I currently have a 10" skillet, which is pretty good for most daily use (eggs, browning meat, etc...). It even is a pretty good size for using as a baking dish, as I regularly bake chicken breasts and even whole chickens in it. However, I do look at the 15" skillets with envy, and I admit my current pan is a little small for doing bacon properly. The 10" is already pretty weighty, so keep that in mind too.

I have found that the cast iron I use most often is my Lodge Logic round griddle--I'm not sure how big it is, but I think I've only seen it in the one size.

8 inch and ten inch. The 8 inch is perfect for a batch of Jiffy Mix cornbread. It's a great way to get used to baking in a CI skillet. You preheat your seasoned skillet in the oven, add fat and then batter. The crust is a treat.

Do not be shy about buying used cast iron if you can find it at yard sale or thrift shop. I got a 10 inch skillet for less than $5. Clean, season and treasure.

Look up some web stuff on care and feeding and you will be amazed at how easy CI is.

I love my 10-inch Lodge cast iron pan (family of four). We use it both for bigger dinner meanls and for single serving serving things - like a fried egg or grilled cheese, but it is HEAVY to carry and clean.

Even purchased new, the Lodge cast iron pans are much less expensive than high-end cookware.

I have a 9-inch that I think is perfect for cooking for one or two people. I'd never really used cast-iron because they are so heavy. The 9-inch is much easier to use because it's lighter, so I use it much more often.

I second gudnis' advice about second-hand cast-irons -- my mom bought me mine at a yard sale, and it's perfect.

We use our 10 inch almost everyday. I also use my 6 inch to make a single fried egg almost every morning. It is also great for toasting nuts, but it is too small for most other tasks.

I have a vintage Griswold (circa 1940) that was given to be when I married in 1970. It's a great size---about 10 inches across. Just right for frying eggs, potatoes, and for baking a batch of cornbread.

I LOVE using the cast iron skillet. To me, it adds more flavor to dishes. I have a 9-inch purple Le Creuset and it is just me and my dog. It is the perfect size for us. My mom has the 11.75-inch yellow Le Creuset, and is large enough to feed 3 people and 2 dogs.

The only thing to consider about the cast iron skillet is how hot the handle gets. I ALWAYS put my "Cool Tool Handle Sleeve" when using it. http://cookware.lecreuset.com/cookware/product_Cool-Tool™-Handle-Sleeve_10151_-1_20002_10023__

I have the Lodge Cast Iron Griddle, a Le Creuset Case Iron small 10 inch, and the giant Lodge Cast Iron 15 inch skillet that is about 2 inches deep.

I would suggest a round griddle with a lip and the large 15 inch skillet with more depth than the 10 inch skillet. On the stove I use the griddle, but I bake ALOT in that giant skillet - brioche bread pudding, frittatas, etc. That thing in the oven is LAVA HOT so be careful. But once something is baked it stays warm forever in the skillet.

I have a 12-inch Lodge and while it is fairly unwieldy it's also very versatile. It's the perfect size for bacon and can cook quartered chicken in one go. That said, a 10-inch skillet is probably the more appropriate size if you're only cooking for 1-2 people.

It depends on the size of your burner and what is comfortable for you. Remember they are heavy. Flipping them on the side to scrap food off on to a plate, etc.. with one hand and spoon in other is a really difficult. I find the average burner harder to heat the edges of a 12".

If you have at least one standard size burner get the 10 inch. I think its the best size for comfort (still heavy) and function.

I only cook for one but make lots of leftovers for lunches. I use my 12" Lodge and usually fill it up! I can imagine using a 10" if you're cooking less.

I have a 12 inch that I love, but I recently bought an 8 inch because the 12 inch was often just too big for meals for two (me and my gf). The 8 inch is the perfect size for cornbread or a fritatta for two -- I love having it around, though I'll still pull out the 12 inch when I'm making steaks.

If you are looking for just one cast iron skillet to get started I would suggest going with a 10" Lodge skillet. I say this because when you get to the 10" size the skillet comes with an assist handle. 9" models and below do not have a second handle which can make moving a full skillet difficult.

I also suggest just picking up a new skillet from your preferred retailer (e.g., Target, Walmart, Amazon, etc.). Sure, a nice Griswold or Wagner Ware would be great but since you are a cast iron novice you are better off buying new. Once you get familiar with cast iron and know what to look for in an old pre-War skillet then you can invest in one if you so chose.

Something else to consider is that new cast iron is inexpensive so you could score two Lodge skillets (a 10" and a 12") for $30-$35. After all, you may only be cooking for one now but one day it could be more and since cast iron is durable you could very well have your cast iron skillet well into your sunset years.

Lastly, play it safe, buy American. Beware of celebrity endorsed/branded skillets. Paula, Emeril and Bobby all have their skillets made in China and there is no telling what toxins could be lurking in that iron. Lodge skillets are made in South Pittsburg, Tennessee just as they have been for over 100 years.

Good luck to you!

I bought a 10-inch, 100+ year-old Griswold skillet on eBay about two years ago. It's my all-time favorite kitchen tool.

One big difference in the old cast iron vs Lodge: The surface of the new pans isn't milled smooth. I'm not sure they'll ever be as good as the old stuff.

Long story short: a ten-inch skillet will cover you for 90 percent of what you need. (And buy an old pan!)

Going to agree with many people above: Lodge 10" skillet is a perfect choice! I have a large variety of cast iron, from enameled to so ancient the seasoning is pure non-stick wonder, the one I grab the most is the 10".

I live by myself, and I've found the Lodge 10" to be fantastic. I use it on the stovetop and in the oven for baking. It can definitely accommodate dishes that I make for myself, but I've also used it when cooking dinner for others. Go with the 10"! If you really feel "cramped" you can always upgrade to the 15" later.

I have a 12 inch Wagner that I bought over 20 years ago for something like 15 bucks. I am a big strong guy and I don't need a helper handle. I recently got a 10 & 12 inch Calphalon non-stick for certain types of cooking and I find myself using the 12 inch pan all the time. I really like the extra room in the pan when sauteing and stirring things together.

Wish I'd asked this question when I got my cast iron a year ago. I bought a lodge 12", and while I am happy with the size (cooking for 1, but I usually make a lot of leftovers), it is much too heavy for me to tilt one-handed to pour out excess bacon fat (natch). I would say I am an about average to above average strength woman.... but maybe I just need to lift more weights.

I'm a student and I mostly cook for just myself as well. The first CI skillet I got (salvaged from someone's trash!!! nothing a good scrubbing with steel wool and run through the oven a couple times couldn't cure), is a 10'. It's great for home fries, grilled cheese, etc. for one person. I picked up a 15' at an antique shop this summer for $12 and it's great for doing big batches of pasta, or sloppy joes, which I like to have lots of for leftovers. I've been quite lucky with salvaged cast iron, and I would suggest that you might buy your first one new in the 8-10' range, and then keep a lookout for more sizes at thrift and antique shops. I'm on the hunt for a few baby 6' ones at the moment as well as a reasonably priced dutch oven.

I'm totally the girl who emailed this in last night, and this is all exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. Knew I cam to the right place! Thanks, Faith, and thank you all!

I live on my own and I just got myself a 12inch lodge cast iron. While the 12 inch is definitely a little bit big for one person, i consider it an investment piece that I'll (hopefully) have for the rest of my life. i can also cook an entire meal in that one skillet at the same time- meat/protein on one side and veggies on the other. Or I can cook a really big batch of something that i want to freeze or save for lunches. remember to consider the size of your kitchen too. My kitchen is really small and finding space for my skillet was a challenge.

Just wanted to say that I think the 10-inch is the perfect size. I use it for cornbread (it is a little too large for a Jiffy mix, but the perfect size for my scratch recipe - which is yummy, by the way; if you'd like it, post back and I will post it :)). I also bake a one-layer yellow cake in it and eat the cake warm with a glass of cold milk (no frosting, glaze or dusting -- just plain warm yellow cake in a hot iron skillet). Oh, I also use it for frying okra. I just dredge my cut okra in seasoned cornmeal, then toss into my preheated skillet (to which I've added just a couple tablespoons of oil), cover it with a "borrowed" lid, stirring and turning occasionally, then when tender, removing the lid and letting it brown a bit. Delish!