Best Frying Pans If You Want to Avoid PFAS Chemicals
CR highlights cookware without the potentially harmful compounds found on many nonstick pans
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It’s not surprising that nonstick frying pans outsell all other types by a considerable margin. They’re easy to use, a cinch to clean, and well-priced. Unfortunately, the nonstick coatings don’t last forever and most nonstick pans have to be replaced every few years, which adds to the waste stream.
A greater concern may be the components of some nonstick coatings, an awareness of which has heightened in recent years. Described in a dizzying array of acronyms like PTFE, PFOA, and PFAS, it’s difficult for a consumer to judge what is in the nonstick coatings of the pans they buy. To shed light on the issue, Consumer Reports recently tested the coatings of three popular nonstick frying pans in our ratings, and the results are revealing. Read all about it in “You Can’t Always Trust Claims on ‘Non-Toxic’ Cookware.”
If the results of our testing give you pause, or if you’ve already decided to swear off nonstick cookware, there are some good cast-iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel alternatives, including the models below, that perform well in our cookware tests. All are made without PTFE, the nonstick coating originally introduced as Teflon. We also highlight a top-rated nonstick pan that has a ceramic coating rather than one made with PTFE. To dive deeper into these alternative pan types, see our full cookware ratings and recommendations.
Here’s a sampling:
The GreenPan Reserve is our top-rated nonstick frying pan, and the coating is ceramic. The 10-inch pan comes as part of a two-pan set that also includes an 8-inch version. In our tests, eggs easily slid out of the pan one after another, leaving nothing behind and earning an Excellent rating on the food release test. Cooking evenness is also top-notch. The nonstick coating did well on our durability tests, in which we abrade the surface with steel wool for 2,000 strokes or until it wears through, whichever comes first. Only our lowest-rated pans do poorly on this test.
Made In cookware is sold directly to consumers online in sets or individually. This 10-inch frying pan impressed testers with its even cooking, which earned an Excellent rating, and ease of cleaning. The handles are quite sturdy and stay cool to the touch while you’re making your eggs or pancakes. Its cleaning score is one notch below top-notch.
The Tramontina 80131/066DS excels at two crucial tasks for a cast-iron skillet: searing and browning. In our tests, we seared a New York strip steak and browned scallops. We also baked cornbread, for which this pan earns a Very Good rating, on a par with most of the top cast-iron pans we’ve tested. We cleaned it after each cooking task and it earned a Very Good rating, which is the top score for this type of pan.
The versatility of cast iron is not to be overlooked—it lends itself to cooking up a variety of dishes, from pancakes and pies to one-pot dinners and so much more. The Lodge uncoated cast-iron frying pan scores an Excellent rating in our tests when it comes to searing steaks and browning foods. It comes pre-seasoned with a thin layer of oil baked in, and if you keep it that way, it will last for generations. The seasoning is what also makes it so easy to clean—with the exception of one, all the uncoated cast-iron skillets in our tests earn a Very Good rating for ease of cleaning.
Like cast iron, carbon steel pans can be moved from stovetop to oven and back again. The Matfer Bourgeat Black Steel is a good example. It heats evenly, browns foods (like scallops) well, earning an Excellent rating on that test, and is easy to clean once you’re all done. Like the other carbon steel pans we tested, this one earns a Very Good rating for cleaning. But to keep it that way you have to reseason it from time to time.
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