The 13 Best Non-Toxic Cookware Options You Can Buy, According to a Food Editor

For the home cook who wants her kitchen to look as good as the food she’s making in it, there’s Caraway. It comes in a slew of muted, cheerful colorways like perracotta (a creamy brownish rose) and sage (a calming green), but it’s not just Instagram-friendly: It’s made with a ceramic non-stick coating that can handle temperatures up to 550°F, it can go from stove top to oven and it won’t add unwanted chemicals to your meals. Every piece in the set is stove-top agnostic, a fancy way of saying it works with induction, gas and electric ranges, plus they ship in recyclable, environmentally conscious packaging. (Psst: We rated the set 90 out of 100 in our PureWow100 review.)

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 10.5-inch fry pan, 3-quart sauce pan, 4.5-quart sauté pan, 6.5-quart Dutch oven
• Material: ceramic non-stick
• Colors available: 11

McManus is a big fan of All-Clad. The brand's products are as timeless and good-looking as they are functional. The stainless-steel cookware is not coated with non-stick material, but it can actually behave like non-stick if you preheat it sufficiently. (Hot tip: If you add a drop of water to the pan, it will bead up and skate across the surface when the pan is ready.) "I love that it's durable and cooks food really evenly with no hot spots," raves senior food editor Katherine Gillen. "And since they’re not coated with anything, you can use any type of utensil without scratching them. Plus, they clean up like new!"

Need more convincing? It’s oven- and dishwasher-safe, won’t scratch if you accidentally take a metal utensil to it and comes with a lifetime warranty. We like the Weeknight Pan, which is like a hybrid sauté pan and saucier, because its high sides and ample surface area can handle braising, sautéing, searing and simmering with ease. (And with a little cooking oil, it can do anything a non-stick pan can.)

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 4-quart
• Material: stainless steel
• Colors available: 1

Like cast iron, carbon steel cookware is made from an alloy of iron and carbon—the difference is that it contains less carbon than cast iron. It’s just as non-toxic, but much more lightweight and a better heat conductor than its clunkier cousin. And thanks to that lower carbon content, it’s smoother and slightly more non-stick, even though it’s seasoned the same as cast iron. We like the Lodge carbon steel skillet because it’s pre-seasoned, it heats quickly and evenly, is super slick with regular seasoning, goes from the stove to the oven and works on gas, electric and induction burners. It’s also a cool $40 for a 10-inch pan, which is a steal considering it’s meant to last a lifetime.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, 15-inch
• Material: carbon steel
• Colors available: 1

GreenPan is arguably the O.G. of non-toxic, non-stick cookware. The brand uses a silicon-based coating called Thermolon, which is slippery and scratch-resistant and won't release harmful chemicals into your food, even if you accidentally overheat the pan. (It can withstand temperatures up to 850°F, but for your safety, we don’t suggest trying that!) "It's budget-friendly, durable and eggs truly slide right off," claims VP of editorial Candace Davison. "Even though it's dishwasher safe, it's better to hand wash—I've found the non-stick surface doesn't last long if you toss it in there."

While there’s no shortage of styles to choose from—GreenPan even makes non-toxic grill pans—we’re partial to the GreenPan Valencia Pro two-piece set, which includes 10- and 12-inch skillets with a stainless-steel outer finish.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 10- and 12-inch set, 8- and 10-inch set
• Material: ceramic non-stick
• Colors available: 1

If you’re short on storage space and don’t want to invest in a gigantic 12-piece set (yet), the Always Pan by Our Place can do the heavy lifting of eight different cookware pieces. The 10-inch skillet—which is made from ceramic-coated aluminum—comes with a nesting steamer basket, a spatula with its own built-in spoon rest, and a lid that allows you to choose whether to keep steam in or let it out. It gets an A-plus from us for versatility and convenience (not to mention cuteness), but be aware that the outer surface can discolor over time. (If you love the aesethetic but the potential discoloration is a deal-breaker for you, skip to No. 12 on our list.)

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 8.5-inch, 10.5-inch, 12.5-inch
• Material: ceramic non-stick
• Colors available: 11

Scanpan is highly recommended by plenty of chefs working in professional kitchens. “I love and use Scanpan all the time,” says Barbara Rich, culinary arts lead chef at the Institute of Culinary Education. The Danish cookware is non-stick, heats evenly, is lightweight enough to flip pancakes and omelets and is oven-safe up to 500°F, in case you’re more of a frittata person. The CS+ line has the look of brushed stainless steel, but its interior actually has a food-safe, micro-textured, ceramic-titanium finish for a slick surface that’s ideal for searing and browning. We suggest choosing a la carte pieces from the brand’s robust lineup if you don’t want to commit to an entire set.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 12-inch
• Material: aluminum non-stick
• Colors available: 1

Yep, the fancy French brand that you lust after on Pinterest also happens to be non-toxic. And while it’s certainly not cheap, the price can be justified when you consider how the cookware is famous for being so durable. Aside from the aesthetic appeal, Le Creuset’s ceramic-coated cast iron conducts and holds heat like a dream, goes from stove to oven to table, is scratch- and chip- resistant and is incredibly easy to clean (say goodbye to the infamous overnight soak). The brand makes skillets and pots of all sizes, but we’re partial to the 5.5-quart Dutch oven for its versatility. The only hard part? Choosing a color.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 2.75-quart, 3.5-quart, 4.5-quart, 5.5-quart
• Material: enameled cast iron
• Colors available: 7

For a do-it-all pan that’s easy on your budget and will last you and your grandkids a lifetime (if you take care of it), look no further than a cast iron skillet. Why? Because after just a few uses it becomes seasoned, creating a non-stick coating. ("When you heat a very thin layer of oil,  the hot oil polymerizes, or links together on a molecular level, and bonds to the pan’s surface," explains McManus.) Lodge’s pans have been a favorite among home cooks for years—probably because they’re inexpensive and durable and hold heat like no other. (It doesn’t hurt that they look rustic-chic, too.) "My eggs slide right off, and anything that might stick is easily scrubbed away with chain mail," asserts associate editor of SEO Marissa Wu. "You can put it in the oven, over a fire; it's a versatile cookware staple."

A 10-inch skillet is a good all-purpose size for daily cooking, but for feeding crowds and tackling bigger tasks like roasting whole chickens, we also like the larger 12-inch version. Not sure how to wield cast iron the right way? We have a few tips.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 3.5-inch, 6.5-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch, 10.25-inch, 13.25-inch
• Material: cast iron
• Colors available: 1

Some people prefer pretty colors, while others want their cookware to look über-profesh. For the latter camp, there’s this non-stick set from Made In. The small set comes with a 4-quart saucepan with a lid and a 10-inch frying pan, while larger sets include sauté pans, stockpots and more. All pieces feature a five-ply stainless clad exterior and a PFOA-free non-stick inner coating for easy cooking and cleanup. "Pans heat evenly and cook food perfectly at much lower temperatures. Clean up is a breeze. Best pans I have bought," raves one reviewer.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 3-piece set, 7-piece set, 10-piece set
• Material: stainless clad
• Colors available: 2

Most copper cookware will try to bankrupt you and run, but Material’s non-stick pan plays nice. It’s made with a copper core and stainless-steel outer, so it has all the even-heat benefits of traditional copper cookware without the hefty price tag (plus, it won’t warp or scorch). The non-stick surface is made of a non-toxic stainless-steel alloy, the pan works on all types of stovetops and it’s available in two elegant colors. "The pan heats up faster that traditional pans and also stays hot longer. Food spread out throughout the pan cooks evenly. I liked the curved lip, which allows for smooth pouring or sauces and stews," writes one Amazon reviewer.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 5-quart
• Material: copper-coated non-stick
• Colors available: 2

Unique among non-stick cookware brands, HexClad is a hybrid material made from tri-ply stainless steel and non-stick. It features a laser-etched surface that allows the ingredients to come into contact with both the stainless-steel and non-stick surfaces, so you get better browning and less sticking. "I absolutely love that this pan is scratch-proof and dishwasher safe," says senior director of special projects and royals and HexClad fan Rachel Bowie. "It's a breeze to use and even when you accidentally burn something like a scrambled egg, the laser-etched surface makes it a total breeze to clean."

It’s also PFOA-free, oven-safe up to 500°F, stovetop and induction cookware compatible and strong enough to withstand the force of metal utensils.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 7-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, 14-inch
• Material: hybrid non-stick
• Colors available: 1

For as culty as the original Always Pan has been, we have to be honest: It’s not *perfect.* We love the functionality and design, but we’ve had mishaps in our own kitchen due to the outer coating not being flame-resistant. (It can discolor and scorch if exposed to heat.) Our Place’s cast iron Always Pan, however, eliminates this issue with its enameled cast iron construction, while retaining all the thoughtful touches of the O.G. skillet. It’s still free of PFOAs and PFTE, plus it’s compatible with the brand’s accessories (like the steamer and fry deck) and oven-safe up to 500°F. One PureWow employee who tested the pan said she especially loves the protective holders that are included for safe handling while the pan’s hot.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 10.5-inch
• Material: enameled cast iron
• Colors available: 7

This best-selling four-piece set—including a fry pan, sauce pan, sauté pan and Dutch oven—will show you why stainless steel is that girl in the eyes of chefs and seasoned cooks. The pieces are crafted from five-ply, non-toxic stainless steel, which is as easy to clean as it is cook with. "These Caraway pans are not only gorgeous, but their high quality ensures heat retention for even cooking," claims director of affiliate strategy Pam Masin. "I found these to be much easier to cook with than other stainless steel pans I've used in the past (my meal wasn't getting stuck to the pan and creating a burnt mess)." Even better, these pieces work on any stovetop and in the oven and they come with a storage solution to keep your cabinets tidy.

Fast Facts

• Sizes available: 4-piece, 6-piece
• Material: stainless steel
• Colors available: 1