Best Non-Toxic Cookware? I Tested 45+ Healthy Brands

If you’re trying to avoid toxic cookware, the internet will tell you that stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, and ceramic-coated non-stick are safer alternatives to traditional non-stick.

But not all brands are created equal — and some pans in these “healthy” categories have even been found to leach high levels of heavy metals.

So, which cookware brands are actually worth buying? And which ones should you avoid?

Over the past seven years, I’ve tested dozens of pans. Beyond cooking a ton with each one, I ran a series of tests to measure how fast and evenly they heat, how well they retain heat, resistance to scratching, chipping, and warping, safety, and more.

I also compared key factors like weight, shape, design, and ease of use.

In this guide, I’ll break down the best-performing options within each healthy cookware category. I’ll also explain the hidden risks you still need to watch out for — even with so-called “safe” materials.

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Use the links below to navigate the guide:

• Stainless Steel
• Cast Iron
• Enameled Cast Iron
• Carbon Steel
• Ceramic Non-Stick

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Stainless Steel

Stainless steel cookware has no chemical coating, it does not rust or corrode, and it does not affect the taste of food in any noticeable way. Because of those qualities, it is widely considered one of the healthiest cookware materials you can use. But it is not perfect.

Multiple studies, including research from Oregon State University and the University of Messina, have shown that small amounts of nickel and chromium can leach from stainless steel cookware into food. This effect is most pronounced with new pans and acidic ingredients like tomato sauce.

However, these studies were conducted under extreme conditions, such as cooking for 20 hours straight in highly acidic solutions. Under normal kitchen use, the risk is minimal unless you have a known allergy to nickel.

From a health perspective, stainless steel is still a safe and reliable option. But when it comes to performance, some brands stand out more than others. To identify the best options, I tested over 30 stainless steel frying pans. I looked at how evenly they heated, how well they retained heat, and how they performed on induction cooktops.

If you want top-tier performance and price is not a concern, three brands rise above the rest.

Demeyere Atlantis is the thickest fully clad stainless steel pan I tested at 5.5 millimeters. The extra thickness means it heats more slowly, but that tradeoff results in superior heat retention and stability.

After heating it to 400°F and removing it from the stove, the center of the pan stayed at 159°F after five minutes, which is one of the best results across all the pans I tested.

On induction, it boiled 32 ounces of water in under five minutes and held 212°F at the five-minute mark. It also had minimal noise and no visible warping.

Fissler Original-Profi takes a different approach. While the walls are thinner, the base is an impressive 7 millimeters thick. That thick base distributes heat more evenly than any other stainless steel pan I tested.

After two minutes on the burner, the temperature difference between the center and outer edge was just 4°F, which is the most even result in the group.

Heat retention was also excellent. The center of the pan held 176°F five minutes after heating, slightly better than Demeyere. Despite its heavy-duty build, the pan remains well-balanced and easy to control.

Hestan NanoBond is not as strong in heat retention or distribution, but it excels in durability and design. Its titanium-infused surface resists scratches, even when you scrub it with the rough side of a sponge.

It also has sealed rims to prevent rusting and flush rivets that make cleaning easier. If long-term durability matters more than raw thermal performance, NanoBond is an excellent choice.

If you want high performance without the premium price, consider Made In, Heritage Steel Eater Series, or All-Clad D3 Everyday.

All three are about 3 millimeters thick, which allows for quicker heating and easier handling. In my heat retention test, the center temperature dropped to around 123°F after five minutes, which is lower than Demeyere and Fissler but still solid for everyday use.

For budget-friendly options under $100, I recommend Cuisinart MultiClad Pro, Misen, and Goldilocks.

Cuisinart had the most comfortable and secure handle. Misen was the heaviest and sturdiest of the three and features sealed rims for added durability. Goldilocks performed consistently well across the board and is hard to beat at its price point.

Cast Iron

Cast iron is made of about 98% iron and 2% carbon, and it’s considered one of the safest cookware materials. However, studies show that small amounts of iron can leach into food, especially when cooking acidic ingredients or simmering for long periods.

If you have a condition where your body stores too much iron, cast iron is not the best choice. But for most people, especially those who are iron-deficient, this is actually a benefit.

I recently tested six of the highest-rated cast iron skillets on the market, and according to my tests, Smithey is the best overall.

It had the smoothest non-stick surface, the widest pour spouts, and one of the better-designed handles.

In my heat retention test, I heated each skillet to 300°F and measured the surface temperature after five minutes. Smithey retained the most heat, cooling to 158°F—the highest of the group.

It’s heavy and expensive but will last a lifetime, so it’s worth the investment.

If you don’t want to spend that much, Lodge Classic is the best value. It costs a fraction of the price and still performs really well.

It’s heavier, and the surface is rougher, but it holds seasoning better and still passed the egg test without sticking. In the same heat retention test, it came in second place at 136°F after five minutes.

If you want a skillet that’s easy to handle, Field Company is a great option. It has a smooth surface, just like Smithey, but it weighs significantly less and heats up faster.

The one major downside is that it retained the least heat in my test, dropping to 129°F after five minutes. It also warped significantly when I tested it on induction.

Enameled Cast Iron

Enameled cast iron is essentially the same as traditional cast iron, but it’s coated in a thin layer of hardened glass. This enamel creates a permanent barrier that prevents rust and eliminates the need for seasoning.

There are some reports that the enamel on vintage pieces made before the 1970s may contain lead, but modern Dutch ovens from trusted brands are considered safe and do not pose any health concerns.

Enameled cast iron is the ideal material for Dutch ovens, and I recently tested nine of the top-rated brands.

I measured how well the lids retained moisture, how evenly that moisture redistributed over the pot, how hot the knobs got, and how durable the enamel really was. I also weighed each and recorded key specs like cooking surface diameter and handle size.

After months of testing, three brands stood out as the clear winners.

Le Creuset is noticeably lighter than the others, weighing just 11.4 pounds. That makes it easier to lift, clean, and store. It retained moisture well and has wide handles, a large and easy-to-grip knob, and flawless enamel quality.

In my moisture retention test, I boiled 32 ounces of water in each Dutch oven, let them rest for 30 minutes with the lid on, and then measured how much liquid was lost. Le Creuset came in third place, retaining 7.4 ounces of moisture—better than most brands.

In the knob heat test, where I measured how hot the lid knobs got after 10 minutes of boiling water, Le Creuset’s plastic knob stayed the coolest of all at just 80°F. On top of that, it comes in over 20 color options.

Staub had the best heat retention, holding 182°F after five minutes off the burner, and it also excelled at moisture distribution.

The flat lid and large self-basting dimples helped redistribute condensation evenly over the pot, not just around the edges. It also has a premium look and feel, with a matte black interior that hides stains. The main downside is the small knob and handle size, and the knob got hot—143°F in my test.

Made In performed well across the board. It has the widest cooking surface at 9 inches, the widest and coolest knob (2.25 inches wide and just 101°F after 10 minutes of boiling), and came in second for both heat retention (177°F) and moisture retention (7.1 ounces retained). It’s heavier than Le Creuset at 13.6 pounds, but the extra mass helped its performance.

Lodge Essential Enamel is a great value and performed well in most categories, including heat retention (158°F) and knob temperature (115°F). However, it was the only Dutch oven that chipped during my durability test, where I dropped a metal spatula on the enamel from 12 inches. That makes it less durable than the top performers.

Carbon Steel

Carbon steel is the thinner, lighter version of cast iron. It’s made from about 99% iron and 1% carbon. And like cast iron, it’s durable, can handle extremely high temperatures, and is naturally non-stick when well seasoned.

It’s widely considered one of the safest cookware materials, but one brand recently made headlines for the wrong reasons. Matfer Black Carbon Steel pans were recalled in a region of France after testing showed high levels of arsenic, chromium, and iron when the pan was used to boil a highly acidic solution for two hours.

Matfer is appealing the decision and says the test conditions don’t reflect real-world cooking. They also point out that their pans meet all EU and French safety standards and are safe when used as instructed.

This ruling may not be entirely fair, but until it’s fully resolved, there are plenty of other carbon steel pans that don’t come with that uncertainty. I recently tested several of them, comparing durability, heat distribution, handle safety, and food release.

Strata is the most unique pan I tested. It’s made with carbon steel on the cooking surface, aluminum in the middle, and stainless steel on the outside.

That tri-ply construction makes it much lighter than traditional carbon steel at just 3.0 pounds, and it heats more evenly. In my two-minute heat distribution test, the center reached 455°F and the edge reached 397°F, a 58°F difference (the worst performer, Made In, had a 160°F difference). It also had one of the best egg test results and the most comfortable handle.

The downside is heat retention. After heating the pan to 400°F and letting it sit for five minutes, the surface dropped to 114°F, the lowest of the group.

de Buyer Mineral B Pro had the best heat retention. After reaching 400°F, it still measured 162°F after five minutes. It’s also the thickest pan I tested at 3.1 mm and one of the heaviest at 6.9 pounds.

Its stainless steel handle is 10 inches long and oven-safe up to 500°F. The only drawback is that the polished cooking surface makes it hard for seasoning to stick initially.

de Buyer Blue Carbon Steel is thinner at 2.0 mm and lighter at 4.2 pounds, so it doesn’t retain heat as well. Its surface dropped to 126°F after five minutes. But it heats fast and evenly, hitting 500°F in the center and 421°F at the edge after two minutes.

It performed well in the egg test and is one of the best values at around $80. The only major issue is that it warped during my induction test, so I wouldn’t recommend it for induction cooktops.

Ceramic Non-Stick

Ceramic non-stick pans have an aluminum or steel base with a slick and glossy coating on the cooking surface made from sand-derived materials like silica.

Unlike traditional non-stick coatings, this kind doesn’t contain PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, and it won’t release harmful fumes if you accidentally overheat it. 

This type of cookware has only been around for a couple of decades, but it’s generally considered a safer alternative to traditional non-stick pans.

The big drawback is durability. Ceramic non-stick coatings wear down fast. That’s why I only recommend owning one fry pan for delicate foods like eggs.

To find out which ceramic non-stick pans are actually worth buying, I tested six of the most popular brands. I cooked with each one out of the box, then ran a series of stress tests to simulate months of use. After that, I cooked the same foods again to see how the non-stick performance held up.

None of the pans came out of this testing with flawless performance. They all declined to some degree, but a few still held up reasonably well. 

My general advice with this type of pan is to go with an affordable option like GreenPan Valencia Pro. It held up well in the stress tests and performed best on induction with no warping or buzzing.

Made In CeramiClad performs well, it’s made in the USA, and the 5-ply stainless steel base is sturdy. But it’s one of the most expensive ceramic non-stick pans, and if the coating wears out — which it eventually will — you’ve spent a lot for a pan you can’t really use anymore. Only buy this pan if you plan to take good care of it.

While I’m on the topic of ceramic, I don’t recommend pure ceramic stovetop pans like Xtrema. They’re considered one of the healthiest options and pass all the independent testing. But performance-wise, I’m not a fan. It heats slowly, food sticks badly, and it can shatter if you accidentally drop it.

Cookware Quiz: Find the Best Non-Toxic Cookware

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to healthy cookware. Each material has pros and cons, and the best choice depends on how you cook, what you value most, and your budget. If you’re unsure where to start, try my Cookware Finder Quiz — it’s free, quick, and gives personalized recommendations based on everything I’ve learned from testing over 60 brands.