The answer should be somewhere in here:
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WoW - thanks for this link. This completely explains it all.
I’m surprised carbon steel actually has a higher heat capacity than cast iron (502 VS 460 J/Kg-K)
Do you know if there’s a chart similar to this for heat conductivity ?
On another forum, a person is telling me cast iron has a slightly better heat conductivity than carbon steel.
I was always under the impression it was the other way around.
Not by much, just a little. However to add insult to injury, carbon steel also has a slightly higher density than average cast iron too. If we have a carbon steel pan which is exactly the same size as a cast iron pan, then the carbon steel pan is a little heavier – and then the carbon steel has even slightly higher specific heat capacity (ability to store more heat per mass ← already slightly more mass per volume).
“Speaking of weight, it’s a common misconception that carbon steel weighs less than cast iron. Inch for inch, cast iron actually weighs less than carbon steel as it is a less dense material. The iron in the alloy is the heaviest element, and carbon steel contains more iron than cast iron.”
" Density of Carbon Steel vs Cast Iron
Density of typical steel is 8.05 g/cm3.
Density of typical cast iron is 7.03 g/cm3."
https://material-properties.org/carbon-steel-vs-cast-iron-comparison-pros-and-cons/#:~:text=Density%20of%20typical%20steel%20is,is%207.03%20g%2Fcm3.
As for thermal conductivity, I believe your forum friend is correct. Cast iron has better thermal conductivity. You can find the difference in a couple of internet searches, like this:
However, I found an old paper. C3 and C4 lines are the cast iron lines. S1 ands S1Q…etc are carbon steel.
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Highly interesting, Chem !!!
Thank you for taking the time to post it here 
This is quite interesting what I’ve found out from reading the numbers and graphs in this thread.
There’s a following to these claims - and it has to do with thicker cast iron pans and thinner carbon steel pans and in fact both these claims turn out to be wrong and the truth is 180° to the claim.
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Cast iron pans are better at high heat searing than carbon steel pans - FALSE. Carbon steel pans have a higher heat capacity than cast iron*
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Carbon steel pans conduct heat better than cast iron pans - FALSE. Cast iron pans have a higher heat conductivity than carbon steel pans*
*This is of course true when comparing cast iron pans and carbon steel pans of the same shape, size and thickness.
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I do understand nerding out on this subject and splitting these hairs, and it does seem like the conclusions may be supported by the data. But I’m even more interested in a controlled experiment where the only variable is the pan material.
The pork chop experiment was decent. Do I recall correctly that the author concluded there was no discernible difference?
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Hi Alarash,
I think you’re right about nerding out on this subject.
My observations at home cooking and searing steaks is, that even in my thin De Buyer Inocuivre 2.0 stainless steel lined copper pans, I can sear a steak pretty darn well.
Even in my Demeyere Alu Pro non stick pans I can get a pretty nice sear and crust on a steak - but of course less fond development in non stick pans.
I simply just found it interesting to find out, that what many believe (including me) is that cast iron is the superior material to sear steaks in compared to carbon steel.
In reality this is not true.
Only because most cast iron pans are a good deal thicker than most carbon steel pans can they be considered the champs of high heat searing. I found that quite amusing and interesting at the same time.
Carbon steel has a higher heat capacity than cast iron.
Carbon steel has a higher mass capacity than cast iron too, since carbon steel contains more iron than cast iron.
Carbon steel has a smaller thermal conductivity than cast iron too.
I simply found these three observations quite interesting, since I believed it was the other way around in all 3 points. And I KNOW many other people also don’t know this.
What can this be used for in actual cooking ?
Not so much to be honest.
Out of concerns for the health of my kitchen drawers I’m probably going to pass on buying 3 Finex Cast iron pans, but they would probably be the ultimate cast iron pans (a long with some Smithey cast iron pans), but I’m passing on them and will not be buying them - even though my favourite danish cookware shop just started selling Finex cast iron pans.
They are simply too heavy and stiff and cumbersome to handle to be honest.
I also question the need for the perfect carbonised dark crust on a steak. I don’t need it that crusty.
I just need a nice dark crusty caramelisation on my steaks and my 3 mm carbon steel pans and my 4.8 mm clad/ply Demeyere Proline pans can deliver such a crust on any steak I make.
There is a difference. CI (even though it is classified as an insulator) has better thermal conductivity. I consider it powerful evidence for this result in practice that all-SS pans are nearly unheard of outside of woks and Maslin pans. If you find one in comparable size/shape/thickness to a CI comparator, I’d be happy to test it.
The way I look at it, sub-mm SS linings in conductive pans probably don’t hurt overall evenness–enough to make a practical difference. Still 2.3mm of copper overlaid with 0.2mm of SS isn’t going to be as even as 2.5mm of copper.
Nice to see Finex selling in EU also, I noticed it actually sells at meestersljipers also for example, for yikes prices.
I suppose at some point they might put them out for a good percentage sale at kitchenone though, just like they have done with Skeppshults. Apparently they were not yet at the Finnish kitchenone site.
Out of the fancy American cast iron that I remember, my favorites are the Butter Pat, Smithey and Finex. The Butter Pat has an interesting construction of thin sidewalls and a “thick” bottom. I don’t know how thick bottom though…
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They are very pricey at danish Kitchenone.
Something like 2100 dkr for the 30 cm pan.
I don’t particularly like the Finex design - but I may at some stage buy the 25 cm and 30 cm if they come on sale.
Can’t seem to find any information on how thick the Finex pans are though - but they should have a smooth finish on the inner sides and bottom.
I don’t want a scab on either side of my steak. Carmelized, yes, but I don’t want bits of burned stuff in my pan sauce. I worry more about the quality of the meat than obsessing about creating a fire-offering to the gods. I know I’m in the minority here, so everyone flog away at me. 
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I think anyone who has the least bit of concern over weight or leverage would be unhappy with Finex. They are fearsome heavy, and while the spiral spring handles look and stay cool, I find them uncomfortable.
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Griswold cast iron are coveted by many cast iron enthusiasts
I have an old Griswold that it much lighter and smoother than my Lodge and Field Company. I always use cast iron for searing steaks, it seems to retain heat longer because of the thickness so when I turn off the pan it continued to cook/rest and saves me the setp of putting it in the oven to finish it as some do with thicker steaks.
