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Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet vs Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet

100 facts in comparison

Based on 552 Reddit opinions. Close race—10 Skillet edges ahead.

552 opinions
10 Skillet leads by 3pts
SI
Chef Skillet
87%
A-
Based on
500 Redditors

Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet

304 opinions

tldr; Reddit overwhelmingly recommends the Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet. With 88% positive sentiment across 502 mentions, this is a clear community favorite.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
WW
10 Skillet
90%
A
Based on
581 Redditors
Winner

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
68
Points
87
Points

Score by Category

Heat Retention
86%100%
Seasoning
43%82%
Build Quality
94%70%
Weight
43%79%
Versatility
100%100%

Why is No. 10 Skillet better than 8 Chef Skillet?

  • Higher Reddit score (90% vs 87%)
  • Better value (89% vs 41%)
  • Better weight (79% vs 43%)
  • Better seasoning (82% vs 43%)
  • Better heat retention (100% vs 86%)
  • ⭐ Legendary smooth machined cooking surface
  • BIFL heirloom quality from golden era
  • Collectible value, hunt thrift stores carefully
Based on 1,081 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the 10 Skillet

Winning by 3 points (90% vs 87%)

Better value
Better weight
Better seasoning
High confidence (1,081 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 1,081 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Chef Skillet
8.7/10
500 mentions
10 Skillet
9.0/10
581 mentions
VALUE
Chef Skillet4.1/10
10 Skillet8.9/10
HEAT RETENTION
Chef Skillet8.6/10
10 Skillet10.0/10
BUILD QUALITY
Chef Skillet9.4/10
10 Skillet7.0/10
SEASONING
Chef Skillet4.3/10
10 Skillet8.2/10
VERSATILITY
Chef Skillet10.0/10
10 Skillet10.0/10
WEIGHT
Chef Skillet4.3/10
10 Skillet7.9/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Chef Skillet: 1|10 Skillet: 4
Value10 Skillet
Chef Skillet41%
10 Skillet89%
Heat Retention10 Skillet
Chef Skillet86%
10 Skillet100%
Build QualityChef Skillet
Chef Skillet94%
10 Skillet70%
Seasoning10 Skillet
Chef Skillet43%
10 Skillet82%
Versatility
Chef Skillet100%
10 Skillet100%
Weight10 Skillet
Chef Skillet43%
10 Skillet79%
Chef Skillet87%
10 Skillet90%
Close race - 10 Skillet edges ahead by 3 points

Key Specs

SpecSmithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef SkilletWagner Ware No. 10 Skillet
Material
Cast Iron
Cast Iron
Diameter Top
8 inches
—
Cook Surface Diameter
4.2 inches
—
Handle To Handle Length
15.2 inches
—
Pre Seasoned
Yes
—

Key Highlights

Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef SkilletWinner
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet
⭐ Legendary smooth machined cooking surface
🏆 BIFL heirloom quality from golden era
💰 Collectible value, hunt thrift stores carefully

Topic Battles

Chef Skillet: 1|Tied: 1|10 Skillet: 3
🌡️Heat Retention
10 Skillet wins
Chef Skillet
86%
10 Skillet
100%
⭐Seasoning
10 Skillet wins
Chef Skillet
43%
10 Skillet
82%
🔧Build Quality
Chef Skillet wins
Chef Skillet
94%
10 Skillet
70%
⚖️Weight
10 Skillet wins
Chef Skillet
43%
10 Skillet
79%
⭐Versatility
Chef Skillet
100%
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 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

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet

Best Praise
+309 pts
“Dude took a Lodge and turned it into a Smithey. Looks amazing”
r/castiron
View
Top Criticism
+10 pts
“what did you season with? My smithey is super splotchy and struggle for the seasoning to stick.”
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?

Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet Wins
90%
Skillet
vs
87%
Skillet

Close race, but Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet edges ahead by 3 points based on 1,081 Reddit opinions.

Why 10 SkilletWinner
  • Better Value for Money (89% vs 41%)
Why Chef Skillet
  • Still a solid choice depending on your priorities

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

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

Sentiment Breakdown

54%Positive
Positive
54%
Neutral
39%
Negative
7%
Based on 500 Reddit opinions
Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef SkilletCheck prices Wagner Ware No. 10 SkilletCheck prices

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet or Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet?
Based on 1,081 Reddit comments, Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet has a slight edge with 90% positive sentiment vs Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet's 87%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet or Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet?
Both have similar approval ratings (90% vs 87%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love 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's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet?
Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef Skillet has 500 mentions on Reddit with 87% positive sentiment. It's frequently discussed as a solid option.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 1,081 Reddit comments: 581 about Wagner Ware No. 10 Skillet and 500 about Smithey Ironware Co. No. 8 Chef 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.

552 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 5/2/2026

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