Safest Cookware Materials (and What to Avoid)

Whether you’re shopping for pots, pans, or baking sheets, you should always choose cooking products made from the safest cookware material.

Without doing your research, your cookware can potentially leach toxic chemicals and heavy metals into your food or emit toxic gasses while cooking.

With so many cookware options to choose from — like stainless steel, cast iron, ceramic, aluminum, non-stick, copper, glass, and carbon steel — knowing which materials to avoid and which can be safely used is a good place to start in your search for non-toxic cookware.

It’s important to keep in mind that no type of cookware is guaranteed to be 100% non-toxic. All cookware materials have pros and cons, and some are only harmful when cooking certain types of food. But don’t worry, this guide will help you find the best and safest cookware materials for the type of food you are making.

Highly Toxic Cookware Materials

While there is some debate about the safety of some cookware materials, these materials have been proven unsafe and should be avoided and replaced as soon as possible.

PFOA/PFOS

PFOA and PFOS are two of the most studied PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances). PFAS, dubbed “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment, are man-made chemicals that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Because of these properties, PFAS are what make nonstick pans “nonstick”.

Although there are thousands of PFAS, PFOA and PFOS were widely used beginning in the 1950s (Teflon) until it was found that these coatings emit toxic gasses when heated and can cause flu-like symptoms and many other potential health problems when inhaled.

PFOA and PFOS were phased out in the US in the early 2000s, so any new cookware made in the US will not be made with PFOA/PFOS, but if you have any hand-me-down nonstick pans, you should consider replacing them with something safer.

Potentially Toxic Cookware Materials

Not all cookware materials have been proven to be harmful to our health, but that does not mean they are safe. (PFOA/PFOS were regarded as safe, and look how that turned out.)

The safety of the following cookware materials is still being debated, and more research is needed to determine their safety. If possible, avoid purchasing cookware made from these materials and opt for something safer.

Non-Stick Pans (PFAS)

Nonstick pans are nonstick because they are coated with some type of PFAS. Although not all PFAS have been widely studied, they are still similar in nature to PFOA/PFOS, and their safety is inconclusive.

This includes many cookware products branded as “green pans” or any nonstick pans branded as “safe” or “non-toxic”. Also, be wary of nonstick pans labeled “PFOA/PFOS free,” as this just means that one harmful chemical could be replaced with another.

There are thousands of PFAS, and cookware brands will continue to use a new one and label it safe until the newest research comes out showing its toxicity. The current PFAS being used to replace PFOA/PFOS are GenX and PFBS, and studies are already showing that they are not as safe as originally thought.

Copper

Copper is extremely toxic, which is why copper cookware is lined with another metal to prevent copper from leaching into food. At first, this cookware is fine, but problems arise when the surface is scratched. If you are looking for new cookware, avoid buying anything made with copper. But if you currently own copper cookware, be sure to throw it out as soon as the surface is scratched.

Aluminum

Aluminum pans have the potential to leach aluminum into food, and because some studies link high aluminum exposure to neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia, it’s best to stay away from aluminum pans because there are similar alternatives that are safer.

Anodized aluminum pans are safer than their non-anodized counterparts because the surface is sealed and does not leach as much aluminum. However, once the surface is scratched, it is riskier to use. If using anodized aluminum pans, avoid cooking highly acidic foods (like tomato sauces), and throw them away once scratched to avoid aluminum leaching.

Safest Cookware Materials

Although no cookware is perfect in all scenarios, these cookware materials are the safest when used in the correct way, so swap your old cookware for ones made from these materials to significantly reduce your toxin exposure.

Ceramic (100% Ceramic)

100% ceramic cookware is one of the safest cookware materials available. It is made from nonmetallic minerals like clay fired at high temperatures and hardened through heat. It does not leach harmful chemicals, even when cooking highly acidic foods.

This does not include ceramic-coated cookware, which can be problematic. Ceramic-coated cookware usually has a metal core and cannot be fired at temperatures as high as 100% ceramic cookware. In turn, this coating usually breaks down and scratches or chips faster, leading to leaching from the metal core.

Stainless Steel (Food Grade)

Food-grade stainless steel cookware is another safe cooking option. This type of stainless steel (also labeled 18/10 or 304 stainless steel) is extremely durable, resists corrosion, and only leaches trace amounts of nickel and chromium.

Note that you should NOT cook highly acidic foods in stainless steel cookware, as these foods can cause more metals to leach into your food. So be sure to cook your tomato sauces in another type of pot.

Cast Iron

Although cast iron pans require more maintenance, well-kept cast iron pans have been around for centuries and are still regarded as safe for cooking. Plus, a properly seasoned cast iron pan can be as good as nonstick!

This type of cookware will leach some iron into your food, which is not problematic for most people. (Especially if you have low iron levels.) However, like with stainless steel cookware, do not cook acidic foods in cast iron to avoid leaching excessive amounts of iron.

Enameled Cast Iron is a cast iron core with a porcelain enameled surface. At first thought, a cast iron pan coated in a type of ceramic would be safe. However, many coated cast iron pans have been found to leach lead and other metals like aluminum, depending on where they were made and the manufacturing practices. If you use these products, be cautious and seek out third-party testing that shows they do not leach heavy metals into your food.

Carbon Steel

Carbon Steel is very similar to cast iron in that it is made from iron, requires seasoning to be low-stick, and leaches some iron into food. However, it is more lightweight, which is why larger cookware (like woks) is usually made from carbon steel and not cast iron.

Carbon steel cookware is safe for cooking, but like many other materials, do not cook acidic foods in carbon steel to prevent excessive leaching of iron.

Glass (Food Grade)

You won’t find glass pots or pans, but glass baking dishes are very common. Food grade glass is a very safe cookware material that will not leach toxins or metals into your food, even when cooking acidic foods.

Most glass cookware products are food grade, but it’s important to be sure that it is food grade because glass has been known to be a problem elsewhere (like in wine glasses — specifically crystal — which can be a source of lead.)

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This article was written for informational purposes only and is not to be used as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with questions and concerns.