Le Creuset Rectangular Cake Tin
Lower concern, enameled cast iron is traditional non-Teflon-family coating cookware.
Le Creuset's rectangular cake tin is cast iron with a ceramic enamel glaze, not Teflon-type coating or Teflon-family coating nonstick. Enamel glazes don't typically require PFAS treatments.
We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade
Material
Enameled cast iron (enamel glaze coating)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Category baseline
cookware is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
Enamel coating degradation and chipping
Iron leaching from exposed cast iron
If enamel coating chips and raw cast iron is exposed, particularly in acidic foods (tomato-based cakes or batters), iron may leach into food. Small amounts of dietary iron are beneficial, but excessive leaching from damaged cookware is undesirable.
What’s reassuring
Safe base material
Made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.
Lead
No recalls or documented migration incidents on record for Le Creuset enameled cookware. European manufacturing and ISO compliance make this unlikely, but brand does not publicly release test data.
Source: ATSDR ↗Teflon-type coating fume release (non-stick coatings)
Not applicable; enameled cast iron contains no Teflon-type coating or Teflon-family coating non-stick coating. This eliminates the primary thermal decomposition hazard of modern non-stick bakeware.
Ceramic or enamel off-gassing (VOCs)
Factory-cured enamel glaze does not off-gas under normal baking conditions. No volatile organic compound issues have been documented for Le Creuset enameled cookware during use.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Le Creuset rectangular cake tins are enameled cast iron: a cast iron base topped with a vitreous enamel glaze (glass-like coating fused at high temperature). This construction avoids synthetic non-stick coatings (Teflon-type coating, PFOA) entirely. The enamel acts as a barrier between food and iron, preventing iron leaching under normal use. Enameled cast iron is one of the oldest and most chemically stable cookware designs available.
The brand's record and disclosure
Le Creuset does not publicly disclose detailed enamel composition or third-party testing results, which is typical for premium cookware brands and not unusual in this segment. The brand has no established recalls for lead, cadmium, or other heavy metals in enameled cookware over decades of documented use. Le Creuset maintains ISO 9001 certification and manufactures primarily in France under European safety standards, including compliance with EU cookware regulations that limit lead and cadmium migration.
How it compares in its category
Enameled cast iron is a traditional, chemically inert choice compared to modern non-stick coatings (which carry Teflon-type coating fume risks at high heat) and aluminum or ceramic-coated steel (which can leach aluminum or degrade over time). Le Creuset's enamel is factory-applied and chip-resistant relative to budget competitors, though still subject to eventual surface wear. Pricing reflects this durability; it is higher than mass-market bakeware but comparable to other premium enameled cast iron lines.
If you buy it
Hand wash to preserve enamel; avoid sudden temperature changes and metal utensils that chip glaze. Use at typical cake baking temperatures (350-425F); enamel is stable well beyond this range. Inspect periodically for chips or cracks exposing raw cast iron underneath; if chipping occurs, the piece should be retired to avoid rust and iron rust particles in food. Enameled cast iron improves with age when cared for and will outlast most modern cookware.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 85% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Le Creuset has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
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⚠Risky category by default
More bakeware grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.