The FIREUP Skillet

We present the FIREUP Skillet, the first real innovation in cast-iron cookware for nearly a century.

Tom is an engineer, product designer and serial entrepreneur who spends most of his time working on jet engines and rockets. He is an Engineering Science Professor at Oxford University. Raghav is a young entrepreneur, from a family with three generations of cookware manufacturing experience.

We are so excited to unlock the first stretch goal, the Blue Skillet! All backers, including super-early bird, early-bird and Indiegogo price backers, who backed the project before the stretch goal was reached, will get an option to choose their preferred colour when filling in the Backerkit survey, after the campaign ends. Similarly, all future backers will now get an option to choose blue or black color for their skillets in the post-campaign survey.

Iconic design

The FIREUP Skillet is already being referred to as a design classic. Like the Alessi lemon squeezer (designed by Philippe Starck), or the iPhone (designed by Jony Ive), the FIREUP Skillet is a perfect example of the maxim: form follows function (Louis Sullivan). The design is the direct result of blending research and product design to create something as functional as it is beautiful.

Our signature fin technology was developed based on heat exchange theory used in rocket design. It allows more even heat distribution on all stovetops and in ovens, and greater efficiency on gas hobs by guiding the flame around the pan and into the fins. The fins also retain heat and create an oven-like even cooking experience. They also make the pan look unique and beautiful on your table.

The FIREUP Skillet is a great example of science meeting design. Months of laboratory testing was used to confirm the science behind the patented fin design, but the aim of our innovation is simple: to deliver an incredible cooking experience.

We made the FIREUP Skillet just the right size. Some cooks prefer greater depth for frying and baking, while others wanted their skillets shallow for easy braising and searing. The size and shape of our skillet is similar to some of the most versatile designs on the market, allowing you to do almost everything with one piece of cookware. The ten inch size provides a wider diameter cooking base, making it just right whether you’re cooking breakfast for two or a gourmet dinner for four.

With a 5 cm depth, the FIREUP Skillet is deep enough for everyday frying. Higher sides and a wider diameter base prevents oil from spilling out of the skillet and allows easy frying.

We incorporated cast-in easy-grip handles so the pan would work with oven gloves, allowing you to serve directly to the table. The wide hanging hole enables you to hang and store your pan without taking up extra space.

The helper handle enables easy handling when moving between the oven and stove or serving directly to the table and helps distribute weight evenly. Designed to be held with or without oven gloves, this addition is convenient when the pan is full of sizzling hot food, making it easier to manoeuver without the cook spilling, staining, or burning. After careful consideration, we decided to avoid messy pour spouts. Pour spouts don’t really solve the drip issue and they increase manufacturing costs. We give you everything you need, nothing you don’t—especially if it adds extra cost.

Incredible cooking

The most versatile pan you’ll ever own. You can bake, sauté, simmer, roast, fry and sear. The multi-functionality of cast iron allows you to create endless recipes, regardless of the cooking method.

The FIREUP Skillet works on all stovetops from gas to induction. Being made from cast iron you can also roast and oven-bake in it (oven safe up to 260°C/500°F). The black-enamel interior allows for high-surface-temperature cooking, perfect for browning, grilling and blackening. High-quality cast iron also gives longer heat retention, keeping your food warm as you serve directly from stove or oven to the table.

The enamel interior ages gracefully to develop a natural patina that will behave like a non-stick surface with great food release properties.

The perfectly-fitting lid retains steam when you braise, sear or boil, enriching the flavour and aroma of your food. The lid has a raised rim to make it secure when serving.

For those who already have the FIREUP Dutch oven, your existing lid fits the skillet perfectly, so you can save precious cabinet space and money, with just one lid for two pieces of cookware. For those who (still) don’t have the Dutch oven, you can purchase the Dutch oven as an add-on at a discounted price, in the post-campaign Backerkit survey.

Lasts a lifetime

Premium multi-layer toughened and chip-resistant enamel is the most reliable coating in the industry, and is used by the best brands to create products that last for generations. Our heirloom-quality skillet is designed to last a lifetime.

The FIREUP Skillet is an excellent example of sustainable cookware. Not only does its fin design provide significant lifelong gas savings, but it also eliminates the need for buying a new pan every few years. Its 100% recyclable iron material, lifetime durability, zero-plastic packaging, and improved cooking efficiency, all combine to make cooking in the FIREUP Skillet good for the planet.

Cleaning

The smooth matt black enamel on the inside of the pan is naturally stain-resistant and requires no seasoning. It will build up a beautiful patina over time, which will enhance cooking performance. The enamelled surface makes this kitchen hero a zero-maintenance pan. Simply take the pan out of the box and start cooking right away. It is easy to clean by hand and is dishwasher safe. We recommend cleaning it with water and a soft brush or sponge. With proper care, your pan should last a lifetime.

Design and manufacture

To take our design from the laboratory to your table, we interviewed home chefs and cast iron enthusiasts to understand what matters most when they cook. We used this information to refine the design to include easy-grip handles, a tight-fitting cast-iron lid, and a dark stain-resistant enamel surface on the interior. We also made the FIREUP Skillet the perfect size and shape for versatile cooking.

We sketched endless handle designs and spoke with both home and professional chefs to design the most comfortable to hold handle. Once we narrowed down to the final ten designs, we 3D printed each handle and tested them one by one, to arrive at our final handle design—the intersection of ergonomic and manufacturing viability.

After months of optimisation of the design, we moved on to prototyping, and manufactured prototype products that could be tested by professional chefs. The reaction was fantastic, with chefs commenting on the even cooking and superior heat retention. The design is also unique, and looks amazing when serving directly to the table.

The FIREUP Skillet will be manufactured in Holland from 100% recycled iron, in a casting foundry with the latest manufacturing technology. Each piece of cookware will be cast using recyclable moulds, then individually hand-finished to create unique pieces that reflect both the technology and artisan skills that are required to create them. The time-tested durability of cast iron means that whether you cook every day or just once in a while, your FIREUP Skillet should last a lifetime.

Who we are

To bring this product to life, Raghav and Tom have been joined by cookware enthusiasts, professional and home chefs, and a team with the manufacturing and commercial experience necessary to bring a cast-iron cookware product to market.

But most importantly, there is you, the backer of this project, without whom it would be impossible to launch a product this innovative. The amazing Dutch oven reviews and pictures shared by our backers from Australia to America, give us so much joy!

Shipping

Please note that the pledge amount does not include shipping or taxes. These costs will be only charged when we are ready to ship your package. This ensures we will be able to offer the best and more accurate rates. We will send you a survey where you will be able to provide your address and pay for your preferred shipping method right before we are ready to ship your order. Local custom duties and taxes, if any, will be payable to the local courier partner.

You can refer to the table above for approximate shipping costs. Keep in mind that these are just estimates based on current quotations and the actual costs might vary at the time of shipping. We will continue to look for the best rates for each country and will keep you updated as we start to get ready for fulfilment.

Rewards

Timeline

Add-ons

Add-ons will be available once the campaign finishes. Our pledge-management partner, BackerKit, will collect your shipping information and the details of any add-ons you want to buy. Add-ons will give you a chance to buy additional units of the FIREUP Skillets, FIREUP Dutch ovens, handle knob options and more. You will be able to buy additional units of the FIRUEP Skillet at the same price as your initial pledge, at the discounted Indiegogo pricing.

Extra Bonus for Backers

We’d appreciate it if you could tell your friends, family, and the rest of the world about the ultra-efficient FIREUP Skillet . To sweeten the deal, we’ve teamed up with Kickbooster to offer you a 8% commission on every pledge you refer us to. Sign up on Kickbooster through this link: https://fireup-skillet.kickbooster.me/boost and you’ll a personal link to share through social media, email, or any other platform you like. It’s our way of saying thanks for your support!