The Best Teflon Alternative Is Giving Up on Nonstick Cooking

We don't recommend any ceramic frying pans. They're billed as a PFAS-free alternative to Teflon. But again and again, their performance in our testing was mediocre. Maybe we should give up on nonstick pans, period. Many ceramic pans start out pretty slick when new. In our testing, they started to lose their slickness within a matter of months. And if you've considered getting a ceramic pan because they're "nontoxic," "clean," or "green," know that these marketing words might not mean much. We don't really know that much about the safety of ceramic coatings. They haven't been around long enough to be studied in depth, and many companies don't disclose all of the materials used to make them. But we do know that PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, are associated with an increased risk for a range of health issues. Experts say that exposure to PFAS from cooking is likely to be very low. But research about long-term impacts from low exposure is still evolving. Given this, plus the environmental and public health concerns around PFAS, you could just let go of the idea of nonstick cooking. Instead, cast-iron, stainless steel, and carbon steel pans are all really durable. And with some technique, you can achieve a reasonably slippery surface on these pans. Head to Wirecutter to learn more about our nonstick pan testing and our recommendations for PFAS-free alternatives.