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Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer vs Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet

99 facts in comparison

Based on 428 Reddit opinions. Close race—Chicken Fryer edges ahead.

428 opinions
Chicken Fryer leads by 3pts
Reddit's Pick
BS
Chicken Fryer
94%
A
Based on
561 Redditors
Winner

Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer

198 opinions

tldr; Reddit overwhelmingly recommends the Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer. With 96% positive sentiment across 561 mentions, this is a clear community favorite.

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VS
Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet
91%
A
Based on
488 Redditors

Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet

~$13.99
230 opinions

tldr; Vintage gold standard. Smooth surface, lighter weight, superior craftsmanship. Collectible prices but unmatched cooking quality.

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Heat RetentionSeasoningBuild QualityWeightVersatility
🌡️HEA
⭐SEA
🔧BUI
⚖️WEI
⭐VER
87
Points
86
Points

Score by Category

Heat Retention
100%67%
Seasoning
70%79%
Build Quality
88%86%
Weight
81%90%
Versatility
92%100%

Why is Wagner Ware Skillet better than 7 Chicken Fryer?

  • Better weight (90% vs 81%)
  • Better seasoning (79% vs 70%)
  • Better versatility (100% vs 92%)
  • Users report prices around $121
  • Lighter weight than traditional Lodge
  • Smooth machined surface for better cooking
Based on 1,049 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Chicken Fryer

Winning by 3 points (94% vs 91%)

Better heat retention
High confidence (1,049 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,049 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Chicken Fryer
9.4/10
561 mentions
Ware Skillet
9.1/10
488 mentions
VERSATILITY
Chicken Fryer9.2/10
Ware Skillet10.0/10
WEIGHT
Chicken Fryer8.1/10
Ware Skillet9.0/10
BUILD QUALITY
Chicken Fryer8.8/10
Ware Skillet8.6/10
SEASONING
Chicken Fryer7.0/10
Ware Skillet7.9/10
VALUE
Chicken Fryer8.9/10
Ware Skillet9.2/10
HEAT RETENTION
Chicken Fryer10.0/10
Ware Skillet6.7/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Chicken Fryer: 1|Ware Skillet: 4
VersatilityWare Skillet
Chicken Fryer92%
Ware Skillet100%
WeightWare Skillet
Chicken Fryer81%
Ware Skillet90%
Build Quality
Chicken Fryer88%
Ware Skillet86%
SeasoningWare Skillet
Chicken Fryer70%
Ware Skillet79%
ValueWare Skillet
Chicken Fryer89%
Ware Skillet92%
Heat RetentionChicken Fryer
Chicken Fryer100%
Ware Skillet67%
Chicken Fryer94%
Ware Skillet91%
Close race - Chicken Fryer edges ahead by 3 points

Key Specs

SpecBirmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken FryerVintage Wagner Ware Skillet
Material
Cast Iron
Cast Iron
Diameter
Approximately 10 inches
—
Depth
Deeper than a standard skillet
—
Lid
Often includes a matching cast iron lid
—
Era
Vintage (typically 1930s-1990s)
1920s-1950s

Key Highlights

Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Vintage Wagner Ware SkilletWinner
💰 Users report prices around $121
⚖ ️ Lighter weight than traditional Lodge
✨ Smooth machined surface for better cooking
🏆 Users report 90+ years of reliable use
💵 Community agrees it's worth the price premium

Topic Battles

Chicken Fryer: 1|Tied: 1|Ware Skillet: 3
🌡️Heat Retention
Chicken Fryer wins
Chicken Fryer
100%
Ware Skillet
67%
⭐Seasoning
Ware Skillet wins
Chicken Fryer
70%
Ware Skillet
79%
🔧Build Quality
Chicken Fryer
88%
Ware Skillet
86%
⚖️Weight
Ware Skillet wins
Chicken Fryer
81%
Ware Skillet
90%
⭐Versatility
Ware Skillet wins
Chicken Fryer
92%
Ware Skillet
100%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer

Best Praise
+44 pts
“Those are milling marks! Basically just marks left behind from when the factory milled out the inner surface to make it nice and smooth. This specific Dutch Oven appears to be from Birmingham Stove and Range, not exceedingly rare but beloved by many including myself!”
r/castiron
View
Top Criticism
+10 pts
“Wagner’s and a BSR, none baby bottom smooth like they were before since they’ve been sandblasted.”
r/castiron
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet

Best Praise
+112 pts
“It did get stolen....and then the next round my other gift was taken so I was able to get the Wagner back again! Suckers”
r/castiron
View
Top Criticism
+6 pts
“That's the red headed step child of Wagner. Not really an original Wagner. Was made in the 90s after the company name had changed hands a few times. It'll work fine, but isn't worth jack.”
r/castiron
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet
$13$14$15Nov '25Low: $13.99Current: $13.99
Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet
All-time low!

Which is Better?

Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer Wins
94%
Fryer
vs
91%
Skillet

Close race, but Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer edges ahead by 3 points based on 1,049 Reddit opinions.

Why Chicken FryerWinner
    Why Ware Skillet
    • 💰 Users report prices around $121
    • ⚖ ️ Lighter weight than traditional Lodge

    ❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

    Sentiment Breakdown

    34%Positive
    Positive
    34%
    Neutral
    65%
    Negative
    1%
    Based on 561 Reddit opinions

    Sentiment Breakdown

    44%Positive
    Positive
    44%
    Neutral
    53%
    Negative
    3%
    Based on 488 Reddit opinions
    Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken FryerCheck prices Vintage Wagner Ware SkilletCheck prices

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is better, Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer or Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet?
    Based on 1,049 Reddit comments, Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer has a slight edge with 94% positive sentiment vs Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet's 91%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
    Should I buy Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer or Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet?
    Both have similar approval ratings (94% vs 91%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
    What do Redditors love about Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer?
    Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer has 561 mentions on Reddit with 94% positive sentiment. Users consistently recommend it based on real ownership experiences.
    What do Redditors say about Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet?
    Reddit users highlight: Users report prices around $121. Lighter weight than traditional Lodge. Smooth machined surface for better cooking. With 488 mentions and 91% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
    How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
    This comparison analyzed 1,049 Reddit comments: 561 about Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer and 488 about Vintage Wagner Ware Skillet. Data was sourced from Cast Iron community discussions.
    How accurate are these ratings?
    Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
    Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
    Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

    428 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 4/30/2026

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