If you have decided to spend up for a premium, machine-smooth American skillet, the FINEX and the Stargazer are two of the best — and they take very different approaches. The FINEX is a heavy, octagonal design showpiece; the Stargazer is a lighter, understated all-rounder cast in its own Pennsylvania foundry. Both are genuinely made in the USA and both cost around $150.
Buy the FINEX if you want the most striking, heirloom-feeling pan and love its octagonal shape and spring handle. Buy the Stargazer if you want the more practical everyday pan — lighter, with a famously comfortable handle and a fully domestic supply chain.
Both score 4.6, but Stargazer is the better everyday pick — lighter and smoother at a mid-range price. FINEX wins if you love its distinctive octagonal, design-led build.
Best for Stargazer
A lighter, machined-smooth skillet at a sensible price — the practical choice for most cooks.
Best for FINEX
A design-led octagonal skillet with a coil spring handle, for those who want something distinctive.
Side by side
| FINEX No. 8 | Stargazer 10.5″ | |
|---|---|---|
| Made in America Review Score | 4.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Price | $150 | $155 |
| Weight | 6.3 lb | 5.2 lb |
| Shape | Octagonal | Round, flared rim |
| Handle | Stainless spring + brass | Long stay-cool cast |
| Made in | Tennessee & Oregon | Pennsylvania (own foundry) |
American Manufacturing, compared
FINEX
- Owned by Lodge Cast Iron since 2019
- Iron cast in Tennessee, finished in Portland, Oregon
- Founded 2012 in Portland by Whitehead & Khormaei
Stargazer
- Independent; founded 2015 by Peter Huntley
- Cast and finished in its own Allentown, PA foundry
- No overseas step anywhere in the process
The key differences
Design vs practicality. The FINEX is unmistakable — the octagonal rim and coiled spring handle make it as much an object as a tool. The Stargazer is deliberately understated, and its long, cool-running handle and drip-free rim make it the easier pan to actually cook with day to day.
Weight. The FINEX is over a pound heavier, giving it more searing mass but making it less nimble. The Stargazer strikes a more comfortable balance for most home cooks.
Supply chain. Both are honestly made in the USA, but Stargazer is unusually vertically integrated — it runs its own foundry — while FINEX now draws on Lodge’s Tennessee casting before finishing in Oregon. If a single-roof, fully domestic operation matters to you, that edges toward Stargazer.
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Warranty
Neither brand publishes a formal consumer warranty, which is typical in this category. Both are backed instead by long-term reputation and the durability of American-made construction.
Final Recommendation
For most cooks, Stargazer delivers the smooth-surface, lighter cast-iron experience at a better price. Choose FINEX if its octagonal design and spring handle speak to you.
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Dig into the details with our independent, scored reviews, or explore each maker:
Reviews: FINEX review · Stargazer review