If you’re reading this cookware article, you may have heard some horror stories about non-stick frying pans.
Non-stick coatings on cookware can contain harmful chemicals that can release toxins during cooking.
These chemicals are usually only released during high-temperature cooking, for example, if you transfer your frying pan to the oven. If the oven is hot enough, the non-stick coating can begin to release toxins.
There are other ways that cookware can release these toxins, but high heat is the most common way.
So, wouldn’t it be great if there was a non-stick pan that didn’t release these toxins? Perhaps even a pan that has no harsh chemicals involved in the coating at all? Well, wouldn’t that be lovely!
Thankfully, there is. Below we’ve listed some of our favourite non-stick frying pans that are safe and healthy.
The Best Non-Toxic Frying Pans in the UK
1. Tefal Jamie Oliver Cook’s Direct Frying Pan
Diameter: 28 cm
Materials: Stainless steel exterior, aluminium core, titanium-reinforced non-stick interior
This 28 cm frying pan from Tefal’s Jamie Oliver “Cook’s Direct” line is induction-compatible and designed for everyday cooking, with a robust stainless-steel body and a titanium-infused non-stick coating.
It’s free from PFOA, lead and cadmium, and is marketed as being safe and free from toxic chemicals. Tefal say that the pan is made to stricter safety specifications than are required by food contact regulations.
While this pan is dishwasher safe, Tefal recommend washing it by hand to prolong its lifespan.
This pan feature’s Tefal’s handy Thermo-Signal heat indicator, which is a small hourglass shape in the centre of the pan’s surface that disappears when the pan has heated up to the right temperature to start cooking.
Another good thing about this pan is that it’s oven safe up to 210°C, so you can take it off the hob and pop it in the oven with no worries.
2. Prestige Eco Frying Pan
Diameter: 28 cm
Materials: Aluminium with multi-layer non-stick coating
This 28 cm frying pan from British brand Prestige is made in Italy from recycled PFOA-free materials. Prestige say that one tree is planted for every pan they sell, so this is an eco-friendly choice!
This pan has an aluminium body which offers good heat conduction. The five-layer non-stick coating made from plant-based materials and reinforced with minerals.
You can clean this pan in the dishwasher, and it’s also oven safe up to 150 °C.
Thanks to the non-stick coating, you can get away with using little or no oil. Another great thing is that it’s available with a five-year guarantee, so if the non-stick coating stops working you may be able to get a refund or replacement, unless it’s deemed that the damage was from using the pan incorrectly.
3. Prestige Thermo Smart Forged Aluminium Non-Stick Frying Pan
Diameter: 24 cm
Materials: Aluminium, non-stick coating
This non-stick pan from British cookware brand Prestige comes in three sizes: 20 cm, 24 cm and 30 cm. It offers good value for money and is compatible with all hob types including induction.
This pan is made from aluminium and features a PFOA-free non-stick coating infused with real diamonds.
There’s a heat indicator on the handle that turns green when the pan has heated up. The handle is heat resistant so you can use the pan without needing gloves.
You can put this pan in the oven at temperatures up to 180°C. When you’re done, it can be easily cleaned by hand or in the dishwasher.
Most users find that the non-stick coating on this pan works really well. The heat indicator on the handle is a nice addition that can be very for letting you know when the pan is ready for your eggs!
4. Salter BW09278 Earth 28 cm Frying Pan
Diameter: 28 cm
Materials: Aluminium, Bakelite handle, ceramic coating
This affordable pan from British brand Salter is PFAS-free, so it won’t leach harmful chemicals into your food.
It’s suitable for all hob types, including induction, and comes with a nice stay-cool Bakelite handle so you won’t burn your hands when using it.
Most people find you need very little oil when using this pan.
This pan offers great value for money, and looks more expensive than it is.
5. Ciarra Beyond Cookware Nonstick Ceramic Frying Pan
Diameter: 26 cm
Materials: Aluminium, steel handle, ceramic coating
This 26 cm induction-compatible frying pan has a great non-stick coating and can be used with little or no oil. The coating is free from PTFE and PFOA, making it safe to use.
The cast steel handle has an ergonomic design, making it easy and comfortable to move around the hob. The pan is dishwasher safe, making it easy to clean.
This pan isn’t cheap, but the price is worth it for its impressive non-stick properties and the assurance that you’re getting a safe and well-made pan rather than something cheap and nasty.
Non-Stick Coating Jargon Explained
When researching non-stick pans, you’ll encounter lots of strange chemical names and acronyms. Here’s a quick explanation of the main non-stick coating terms.
- Cadmium and lead – Cadmium and lead are harmful heavy metals that can be leached from some enamel coatings on cast iron cookware. Shannon from Natural Baby Mama tested her Le Creuset cookware for cadmium leaching and found that it leached cadmium when cooking an acidic pasta sauce.
- PFAS – PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It is a group of artificially manufactured chemicals used to make non-stick cookware surfaces, stain-resistant clothes and firefighting foam. Research into PFAS suggests that it has a range of negative health effects including increasing cholesterol levels and causing changes in liver enzymes.
- PFOA – PFOA stands for perfluorooctanoic acid. It is a man-made chemical used to make Teflon and other similar chemicals. In addition to non-stick cookware, it’s also used in products such as water-repellent clothing and stain-resistant carpets. It can stay in the human body for a long time, and its prevalence means that most of us have some of it in our blood. High levels of exposure has been linked to range of health issues including cancer, thyroid disease and liver damage.
- PTFE – PTFE stands for polytetrafluoroethylene. It is a synthetic compound that was discovered by DuPont in 1938, creating a revolution in cookware manufacturing. The most well-known PTFE-based material is Teflon.
What Makes a Non-Stick Frying Pan Safe and Healthy?
As I said above, some non-stick coatings are made using harsh chemicals. So, you need to find a non-stick coating that isn’t made with these.
The chemicals in question include PFOA, PTFE and other less commonly known ones like APEO, NEP and NMP. So, to ensure that a frying pan is as safe as possible, avoid any frying pan with any mention of these chemicals.
But how can a frying pan be healthy? Surely, a frying pan cannot be adding anything into your food that is good for you, can it?
Well, no. A lot of manufacturers call their frying pans healthy because they don’t release these chemicals, but there is another reason too.
The other reason is the non-stick coating used in place of the harmful ones. Ceramic non-stick coatings, for example, are so good that you do not have to use much oil at all during cooking. This means that these frying pans help with a healthy lifestyle simply because they reduce the amount of butter or oil you need to use during cooking.
That is really it, that is how a frying pan can be safe and healthy. Another great thing about these frying pans is that they are inexpensive. A good quality frying pan with a safe non-stick coating that reduces the use of oil will not break the bank. Just before we get to our examples of these frying pans, though, let’s take a quick look at choosing a frying pan, shall we?
Choosing a Safe Non-Stick Frying Pan
We have covered choosing a non-stick frying pan in other articles, so this will be a quick overview of the topic. Make sure you check out our other non-stick frying pan articles for more info.
Basically, choosing a frying pan is all about compatibility with your hob, the size and the thickness of the metal.
Hob type
Do you have an induction hob? Then you’ll need a frying pan that you can use with that hob. There are plenty of safe, non-stick frying pans on the market that are suitable for induction hobs, and we have included examples below.
Size
Size-wise, we recommend getting a few frying pans of different sizes. This allows you to cook off different parts of a meal at the same time. It also makes timing a lot easier.
Having a few good-quality frying pans really makes cooking a lot less stressful and far more enjoyable.
Thickness
Finally, the thickness of the walls of a frying pan is important. Now, some frying pans are designed for quick flash frying. The walls of these pans are a lot thinner than others.
Others are designed for a slow build-up of heat, but they are capable of holding this heat a lot better.
The frying pan you choose is ultimately based on personal preference. However, if you’d like a general-purpose frying pan, a thick-walled pan with a good solid base that is 26-28cm in size will serve you well for many years.
Scott is a writer and a passionate home chef. His passion for cooking began when he was 10 years old. Scott has been writing professionally for over five years now and loves to combine his passion for cooking with his day job.
