Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer vs Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet

98 facts in comparison

Based on 446 Reddit opinions. Close race—Chicken Fryer edges ahead.

446 opinions
Chicken Fryer leads by 4pts
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.

Check prices
VS
WW
10 Skillet
90%
A
Based on
581 Redditors

Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet

~$225
248 opinions

tldr; Sought-after vintage pieces with smooth cooking surface

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

Score by Category

Heat Retention
100%100%
Seasoning
70%82%
Build Quality
88%70%
Weight
81%79%
Versatility
92%100%

Why is No. 10 Skillet better than 7 Chicken Fryer?

  • Better versatility (100% vs 92%)
  • Better seasoning (82% vs 70%)
  • ⭐ Legendary smooth machined cooking surface
  • BIFL heirloom quality from golden era
  • Collectible value, hunt thrift stores carefully
Based on 1,142 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Chicken Fryer

Winning by 4 points (94% vs 90%)

Better build quality
High confidence (1,142 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,142 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Chicken Fryer
9.4/10
561 mentions
10 Skillet
9.0/10
581 mentions
VERSATILITY
Chicken Fryer9.2/10
10 Skillet10.0/10
WEIGHT
Chicken Fryer8.1/10
10 Skillet7.9/10
BUILD QUALITY
Chicken Fryer8.8/10
10 Skillet7.0/10
SEASONING
Chicken Fryer7.0/10
10 Skillet8.2/10
VALUE
Chicken Fryer8.9/10
10 Skillet8.9/10
HEAT RETENTION
Chicken Fryer10.0/10
10 Skillet10.0/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Chicken Fryer: 1|10 Skillet: 2
Versatility10 Skillet
Chicken Fryer92%
10 Skillet100%
Weight
Chicken Fryer81%
10 Skillet79%
Build QualityChicken Fryer
Chicken Fryer88%
10 Skillet70%
Seasoning10 Skillet
Chicken Fryer70%
10 Skillet82%
Value
Chicken Fryer89%
10 Skillet89%
Heat Retention
Chicken Fryer100%
10 Skillet100%
Chicken Fryer94%
10 Skillet90%
Close race - Chicken Fryer edges ahead by 4 points

Key Specs

SpecBirmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken FryerWagner Ware No. 10 Skillet
Material
Cast Iron
Cast Iron
Diameter
Approximately 10 inches
11.5 to 11.75 inch
Depth
Deeper than a standard skillet
Lid
Often includes a matching cast iron lid
Era
Vintage (typically 1930s-1990s)

Key Highlights

Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Wagner Ware No. 10 SkilletWinner
⭐ Legendary smooth machined cooking surface
🏆 BIFL heirloom quality from golden era
💰 Collectible value, hunt thrift stores carefully

Topic Battles

Chicken Fryer: 1|Tied: 2|10 Skillet: 2
🌡️Heat Retention
Chicken Fryer
100%
10 Skillet
100%
Seasoning
10 Skillet wins
Chicken Fryer
70%
10 Skillet
82%
🔧Build Quality
Chicken Fryer wins
Chicken Fryer
88%
10 Skillet
70%
⚖️Weight
Chicken Fryer
81%
10 Skillet
79%
Versatility
10 Skillet wins
Chicken Fryer
92%
10 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 Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet

Best Praise
+152 pts
Collectors call it a wagwold. These were made after Wagner acquired Griswold, they are interesting and some of the more rarer pieces are worth a little.
r/castiron
View
Top Criticism
+7 pts
i had a wagner that sat flat, as soon as it was hot would spin. really annoying to cook on when you trying to use a spatula and the pan spins around
r/castiron
View
3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet
$180$200$220$240Nov '25Dec '25Low: $191.25Current: $225
Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet
All-time low: $191.25(2025-11)

Which is Better?

Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer Wins
94%
Fryer
vs
90%
Skillet

Close race, but Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer edges ahead by 4 points based on 1,142 Reddit opinions.

Why Chicken FryerWinner
    Why 10 Skillet
    • ⭐ Legendary smooth machined cooking surface
    • 🏆 BIFL heirloom quality from golden era

    ❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

    Sentiment Breakdown

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

    Sentiment Breakdown

    39%Positive
    Positive
    39%
    Neutral
    57%
    Negative
    4%
    Based on 581 Reddit opinions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is better, Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer or Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet?
    Based on 1,142 Reddit comments, Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer has a slight edge with 94% positive sentiment vs Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet's 90%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
    Should I buy Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer or Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet?
    Both have similar approval ratings (94% vs 90%), 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 Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet?
    Reddit users highlight: Legendary smooth machined cooking surface. BIFL heirloom quality from golden era. Collectible value, hunt thrift stores carefully. With 581 mentions and 90% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
    How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
    This comparison analyzed 1,142 Reddit comments: 561 about Birmingham Stove & Range (BSR) No. 7 Chicken Fryer and 581 about Wagner Ware No. 10 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.

    446 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 4/13/2026