Thoughts on The Solidteknics Polished Iron Cookware Kickstarter?

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solidteknics

• 

  djsweet on 24/10/2025 - 09:08

  +1

  Looks good. I guess they are going for a finish similar to Stainless Steel to try and get the benefits of that (being more non-stick). I wonder how it will hold up to scratching and if it would get sticky once you start using it.

  • 

    MrThing on 24/10/2025 - 09:11

    I avoid metal utensils any time I can when using pans to avoid this

    • 

      djsweet on 24/10/2025 - 09:29

      If they reach the first stretch goal you get a metal flipper thrown in.

• 

  MrThing on 24/10/2025 - 09:09

  I missed out on the original solidteknics Kickstarter but I think I'll hop onto this one, I love nonstick but hate the bullshit coatings which want to kill you like Teflon et al..I have been using enamel pans till now

  Aussie made , Aussie innovation, Aussie company with Aussie steel is another winning combo

• 

  Cheaplikethebird on 24/10/2025 - 09:14

  +2

  "Just wash, dry, and lightly oil" Ok so pretty much the same sort of maintenance as a cast iron pan just jumping on the bandwagon for smooth cast iron pans it seems, copying US brands like Stargazer and Smithey. I think the argument is that the seasoning on a smooth pan has better non-stick properties out the gate than one with a rough surface, however I've also read that the rough surface holds a seasoning much better than smooth.

  You only really need a CI pan or a dutch oven. Everything else, IMO, you want in stainless clad for the weight and uniform heating.

  These guys have been operating for like a decade, why are they crowdfunding?

  • 

    MrThing on 24/10/2025 - 09:24

    they've been doing Kickstarter crowdfunding for ages for their products, doesn't seem that unusual to still be doing it 10 years on

    • 

      Cheaplikethebird on 24/10/2025 - 09:25

      +1

      Yeah because they rely heavily on marketing BS. A 10 year old company with the recognition they have shouldn't need to launch every new line via Kickstarter.

      • 

        MrThing on 24/10/2025 - 09:30

        well they are not really selling a product where you would necessarily get return customers as the stuff isn't a throw away after x years

        • 

          Cheaplikethebird on 24/10/2025 - 09:33

          +1

          @MrThing: I'm not sure how that requires them to use Kickstarter?

          IMO these smooth pans are just a way for companies to sell expensive pans to noobs who still believe that 100 year old cast iron pans (which were polished) had mythical seasonings that would allow a person to cook an egg without oil on them.

          Just look at any Reddit thread where someone asks whether a Smithey pan is worth the money. The consensus is that they just look pretty but perform pretty much the same as a Lodge.

        • 

          2esc on 25/10/2025 - 10:38

          @MrThing: I know it is a viable way to raise investment and lowers their own risk and costs rather than reinvest some profits from the company it just feels odd.

  • 

    CircularIllusion on 24/10/2025 - 09:38

    I think the argument is that the seasoning on a smooth pan has better non-stick properties out the gate than one with a rough surface, however I've also read that the rough surface holds a seasoning much better than smooth.

    I find it interesting that it's almost like they're backtracking to their RAW finish. I'm sure there's a difference though.
    https://www.solidteknics.com/aus-ion/

    • 

      Cheaplikethebird on 24/10/2025 - 09:42

      Quite a few US companies have popped up in the last 5 years or so selling premium cast iron pans with smooth finishes for premium prices. Butter Pat was one, they were selling CI pans for $300USD and just recently got bought out by Yeti. This is just an attempt to capitalise on that market IMO.

  • 

    Gunnar on 24/10/2025 - 09:58

    +3

    Agreed. Hard pass for me. I’m not supporting a 10YO company who wants to rely on crowd funding, no matter how good the product may be.

• 

  Jimothy Wongingtons on 24/10/2025 - 09:28

  +2

  I want to hear from @UncleRico about this

  • 

    UncleRico on 25/10/2025 - 12:30

    +4

    Thanks for the call out.

    I’ve certainly bought my share of SolidTeknics pans and have openly recommended them for years. The Aus-Ions are great pans with their one piece design and learning to cook with iron/carbon steel has been a game changer for my tastebuds.

    But… like many others, I’m not indulging this latest variant. Joining their Lovers Facebook group was the worst thing I ever did, since I got to see the founder’s ego-centric lunacy up close and personal. When AusFonte cast iron became AUS-Ion Raw “wrought iron” (bullshit marketing term which is the same as carbon steel) and then Satin and then Quenched and then Noni and then thin Lightning and then every stupid modular pan / unnecessary overpriced accessory / snapping knife blade - we were told that every new evolution was a must have, and now that has continued to the Polished range. It became very apparent that the lifetime timespan of these pans compelled them to reinvent a variety of dubious quality cookware to keep the cash registers ticking over.

    And if you complained when your thinner pan warped or your knife blade snapped or you didn’t see the merit in a $80 left handed soup ladle, they’d blame user error, renege on “lifetime” warranty and generally berate anyone who didn’t drink the koolaid. The fact that the pans have more than doubled in price has also eroded their appeal.

    Anyhow, that’s the context in why I won’t be in position to judge the new Polished range - I’m out. I’ve seen no reviews yet, but with many other cookware companies actively investing in “Nitriding” manufacturing - with its benefits of allowing acidic cooking, rust free and improved non-stick - I suspect ST are trying to go down a similar low-maintenance path with the Polished range, else risk losing market share. They may end up being great, but I’d be waiting for the six month reviews before jumping in, especially at the price. Since the founder put himself out there by trying to offset the popularity of new nitrides carbon steel by falsely declaring some nonsense about nitrided pans breaking down at high heat, he can’t really go down the exact same path or he’ll look like an even bigger goose.

    But if you are looking for great low maintenance, Aussie owned, low-stick nitrided carbon steel pans, check out www.Yahgan.com.au. I got one of their prelaunch pans and they are everything the SolidTeknics pans are, plus nitrided so rust-free, acidic-cooking friendly, more non-stick and have more thermal mass for the best sear you’ll ever get on a steak. It helps that their creator is an authentic, genuine bloke (he’s got a channel under PapaMau on YouTube) and not an ego-driven flog.

    One on the caveats for cast iron or carbon steel is that you can’t soak it or leave it wet. Nitriding solves this with recent Yahgan or Misen pans, but I dont think Polished ST pans will have this benefit. The Yahgan’s (and Misen which have divided opinion due to some amazing non-stick performance out of the box which doesn’t always last) are still expensive and only slightly cheaper than ST, and Yahgan only have one size - a 26cm pan at $200+ for the Black nitrided version. But worth every cent in my opinion.

    If anyone was considering a ST, I’d definitely recommend Yahgan as a superior option. But if you want to test the waters with a cheaper option, the ikea Vardagen carbon steel pan is available for $29 for a 24cm or $39 for 28cm. They’re not nitrided or polished, but are a great budget option to learn about carbon steel, seasoning and how much better food can be once you give away the teflon.

    • 

      CircularIllusion on 25/10/2025 - 23:21

      Thanks for taking the time to write all of that.

      When AusFonte cast iron became AUS-Ion Raw “wrought iron” (bullshit marketing term which is the same as carbon steel) and then Satin and then Quenched and then Noni and then thin Lightning and then every stupid modular pan / unnecessary overpriced accessory / snapping knife blade - we were told that every new evolution was a must have, and now that has continued to the Polished range.

      I agree with a lot of what you said. However, I think the different finishes and Noni have their place.

      I think their "Lightning" stuff should be avoided especially when they claim that they haven't compromised on the durability compared to the flagships which I absolutely don't believe and it's implied on their Noni care page when they say "These pans are highly conductive—start with medium heat instead of high (or low heat with our nöni™ Lightning Range)". I don't think I would ever use their lightning pans over a campfire despite their claims that all heat sources are fine. I wouldn't want to take the risk of ruining these expensive things despite the multi-century warranty that I don't think they would honour.

      I've looked at their kitchen tools which all seem massively overpriced. I do have a Lil' Flippa that I got before they increased the price (along with everything else) that I do kind of like but I'm sure a cheaper fish turner would do the trick just as well.

      I don't really have opinions on their other stuff but looking at their Kickstarter campaigns, it does look like they tried a whole bunch of stuff that they've discontinued which is sort of fine to me. I don't know if that's what it takes for them to survive as a business but that's kind of needed in the world we live in, unfortunately.

      the founder put himself out there by trying to offset the popularity of new nitrides carbon steel by falsely declaring some nonsense about nitrided pans breaking down at high heat

      Not that I don't believe you but do you have a source for this? I'd like to see for myself.

      I'm curious about the Yahgan and look forward to hearing the medium-long term experiences from people on it. At the same time, I don't think I need more pans. :P

      • 

        UncleRico on 26/10/2025 - 13:20

        +1

        https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BJ1BkT5Hz/?

        About twenty posts down when someone asked if the new Polished range are nitrided;

        “Mark J. Henry: the big advantage over nitriding is our wrought iron has no real heat limit with high temp cooking, easily handling 1000°C+, where nitriding starts breaking down above 300°C.”

        Oh, and the Lil Flippa is indeed a fantastic tool and the exception to the earlier comments about the raft of overpriced and short-lived utensils they’ve made. Not sure that I’d ever pay $40 for it, but I got a couple included for free in different Kickstarter and Lovers campaigns and they are an essential tool for cast iron and carbon steel cooking. As you point out, you can get a very similar fish turner or spatula from AliExpress for a couple bucks, but the size and angle of the Lil Flippa is virtually perfect.

        Regarding the Noni, it certainly has its fans in the Solid circles, but I just can’t understand what its advantage is for anyone apart from the sub-1% of the population who may have a nickel intolerance. Admittedly, I do infinitely more cooking on carbon steel / iron than stainless, but I just don’t get how people can say Noni is a superior pan when every decent modern day stainless pan is clad with aluminium layers to address the lack of thermal conductivity inherent in stainless. On the rare occasion I’m cooking on stainless, I’ll use my $69 Sensuell tri-clad pan over my $250 Noni. No matter the composition of its low nickel base, I just can’t see how the single-layer Noni can compare with a proper three or five clad pan for responsiveness and evenness of heat distribution.

    • 

      ovinju on 26/10/2025 - 06:23

      +1

      Thanks UncleRico - very informative, and super helpful!

• 

  studentl0an on 24/10/2025 - 09:58

  +2

  There's lots of guides on youtube on how to polish a cheap cast iron pan to get the same finish as this using power tools you might already own.

  At $200/pan I think spending half an afternoon polishing one you already have with the tools you already own might be the better option if you are handy.

• 

  coffeeinmyveins on 24/10/2025 - 10:00

  How's this better than stainless steel and what problem does it actually solve?

  People expect stainless to act the same way as teflon and get upset at it, but I've been able to cook eggs, steak, anything on stainless with no problems.

  and what exactly are they using kickstarter for? This is a DECADE OLD company. They're literally acting like they need it to raise money when they should just be selling their product.

  Pass

• 

  Gunnar on 24/10/2025 - 10:09

  A 10YO company using Kickstarter is the equivalent of a 40YO who never left home simply becasue they do not want to spend on living expenses

• 

  JimB on 24/10/2025 - 10:58

  I've switched over from cast iron to carbon steel, especially as I found it scratches my induction glass cooktop.

  I googled what wrought iron is and found this on the Solidteknics website.

  AUS-ION™ wrought iron pans are low carbon: 99.97% pure iron and just 0.03% carbon. That’s around 10–30 times less carbon than traditional carbon steel cookware on average (usually 0.4–1.0% carbon).

  However it doesn't mean low carbon steel is better, just different.

  I know when buying brake rotors, you want high carbon steel lol

  While googling and using ChatGPT to ask "benefits of low carbon steel vs normal carbon steel cookware"

  ---

  1. Easier to Season and Maintain

  Forms a non-stick patina (like cast iron) but does so more quickly and evenly.

  Less prone to rust and chipping because it’s slightly softer and more malleable.

  Easier to re-season if the surface is damaged.

  2. Less Brittle / More Durable

  Low carbon content makes it less likely to warp or crack under heat shock.

  More resistant to impact damage or dropping compared with high-carbon types.

  3. Lighter and Easier to Handle

  Lower density and thinner construction make it lighter than cast iron and often lighter than higher-carbon versions.

  Great for fast cooking (like sautéing, stir-frying, or omelets).

  4. Better Thermal Responsiveness

  Heats up and cools down faster — gives you better control when adjusting stove temperature.

  Excellent for searing and quick frying.

  5. Cost-Effective

  Cheaper to manufacture and buy compared with high-carbon or stainless cookware.

  ---

  The last point is quite amusing given the price point of Solidteknics.

  The Solidteknics Polished Iron Cookware looks nice but too expensive for me.

  I'll stick to my 3mm Carbon Steel Skillets. Good compromise between cast iron and stainless steel.

• 

  JimmyF on 24/10/2025 - 11:01

  +1

  Any thoughts on it?

  Claims the handle doesn't get hot, yet all the videos show using a cloth to hold the handle.

  • 

    CircularIllusion on 24/10/2025 - 11:10

    My regular AUS-ION doesn't get hot at all where you would reasonably hold it. I've actually used mine over a campfire where it does get a lot hotter and I've still been able to pick it up near the end of the handle without protection.

    The people in the marketing footage are probably professional chefs who are used to picking up pans in that way.

    • 

      JimmyF on 24/10/2025 - 11:12

      My regular AUS-ION doesn't get hot at all

      But we are talking about the Solidteknics pans…. Why make this claim and then use a cloth because the handle is too hot for the promo videos?

      • 

        CircularIllusion on 24/10/2025 - 11:27

        AUS-ION is Solidteknics' "wrought iron" category of cookware. The Kickstarter is AUS-ION but with a polished finished which seems to only be on the cooking surface, if I'm not mistaken. That means the handles in the Kickstarter campaign should be the same as what I use regularly.

        I'm not affiliated with Solidteknics in any way except for the fact that I own one of their pans and I can confirm that their handles don't get hot in normal cooking conditions.

        • 

          JimmyF on 24/10/2025 - 12:36

          +1

          @CircularIllusion:

          AUS-ION is Solidteknics' "wrought iron" category of cookware

          Ok

          The Kickstarter is AUS-ION but with a polished finished which seems to only be on the cooking surface, if I'm not mistaken

          I wasn't that invested to research the brands, you asked for thoughts on this and my first thought was why claim the handle to cool to touch but then use a cloth in all the marketing material.

          I'm not affiliated with Solidteknics

          Umm strange claim, never said you had been.

          • 

            CircularIllusion on 24/10/2025 - 13:37

            @JimmyF:

            Umm strange claim, never said you had been.

            I think I threw that in because I felt like I was starting to sound like a salesperson. 😅

  • 

    JimB on 24/10/2025 - 14:19

    They should get these people to demonstrate

    https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SPZI_rCtmC8