HexClad vs. GreenPan Cookware: An In-Depth Comparison

Are you in the market for new pots and pans but can’t decide between HexClad and GreenPan?

Both up-and-coming brands are getting lots of attention in the cookware industry but for different reasons.

GreenPan is one of the pioneers of natural ceramic non-stick cookware, while HexClad is popularizing the concept of non-stick and stainless steel hybrid cookware.

So which cookware is right for you? What factors should you consider before choosing?

In this comparison of HexClad vs. GreenPan, I break down the nine essential differences between the two.

You’ll learn how each brands’ cookware compares in terms of construction, materials, performance, design, price, and more.

Let’s get started. 

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Use the links below to navigate the comparison:

• HexClad vs. GreenPan: Comparison Chart
• Difference 1: Product Offerings
• Difference 2: Base Construction
• Difference 3: Cooking Surface
• Difference 4: Design
• Difference 5: Cooking Performance
• Difference 6: Metal Utensil-Safe
• Difference 7: Company History
• Difference 8: Price
• Difference 9: Downsides
• What Others Are Saying
• Bottom Line: Should You Buy HexClad or GreenPan?

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HexClad vs. GreenPan: Comparison Chart

If you are short on time, reference this chart as a quick guide comparing HexClad and GreenPan. I’ll explore each row in detail in later sections.

	HexClad	GreenPan
Product Offerings	Only one collection: Hybrid	Over ten unique collections
Base Construction	Hybrid of 3-ply stainless steel and non-stick material	Aluminum, hard-anodized aluminum, and stainless steel
Cooking Surface	Hybrid of stainless steel and non-stick	Ceramic Non-Stick
Oven-Safe	Up to 500°F	Oven-safe temperature varies, 350-600°F.
Induction-Compatible	All cookware induction-compatible.	Venice Pro, Valencia Pro, and Levels collections are induction-compatible.
Design	Cookware comes in a distinct hexagon design with riveted stay-cool handles.	Colored aluminum, black hard-anodized, and stainless steel options.
Where It’s Made	Made in China	Made in China
Company History	Introduced in the U.S. in 2016.	Founded in 2007.
Price	$$$$ (view on HexClad.com and Amazon)	$$$ (view on GreenPan.us and Amazon)
Main Benefit	Versatility (from searing to flipping eggs)	Easy food release and cleaning
Main Downside	Price: Costs as much as premium stainless steel  or copper cookware	Durability: Loses its non-stick properties in 1 to 3 years
More Details	In-Depth HexClad Review	In-Depth GreenPan Review

Difference 1: Product Offerings

One of the key differences between HexClad and GreenPan is the number of cookware collections that each offers.

HexClad offers one unified cookware collection: Hybrid. It contains several sets and individual pots and pans, but each piece shares the same construction, design, and performance.

GreenPan offers a vast array of product options and over ten unique collections. Each collection includes many individual pieces and cookware sets.

Some of GreenPan’s most popular collections include:

• Paris Pro
• Valencia Pro
• Venice Pro Noir
• Rio
• Lima

You can check out all of GreenPan’s collections on Amazon and GreenPan.us.

Difference 2: Base Construction

The base of HexClad begins with an exterior layer of magnetic steel, which makes the cookware durable and compatible with all cooktops.

Then comes the aluminum core. Since aluminum is an excellent heat conductor, this cookware heats fast and evenly.

The cooking surface is steel; however, HexClad utilizes a unique laser etching process for its patented non-stick/stainless steel hybrid finish (more on that in the next section).

GreenPan features a more traditional 3-ply construction in its stainless steel collections (no laser etching). The company also offers standard and hard-anodized aluminum cookware.

Hard-anodized aluminum is an excellent base material because it’s ultra-durable, conducts heat quickly and evenly, and is typically less expensive than fully-clad stainless steel.

Difference 3: Cooking Surface

While GreenPan and HexClad both produce non-stick cookware, the manufacturing processes and non-stick materials differ. 

GreenPan features ceramic, whereas HexClad takes a hybrid approach.

HexClad’s unique hexagonal design combines lifted stainless steel portions and “valleys” of PTFE non-stick coating.

HexClad claims that the stainless steel “peaks” offer protection for the non-stick portions, enhancing durability.

In contrast, GreenPan boasts a proprietary ceramic non-stick coating called Thermolon on the surface of its cookware.

This coating, made primarily from silicon dioxide, is PFOA, PFAS, lead, and cadmium-free, which appeals to many consumers from a health and environmental standpoint.

The most significant difference between HexClad and GreenPan is the durability of the non-stick surface. HexClad’s raised steel hexagons block utensils from reaching and scratching the non-stick material.

GreenPan cookware has no such protection. Plus, the non-stick material HexClad uses is known to last much longer than GreenPan’s ceramic material.

Difference 4: Design

HexClad’s design is unified across all of its cookware. The hexagonal-patterned surface covers both the interior and the exterior.

In the center of the pan, the pattern is shaped by tiny steel dots. But as you look towards the sides, you’ll notice solid lines of steel shaping the hexagons.

Right before the rim is a herringbone pattern.

Each piece comes with riveted stay-cool handles with a polished finish. The handles are large, round, and comfortable, making the cookware easy to control. 

Although GreenPan doesn’t offer designs as unique as HexClad, they do offer more variety. The most aesthetically unique series include the Paris Pro, Venice Pro Noir, and Rio collections.

The Paris Pro collection is one of GreenPan’s hard-anodized non-stick options. The cookware features a ceramic non-stick coating, riveted steel handles, and glass lids.

The Venice Pro Noir collection is a sleek stainless steel option with an internal non-stick ceramic coating.

The Rio collection features a colored aluminum exterior and a white non-stick interior, making it a brighter, more customizable choice for discerning home cooks.

Difference 5: Cooking Performance

One of HexClad’s draws is that its cookware can fulfill multiple culinary tasks.

Instead of buying a stainless steel pan for searing and roasting and a non-stick pan for eggs, pancakes, and other delicate foods that are prone to sticking, HexClad’s hybrid option attempts to do it all.

Ultimately, I learned in my testing that HexClad does many things well but doesn’t excel in any one culinary area.

The non-stick plus stainless steel surface doesn’t provide the effortless food release you get with true non-stick coatings, and it commands the same care and attention as regular stainless steel cookware. If you don’t preheat the pan, add plenty of oil, and cook on low/medium, food will stick (especially eggs).

HexClad cookware is oven-safe at temperatures up to 500°F. It is also compatible with all cooktops, including induction. 

GreenPan cookware performs better as a non-stick option and will be more useful when you’re cooking delicate foods such as eggs or fish — with one caveat. Like all ceramic non-stick coatings, GreenPan’s surface is prone to wear down after about two years.

The oven-safe temperatures for GreenPan cookware vary by collection. In general, the colored aluminum cookware is oven-safe up to 350°F, the hard-anodized products are oven-safe up to 400°F, and stainless steel collections are oven-safe up to 600°F.

The Valencia Pro, Venice Pro, and Levels collections are induction compatible; GreenPan’s other collections are not.

Difference 6: Metal Utensil-Safe

With most collections, GreenPan recommends against using metal utensils. However, its Thermolon Diamond Advanced coating is reinforced with synthetic diamond-infused layers, making it more durable and metal utensil-safe. This special coating is only featured on some GreenPan collections (ex. SearSmart).

All HexClad pots and pans are metal utensil-safe due to the stainless steel/non-stick hybrid cooking surface.

The non-stick “valleys” are shielded from wear by the stainless steel “peaks.” This concept was demonstrated in several popular commercials featuring the brand’s founder.

Difference 7: Company History

HexClad and GreenPan are both new, up-and-coming cookware brands.

HexClad’s co-founders, Daniel Winer and Cole Mecray, boast decades of cookware experience. They created the technology behind HexClad in 2009 and brought it to the U.S. market.

The brand officially launched in 2016, and now the company stands atop the hybrid cookware market. In fact, it was named one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2019.

HexClad’s products are designed in Los Angeles, California, but they’re manufactured in China. The cookware is backed by a lifetime warranty (covering defects in materials and craftsmanship) and can be purchased online via Amazon or HexClad.com.

GreenPan is a brand based in Belgium. Founded in 2007, the company has maintained an image based on environmental friendliness and ecologically sound mission goals. GreenPan designs its cookware in Belgian but manufactures it in China. The company backs its non-stick coating with a limited two-year warranty.

GreenPan products can be purchased via Amazon, GreenPan.us, or through several third-party retailers. You can get more information via the store locator tool.

Difference 8: Price

HexClad cookware won’t last forever the way stainless steel cookware will — but it’s priced as if it does. In other words, it’s costly.

Although HexClad will undoubtedly last longer than the average non-stick pan, it utilizes non-stick material, which will eventually wear down and require replacement.

GreenPan’s collections vary in price, but generally speaking, its non-stick options are more expensive than those of most competing brands.

Overall, HexClad is significantly more expensive than GreenPan, regardless of the GreenPan collection you use as a comparison.

In fact, depending on the collection, you could buy two to four GreenPan pans for the price of one HexClad pan.

Refer to the price comparison chart below to see the current costs of both brands’ most popular cookware.

Difference 9: Downsides

As with any cookware, HexClad and GreenPan have their downsides. Let’s take a look at the common complaints across both brands.

HexClad includes the following downsides:

• As a new, relatively untested brand, a lot is unknown in terms of longevity.
• Despite being advertised as a non-stick pan, consumers have reported that HexClad cookware does not function well in this regard. These complaints are valid based on my testing (eggs stick unless you heavily grease the pan).
• HexClad will eventually lose its non-stick properties. It’s pricey to have to replace it every few years. 

GreenPan is not free of flaws. Below are the most notable downsides:

• As a ceramic-based non-stick option, GreenPan cookware loses its non-stick properties relatively quickly compared to other types of non-stick pans (such as PTFE or Teflon).
• The brand’s non-stick collections are pricier than others in the same category and only come with a limited two-year warranty.
• Thanks to relatively low oven-safe temperatures, GreenPan cookware isn’t as versatile as many competitors’ products — especially when you compare their stainless steel temperature limits to others on the market.
• GreenPan only offers a few induction-compatible collections.

What Others Are Saying

It’s worth reviewing the perspectives of other cookware experts regarding HexClad and GreenPan. Here’s what they have to say about these two competing brands.

Consumer Reports awarded GreenPan’s Levels stackable pan an “Excellent” rating, and the reviewers gave HexClad’s 10-inch pan a “Very Good” score. They praised its quick, even heating and its ability to slide eggs easily.

Experts at Kitchn gave GreenPan’s non-stick frying pan a favorable review and complemented its non-stick functionality and ease of use.

Chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay calls GreenPan his “favorite non-stick cookware, hands down.” He praised its versatility, saying “it’s the most non-stick, durable, and healthy surface.”

Good Housekeeping labeled HexClad the “Best Hybrid Non-Stick Cookware” and praised its products’ searing capabilities and easy cleanup.

CNN’s Underscored section named HexClad a “pro” brand that “blew the competition out of the kitchen” thanks to its even heat distribution and overall durability.

Bottom Line: Should You Buy HexClad or GreenPan?

Now that you know the most important differences between HexClad and GreenPan, it’s time to decide which cookware is right for your kitchen.

HexClad’s claim to fame is that its cookware can replace your stainless steel and non-stick pans because it can do the job of both.

While that is partially true — it sears meats better than traditional non-stick and releases food better than traditional stainless steel — it doesn’t totally live up to the hype.

If you’re looking to achieve the best possible sear, a stainless steel or cast iron pan will do a better job. And, delicate foods such as eggs and flakey fish cook better in traditional non-stick.

The other major factor to consider is the price. There’s certainly something to be said for the originality of HexClad’s design and technology. Still, it’s priced like premium stainless steel or copper cookware, even though it will eventually need to be replaced when the non-stick material wears down.

GreenPan is an excellent option if you’re looking for the convenience of traditional non-stick, but I wouldn’t count on it for searing and browning. Without the steel protection that HexClad offers, you can expect GreenPans coating to wear out two to three years.

Although, GreenPan is significantly cheaper, so buying a replacement isn’t as big of a deal.

In my experience, you’ll get the best value by purchasing a GreenPan non-stick pan along with stainless steel cookware from another brand (my favorites are All-Clad and Made In).

Bottom Line — if you’re looking for all-purpose cookware and find the hybrid design intriguing, HexClad is worth a try. But if you’re on a budget and want a truly non-stick pan that makes cooking and cleaning easy, go with GreenPan.

You can learn more about both brands and check the current prices at the links below:

• HexClad on HexClad.com and Amazon
• GreenPan on GreenPan.us and Amazon