Merten & Storck Carbon Steel Skillets

Every day I bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience and I have researched enough to recommend.

Today’s TSP Amazon Item of the day is Merten & Storck Carbon Steel Skillets. I have recommended the Lodge brand a long time and there is nothing wrong with them, but they could be better. Problem is most carbon steel skillets that are measurably better are stupid expensive.

So how would I improve Lodge Skillets if I could. First I would do better milling of the surface so it was simply smoother. This makes seasoning to optimum go faster and just provides better searing and results. Next this a nit pick but the way Lodge makes a skillet they tend to have a slight high spot in the dead center. This is a bit annoying with foods like eggs and such. Lastly I would also make the sides just a little higher and steeper for tossing veggies or making thinks like super thin omlets or cooking with other liquids.

Well Merten & Storck did all three of those things right. They did it exactly the way I would have done it, if I were designing a skillet. But what about the price, how much does this improved version cost? Nothing! On any given day the difference between a Lodge vs. Merten & Stork skillet of the same size is a dollar or two and can go in either direction. So of course you know what that means right? My recommendation for new carbon steel pans now shifts without apology from Lodge to Merten & Storck. Sorry Lodge I still love you but the Germans have just done a better job.

Otherwise these skillets just do all the great things all carbon steel has always done. Excellent no stick qualities out of the box with a great pre-seasoning. This only gets better as you take care of and cook with your pan.

Since they are all metal they can go from stove top, to oven and back without a hitch. They can cook over gas, on direct coals, on a grill, over a fire, induction, electric, glass top, etc. it just doesn’t matter.

No special coatings, just a good seasoning that gets better with time so no worries about getting so hot toxic chemicals are released. No concerns that the finish will wear off and go into your food by the way.

These come in three sizes which are…

I personally consider a 12 inch skillet a do it all work horse in my kitchen and it is my preferred go to. That said you can adjust your size choices as you see fit. The finish on these pans is just awesome. Super smooth milling and a dead flat pan surface. The existing factory seasoning is great, no need to redo it just start cooking and use good care practices and it will just get better in time. I do recommend you use a steel rounded corner spatula like this, and a ringer for cleaning like this.

Beyond that when done cooking, hit it with some cold water to release any remaining sticking food, hit it with your ringer, dry it out, lightly oil and heat it up till it smokes a bit, shut off the oven and it will last so long your grandkids can use it after you are dead. In a world were so many products are designed to fail in a few years it is nice that some things can still be generational purchases. And to do that with cook wear of this quality for about 50 bucks a pan is just amazing in 2025.

So check out the Merten & Stork Carbon Steel Skillets in 8 inch, 10 inch or 12 inch sizes today and up your cooking game like a professional chef.