When looking for non-toxic cookware, surely the first question is: what cookware is considered toxic?
The UK has strict manufacturing rules, especially when it comes to the tools we use to prepare our meals. There have been some questions raised about plastic, non-stick coated cookware and whether they can 'leak' plastic compounds into cooking ingredients. Teflon was once in the firing line for including man-made perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in its formula, but it removed the carcinogenic compound from the equation in 2013 after it was banned by the Stockholm Convention.
Teflon-coated products made after this date - which exclude PFOA - are safe to use. That said, if the coating has become scratched or damaged, it's best to seek a replacement.
While non-stick allows one to cook on high heat without buckets of oil or packets of butter and makes cleaning cooking instruments much easier, there is still cause to believe it is harmful to humans and animals. Luckily, there are excellent non-toxic alternatives on the market to help your kitchen adventures.
Options like stainless steel, ceramic, glass, enamel and cast iron can resist high oven temperatures and be used on the hob or induction stove too.
When shopping for pots, pans, and skillets with non-toxicity as a top priority, look out for PFAS, PTFE, and PFOA-free options. We've already covered PFOA, so here is a short explanation of the other two compounds.
- PTFE: this stands for polytetrafluoroethylene, a plastic polymer that can release toxic fumes through off-gassing in temperatures above 300°C. As well as being harmful to humans and pets, it can pollute the water supply, leading to issues beyond your kitchen.
- PFAS: another synthetic chemical, this is employed in the production of PTFE (above) coating. Studies in animals have found it can negatively affect the liver and the immune system, plus cause a host of other health and environmental issues.
Best non-toxic cookware at a glance
- Best for style and function: Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set - £510, Our Place
- Best for vintage style: ProCook Cast Iron Casserole Set - £279, ProCook
- Best for budding Masterchefs: Tala Performance 5 Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set - £189.95, Amazon
- Best for classic style: Falcon Bake Set - £93.95, Amazon
- Best for the full shebang: Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set - £845.88, Amazon
- Best for cheffy flair: HexClad 20cm Hybrid Stainless Steel Frying Pan with Stay-Cool Handle - £94.99, HexClad
- Best for heritage: Le Creuset 3 Ply Coated Frying Pan 28cm - £132, Fenwick
- Best for indoor and outdoor: Ooni Cast Iron Skillet Pan - £40, Ooni
- Best for showing off on the 'Gram: JML 28cm Non-Stick Copper Stone Wok - £30, Argos
- Best for healthier cooking: Circulon Momentum 25cm Stainless Steel Frying Pan - £47, Argos
- Best for pre-seasoned: VonShef Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet Pan - £16.99, VonHaus
Feeling a little flummoxed? Have no fear; we’ve rounded up the best non-toxic cookware to help you whip up breakfast, lunch and dinner - and any snacks in between.
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Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set
Best for: style and function
As cult as cookware gets, Our Place offers beautifully designed, non-toxic cookware for the busy and space-strapped home chef.
Most pieces offer a multifunctional element, which means you can donate tatty and handed-down kit, freeing up space in your kitchen cupboards. This bundle is ideal for moving home, heading to uni, or if you just want a uniform look across your cookware tools.
For your money, you'll get mini and full sizes of the Always Pan and Perfect Pot, plus a versatile Griddle Pan and ceramic baking dishes. There's not a drop of PTFEs, PFOAs, other PFAS, lead, and cadmium in sight, with the non-stick coating being crafted from ceramic instead.
The set comes in a variety of colours, offering a nice change from the usual black and silver options. We adore the lavender look; an easy way to inject some fun and colour into your next meal prep.
Buy now £510.00, Our Place
ProCook Cast Iron Casserole Set
Best for: vintage style
Cast iron is an excellent choice for non-toxic cookware, and ProCook's set comes lined with enamel inside and out to keep it naturally non-stick.
This set includes four casserole dishes of varying sizes, all with lids to help lock in flavour when you're doing your cooking thing. They will work across hobs types - including induction - and are fine to sling in the oven to temperatures of up to 260°C. Best of all, they come with a 25-year guarantee from ProCook; a barometer of its quality.
Available in red, navy, grey, sky blue, black and apple green as well as cream.
Buy now £279.00, ProCook
Tala Performance 5 Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set
Best for: budding Masterchefs
If you’re willing to splash out on some of the best saucepan sets that money can buy then Tala Performance cookware set is highly recommended. While it may have a high price tag, this is reflected in the quality. The set features two stainless steel saucepans, a small milk pan and a non-stick frying pan. We particularly like the internal markings in the pan for easy measuring of liquids as you’re cooking. The set also helps you save energy as the base of the pans retain some heat so you can take the pan off the hob and the food will be kept warm.
Buy now £189.95, Amazon
Falcon Bake Set
Best for: classic style
When most of us think of enamel cookware, this is what springs to mind: old-school baking trays in white with a blue trim.
Ideal for home cooking as well as packing for camping trips, enamel as a cooking material has gone the distance, and for good reason. It's easy to clean, scratch-resistant and non-reactive, making it safe to serve and eat cooked dishes from. It also does well in heat of up to 177oC, allowing you to prep and cook a range of dishes that can be popped in the oven.
If the white and blue feels a little trad, there are alternative trims in pigeon grey or pillarbox red for a more contemporary vibe.
Buy now £93.95, Amazon
Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set (12 Piece)
Best for: the full shebang
Non-stick doesn't necessarily mean toxic. Caraway has this 12-piece set of cookware that is highly heat resistant (up to 287oC) and easy to clean, all without the presence of PTFE and PFOA - allowing you to whip up delicious delicacies guilt-free.
The bundle includes a frying pan, a saucepan with a lid, a Dutch oven and saute pan, both with lids too. There's also a pan rack and a canvas lid holder with hooks to keep your cupboards organised. What's more, you can use the cooking equipment on gas, electric and induction stovetops with no issues.
Expect even heat distribution, a seamless experience and your favourite dishes stepping up a taste gear.
Buy now £845.88, Amazon
HexClad 20cm Hybrid Stainless Steel Frying Pan with Stay-Cool Handle
Best for: cheffy flair
It's the cult US brand gaining serious traction on UK soil: HexClad, dubbed ‘the Rolls Royce of pans’ by none other than Gordon Ramsay and used by every food blogger worth their hand-picked Himalayan salt, is making ripples in the cookware world.
The coveted hybrid pan functions like a non-stick thanks to the hexagonal grid in the pan, yet performs like stainless steel with the robustness of cast iron. We’ve not stopped using ours, from heating refried beans for taco night, whipping up a weeknight stir fry and searing steak before finishing it off in the oven.
For the home chef with Masterchef ambitions, this is the ultimate piece of cookware to add to the kitchen - and it’s completely non-toxic and PFOA-free too.
So confident is HexClad in the pan that it comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Buy now £94.99, HexClad
Le Creuset 3 Ply Coated Frying Pan 28cm
Best for: heritage
Le Creuset may be most famous for its cast iron, but its technologically advanced frying pan has you covered when you’re hankering for steak or brunch pancakes.
This tough and durable pan is crafted from three layers of stainless steel for even heat distribution and has been finished with a non-stick yet PFOA-free coating which makes for easier cleaning and healthier meals as you’ll need less fat to stop food sticking.
Use it across all heat sources - including induction and oven as well as popped in the dishwasher once you’ve finished cheffing. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee for total peace of mind.
Buy now £132.00, Fenwick
Ooni Cast Iron Skillet Pan
Best for: indoor and outdoor
Better known for pizza ovens, Ooni has struck out into a world of cookware to use alongside them, such as this cast iron pan. Ideal for use on all kinds of domestic and outdoor heat, the pan comes with a removable handle so you can get sizzling dishes out of the oven without scorching your palms and it comes with a wooden board for serving too.
Buy now £40.00, Ooni
JML 28cm Non Stick Copper Stone Wok
Best for: showing off on the 'Gram
Diameter: 28cm
This one is just too aesthetically pleasing not to include. Copper has been a massive interiors trend with brass fittings taking centre stage in ‘Grammable home decor everywhere. Tap into the trend with this wok from JML that will look as chic on the wall as it will in mid-cooking snaps. Not all style and no substance, it has a non-stick ceramic surface that is guaranteed by the brand.
Buy now £30.00, Argos
Circulon Momentum 25cm Stainless Steel Frying Pan
Best for: healthier cooking
Circulon’s Momentum frying pan boasts a Total Non Stick System so you need little to no oil and it has long-lasting effects (15x longer than its peers, according to the brand) - so bid farewell to furious scrubbing and hard clean-ups.
It works like a dream across all styles of hobs and heating elements - be it induction, gas or electric - with a stainless steel construction that’s both tough and durable. It’s PFOA-free as well as oven- and dishwasher-safe. Get it in a range of sizes from 20-25cm and with various finishes, including hard anodised.
Buy now £47.00, Argos
VonShef Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet Pan
Best for: pre-seasoned
Food has been cooked on and in cast iron for decades: the metal is famous for retaining and evenly releasing heat, giving superb results each time. This cast iron pan has been made non-stick by a round of pre-seasoning, but you should take care to wipe it down each time to add flavour and keep it in working order by buffing it with fresh cooking oil.
As with the others on our list, it’s incredibly versatile: use it for everything from a Sunday morning fry-up and reverse-cooking steak to crisping pan-sized brownies before finishing off your bake in the oven.
Buy now £16.99, VonHaus
