Cracks and warps kill it. Rust doesn't.

Check for cracks and warps first. Everything else is fixable.

Run your fingers along the entire pan — inside, outside, edges. Cracks are instant deal-breakers. No amount of restoration fixes a crack. It’ll just get worse with heat.

Set the pan on a flat surface. Does it wobble? A slight wobble on a vintage piece might be acceptable if you’re only cooking on a gas stove, but a bad warp means poor heat contact. For electric or induction? Hard pass.

Rust is cosmetic. Surface rust scrubs off with steel wool and vinegar. Heavy pitting might be ugly but still functional. Old seasoning can be stripped and redone. A rough cooking surface can be smoothed with sandpaper (heresy to purists, but your eggs will thank you).

Look for the markings — Griswold, Wagner, Lodge, BSR. Those are the usual suspects worth finding. Unmarked Taiwanese pans from the 70s? Probably not worth the elbow grease unless it’s sentimental.

If it’s cracked or badly warped, walk away. Otherwise, you’re good. And if the price is right — like $5 at a flea market — grab it. Worst case, you learn to restore something. Best case, you get a heirloom.

Future you will appreciate not fighting a cracked pan.