Crofton Cast Iron Pans

Most Recent Aldi Cast Iron Pans

During the week of May 17th, 2023 you will be able to find a few different enameled cast iron pans in the Aldi Finds Aisle.

You will find a Enameled Cast Iron Braiser with lid and a Enameled Cast Iron Sauce Pan with lid that week. The Braiser pan was available last year for the same price but I don’t recall seeing the Enameled Sauce pan before so that may be new.

I do own one Crofton Enameled Cast Iron Pan; the French Oven. I have only used it a couple times so far but it seems to be good quality and I haven’t had any issues so far.

In the past Aldi has had lightweight cast iron pans and enameled pots that are not cast iron. Of course they also have a wide range of Crofton Cookware available at various times throughout the year.

Crofton Cast Iron (non-enamel)

Crofton Cast Iron Skillet 10 inch

Crofton Mini Cast Iron Pans

These mini cast iron pans from Aldi look like a great way to cook and serve individual desserts or meals. The mini skillet/fry pan and mini griddle also look like they could be a good size for that quick grilled cheese or frying an egg or two.

If you are planning on using them as serving vessels be sure to pick up enough for your whole dinner party because these are a limited time item and may be hard to find a matching set later on!

Crofton Cast Iron Dessert Set For Two

The cast iron dessert set includes two cast iron skillets and two trivets. Aldi does not say the size of the pans in their ad so you will have to check that out in person. I expect they are fairly small since they are meant for a single serving of dessert.

Crofton Enameled Cast Iron

Crofton Enamel Cast Iron French Oven

Crofton 2-QT Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven (mini)

Crofton Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven

While I tend to stay away from kitchen products that only do one thing this Cast Iron Bread Oven from Aldi is tempting. I primarily use my Crofton French Oven for baking bread along with a Lodge Cast Iron but this pan would be easier to use.

The problem with a French Oven or Dutch Oven for baking bread is reaching into that deep pan while it is hot to get the bread out. This pan would fix that but it isn’t a big enough issue for me to store this pan that would only be used for bread.

If you are big into baking be sure to check out Aldi’s Bread Maker too!

Crofton Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Crofton Enameled Cast Iron Skillet or Grill Pan

• Price: $16.99 (in 2022, prices may vary)
• Available: 10/19/2022
• Colors: White or Blue (black enamel interior for both)
• Fry Pan interior cooking area diameter: 12″
• Grill Pan interior cooking area diameter: 10″
• Superior heat retention and distribution of cast iron
• Long-lasting black porcelain enamel interior and exterior
• Oven safe up to 482 °F (250 C)
• Compatible with gas, electric, glass ceramic, halogen and induction stovetops
• 2 Year Warranty Included

Crofton Enameled Cast Iron Saucepan

Crofton Enameled Cast Iron Braiser

Crofton Lightweight Cast Iron Dutch Oven

The enameled Dutch oven is made with lightweight cast iron so I expect it will have thinner walls than your standard Dutch oven. It also comes with a glass lid instead of the typical cast iron lid. The glass lid is only oven safe to 325 F versus 450 F for the base.

Should Your Get Your Cast Iron at ALDI?

If you are looking for some new cast iron cookware be sure to check out the Aldi Finds aisle. Aldi carries Crofton cast iron along with Crofton porcelain enamel cast iron pots and pans at various times throughout the year.

Cast iron pans are one of the few options out there that get better over time, as long as you care for them properly. So in general I recommend getting something that is good quality and versatile since the pan may last the rest of your life.

I haven’t had the chance to try out any of the Crofton Cast Iron or Enameled Cast Iron cookware from Aldi yet so I can’t judge the quality but the price looks pretty good.

I am in the market for a dutch oven or french oven so I will probably pick up one of those if they are available next time I am in Aldi. If I do find one I will update this post with my thoughts.

Update: I purchase the Crofton Enameled French Oven and it seems like good quality. I baked some sourdough bread in it without issue but haven’t tried too much beyond that yet.

Cast Iron VS Enameled Cast Iron

Enameled Cast Iron pans have a thin coating of porcelain enamel on top of the cast iron core. This creates a non-porous surface that helps reduce food sticking.

That also means that unlike standard cast iron these enamel versions don’t need to be seasoned, are less likely to rust, and can be washed with soap. Enameled pans also won’t react with acidic ingredients whereas it is generally recommended that you don’t cook acidic foods in standard cast iron.

Unfortunately enameled cast iron isn’t better in every way. Enameled is generally more expensive than cast iron, less durable, and can’t handle the higher temperatures.

The enamel coating can chip if dropped or hit but is still considered more durable than a non-stick coating since it can handle metal utensils and should last longer overall.

You also shouldn’t use enameled cast iron at extreme temperatures. While you can use standard cast iron on a campfire or grill you want to avoid that with enameled.

Aldi says the Crofton Enameled Cast Iron cookware is oven safe up to 482 degrees (F) which looks similar to other brands. Some say up to 500 F is ok but most don’t go beyond that.

Is It A Good Deal?

You can easily spend hundreds of dollars on a single enameled cast iron pan from brands like Le Creuset or Staub. But those are premium brands that have been around a long time and have a reputation of quality and durability.

The $30 Crofton seems like a great deal compared to a few hundred for one of the premium brands. But we should really compare it to brands on the lower end of the price range.

Brands like Lodge, Amazonbasics, and Crockpot have similar products with great reviews selling for a lot less than the premium brands. But it looks like Crofton is still beating them out on price right now.

You will find some similar sized options with more colors to choose from with Lodge or Crockpot but you will probably pay just a bit more. The good thing is these options have thousands of good reviews!

Here Are Some Good Alternative Buys

Crofton Cast Iron and Enameled Cast Iron Pan Reviews

Last update on 2023-11-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API