I am going to start with just admitting this. I think companies like Caraway and Our Place (the makers of the Always pan) are marketing geniuses, and I love, love, love all the cute-colored pots, pans, and baking trays.

They would look amazing in any kitchen! Right?!!

Then add the fact that they say they are non-toxic cookware?!

Well, now… If that’s true, seriously, take all my money.

As a mom who cooks a lot and is a consumer, I’m stoked on this idea!

As a toxins attorney, I’ve got some alarm bells going off, and I always research companies from a place of skepticism.

Didn’t your mama teach you that if something is too good to be true, it probably is? I get asked All. The. Time. to write about non-toxic cookware, so I am happy to finally publish my findings for all of you. Enjoy!

Key Takeaways:

• Short history and the health impacts of the toxin used to make Teflon, and the toxins most cookware manufacturers use today
• Product reviews of several non-toxic pans sold on the market
• What non-stick coatings are made out of
• A list of the non-toxic cookware you’ll find in my kitchen and what I use most

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH TEFLON?

2023 marked the 75th anniversary of the discovery of Teflon, the non-stick surface that most of us know as the slick coating on our cooking pans. The material’s invention was a happy accident.

Still, all these years later, I’m positive that if Roy Plunkett, the 27-year-old American chemist at DuPont who invented it, knew the fallout of the chemicals that he invented, he would wish that he’d never invented it at all.

Chemicals in Teflon

The chemical that gave Teflon its slick surface was perfluorooctanoic acid, commonly known as PFOA. PFOA is a single chemical that belongs to a class of thousands of other chemicals called PFAS. PFAS chemicals include over 4,700 compounds, with new ones invented nearly every day.

While the EPA has taken efforts to measure and control up to 29 chemicals in drinking water (but not products), it lacks the money, staff, and authority to study or regulate PFAS as a whole.

Fast forward 70 years, and all of our waterways and aquifers around the world are contaminated, and 99% of the population has these chemicals in their bloodstream. What makes PFAS toxins so dangerous is also what makes them impossible to destroy.

The Forever Chemical

It’s been dubbed the “forever chemical” because it persists… everywhere. PFAS chemicals are a series of compounds that linger in our bodies and environment long after the products that contain them have broken down. These chemicals accumulate over time, leading to adverse health conditions like:

• Cancer
• Birth defects
• Heart disease

Side note: We also now know that DuPont knew of the health impacts for decades.

For those that are new here and to my blog, as a toxins attorney, I will tell you this… DuPont had no legal requirement to notify the government or regulators of the health harms, nor is it legally liable for the harm. The law protects corporations and allows them to self-regulate their own ingredients, with very few exceptions. The EPA finally stepped in and required that PFOA be removed from non-stick pans by 2015. As of 2015, you won’t find PFOA in any non-stick pans.

(Want to learn more? Watch the documentary The Devil We Know. It’s the whole story about the lengths that DuPont went to hide their scientific findings about the toxicity of Teflon.)

Now I know what you are thinking… then WHAT IS in current Teflon non-stick pans and should you be concerned?

IS PTFE BETTER?

Since 2015, most brands have used PFOA-free PTFE on their non-stick pans, which stands for polytetrafluoroethylene.

The problem with that?

It’s still a PFAS chemical, and there are only a few studies on PTFE’s toxicity, with no clear conclusions. But what they don’t tell you is that PFOA is literally USED in the creation of PTFE. Some reports indicate that PFOA was detected in the gas phase released from cooking utensils at normal cooking temperatures.

Sooooo… they replaced it with a chemical that could have the same toxicity issues???

I suppose it might take another 70 years before we know that answer. It’s a pass for me.

Non-Toxic COOKWARE OPTIONS

There are A LOT of opinions on this topic and so many options, which is probably why it took me five years to write this! I’ve used them all.

This wouldn’t be a very good product review if I didn’t, now would it?

Here are the most popular and widely used materials you can choose from when deciding on non-toxic cookware.

CERAMIC COATED

It’s nonstick, and the companies that sell it claim that the coating is non-toxic and doesn’t leach chemicals into your food or off-gas at high temperatures. The manufacturing process for this material varies by brand, but all of them are significantly better than PFAS chemicals.

The catch???

The coating wears off some of these really fast, so you have to follow the cooking and cleaning directions carefully to avoid ruining them out of the gate. It’s worth investing in a quality brand (I’ll tell you my favorite at the end of this post).

STAINLESS STEEL

It’s a workhorse for professional and home kitchens alike because it can last a lifetime and take a beating. Look for reputable brands that use food-grade stainless steel.

I want you to hear this… high-quality stainless steel, when used correctly, can be just as non-stick as a pan with a non-stick coating!

No, I’m not joking. It’s true.

CAST IRON

An heirloom classic in the kitchen, passed down from generation to generation, cast iron retains heat like nothing else, sears like a master, and is also extremely non-stick when seasoned correctly over time.

While cooking with this material is safe, those susceptible to iron overload should use it with caution and not cook acidic foods in it.

Cooking with cast iron takes a commitment, but it is worth it.

CARBON STEEL

Carbon steel is like Cast Iron’s little sister. Rather than seasoning deep in the porous surface of cast iron, seasoning on the surface makes it more naturally non-stick.

One of the main reasons why people love cooking with carbon steel is its versatility. Carbon steel pans can be used on the stove, under the broiler, over an open flame, or in a pizza oven.

It’s versatile, and while you do have to take care of it and keep it seasoned, it doesn’t require the same upkeep as a cast-iron pan (in my opinion) and is much lighter.

PURE CERAMIC

It might be the safest non-toxic cookware out there. This type of cookware is made from a single material – ceramic. Pure ceramic cookware is best for low-and-slow cooking.

Another bonus to using ceramic is its low carbon footprint.

It’s not so great if you need to legit cook things up quickly, but it’s great for pots that slow-cook in the oven. You won’t catch me making eggs and bacon on it during a hectic morning, but it has its place in my kitchen.

MY TOP PICKS

These are my top picks for non-toxic cookware brands!

100% CERAMIC – FOR THE TOXIN CONSCIOUS BUYER

If you just can’t get on board with the possibility of any toxins in your cookware, then Xtrema is one of the few brands that sells 100% ceramic cookware. The pure ceramic build means the skillet won’t leach any toxins into your food, but there are some drawbacks.

• It can’t be used on induction stovetops
• Fragile foods like eggs tend to stick to it
• The ceramic material is very fragile at high temperatures
• The pan itself doesn’t tend to heat evenly

Still, this skillet is scratch-resistant and straightforward to clean, even if you get some sticking. It’s also oven- and microwave-safe, and Xtrema provides silicone handles for the skillet to protect your hands. This is great for long, slow cooking.

But suffice to say, this is for the truly committed, toxin-free chef who is willing to put up with the hassle in the name of 100% toxin-free.

I am a busy mom, and this is not something that I use, but if you’re uncompromising in your pursuit of a toxin-free home, go for it. This is the safest cooking material available.

STAINLESS STEEL – FOR THE QUALITY CONSCIOUS BUYER

Stainless steel is one of those ‘buy once and last forever’ kind of things in your home, so choose wisely!

Despite its great reputation, stainless steel alone is a poor conductor of heat. To ensure even heat distribution, virtually all stainless cookware is either clad, meaning it has at least one layer of aluminum sandwiched between interior and exterior layers of stainless steel, or has a solid aluminum disc on the bottom.

The problem with that is you don’t want aluminum to leach. (Also, why you shouldn’t cook on aluminum foil, my friends.) Cheap stainless steel isn’t a good option because you don’t know the quality and whether it will leach aluminum.

The only brand I use for stainless steel is All-Clad. All-Clad is fully bonded, non-toxic cookware handcrafted from the highest-quality materials at their mill in Canonsburg, PA. They are bonded so well that you don’t have to worry about leaching, and they are an amazing, everyday, long-lasting cookware.

Pssst. Here’s my secret to cooking eggs on stainless steel: Beef tallow or coconut oil works best. Heat the pan FIRST. Make sure it’s nice and medium hot. Put in the fat or oil you’ve chosen to cook with. RIGHT when it’s finished melting and hot, put the eggs right on top. You’ll find that the fat is all that it really takes to make eggs in stainless steel, and they slide right off. Enjoy 😉

CAST IRON PANS – FOR THE HOME CHEF

Cast iron pans have been around forever, and there are a lot of reasons to love them… and maybe a few that will make you love them less.

I will tell you this much: I use my cast-iron skillet A LOT, and I love it dearly. But owning a cast-iron pan isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes time, care, and attention… and some love sprinkled in there.

Here is the good stuff. Cast iron is tough and durable, so it’s hard to ruin or destroy. Even if you have an unusable pan, it can be restored with minimal effort. And after years of use, cast iron doesn’t wear out. In fact, it gets better as long as you take care of it. It’s like the fine wine of non-toxic cookware.

I make a lot of single-skillet meals that go from stove top to oven, and after I’ve finished cooking, my food stays hotter in the cast iron than in any other type of pan. This is a really nice benefit, so I serve those meals right out of the pan and leave them on the table for seconds. Cast iron also cooks evenly and sears meat better than any other material.

I know you are thinking it, though…. Does cast iron really count as a non-stick pan?

Yes! It absolutely does. As long as you season your pan between uses, the oil will bake into the pan as your food cooks, creating a nonstick surface. It does take a little time, and it is also important to follow the three steps for cleaning your pan (wash, dry, oil).

Because cast iron pans can improve over time, it’s one reason people go to garage sales, flea markets, or antique shops looking to buy vintage cast iron pans. I personally own several pieces of Lodge Cast Iron that you can pick up from just about anywhere.

The downsides? It takes some love, and you have to be willing to care for it properly and keep it seasoned.

Side note: Never season a pan with seed oils like canola, vegetable, or grape seed. They are high in polyunsaturated fat, and you don’t want that in your food. I use beef tallow, bacon grease, or extra virgin olive oil to season my pan.

One last possible downside. If you are someone who suffers from excess iron, you will want to avoid cooking in cast iron. Most people don’t fall into this category, and leaching only really occurs when you cook foods with high acidity, like tomatoes. But, it’s best to avoid just in case.

CERAMIC COATED NON-STICK – FOR THE INSTA CHEFS

I know this is why you are here, even reading this blog post!

And that’s ok, I don’t blame you, their marketing is so good! Right?

The number one question in my inbox? “How do you feel about Caraway??? GreenPan??? The Always Pan???”

I’ll go ahead and address the ceramic non-stick craze as a whole, then tell you which brand might be worth your time and money.

But first, let me just say this. Hex-Clad is not non-toxic. They use PTFE and are sticking to the story that it’s safe.

Sorry… no. OK, moving on.

GreenPan

GreenPan is one of the most popular ceramic non-stick brands. GreenPan uses what they call Thermalon instead of Teflon (TFFE) for their coating. Thermalon is made by a Sol-Gel process that forms a coating layer on the surface of the pan. The main ingredient of the coating is Silicon Dioxide (SiO2), better known as sand.

That’s good! But what else is in there?

According to Green Pan, additional materials, such as pigments, give it color, but all the materials in Thermalon are 100% safe for use in food-contact coatings.

So, here is where I stand on this. Green Pan won’t say what the additional materials are. So, you have to go on faith. You have to believe that they are telling the truth and that all the ingredients are safe.

From a performance perspective, the non-stick coating will, on average, last a couple of years if you don’t cook on high heat and don’t use spray oils.

Bottom line: Their pans are not super expensive, and you can grab them at Target, so if you are ok knowing that you’ll replace them every couple of years, then this pan may work for you.

The Always Pan

I like the idea of The Always Pan being eight non-toxic cookware products in one. According to their website, the pan replaces your “fry pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, non-stick pan, spatula, and spoon rest.” So, Our Place promises that with just this one pan, you can braise, sear, steam, strain, sauté, fry, boil, serve, and store.

What cook wouldn’t love that? Especially if it’s non-toxic!

The good news is that it’s compatible with all cooktops, including induction stoves, comes with a lid, and is relatively lightweight. It is made of aluminum, which is a rather good heat conductor, similar to stainless steel.

But what about the non-stick coating?

According to the company, the coating is a proprietary sol-gel technology. They consider it a ceramic precursor; if you were to fire the sol-gel, it would turn into a ceramic.

But because we heat it at a lower temperature, it never reaches that ceramic state. Ceramic is totally inorganic, whereas sol-gel has organic and inorganic substances of glass/silica. The organic material is an organic polymer.

I’ve seen several of the heavy-metal testing reports done (and good for them for releasing them!). Their heavy metal testing shows that lithium, lead, cobalt, cadmium, and mercury are not detected in their pans.

For the most part, I am comfortable with the ingredients used in this pan, BUT you need to know that the coating will not last.

In my experience and that of my community, you might get a year of use out of this pan before the non-stick coating starts to rub off. Even if you follow the direction carefully, don’t ever cook any higher than low/med heat, only use silicone, and let it cool before washing, the coating will still not last very long.

Bottom line: It’s non-toxic, but it won’t last. I truly hope that, with time, new technology will become more durable, because it is truly an ingenious product.

Caraway

Caraway is the current golden child and most popular non-toxic pan on the market. Anyone on Instagram has seen these beautiful, colored pans.

While you will find these in my kitchen, I have to be honest: they don’t last. Do I love having a non-stick option for eggs on a lazy morning when I don’t feel like taking out my cast-iron pan? Yes. But after 3 years of use, the coating is no longer non-stick. They have lasted longer than the Green Pan and Always Pan I purchased.

Now, Caraway is quite pricey. It will set you back a few hundred dollars for a handful of non-toxic cookware or bakeware. (You can save $150 by purchasing a set of cooking or baking pans here.) For that price, it’s not really the kind of pan you want to replace every few years.

The good news? Caraway claims its non-toxic coating is free of:

• PTFE, such as Teflon
• PFOA
• PFAs
• Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and toxic metals

The part that makes my environmental lawyer heart so happy? They publish their lab results. If you are reading this, you know that transparency is everything to me.

What makes Caraway stand out as well is that the pans are sturdy and oven-safe. Caraway’s instructions recommend cooking at low heat, using a little oil (no sprays), and hand-washing with non-abrasive soap once the pan has cooled.

If you follow these instructions, you can get a few years of use out of them.

While splurging on a $400 set of pans that you have to replace in 3 years still seems like a lot, it’s currently the best, most durable, non-toxic non-stick pan option available.

So what do I use?

I sear all my meat in my Lodge cast iron skillet and use it a ton for one-skillet meals that go from stove top to oven.

80% of the pots that I use are All-Clad stainless steel.

When I need to cook something that requires a nice non-stick coating, like lots of scrambled eggs, I’ll reach for my Caraway.

I exclusively bake with Caraway pans, and they are the best non-stick baking pans available (and seem to last longer than their non-toxic cookware options). If you want a Caraway set, you can get it here.

Choosing the Best Non-Toxic Cookware for Your Home

I hope this article taught you more about the non-toxic cookware options available so you can make an informed decision. My favorite cookware and bakeware brands and products are always available in the cookware section of The Toxin Free Shopping Guide. Happy swapping!