My 8" I got from my mom, so maybe its pre 50's??? USA on the bottom.
Got the 6" and 12" from neighbors, they too say USA on the bottom and very well could be that old - I recall him saying he got them in alaska and he was kinda a foodie...
These three actually look to be of fairly decent quality - dense, non grainy cast iron, with nice radii at the edges. No identifiable names to be seen, but the 12" does say "SK".
Bought the 10" from wallyworld ~5 years ago, so yeah I know that its cheap - it only cost me $9 - I got it specifically for hashbrowns since the 12" was too big and the 8" was too small... but I'm finding that it is actually my goto size. The cast iron seems a little coarser, with a grainy texture and a noticeable transition at the edges.

I'm pretty certain that the issue with the bigger pans is that flame impingement area is only ~3" diameter --- even a 'stellar high quality' pan would have difficulty heating to the edge uniformly if the flame is set to not scorch/super heat the center --- as shown in that pic - that is flame height/diameter that keeps cooking oil from smoking that I use 90% of the time. The 12" pan is essentially useless for anything other than browning because the center gets too damn hot while the edges stay relatively cool --- any oil you put in the pan heats in the center and flows to the edges and pools while the center scorches any remaining oil. I've always had this problem with my aluminum/teflon pans in the past too --- the square griddles I kept show the same ~4" scorch ring in the center, even though they have nice 'heat pipe' patterns on the bottom.

Really makes me wonder how people cook with the thin stainless pans? I would guess the problem is much worse for them...

Was able to pay off our mortgage 5 years early!!!!

Yeah, I don't think I could move the flame very far/far enough to make a difference... I still think the solution is to spread the heat with thermal mass/loading - its obvious the pan can't do all of it on its own, so the diffuser plate seems like the logical way to drive the heat radially.

I'm thawing some rockfish for tomorrow... I cooked a fillet a couple of weeks ago in the 10" with panko and oil - it turned out with the classic --- brown, almost over done color from the center ~4", transitioning thru light brown, to the barely any color at the outer edge. I expect with the diffuser that it will come out much more uniform this time. Same goes with bacon.... I have always been cutting the strips in half so that I can cycle the pieces thru the center hot zone --- a full strip results in a crispy middle of the strip with soggy under cooked ends.

Getting an even brown and minimizing any oil/grease smoking is the goal.... Mom raised me to like the "Anderson Crispy" --- brown and crunchy, but not burnt.... okay, maybe a little burnt for some things Amazed I don't have a deep fryer --- have always wanted a Fry Daddy, but the whole 'stay away from deep fried foods' shit kinda keeps me away.... Although this vid made me want one more than ever!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHi75sMAPL8
Tell me those don't look like something to die for!!!! If I get brave enough, I may actually try it in a pot on the stove.... the heat diffuser will work well for that too! Until then, these have been awesome....
https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2018/10 ... pomme.html

I still think that burner is way to small and it would drive me nuts. I would have to change it out. Your just wasting gas and time heating up a plate every time you use it.

Chilling with the wife and "friends".

Was able to pay off our mortgage 5 years early!!!!