The Best Non-Toxic Cookware of 2026
229 of the 290 cookware products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 79% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 61 that pass. The highest graded is Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan at 100 out of 100.
Every grade below is built from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and brand disclosures, scored on one public rubric and ranked best-graded first. Each score links to the full breakdown of what earned it, and the numbers across the whole dataset are published too.
Is cookware non-toxic?
61 of the 290 cookware products we graded clear our screen and 229 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on cookware products in this category are microplastics, aluminium leaching, VOCs and off-gassing, heavy metals, lead. The highest graded here is Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan at 100 out of 100.
Quick picks
Brand states its position
MADE IN 10' Stainless Clad Frying PanThe brand has published a PFAS statement we can quote
100 Excellent
Why Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan wins, and what it beats
Every grade on this page is one sum. A category starts from a baseline, each disclosed material or coating adds risk points, and each thing the brand or a third party has published takes them away. Below is that sum for the winner, then for 3 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 95 points between the top and the bottom of this cookware ranking come from.
The winner
Made of Stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating.
- +30Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- -10Brand-stated PFAS-free. The brand states this product is PFAS-free. We have not verified the claim.
- -20Bare uncoated material. Recorded as a bare, uncoated material with no surface coating or treatment.
0risk points in total, which is a grade of 100
What the grade does not fix. Nothing specific to this product adds risk, so what remains is the category baseline that every product here starts from. See the full breakdown.
What it beats, and why
What puts it behind. No PFAS disclosure, +15 points. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product. The winner carries no such factor.
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
- -20Bare uncoated material
25risk points, a grade of 75
What puts it behind. No PFAS disclosure, +15 points. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product. The winner carries no such factor.
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
35risk points, a grade of 65
What puts it behind. PTFE / Teflon confirmed, +50 points. Uses Teflon-type coating (Teflon), a Teflon-family coating in the PFAS family. The winner carries no such factor.
- +50PTFE / Teflon confirmed
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
95risk points, a grade of 5
No product on this page was physically tested by us. Every number above comes from published materials, ingredient and coating disclosures, certifications and brand statements, scored on one public rubric. Formulations change without notice, so check the current product listing before buying.
What to watch for in cookware
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 290 cookware products in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Found on 43 of these cookware products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 25 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Aluminium leaching
Aluminium migrating out of cookware, bakeware or an antiperspirant into food or skin.
Found on 13 of these cookware products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 143 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
- VOCs and off-gassing
Volatile compounds that evaporate out of a material at room temperature, which is what a new product smell is.
Found on 6 of these cookware products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 44 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Heavy metals
Metals such as antimony, nickel and chromium migrating from a material into what touches it.
Found on 3 of these cookware products. Plausible but unconfirmed on 32 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
The safest cookware we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
- 1
Highest grade here
- Stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Clad separation or delamination over time
- 2
- stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Nickel leaching from stainless steel
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 3
No coating to fail
- Clad stainless steel, no coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Metal ion release during cooking (iron, nickel, chromium)
- 4
No coating to fail
- Clad stainless steel, no coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Aluminum leaching from core
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 5
No coating to fail
Made In
Stainless Clad Frying Pan Set 3-Piece Professional-Grade 5-Layer Metal Construction
100ExcellentPFAS grade- Stainless steel cladding, bare cooking surface
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Handle hardware or rivets (non-stainless components)
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 6
No coating to fail
- Clad stainless steel, no coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Aluminum leaching
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 7
No coating to fail
- Clad stainless steel, no coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Aluminum leaching from clad core
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 8
No coating to fail
- Clad stainless steel, no coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Lid seal degradation
What the evidence says about PFAS in cookware
Many nonstick pans are coated with PTFE, a fluoropolymer that Minnesota’s cookware ban treats as a PFAS. Minnesota has banned cookware with intentionally added PFAS since January 2025, Colorado and Maine followed in January 2026, and more states follow through 2028. The US FDA authorizes PFAS in nonstick coatings and says only negligible amounts migrate to food, while Washington’s health department warns that pans that get too hot can release PFAS into the air. A PFOA-free label does not mean a pan is PFAS-free.
- Regulatory filingMinnesota has banned cookware with intentionally added PFAS since January 1, 2025, and its pollution control agency says Teflon, as a PFAS, is prohibited from use in cookware. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency ↗
- Regulatory filingColorado bans the sale of cookware with intentionally added PFAS from January 1, 2026. Colorado General Assembly ↗
- Regulatory filingMaine’s ban on selling cookware with intentionally added PFAS took effect on January 1, 2026. Maine Legislature ↗
- Regulatory filingRhode Island bans covered products with intentionally added PFAS, including cookware, from January 1, 2027. Rhode Island General Assembly ↗
- Regulatory filingConnecticut requires labels on cookware with intentionally added PFAS from July 2026 and bans it from January 1, 2028. Connecticut DEEP ↗
- Regulatory filingCalifornia has required cookware makers to disclose intentionally added chemicals from the state’s designated list online since 2023 and on labels since 2024. California Legislature ↗
- Regulatory filingA 2025 California bill to ban PFAS in cookware, SB 682, was vetoed over concerns about the availability of affordable cooking products. California Legislature ↗
- Regulatory filingThe US FDA lists nonstick coatings among the authorized uses of PFAS in food contact, and says studies show negligible amounts of PFAS in these coatings migrate to food. US FDA ↗
- Regulatory filingThe FDA says that, of these authorized uses, only paper and paperboard grease-proofing agents may result in dietary exposure to PFAS that could be a safety concern. US FDA ↗
- Independent testIn the Ecology Center’s 2020 testing, 79 percent of the cooking pans and 20 percent of the baking pans were coated with PTFE. Ecology Center ↗
- Independent testThe Ecology Center’s 2020 cookware testing found that PFOA-free does not mean PFAS-free, and that most pans labelled PFOA-free were coated with PTFE without clearly saying so. Ecology Center ↗
- Regulatory filingMinnesota’s health department says a PFOA free claim may mean a product contains trace PFOA and any amount of other PFAS. Minnesota Department of Health ↗
- Regulatory filingColorado prohibits cookware makers from claiming a product is free of PFAS unless no individual PFAS is intentionally added. Colorado General Assembly ↗
- Regulatory filingWashington’s health department says PFAS can escape from pans that are too hot and get into the air in your home. Washington State Department of Health ↗
Sources checked September 14, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.
Questions people ask about cookware
- What Is PFAS?
- What Is GenX?
- What Is PFOA, and How Is It Different From PFAS?
- What Is PTFE, and Is It a PFAS?
- Is Teflon Banned?
- How Can I Reduce My Exposure to PFAS?
- Is Ceramic Cookware Safe?
- Is Stainless Steel Cookware Safe?
- Is Cast Iron Cookware Safe?
- Is Teflon (PTFE) Cookware Safe?
- Is Aluminum Foil Toxic?
- Is Enameled Cast Iron Safe?
- Is Copper Cookware Safe?
- What Is Teflon Flu?
- Is Aluminum Cookware Safe?
- Is Aluminum Toxic?
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Every cookware that passes, side by side
Sorted by score. A higher score means lower PFAS risk. Scored against 3 hazards that apply to this category.
| # | Cookware | Score | Rating | Made of | Key concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan | 100 | Excellent | Stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating | Clad separation or delamination over time |
| 2 | MADE IN 10' Stainless Clad Frying Pan | 100 | Excellent | stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating | Nickel leaching from stainless steel |
| 3 | Heritage Steel Eater Fry Pan | 100 | Excellent | Clad stainless steel, no coating | Metal ion release during cooking (iron, nickel, chromium) |
| 4 | Heritage Steel Fry Pan | 100 | Excellent | Clad stainless steel, no coating | Aluminum leaching from core |
| 5 | Made In Stainless Clad Frying Pan Set 3-Piece Professional-Grade 5-Layer Metal Construction | 100 | Excellent | Stainless steel cladding, bare cooking surface | Handle hardware or rivets (non-stainless components) |
| 6 | Heritage Steel Eater 12" Fry Pan with Lid | 100 | Excellent | Clad stainless steel, no coating | Aluminum leaching |
| 7 | Heritage Steel Eater x Heritage Steel 3 Piece Fry Pan Set | 100 | Excellent | Clad stainless steel, no coating | Aluminum leaching from clad core |
| 8 | Heritage Steel 10.5" Fry Pan with Lid | 100 | Excellent | Clad stainless steel, no coating | Lid seal degradation |
The verdict on cookware
Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan grades 100 out of 100, the highest here. It is stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating. The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified.
Choose MADE IN 10' Stainless Clad Frying Pan instead if you want a second option at 100 out of 100, stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating.
We hold no price data, so nothing here is a budget recommendation. Grades are model-based assessments from published materials and disclosures, not laboratory tests.
The cookware we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 5All-Clad HA1 Non-stickBad
Non-stick coating degradation and fume risk
- 5Calphalon Classic Non-stickBad
Teflon-type coating thermal decomposition / fume risk
- 5Made In Non-stick Frying PanBad
Teflon-type coating thermal degradation and fume release
What we check on cookware
- Heavy metals. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. FDA
- Lead. A heavy metal with no safe exposure level, especially for children. ATSDR
- Cadmium. A toxic heavy metal found in some glazes, pigments, and batteries. ATSDR
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The cookware brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 30 of the brands here. That is our research, not proof a brand has never said anything, and it is not evidence of harm. It is why none of them score well on disclosure.
360 Cookware, Aroma, Bella, Bialetti, Cook N Home, Crock-Pot, Demeyere, Duralex, Emeril Lagasse, Fissler, Gotham Steel, Henckels.
The brands that have published something, and what each of them actually said, are in our record of what every brand has said about PFAS.
Common questions about PFAS in cookware
Is cookware PFAS free?
229 of the 290 cookware products PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 79% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 61 that pass. The highest graded is Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan at 100 out of 100. The lowest graded is All-Clad HA1 Non-stick at 5 out of 100.
Is cookware non-toxic?
61 of the 290 cookware products we graded clear our screen and 229 do not. Non-toxic is not a defined or regulated term, so what we can tell you is what our graders recorded. Beyond PFAS, the hazards found or left unruled-out on cookware products in this category are microplastics, aluminium leaching, VOCs and off-gassing, heavy metals, lead. The highest graded here is Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan at 100 out of 100.
What is the safest cookware to buy?
On our grades, Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan at 100 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. Then MADE IN 10' Stainless Clad Frying Pan at 100. These are model-based assessments from published materials, ingredient lists, certifications and disclosures, not laboratory tests, so treat them as the lowest risk we can evidence rather than a safety guarantee.
Which cookware grades best for PFAS?
Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan, at 100 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating. The runner up is MADE IN 10' Stainless Clad Frying Pan at 100.
Which cookware should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are All-Clad HA1 Non-stick at 5, Calphalon Classic Non-stick at 5, Made In Non-stick Frying Pan at 5. The problem with the first is that high risk, avoid this cookware.
How can you tell if cookware contains PFAS?
In this category we check for heavy metals, lead, cadmium. Lead, cadmium, arsenic and others that accumulate in the body. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.
Which cookware brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 30 of the brands we scored in this category, including 360 Cookware, Aroma, Bella, Bialetti, Cook N Home, Crock-Pot. That is what our research turned up, not proof a brand has never said anything, and a missing statement is not evidence of harm. It is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.
Do you lab test cookware?
No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.
More kitchen and cooking categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to cookware.
Get the graded list, free.
The products we score each week, and the best-graded alternative in every category.
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Does a particular brand of cookware have PFAS?
Brands we grade across the catalogue
Everything we have scored from these brands, not just cookware.
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Stainless Steel Cookware, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 290 cookware.