The Best Nonstick Pans (That Aren’t Full of Creepy Chemicals)

You know the feeling of percolating excitement when you invite friends over for a home-cooked meal, perhaps involving an impressive presentation of some delicate fish? Or can you relate to the satisfaction of manifesting a late-night grilled cheese, or delivering perfect-temp eggs and bacon to a lover awaiting breakfast in bed? These are all beautiful culinary moments, in theory. But what if you’re using a pan from your first apartment in college, and now, instead of perfectly seared halibut or a sourdough-and-Cheddar sandwich, you’re met with a charred, crumbled, overcooked mess—half of which is fixed onto the bottom of the pan and impossible to clean? We’ve all been there at times, and we know that it can make you feel like a real hack.

But… shh. It’s OK. You’re here now, and on your way to setting yourself up with the proper tools to live out your best culinary dreams. The nonstick pan is an essential asset, but these days, we know that we should be steering clear of cheap, old, Teflon-lined cookware. So ditch that scratched-up IKEA skiller and your mom’s old saucepan; it’s time for nonstick autonomy. Swap out those suckers for the best new nonstick pans, which are made with ceramic coatings that are worry-free. Here’s a guide to our faves—and what chefs recommend.

Are old Teflon-coated nonstick pans really that bad?

Teflon, or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is great at being nonstick, but it’s also been tied in numerous studies to worrying health and environmental effects. This is primarily and especially true of cookware produced pre-2013, which may contain perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE. When raised to temperatures above 300 degrees Celsius or 570 degrees Fahrenheit, these compounds in Teflon can begin to break down and produce fumes that can result in a greater risk of developing certain cancers, thyroid problems, health risks for pregnant women and their fetuses, and a condition known as “Teflon flu” that feels symptomatically similar to influenza.

Prior to the growing public concerns about Teflon and PFOA/PTFE’s safety, my family had been using my grandmother’s pots from 1972. I soon tossed them, and went on a journey to save us all from any subtle and prolonged exposure to spooky chemical particulates from our morning eggs. While some still consider Teflon-coated pans to be reasonably safe for users, it’s not a risk that seems worthwhile, much like doing nose drugs of mysterious origin. A lot of stovetop cooking that’s done using nonstick pans won’t reach a temperature as high as 570 degrees, but there is no definitive answer as to exactly how harmful Teflon can be, but overall, if you’ve got the option to cook using something with less risks, wouldn’t you want to?

Basically, if your nonstick pan is ten or more years old, it’s probably time for an upgrade. Simply put, there are better, safer options out there—and safety is cool and fun.

So, what new nonstick pans should I replace them with?

Onwards. Do not fear the search! Using a nonstick pan is essentially like clicking the “Easy Button” when it comes to using kitchen tools. You can effortlessly find one that isn’t made of hazardous materials with a quick internet search, or by seeking advice from your local restaurant supply store. We asked a few industry insiders what their preferred nonstick pans are, and got some hot takes on the matter.

Dan Abrahamian, who has cooked in professional kitchens for several years, including Lucques and Son of a Gun in Los Angeles, advises against buying nonstick stock pots and being duped into thinking you must have a full blown “baby’s first kitchen” type of boxed set to be a successful cook. Don’t waste your coin here, Abrahamian says, but rather, “seek out only the 8-inch nonstick, the brunch service workhouse, or a 12-inch if you must, which admittedly has a lot of value for the home cook for its more all-encompassing applications beyond eggs.” Gimmicky marketing has circulated the belief that value is defined by the number of pieces in a kitchen set—but really this is just a way to clutter your kitchen.

“An enameled cast iron, a 6-quart stainless steel stock pot, and a nonstick egg pan will get you to the kitchen finish line,” says Abrahamian. You can keep your kitchen inventory streamlined with just these essentials. Free from hazardous chemicals and clutter? You’re living well now, friend.

The Best GreenPan Nonstick Pans

Alyssa Noui, a food stylist and recipe developer who has worked on shows such as Guy’s Grocery Games, suggests the GreenPan Paris Pro. “It is the best ceramic pan I’ve used and oven safe up to 600F, so great for any broiling needs after cooking,” she says. It is the everyman’s pan, reasonably priced with good longevity for a ceramic pan, which according to Noui, can be slightly less durable from high heat exposures over time.

The Best All-Clad Nonstick Pans

Noui also recommends the All-Clad Essentials Nonstick Cookware line. “[It’s] so durable and cooks my omelets and fish beautifully,” she explains. The brand’s stainless steel also contains no toxic coatings—hooray!

While it doesn’t have a totally eggs-slide-right-off-surface, the All-Clad Stainless Steel line gets another seal of approval from Gerardo Cagigal, a freelance culinary producer who works on anything from small cooking videos to network cooking competitions. (He is another Guy’s Grocery Games guy and has also worked for Tastemade Kitchen.) “As a former chef, I still have a pretty high standard when it comes to the equipment I use in a production kitchen and at home,” he says. “I like to use All-Clad when it comes to nonstick, they are reliable and pretty affordable. It’s the pan I would choose if I could only have one in my cabinet. You know what you’re going to get every time, and they last forever.”

The Always Pan

If you follow any kind of food-centric profile on social media, the algorithm has likely shown you the all-in-one pan from Our Place that boasts of replacing eight pieces of the standard cookware set. With over 19,000 reviews and a 4.8-star rating, this pan is a high-functioning, nontoxic option with nine different colors to choose from.

Caraway Cookware

Similarly reviewed and beloved, the Caraway nonstick pan is Teflon-free and (according to their website) “the coating does not include potentially toxic materials like PFOA, PTFE, other PFAs, lead, cadmium, or toxic metals and they refrain from using any form of hard anodization.” I have used both the Always Pan and Caraway pans myself, and being an industry professional with several years of cooking experience, I can attest that these pans are great options for the home cook who’s seeking out a Teflon-free and joyful life. Plus, they look great on a stovetop.

The moral of the story is: A proper plate of eggs deserves no stick and no perilous chemical gunk, OK? Now, get cookin’.