When your favorite nonstick skillet has started to lose its nonstick coating or you’ve knocked your best soup pot around a few too many times and dents are starting to show, it’s probably time to let your old cookware go. “It’s important to replace cookware when it starts to show signs of deterioration,” says Li Li, associate professor of public health at the University of Nevada, Reno, and expert in exposure and health sciences. While he admits there’s no specific guideline for how often pots or pans should be replaced, “a good rule of thumb is if deep scratches, dents and pitting can be found on cookware surfaces, or if the coating is peeling or flaking, it’s time to buy something new.”
If you’ve found yourself in the market for a new set, it’s important to be conscientious about the pots and pans you select to make sure you’re adding nontoxic cookware to your kitchen. While new, high-quality cookware sold in major retailers is largely considered safe, it’s important to be aware of a few potential risks so you can make the best decision for yourself and your family.
For example, Li points out that while the perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that was once used in Teflon-coated nonstick cookware has been phased out due to its links to health concerns, there are other chemicals in the same family (per- and polyfluoroalkyl stubstances, or PFAS) that are still being used. “We don’t yet know whether these other chemicals will turn out to be just as harmful as PFOA in the long run. This is something researchers, including people like me, are still working to figure out,” he says.
Krystal Pollitt, associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the Yale School of Public Health, doubles down on the importance of selecting cookware that doesn’t contain these other PFAS chemicals. “PFAS are known as ‘forever chemicals.’ [They] are very difficult to break down and have been linked with chronic disease. Switching to alternatives eliminates exposure to the forever chemicals in the nonstick coatings and [their] associated risk,” she explains.
Your best bet while shopping is to look for cookware that says “PFOA-free” or “PFAS-free.” Nonstick cookware also frequently uses a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating which is known to be a source of microplastic exposure when the nonstick surface is scratched or broken. If you’re trying to cut down on plastics to reduce your overall intake, opting for “PTFE-free” cookware or products that don’t use this type of nonstick coating can help reduce your risk. Stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic-coated cookware are often considered the best nontoxic cookware options, as these products don’t use coatings that contain PFAS or PTFEs. “I have eliminated all nonstick coated cookware and use stainless steel, carbon-steel and cast iron products,” says Pollitt.
However, it’s still important to be aware that not all metal-based cookware products are created equal. “If you use metal-based cookware, such as stainless steel, aluminum or cast iron, some lower-quality products can contain trace amounts of heavy metals that might leach into the food while cooking. It’s best to invest in high-quality products,” Li says. He suggests looking for brands marked as FDA-approved.
To help you find the best nontoxic cookware on the market, we did the research into high-quality options and test-drove nine different cookware sets and a few additional stand-alone pans (made from a variety of materials) to find the best. Here’s what we discovered.
Best nontoxic cookware sets
Best nontoxic skillets
If you don’t need to replace your entire cookware set, but you have a pan or two that have seen better days, you can opt to purchase a single skillet. Here are a few of our favorite options.
Nontoxic bakeware, cooking tools and accessories
While we didn’t personally test all of the following cooking tools and accessories, selecting nontoxic cookware goes beyond your basic pots and pans. If you’re opting to switch out some of your other kitchen tools, use the same guidelines on materials to make your selections.
How we chose the best nontoxic cookware
Before selecting products to test for this piece, we first read the current research and literature on nontoxic cookware and potentially harmful chemicals that are sometimes included in cookware products. We then consulted two professors of public health with expertise in environmental health and exposure sciences to get their take on safe cookware materials and how to select safer pots and pans. Finally, we researched a wide range of popular cookware brands and products, choosing to personally test nine cookware sets and a few additional individual cookware items. We considered product style, weight, versatility, ease of cooking and cleaning, any special features and most important, any claims or certifications related to the product’s safety. We gave special consideration to products with third-party certifications or testing that indicated the product was free of PFOA, PFAS, PTFE or any heavy metals.
Other cookware sets we tested
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Hestan Thomas Keller Insignia Commercial Clad Stainless-Steel 7-Piece Cookware Set ($700): This cookware set has a lot going for it. We love the high-quality craftsmanship, the universal vented lid that can be moved between pots and pans and the fact that it is oven safe up to 600 degrees F. In fact, this was going to be one of our top picks as a “splurge” until we noticed one tiny detail: The nonstick pan that’s included in the set is PFOA-free, but is not free of PTFE. Does this mean it’s not safe? No, but we’re choosing to err on the side of caution. If you’re looking for a high-end option, you could always just set the nonstick pan aside or purchase individual pots or pans (we really do love the universal lid).
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Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Cookware ($395): We’ve actually had our Caraway set for well over a year, and assumed it would make our top picks, but the truth is the GreenPan Valencia Pro set is just better all around. While the Caraway set is beautiful and functional, and has all the same nontoxic benefits as the GreenPan set, the GreenPan’s stay-flat base offers better balance on the stove, the cooking vessels are oven-safe up to 600 degrees F (versus Caraway’s 550 F) and they’re metal utensil-safe (Caraway’s are not). The Caraway cookware set is also heavier and a little more cumbersome to move around.
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Great Jones Precious Metals Set ($395): Like the Caraway set, this Great Jones cookware set is beautiful to look at. We thought it would have a shot at our top spot for stainless steel cookware, but the Tramontina set had more going for it. Namely, Tramontina’s NSF certification for safety and durability was a big selling point. Plus, the Tramontina set has more cooking vessels, is more affordable and is backed by a lifetime warranty. That said, we did love the functionality of some of the individual pieces, like the Saucy which includes etched measurements on the interior and a pour spout. We also featured the Deep Cut above as one of our favorite skillets, thanks to its high walls and lid, which amps up its versatility.
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Cuisinart 12-piece Cookware Set MultiClad Pro ($220): There’s really not much negative to say about this Cuisinart set. In fact, it won Yahoo Life’s Best Overall Cookware Set for 2025. It’s affordable, durable and high-quality, and given that it’s stainless steel, you can feel good about its nontoxic status. However, I couldn’t find any information on the brand’s commitment to safety, which resulted in the GreenPan and Tramontina sets winning out for the best overall and best stainless-steel categories, respectively.
Meet our experts
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Li Li, associate professor of public health at the University of Nevada, Reno, and expert in exposure and health sciences
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Krystal Pollitt, associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health at the Yale School of Public Health
Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
