Is HexClad's TerraBond Coating Actually PFAS-Free?

HexClad says its TerraBond ceramic coating is "PTFE-free and PFAS-free" (hexclad.com/pages/faq). That is the company's own statement. We found no third-party certification for it, and on that record HexClad's hybrid pans grade 70 out of 100 in our data, Good but not Excellent, the same ceiling GreenPan and Made In's ceramic lines hit. Separately, HexClad settled a $2.5 million class action covering purchases made between 1 February 2022 and 31 March 2024, which is worth knowing regardless of how the coating itself grades.

What HexClad says, and what it covers

TerraBond is the name HexClad gives its ceramic nonstick coating, layered over the stainless steel hexagon pattern its pans are known for. The PFAS-free statement covers that coating. It does not cover a scratched or worn surface, and no grade can speak to a specific pan's condition after use.

Why HexClad grades 70

Every grade here is a model-based estimate built from public disclosures, not a lab test we commissioned. A HexClad hybrid pan starts from the cookware baseline of 30. A named ceramic coating adds 10, because it is still a coating, and HexClad's PFAS-free statement takes 10 off, the same formula that applies to any brand making a similar unverified claim. That leaves 70 across HexClad's fry pans, sets, griddles and egg pans, all recorded the same way, stainless steel and HexClad TerraBond ceramic non-stick coating.

The class action, separately from the coating

HexClad settled a $2.5 million class action covering pans purchased between 1 February 2022 and 31 March 2024. A settlement is not a finding that the coating contains PFAS, and it doesn't change HexClad's current PFAS-free statement, but it's a fact worth knowing before buying, independent of how the coating grades in our model.

If you want more certainty

An uncoated pan avoids the coating question entirely. Compare stainless steel and other ceramic options in our cookware finder.

FAQ

Is HexClad TerraBond independently certified PFAS-free?

Not that we could find. HexClad's statement is its own, which is why it earns a claim credit rather than the larger credit a third-party certification would add.

What was the HexClad class action about?

HexClad settled a $2.5 million class action covering pans purchased between 1 February 2022 and 31 March 2024. We record this as a legal fact separate from our materials-based grade.

Does a 70 grade mean HexClad is unsafe?

No. It reflects a named coating plus an unverified brand statement, not a lab-confirmed result either way.