Wagner
Reddit take
AI summary of the Reddit excerpts below — not a quote
Wagner is a highly respected vintage cast iron brand, frequently cited alongside Griswold as a gold standard for historical cookware. Users value these pans for being significantly lighter than modern alternatives and for their smooth, durable cooking surfaces that can last for generations.
Pros
- Notably lightweight, especially models with an outside heat ring
- Extremely durable, with many pieces remaining functional after 100+ years
- Smooth cooking surface that holds seasoning well
- High collectible value for early logos (e.g., arc logo) and nickel-plated versions
- Excellent performance for daily cooking tasks like searing steaks
Cons
- Prone to warping or 'spinning,' which makes them unstable on glass or induction cooktops
- Vintage pieces can be expensive, with some eBay listings reaching $100-$200
- Old pans may have hidden cracks beneath layers of carbon buildup
Caveats
- Warped pans that 'spin' are often relegated to baking or use on gas stoves where flatness is less critical
- Unmarked Wagner pans are common and offer similar performance to marked versions but typically have lower resale value
- Restoration may be required for thrift store finds to uncover the true condition of the iron
Best for
- Vintage cookware enthusiasts
- Gas stove users who want a lighter alternative to modern cast iron
- Thrift shoppers looking for high-quality 'unmarked' utility pans
Avoid if
- You use an induction or glass-top stove and cannot verify the pan is perfectly flat
- You are looking for the absolute smoothest vintage finish (some users prefer Griswold or Favorite Piqua Ware)
This summary uses balanced time weighting with about a 18-month half-life. The evidence is drawn from a 12-month window in 2025 with a median source age of 387 days, primarily from specialized cast iron and cooking communities.
Sentiment
38 positive (79%) · 9 mixed (19%) · 1 negative (2%)
Trust + time weighted score: +77% · raw score 77%
What redditors said (10 of 48)
It's a Wagner, don't worry about the seasoning on one side, seasoning is easy to reestablish. Strip and clean it.
Parent context: I love that skillet. I wanted one, but I insist on only using skillets with a heat ring. I have an induction cooktop and don't want to risk screwing it up if it warps a little. At least with a heat ring it still sits flat with a little warpage. I had an old Wagner that would spin like a top on the glass induction top. Reply: My Wagner has a spin to it as well. I’m on gas so generally it’s not an issue, but it does bother me that it has that warp.
I had this exact issue with my mom’s unmarked Wagner from the ‘70s. I rehabbed it by spraying it with yellow cap oven cleaner and putting in a trash bag outside. I let it work for a few days, scraped/cleaned it off, then applied oven cleaner again. I did this repeatedly until it was all gone. My mom took it as an insult lol but the pan looks great and is no longer bumpy and gross.
Unmarked Wagner if you can find one.
Older Griswald and Wagner pieces are much lighter than modern Lodge and cook just as well.
I’ve seen it first hand ruin my seasoning many times over because my wife loves a certain red sauce pasta dish I make in my Wagner
Unmarked Wagner. they started adding Made in USA in the mid 60s. I'm thinking this is from just before that.
Parent context: I also got an old Wagner with a bunch of residue. The cooking surface was excellent though so I didn’t want to strip it. I just used a flathead screwdriver to chip away the crud on the outside. Not perfect, but got most of it off. I actually didn’t even know it was a Wagner until I did that because the logo was completely buried. Reply: I have that pan and the outside looks pretty similar. Interior cooking surface is smooth as glass so I just use it as is.
I also got an old Wagner with a bunch of residue. The cooking surface was excellent though so I didn’t want to strip it.
My Wagner is one of my daily go to’s it’s a little deeper than a typical cast iron and cooks so evenly!
Compare
Related
- Lodge Cast Iron · related · 235 mentions
- Costco · related · 175 mentions
- Zojirushi · related · 114 mentions
- Le Creuset · related · 70 mentions
- Breville · related · 67 mentions
- Griswold · related · 64 mentions