Best Frying Pans If You Want to Avoid PFAS Chemicals
These pans don't have a traditional nonstick coating, but they still cleaned up easily in our tests
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Nonstick frying pans outsell all other types by a considerable margin. They’re easy to use, a cinch to clean, and well priced. But the nonstick coatings don’t last forever. Most nonstick pans have to be replaced every few years and even sooner if they’re scratched.
That’s because a nonstick coating that’s not intact is more likely to flake off into any food being cooked in the pan, says Breann Chai, who leads cookware testing at Consumer Reports. "If a nonstick pan has any chips or scratches, it should be thrown away and replaced," she says. That doesn’t just cost money; it also adds to the waste stream.
A more immediate concern may be the components of some nonstick coatings. PFOA, for example—one of the thousands of chemicals that fall into the category of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and which may be present in nonstick coatings—has been clearly linked to health risks.
And when CR asked 2,158 U.S. adults in a nationally representative survey conducted in April 2025 how concerned they were about chemicals such as PFAS, PFOA, or PTFE (Teflon) in nonstick cookware and bakeware, 65 percent said they were at least somewhat concerned.
When CR tested some nonstick pans to see whether consumers could trust claims that the cookware was free of PFOA, we found that they couldn’t—at least not in pans made with PTFE. CR now indicates in its ratings of nonstick cookware sets and nonstick frying pans whether a pan is made without PTFE, based on the manufacturer’s claims.
If you’ve decided to swear off PTFE-coated nonstick cookware, there are several good alternatives, including ceramic, cast-iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel pans that perform well in our tests. Below are some of the top performers from all these categories. To find even more options, explore our comprehensive cookware ratings and recommendations.
This CR Recommended nonstick pan from Caraway is impressive. In our tests, the surface heated evenly, resulting in no hot spots, and fried eggs slid out one after another with ease. The handle is super-sturdy and stays cool to the touch while you cook. The nonstick coating is ceramic (made without PTFE) and stood up well in our durability test. Another plus: This pan is induction-compatible.
A pan from the Oxo Mira Stainless Series would be a worthy addition to anyone’s kitchen. While stainless steel pans like this one require some butter or oil to keep food from sticking, we found it very easy to clean. Plus, its cooking evenness is superb. The handles are comfortable and sturdy, and they don’t get too hot while you’re cooking. Like all stainless pans, the Mira Series can be used on an induction cooktop.
The Tramontina Enameled Cast-Iron Series 1000 frying pan offers great performance at a reasonable price. It also offers the versatility of cast iron, which can be used both on your cooktop and in the oven. The 12-inch pan we tested did an excellent job of searing steak and also rated highly in our baking test. Weight-wise, it lands in the middle of all the enameled cast-iron pans we tested, at 7.4 pounds. We also found it very easy to clean, an important quality if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional nonstick cookware.
Properly seasoned and maintained, an uncoated cast-iron pan can rival traditional nonstick options when it comes to releasing food without making a mess. But if the seasoning process seems daunting, consider the Calphalon Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron pan, which—as its name indicates—comes ready for use. We found that the Calphalon did a great job of searing steak and a very good job of baking cornbread, and it was very easy to clean.
Like uncoated cast-iron pans, carbon steel pans require regular seasoning and reseasoning to maintain their slickness. But they’re extremely versatile, easily moving from stovetop to oven and back again. The Matfer Bourgeat Black Carbon Steel pan is a good example. In our tests, it heated evenly on top of the stove and produced a moist and even cornbread from the oven. Like the other carbon steel pans we tested, this one earns a very good rating for ease of cleaning.
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