The Best Non-Toxic Grill Pans of 2026
11 of the 15 grill pans PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 73.3% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 4 that pass. The highest graded is Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan at 75 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.
Are grill pans non-toxic?
4 of the 15 grill pans we graded clear our screen and 11 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 grill pans in this category are microplastics, aluminium leaching, VOCs and off-gassing, heavy metals, undisclosed ingredients. The highest graded here is Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan at 75 out of 100.
Quick picks
Best overall
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill PanHighest PFAS grade in the category
75 Excellent
Brand states its position
GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Round Grill PanThe brand has published a PFAS statement we can quote
70 Good
Why Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round 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 70 points between the top and the bottom of this grill pans ranking come from.
The winner
Made of stainless steel, non-nonstick.
- +30Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
- -20Bare uncoated material. Recorded as a bare, uncoated material with no surface coating or treatment.
25risk points in total, which is a grade of 75
What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure. See the full breakdown.
What it beats, and why
What puts it behind. Disclosed non-fluorinated coating, +10 points. Coating is named and the brand states it is made without PFAS. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Ceramic nonstick coating (Teflon-type coating-free proprietary formulation).
- +30Category baseline
- +10Disclosed non-fluorinated coating
- -10Brand-stated PFAS-free. The brand states this product is PFAS-free. We have not verified the claim.
30risk points, a grade of 70
What puts it behind. Non-stick, chemistry undisclosed, +40 points. Marketed as non-stick without stating the coating chemistry. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Ceramic nonstick coating (unspecified formulation).
- +40Non-stick, chemistry undisclosed
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
85risk points, a grade of 15
What puts it behind. PTFE / Teflon confirmed, +50 points. The brand discloses a Teflon-type coating. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Teflon-type coating non-stick coating, as disclosed by All-Clad.
- +50PTFE / Teflon confirmed
- +30Category baseline
- +15No PFAS disclosure
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 grill pans
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 15 grill pans 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 2 of these grill pans. Plausible but unconfirmed on 1 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Aluminium leaching
Aluminium migrating out of cookware, bakeware or an antiperspirant into food or skin.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 10 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.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 5 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.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 1 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
- Undisclosed ingredients
Not a chemical. The absence of one, where we found no statement from the brand about what it uses.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 1 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FTC
The safest grill pans we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
- 1
Highest grade here
- stainless steel, non-nonstick
- Stainless steel nickel or chromium leaching under acidic conditions
- 2
- Ceramic nonstick coating (Teflon-type coating-free proprietary formulation)
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Aluminum leaching
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 3
- Ceramic nonstick coating (proprietary, Teflon-type coating-free)
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Ceramic coating degradation and flaking
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 4
- Cast iron with thermolon coating
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Ceramic-polymer coating degradation and peeling
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What the evidence says about PFAS in grill pans
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 grill pans
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- 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
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- 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.
All the grill pans that pass, side by side
Sorted by score. A higher score means lower PFAS risk. Scored against 3 hazards that apply to this category.
| # | Grill Pans | Score | Rating | Made of | Key concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan | 75 | Excellent | stainless steel, non-nonstick | Stainless steel nickel or chromium leaching under acidic conditions |
| 2 | GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Round Grill Pan | 70 | Good | Ceramic nonstick coating (PTFE-free proprietary formulation) | Aluminum leaching |
| 3 | GreenPan Chatham Ceramic Nonstick Grill Pan | 70 | Good | Ceramic nonstick coating (proprietary, PTFE-free) | Ceramic coating degradation and flaking |
| 4 | GreenPan Bobby Flay 11" Cast Iron Square Grill Pan | 70 | Good | Cast iron with thermolon coating | Ceramic-polymer coating degradation and peeling |
The verdict on grill pans
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan grades 75 out of 100, the highest here. It is stainless steel, non-nonstick.
Choose GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Round Grill Pan instead if you want a second option at 70 out of 100, ceramic nonstick coating (teflon-type coating-free proprietary formulation).
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 grill pans we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 5All-Clad NS Pro Nonstick Cookware Square GrillBad
Teflon-type coating fume risk (thermal decomposition)
- 5All-Clad HA1 Expert Nonstick 11" Square Grill PanBad
Teflon-type coating thermal degradation and fume release
- 5All-Clad HA1 Expert Nonstick Double Burner GrillBad
Teflon-type coating thermal degradation and fume release
What we check on grill pans
- 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.
Common questions about PFAS in grill pans
Are grill pans PFAS free?
11 of the 15 grill pans PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 73.3% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 4 that pass. The highest graded is Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan at 75 out of 100. The lowest graded is All-Clad NS Pro Nonstick Cookware Square Grill at 5 out of 100.
Are grill pans non-toxic?
4 of the 15 grill pans we graded clear our screen and 11 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 grill pans in this category are microplastics, aluminium leaching, VOCs and off-gassing, heavy metals, undisclosed ingredients. The highest graded here is Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan at 75 out of 100.
Which are the safest grill pans to buy?
On our grades, Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. Then GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Round Grill Pan at 70. 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 grill pans grade best for PFAS?
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Steel Round Grill Pan, at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is stainless steel, non-nonstick. The runner up is GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11" Round Grill Pan at 70.
Which grill pans should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are All-Clad NS Pro Nonstick Cookware Square Grill at 5, All-Clad HA1 Expert Nonstick 11" Square Grill Pan at 5, All-Clad HA1 Expert Nonstick Double Burner Grill at 5. The problem with the first is that pTFE non-stick coating, disclosed by the brand.
How can you tell if grill pans contain 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.
Do you lab test grill pans?
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 grill pans.
- Best non-toxic cookware290 graded
- Best non-toxic parchment paper243 graded
- Best non-toxic air fryers219 graded
- Best non-toxic bakeware162 graded
- Best non-toxic microwave popcorn78 graded
- Best non-toxic non-stick kitchen gadgets69 graded
- Best non-toxic ceramic cookware18 graded
- Best non-toxic nonstick skillets18 graded
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 grill pans have PFAS?
Brands we grade across the catalogue
Everything we have scored from these brands, not just grill pans.
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Grill Pans, Where Ceramic on the Label Is Not Enough
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 grill pans.