Stainless Steel Cookware, ranked by PFAS grade

15 products graded from Bad to Excellent, best-graded first. 14 grade Good or better and are worth buying.

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The best non-toxic stainless steel cookware, ranked by grade

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Worth buying Good or Excellent, best-graded first

All-Clad Tri-Ply 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

All-Clad

Tri-Ply 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Stainless steel tri-ply (no nonstick coating)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good

Handle degradation or food-contact loosening

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating carries minimal risk.

Starting grade for this product type

All-Clad Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set

All-Clad

Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set

Stainless steel exterior, polished surface (no nonstick coating)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel leaching from stainless steel

Limited concern

70
🔩

Aluminum or copper core leaching

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Handle and rivet failure (mechanical safety)

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating carries minimal risk.

Starting grade for this product type

Calphalon Stainless Steel 6-Piece Cookware Set

Calphalon

Stainless Steel 6-Piece Cookware Set

stainless steel, no nonstick coating

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel leaching from stainless steel

Limited concern

70

Handle material degradation

Moderate concern

45

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating avoids primary PFAS vectors.

Starting grade for this product type

Calphalon 10-Piece Triple Layer Non-Toxic Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Calphalon

10-Piece Triple Layer Non-Toxic Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Stainless steel with triple-layer construction

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
🔩

Aluminum core leaching

Limited concern

70
🍂

Coating degradation and delamination

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Handle and lid safety

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating carries minimal risk.

Starting grade for this product type

Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Calphalon

Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set

stainless steel, non-coated

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel leaching (trace)

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Handle material safety (rivets and fasteners)

Moderate concern

45

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating carries minimal fluorochemical risk.

Starting grade for this product type

Cuisinart Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set 10pc

Cuisinart

Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set 10pc

Stainless steel construction, no nonstick coating

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel leaching from stainless steel

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Handle material safety

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel cookware avoids Teflon-family coating without Cuisinart PFAS commitment.

Starting grade for this product type

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cuisinart

Chef's Classic Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Stainless steel (no nonstick coating)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel leaching from stainless steel

Limited concern

70

Handle material degradation or detachment

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating avoids primary PFAS risk.

Starting grade for this product type

Cuisinart Professional Series 11-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cuisinart

Professional Series 11-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Stainless steel pots and pans (non-coated)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel leaching from stainless steel

Limited concern

70
🔩

Aluminum leaching (if cladding layer present)

Limited concern

70

Lower concern, stainless steel cookware carries minimal PFAS risk without explicit Cuisinart disclosure.

Starting grade for this product type

Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cuisinart

Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Stainless steel with tri-ply construction (no nonstick coating)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
🍂

Tri-ply construction failure and delamination

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Surface reactivity with acidic foods

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel without nonstick coating carries minimal fluorochemical risk.

Starting grade for this product type

Cuisinart Pro 11-Piece Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cuisinart

Pro 11-Piece Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Stainless steel, tri-ply construction (no nonstick coating)

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good

Stainless steel surface degradation and nickel release

Limited concern

70
⛏️

Chromium leaching from stainless steel

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern, stainless steel cookware avoids nonstick coatings where PFAS typically hide.

Starting grade for this product type

Cuisinart Radiant Pro Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cuisinart

Radiant Pro Stainless Steel Cookware Set

stainless steel cookware

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade59Good
⛏️

Nickel and chromium leaching

Limited concern

70
🍂

Coating degradation and flaking

Limited concern

70
⚠️

Handle attachment integrity

Limited concern

70

Lower-concern cookware, stainless steel avoids nonstick coatings commonly containing PFAS.

Starting grade for this product type

Our Place Titanium Pro 10-Piece Cookware Set

Our Place

Titanium Pro 10-Piece Cookware Set

Titanium-reinforced nonstick coating (unspecified composition)

PFAS Grade70Good
Overall Grade44Poor
♾️

Teflon-type coating fume risk (thermal degradation)

Limited concern

70
🍂

Coating degradation and microflaking

High concern

20
🍳

Leaching of unidentified coating components

Limited concern

70

A non-stick coating of unstated type, with a brand PFAS statement we have not verified.

Starting grade for this product type

Our Place Titanium Pro Cookware Duo

Our Place

Titanium Pro Cookware Duo

Titanium-reinforced nonstick coating (proprietary, unspecified)

PFAS Grade70Good
Overall Grade52Good

Coating degradation and particulate release

Limited concern

70
♾️

Thermal fume risk (non-Teflon-type coating nonstick)

Limited concern

70
🏷️

PFAS

Moderate concern

45

A non-stick coating of unstated type, with a brand PFAS statement we have not verified.

Starting grade for this product type

Our Place Titanium Pro Mini Cookware Duo

Our Place

Titanium Pro Mini Cookware Duo

Titanium-reinforced nonstick coating (composition unspecified)

PFAS Grade70Good
Overall Grade38Poor
♾️

Teflon-type coating/Nonstick Fume Risk

Limited concern

70

Coating Degradation Over Time

High concern

20
🍳

Proprietary Coating Chemistry Unknown

Moderate concern

45

A non-stick coating of unstated type, with a brand PFAS statement we have not verified.

Starting grade for this product type

Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these

Macy's All-Clad 7 Piece Cookware Set

All-Clad

Macy's All-Clad 7 Piece Cookware Set

Stainless steel with hard-anodized aluminum exterior; nonstick coating type unspecified

PFAS Grade15Bad
Overall Grade7Bad
🍂

Nonstick coating degradation and flaking

Limited concern

70
♾️

Teflon-type coating fume inhalation (overheating)

Limited concern

70

Lower-concern cookware, but All-Clad does not disclose nonstick coating chemistry.

Nonstick, coating undisclosed

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