The Best Non-Toxic Guitar Strings of 2026
8 of the 16 guitar strings PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 50% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 8 that pass. The highest graded is D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated at 85 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 guitar strings non-toxic?
8 of the 16 guitar strings we graded clear our screen and 8 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 guitar strings in this category are heavy metals, microplastics, undisclosed fragrance, VOCs and off-gassing, undisclosed ingredients. The highest graded here is D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated at 85 out of 100.
Quick picks
Best overall
D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze CoatedHighest PFAS grade in the category
85 Excellent
A second brand to consider
Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky Electric Guitar StringsThe best grade here from a brand other than the winner
85 Excellent
Why D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 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 2 products it beats, so you can see exactly where the 45 points between the top and the bottom of this guitar strings ranking come from.
The winner
Made of 80/20 Bronze (copper-tin alloy) with phosphor-bronze coating.
- +15No PFAS disclosure. No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
- +10Category baseline. The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
- -10Base material not linked to PFAS. The main material recorded for this product is not one associated with PFAS.
15risk points in total, which is a grade of 85
What the grade does not fix. It still carries one risk factor, No PFAS disclosure, and our graders recorded 2 other hazards on it. See the full breakdown.
What it beats, and why
What puts it behind. Unknown / proprietary coating, +25 points. A coating is recorded with no disclosed chemistry. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of 80/20 bronze wound strings with proprietary light coating.
- +25Unknown / proprietary coating
- +15No PFAS disclosure
- +10Category baseline
50risk points, a grade of 50
What puts it behind. Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment, +35 points. Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS. The winner carries no such factor.
Made of Steel wound with bronze or nickel-silver wrap; proprietary polymer coating.
- +35Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
- +15No PFAS disclosure
- +10Category baseline
60risk points, a grade of 40
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 guitar strings
Beyond the PFAS grade, these are the things our graders recorded on the 16 guitar strings in this category. We assess from materials, brand statements and published research. We do not lab-test.
- Heavy metals
Metals such as antimony, nickel and chromium migrating from a material into what touches it.
Found on 1 of these guitar strings. Plausible but unconfirmed on 7 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. ATSDR
- Microplastics
Plastic fragments small enough to shed from a product into food, water or air without anyone seeing it.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 3 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- Undisclosed fragrance
A single word on a label that can stand for dozens of undeclared ingredients, protected as trade secret.
Plausible but unconfirmed on 3 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FDA
- 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 1 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. EPA
- 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 2 more, meaning nobody has ruled it out. FTC
The safest guitar strings we graded, lowest PFAS risk first
- 1
Highest grade here
- 80/20 Bronze (copper-tin alloy) with phosphor-bronze coating
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Coating degradation and particulate release
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 2
- Nickel-plated steel core with nickel-brass wound exterior
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Nickel skin contact sensitivity
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 3
- Nickel-plated steel wound around hexagonal steel core
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Nickel contact dermatitis
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 4
- Steel wound on steel core, nylon/polymer windings
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Degradation or microparticle shedding of coating
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 5
- nickel-plated steel wound core with bronze/phosphor bronze wrap
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Nickel skin contact and sensitization
- 6
- Phosphor bronze wound over steel hex core
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Manufacturing residue or contaminants (oils, lubricants, solder flux)
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- 7
- Steel core with nickel-plated wound strings
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Nickel skin contact / allergy
- 8
- Steel wire core, nickel-plated wrap
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Nickel contact sensitization
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- Heavy metals
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All the guitar strings that pass, side by side
Sorted by score. A higher score means lower PFAS risk.
| # | Guitar Strings | Score | Rating | Made of | Key concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated | 85 | Excellent | 80/20 Bronze (copper-tin alloy) with phosphor-bronze coating | Coating degradation and particulate release |
| 2 | D'Addario Electric Guitar Strings Nickel | 85 | Excellent | Nickel-plated steel core with nickel-brass wound exterior | Nickel skin contact sensitivity |
| 3 | Ernie Ball Beefy Slinky Electric Guitar Strings | 85 | Excellent | Nickel-plated steel wound around hexagonal steel core | Nickel contact dermatitis |
| 4 | Ernie Ball Everlast Acoustic Guitar Strings | 85 | Excellent | Steel wound on steel core, nylon/polymer windings | Degradation or microparticle shedding of coating |
| 5 | Ernie Ball Power Slinky Electric Guitar Strings | 85 | Excellent | nickel-plated steel wound core with bronze/phosphor bronze wrap | Nickel skin contact and sensitization |
| 6 | D'Addario Acoustic Bronze Guitar Strings | 85 | Excellent | Phosphor bronze wound over steel hex core | Manufacturing residue or contaminants (oils, lubricants, solder flux) |
| 7 | Ernie Ball Super Slinky Electric Guitar Strings | 85 | Excellent | Steel core with nickel-plated wound strings | Nickel skin contact / allergy |
| 8 | GHS Boomers 6-String Electric Guitar Strings | 85 | Excellent | Steel wire core, nickel-plated wrap | Nickel contact sensitization |
The verdict on guitar strings
D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated grades 85 out of 100, the highest here. It is 80/20 bronze (copper-tin alloy) with phosphor-bronze coating. We found no PFAS statement from the brand, so the grade rests on materials alone.
Choose D'Addario Electric Guitar Strings Nickel instead if you want a second option at 85 out of 100, nickel-plated steel core with nickel-brass wound exterior.
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 guitar strings we would skip
Lowest scoring in this category, worst first, with the reason.
- 40Elixir 80/20 Acoustic Guitar StringsPoor
Undisclosed polymer coating composition
- 40Elixir Nanoweb Acoustic Guitar StringsPoor
Polymer coating composition (unknown)
- 50Ernie Ball Everlast Light Coated 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar StringsGood
Steel core oxidation and rust
What we check on guitar strings
- Confirmed PFAS, PTFE or fluoropolymer content, which is the heaviest penalty we apply.
- Stain, water or grease resistant treatments, which usually mean fluorinated chemistry.
- Whether the brand discloses what is in the product, or stays silent behind a “clean” claim.
- Independent lab results and certifications where they exist.
Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.
The guitar strings brands we found no PFAS statement from
We found no PFAS statement from 4 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.
D'Addario, Elixir, Ernie Ball, GHS.
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 guitar strings
Are guitar strings PFAS free?
8 of the 16 guitar strings PFAS Authority has graded score below its 70 point pass mark for PFAS and other toxins, 50% of the category, as of October 2026, leaving 8 that pass. The highest graded is D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated at 85 out of 100. The lowest graded is Elixir 80/20 Acoustic Guitar Strings at 40 out of 100.
Are guitar strings non-toxic?
8 of the 16 guitar strings we graded clear our screen and 8 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 guitar strings in this category are heavy metals, microplastics, undisclosed fragrance, VOCs and off-gassing, undisclosed ingredients. The highest graded here is D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated at 85 out of 100.
Which are the safest guitar strings to buy?
On our grades, D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated at 85 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. Then D'Addario Electric Guitar Strings Nickel at 85. 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 guitar strings grade best for PFAS?
D'Addario Acoustic Guitar Strings XS 80/20 Bronze Coated, at 85 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is 80/20 bronze (copper-tin alloy) with phosphor-bronze coating. The runner up is D'Addario Electric Guitar Strings Nickel at 85.
Which guitar strings should I avoid?
The three lowest scoring we hold are Elixir 80/20 Acoustic Guitar Strings at 40, Elixir Nanoweb Acoustic Guitar Strings at 40, Ernie Ball Everlast Light Coated 80/20 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings at 50. The problem with the first is that elixir's coating formula is undisclosed; possible PFAS use, but no public evidence confirms it.
Which guitar strings brands have not published a PFAS statement?
We found no PFAS statement from 4 of the brands we scored in this category, including D'Addario, Elixir, Ernie Ball, GHS. 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 guitar strings?
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 home and furniture categories we have graded
Same rubric, same scale. These are the categories closest to guitar strings.
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Does a particular brand of guitar strings have PFAS?
We also wrote this up at length. PFAS in Guitar Strings, Which Brands Grade Best and Worst
Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 16 guitar strings.