8in Charcoal Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan vs Stainless Clad Fry Pan: which is safer?

Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan is the clear pick. Imusa 8in Charcoal Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Imusa 8in Charcoal Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan

Imusa

8in Charcoal Aluminum Nonstick Fry Pan

PFAS grade

Bad 15/100

Overall grade

Bad 0/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 4

Material

Aluminum with unspecified nonstick coating

Confidence

35%

PossibleTeflon-type coating fume risk (unconfirmed coating type)

PossibleAluminum leaching

LikelyCoating degradation and migration

Our pick

Made In Stainless Clad Fry Pan

Made In

Stainless Clad Fry Pan

PFAS grade

Excellent 100/100

Overall grade

Excellent 96/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 1

Material

Stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating

Confidence

90%

PossibleClad separation or delamination over time

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag PTFE fume risk (unconfirmed coating type), Aluminum leaching, Coating degradation and migration and Lack of manufacturer transparency on chemical composition on the Imusa and not on the Made In.
  • We flag Clad separation or delamination over time on the Made In and not on the Imusa.
  • The Imusa is Aluminum with unspecified nonstick coating where the Made In is Stainless steel clad construction, no nonstick coating, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 85 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Made In is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Imusa grade, at 35% confidence against 90%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric, which covers materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More cookware, see the full ranking