Can you really use these?
You most definitely can & should use these pretty looking pans! Rock your state pans for tailgating, BBQ’s, thematic dinners, Weddings, party favors, brownies, cakes, breads, hot dishes, pies, quiche, and yes of course giant cookies and cheesy dips!
Do I have to season my new skillet before I use it?
No. All of our cast iron skillets come pre-seasoned and ready to rock-n-roll directly out of the box! However, cast iron is a living cookware, and it needs just a little ritualistic maintenance to keep your pan living longer than all of us. See our CARE & USE page for more in depth seasoning and upkeep tips.
Can I use my skillets on glass and induction stovetops?
Absolutely! For glass top surfaces, just avoid sliding your skillets across it, and be careful to use hot pads / mittens to gently lift and set down the cookware if it needs to be moved. Induction stovetops work great, but may take some getting used to as the cook times vary with any glass or induction heating surfaces.
Do you have retail locations in my area?
We are proud to partner with over 40 small independent retailers nationwide, as well as Crate & Barrel during the holiday season. If you’re ever in the Madison, Wisconsin area, you can opt to pickup your online order direct from our HQ as well, and take a quick tour of our plant while you’re at it. Check out the full list of our retailers here.
When will my favorite state be available?
When your state gets 500 votes, it moves into our development consideration process! After that, we’ll build a pre-order campaign around that state, where we need 300 pre-orders to actually make it happen. You have the power to help move your state up in popularity by sharing the voter opportunity with all your friends, family & cast iron comrades. Share the good word on your social media and personal network, and watch the tally of your favorite state climb in popularity & skillet potential!
How do I know when my state will be ready for development?
Anyone voting for a particular state will start receiving emails regarding progress reports and development schedules once that state’s vote tally reaches 500 subscribers. This is an exclusive list to be on, and keeps you involved with our behind-the-scenes news and access to promotional offers and dibs on early production runs of the new skillets before it hits the main stream market.
How long does the development process take?
New skillet development typically takes us 6 months, given everything runs smoothly. From the day we start designing, to when they are in production and moving through our seasoning process, there are as many as 100,000 variables that can determine how smoothly a new product gets rolled out! Read more about our development process on “The Front Burner” blog post here: https://americanskilletcompany.com/blog/takes/
Why don't you have all of the states developed yet?
Industrial manufacturing requires a pretty hefty capital investment before each state skillet can be successfully created. Being a Skillet Subscriber is a meaningful and effective way for us to gauge public interest on which state skillets will receive our limited resources for development. To help make your favorite state happen, simply subscribe to that state and then tell your friends to do the same! First one to 500 gets put into consideration for development. Make sure to jump onto our promotional pre-order opportunities when that becomes available to help us *actually* turn your favorite state into a “Skillet Reality!”. The power is in your hands!!
I saw another company with all the cast iron states already available. Why can't I order the one I want on your site?
The original idea for cast iron state shaped skillets started with American Skillet Company’s founder and artisan-in-residence Alisa Toninato, also of FeLion Studios. Read all about her cast iron art piece map of the contiguous USA, and how the idea eventually became the seed for the American Skillet Company here: https://americanskilletcompany.com/our-story/felions-story/
Can I suggest where the pan handle will go onto new state skillet designs?
We always love hearing your opinions and thoughts about the topic of pan handles and skillets! However, don’t hold it against us for too long if we don’t produce things exactly to your suggestions :} Read all about our meticulous design process and why we make certain choices here, on “The Front Burner” blog post: https://americanskilletcompany.com/blog/takes/ . A special blog post dedicated just to “pan-handle states” is also found here: https://americanskilletcompany.com/blog/making-oklahoma/
Why is the handle located on the bottom or side of my favorite state skillet? How can I hang it in the up right orientation using a nail?
Our solution to the hanging / display conundrum is to try our nifty little Magnetic Hangers. They are *freakishly* strong neodymium magnets set into a maple wood block that is smaller than all of our skillets. It’s a simple yet effective way for you to hang any cast iron skillet that we make or that you already have, up to 8 lbs of iron on the wall for display. Read more about handle position choices and why we make certain design choices here: https://americanskilletcompany.com/blog/takes/