- Independently XRF-tested by Lead Safe Mama: lead-free, cadmium-free, mercury-free, arsenic-free
- Bare cast iron — no enamel, no synthetic coatings, no brass hardware
- Machined-smooth cooking surface; seasoned with oil only
- Made in the USA — cast in American foundries, finished in Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Heirloom-grade; built to last generations
Our Evaluation
Why We Chose Stargazer
Stargazer earned the Bonham Gold Label for the rarest credential in cookware: a named, independent laboratory result. Lead Safe Mama, LLC (Tamara Rubin) XRF-tested the Stargazer skillet and found it free of lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. Almost no cookware on the market carries published third-party heavy-metals testing — this one does.
Just as important is what the pan doesn't have. It is bare cast iron with oil seasoning — no enamel that could carry cadmium, no decorative coatings, no brass hardware. In the same testing context, a competing premium skillet's brass handle caps tested positive for lead at up to 40,000 ppm. Stargazer's all-iron construction removes that entire class of risk.
The iron itself is heavy-gauge, cast in American foundries with controlled, known-chemistry metal, and finished in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The cooking surface is machined smooth — and what touches your food is iron and seasoning, full stop.
Independent Testing
- XRF-tested by Lead Safe Mama, LLC: lead-free, cadmium-free, mercury-free, arsenic-free
- No enamel, coatings, or brass elements that could introduce heavy metals
- Reviewer noted high-quality, heavy-gauge materials and solid construction
Good to Know
- Cast iron leaches small amounts of iron into food — neutral to beneficial for most people; those with iron-overload conditions (hemochromatosis) should consult their doctor
- Hand-wash and keep seasoned; avoid long soaks and harsh detergents
- Smooth-machined surfaces take a little longer to build seasoning than rough mass-cast pans — normal, and worth it
Iron and Seasoning. Nothing Else.
Why Bare Cast Iron
The healthiest cooking surfaces are the simplest. This is one metal, proven clean.
Independently Tested
XRF-tested by Lead Safe Mama, LLC and found free of lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic — a published result almost no cookware brand can point to.
No Coatings, Ever
No PTFE, no ceramic spray, no enamel. Nonstick comes from oil seasoning that you renew — never a synthetic layer that wears into your food.
No Brass, No Enamel
All-iron construction avoids leaded-brass hardware and cadmium-pigmented enamels — the two documented heavy-metal routes in premium skillets.
Machined Smooth
The cooking surface is machined like vintage iron — smoother release, easier cleaning, no casting grit.
Made in the USA
Cast in American foundries from controlled, known-chemistry iron and finished in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Built for Generations
Heavy-gauge iron with no wear parts. Properly kept, this skillet outlives its owner — the opposite of disposable nonstick.
Ready for Proven-Clean Cast Iron?
Independently tested, bare American iron — the skillet that earned the Bonham Gold Label.
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