Kitchen & Dining

Pans & skillets

Pans and skillets with bare stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, or fully documented enamel cooking surfaces.

Conventional nonstick coatings on pans and skillets can degrade under high heat and abrasion, releasing particles and fumes.  Bare stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, and documented enamel surfaces have no synthetic coating that can break down into food.

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What we avoid

These are category-level exclusions when materials or treatments are disclosed.  Each product card explains why we recommend it and lists the disclosed materials.

PTFE / Teflon PFOA & GenX Leaded enamel Aluminum contact surfaces "Ceramic" quasi-coatings

Common questions

Is "PFOA-free" the same as PFAS-free?

No. A PFOA-free claim addresses one chemical and does not, by itself, establish that a cooking surface is free of PTFE or every PFAS.  Look for the actual coating material and an explicit PTFE- or PFAS-free statement.

How does ceramic nonstick compare with bare metal?

Many ceramic-style coatings are marketed as PTFE-free, but they are still applied coatings whose composition and durability vary.  We prioritize cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel because the cooking surface remains identifiable as it wears.

Does cast iron add iron to food?

Cast iron can increase the iron content of food, especially with acidic recipes and longer cooking times.  The amount varies, so anyone who has been told to limit iron should ask a clinician whether cast iron suits them.