Pros and Cons of Carbon Steel Cookware

If you want to cut to the chase, I recommend the carbon steel cookware made by De Buyer because they have the highest-quality conscientious options. You can read more about De Buyer cookware here. The video below demonstrates seasoning a carbon steel skillet by Made In, another brand we recommend.

What’s the difference between cast iron and carbon steel?

Carbon steel is a very tempting choice for non-toxic, eco-friendly cookware. Put simply, carbon steel is like the lighter, less clunky cousin of cast iron and, oddly enough, contains more iron than cast iron! While cast iron is around 97-98 percent iron and 2-3 percent carbon, carbon steel is typically 99 percent iron and 1 percent carbon (R). You wouldn’t think this would make much of a difference, but it does.

While cast iron and carbon steel are pretty similar, the relative lightness of carbon steel makes it easier to move around. A 12” cast iron pan might weigh over 7 pounds, while a similar-sized carbon steel pan weighs in at around 5 pounds. Despite many years playing badminton, even my wrists struggle to flip a pancake in a cast iron pan.

Carbon steel pans also tend to have sloped sides, which makes them preferable for sautéing as it’s easier to flip food off a sloped edge. Cast iron pans have vertical walls, making them better for pan pizzas, cornbread, frittatas, and for shallow frying, and so forth. Both pans can be moved from stove top to oven, however, and both are suitable for the grill, campfire, and broiler.

Carbon steel is often thinner and smoother than modern cast iron (but similar to vintage cast iron), so is more aesthetically pleasing to some cookware connoisseurs. One downside of this is that carbon steel doesn’t always conduct heat homogenously (because of its relative thinness to cast iron). This can be a positive, however, as you can use a smaller burner ring and move food in and out of the center of the pan (where the heat is focused) according to need.

Carbon steel and cast iron both have an unfinished, industrial quality that contrasts with more light and colorful porcelain enamel, glass, or ceramic cookware. Made from raw, heavy-gauge steel, carbon steel cookware is tough, durable, and… prone to rust. 

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Seasoning carbon steel vs. seasoning cast iron

As with cast iron, seasoning is essential for carbon steel cookware. The good news is that because carbon steel is less porous than cast iron, it takes on seasoning quickly. The bad news is that it can also lose seasoning quickly. In commercial kitchens, it’s not unheard of for chefs to season a carbon steel pan several times in an evening.

Carbon steel is very cost-effective compared to other types of cookware. New carbon steel cookware is often cheaper than ceramic, porcelain enamel, and anodized aluminum, but lasts for generations. This makes it particularly eco-friendly. Avoid very cheap carbon steel pans, though, as these are typically far too thin for good heat distribution.

All in all, if you already have cast iron pans and are happy with them, there’s probably not much point in purchasing carbon steel cookware. If you’re replacing other types of cookware, however, or are passing on your cast iron to the next generation and want pans that are a little lighter, carbon steel pans are an excellent eco-friendly option.