10 Best

Non Toxic Cookwares

of April 2024

Teflon has been used in cookware since 1954, because of its slippery quality. It has the lowest coefficient of friction of any substance! It proved to be very convenient for non-stick coatings on frying pans. Teflon utensils make cleanup easier, and you don’t need as much cooking oil.

However, Teflon hasn’t been without its drawbacks. In 2014, a ban was placed on the use of the chemical Perfluorooctanoic Acid, or PFOA. It was customarily used in manufacturing Teflon, as well as in food packaging and electronics. It was linked to low birth weight in fetuses, as well as causing glandular problems, and even cancer. Also, they noticed trace amounts of PFOA when Teflon is overheated. Even after the ban, there’s a push to go for non-stick cookware that doesn’t employ Teflon. That’s where non-toxic cookware comes in.

There are several companies that use ceramic coatings as a more natural, non-stick alternative. For example, GreenPan employs Thermolon, which is derived from silicon dioxide (the same chemical as sand), and coats either anodized aluminum or stainless steel with it. Other companies have followed suit, in replacing Teflon with ceramic coatings.

We’ve composed this buyer’s guide to help you make the right decision when selecting non-toxic cookware. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of non-toxic cookware for your preferences,

• See useful tips about that particular type of non-toxic cookware,

• Read reviews of some different non-toxic cookware, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of non-toxic cookware, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

Let’s look at the various ceramic, non-stick coatings used by the most popular cookware manufacturers:

• Thermolon coating: Thermalon is a non-stick ceramic coating, developed by GreenPan, and tested to be free of PFOA, PTFE, lead, or cadmium. It is also tested against scratching, as well as being durable to both acidic foods and alkaline detergents.

• Marble coating: Cooklover employs a white marble coating in their cookware, which is also free of PFOA and PTFE.

• Ceramic coating: Kenmore uses a ceramic, PTFE-free coating in their frying pans. It has excellent heat transfer, which allows you to use less energy when cooking. Some, such as GreenLife, use a diamond-reinforced ceramic coating, which is more durable.

• Cool-touch handles: Many manufacturers make extra-long handles, or handles made from silicone, to ensure that they remain cool, even when the pan is sizzling hot. (This is actually one of the drawbacks to the Cooklover cookware: people complained that the bakelite handles tend to get hot, so it’s best to use rubber grippers.)

• Somewhat heavy: Some customers say that ceramic cookware tends to be heavier than a Teflon-coated alternative. But, an advantage to this is that the cookware is less liable to warp when exposed to high heat.

• Heat resistance: It’s a good idea to look at the maximum temperature that the cookware can withstand. One of the problems with Teflon is that it can release fumes if it is overheated (that’s why it’s not recommended to leave Teflon on the fire if there is no food in the cookware). The GreenPan Lima cookware set is oven and broiler safe for up to 600 ℉, and the glass lids to the pots can withstand 425 ℉.

• Suitable for induction stoves?: If you have an induction stove, don’t take it for granted that the cookware is suitable for induction. Gotham Steel’s copper-aluminum pots and pans set is suitable for induction stoves.

• Scratch-resistant: Even though ceramic coatings are more scratch-resistant than typical Teflon coatings, most manufacturers still recommended using either wooden, silicone, or nylon utensils. Also, don’t use a knife to cut food while it’s cooking on a non-stick surface--it will cause small cuts in the coating, which only get more pronounced over time. It’s also not recommended to wash them in a dishwasher unless the manufacturer explicitly says that it’s safe. And don’t place metal lids on the ceramic surface, since that can also scratch it. (Gotham Steel’s pots seem to be an exception: Chef Daniel Green even used a blender in a Gotham Steel saucepan to beat egg whites!)

GreenPan is a Belgian maker of ceramic nonstick cookware, which is a healthier alternative to Teflon-based nonstick cookware. The company was founded in 2007 by Jan Helskens and Wim De Veirman. Their sets include frypans, woks, saute pans and saucepans, grills, and more.

GreenLife was founded in 2013, making nonstick cookware with Thermolon, a natural ceramic coating. Their cookware is dishwasher-safe, and the coating heats up quickly. Besides pans and cookware sets, they also make non-stick appliances.

NutriChef was founded in 2014, with the goal of making healthier cookware. Their non-stick line of products has a ceramic exterior for better heat transfer, silicone cool-touch handles, and see-through lids from tempered glass.

Gotham Steel is a maker of non-stick cookware using ceramic coatings and titanium. Their products are oven-safe up to temperatures of 500 ℉, and their ceramic coating is durable even for metal utensils.