By PFAS Authority · Updated September 16, 2026
Top grades to buy
GreenPan
Rio Ceramic Nonstick Frypan
GreenPan
Rio Ceramic Set
Model-based grades, not lab tests. We flunk more than we pass. How grading works
PFAS in Nonstick Skillets, Why "Ceramic" on the Box Isn't a Shortcut
We graded 15 nonstick skillets and related pans. Two GreenPan Rio ceramic pans lead at 70 on a named coating and a brand PFAS statement. Cuisinart's anodized aluminum skillet, which carries no nonstick coating at all, grades 65. The other 12, including five Calphalon pans, four Circulon pans, a Rachael Ray pan and two more Cuisinart sets, all carry a nonstick coating of undisclosed chemistry and grade 15.
Three of those 12 are marketed with "ceramic" in the name, and all three still grade at the bottom. The word on the label doesn't change the grade, naming the actual chemistry and making a PFAS statement does.
Summary comparison table
| Product | PFAS grade | Coating as recorded |
|---|---|---|
| GreenPan Rio Ceramic Nonstick Frypan | Good, 70/100 | Thermolon ceramic coating, brand PFAS statement on file |
| Cuisinart Chef's Classic Anodized Aluminum Skillet | Good, 65/100 | Hard-anodized aluminum, no nonstick coating |
| Calphalon Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan 12" | Bad, 15/100 | Ceramic coating, chemistry not named |
| Circulon Symmetry Skillet | Bad, 15/100 | Nonstick coating, type unspecified |
| Rachael Ray Create Delicious Deep Skillet | Bad, 15/100 | Hard-anodized aluminum, nonstick coating unspecified |
How we graded these
Every grade here is a model-based estimate built from publicly available product information and manufacturer disclosures, not a lab test performed by our team. A high score means lower concern based on reviewed sources, never PFAS-free and never safe. Across the 15 pans the spread is two at 70, one at 65 and 12 at 15. Look up any pan in our PFAS product finder.
A correction to this guide
Both GreenPan pans graded 90 until 17 September 2026, when we began grading every ceramic nonstick coating as a coating rather than giving it a safe-material credit, which brought both to 70. Calphalon's Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan 12" graded 80, then 65 after a 16 September correction for Calphalon saying nothing about PFAS, then 15 on 17 September once we stopped giving an undisclosed ceramic coating that credit. Cuisinart's Anodized Aluminum Skillet graded 35 until 16 September 2026, when we removed a stain-resistant finish factor our model had mistakenly attached to the word "anodized."
Why GreenPan leads at 70
Both GreenPan Rio pans name their coating, Thermolon ceramic, and carry GreenPan's statement that the coating is free of PFAS, including PTFE and PFOA. That is a brand statement we have not independently verified, but it is the only nonstick pan in this guide with both a named coating and a PFAS statement on file.
Why Cuisinart's anodized skillet grades 65
This skillet carries no nonstick coating at all, just hard-anodized aluminum, so the undisclosed-coating penalty that applies to every other pan in this guide doesn't apply here. It still falls short of 70 because Cuisinart says nothing about PFAS for this specific product.
Why 12 pans grade 15
Every one of these pans, from Calphalon, Circulon, Rachael Ray and two more Cuisinart lines, carries a nonstick coating whose chemistry is not named, and none of these brands has a PFAS statement on file for the pan we graded. Three of the 12 are marketed with "ceramic" in the name, but none of them names the actual coating chemistry, so the marketing doesn't change the grade.
What to avoid
- Treating "ceramic" as a lower-concern shortcut. Three ceramic-marketed pans in this guide grade 15, the same as pans with no ceramic branding at all.
- Buying a nonstick pan without checking whether the listing names the coating chemistry. That single gap is what separates every pan at 15 from the two GreenPan pans at 70.
- Assuming a brand's PFAS statement for one product line covers its whole catalog. Calphalon's ceramic pan has no PFAS statement despite the ceramic name.
Our pick
Based on available materials and data, the GreenPan Rio Ceramic Nonstick Frypan and Rio Ceramic Set are the strongest options here, on a named coating plus a brand PFAS statement, though we stop short of calling either PFAS-free or safe. If you'd rather avoid a nonstick coating altogether, Cuisinart's Chef's Classic Anodized Aluminum Skillet is the next best option at 65.
FAQ
Is ceramic nonstick cookware automatically lower concern than PTFE cookware?
Not automatically. The two GreenPan ceramic pans in our data grade 70, but three other ceramic-marketed pans, from Calphalon and Circulon, grade 15. The word "ceramic" on a label doesn't tell you the actual chemistry.
Does a low PFAS grade mean a pan is dangerous to use?
No. A low grade reflects a model-based estimate of higher concern from available materials and disclosure, not a confirmed health outcome. Research linking PFAS compounds to health effects shows association in population studies, not proven causation for any specific pan.
Can I trust a brand's claim that its cookware is made without PFAS?
Treat it as a starting point, not proof. GreenPan's statement here is brand-stated and unverified, not third-party lab-confirmed. Check the specific product's grade rather than brand-wide marketing language.
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