PTFE and PFOA Free Cookwares – Updated Buyers Guide 2023

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The PTFE and PFOA Free Cookware that you use play a very massive role too. There is numerous cookware made with the dangerous PTFE and PFOA coating. These man-made chemicals are very dangerous as it is heated and burnt during the cooking process.

However, because of its carcinogenic properties, some of the manufacturers have now started manufacturing PFOA and PTFE free cookware for the benefit of their consumers.

BUYERS GUIDE

What Is PFOA?

PFOA is a manmade chemical that was first manufactured in the 1950s as an industrial solvent. It has been used in many products including Teflon®, stain repellent fabrics, firefighting foams, lubricants, food packaging, carpet backing, paper coatings, cosmetics, pesticides, and more.

The problem with PFOA is that it can leach into our bodies when we eat or drink things that have come into contact with it. The EPA says that people are exposed to PFOA through their skin, lungs, blood, urine, breast milk, and semen. In fact, the agency estimates that 90% of Americans have some level of PFOA in their body.

How Does PFOA Affect Us?

We know that PFOA causes cancer in animals, but until recently there were no studies showing that humans could get sick from eating contaminated foods. That changed in 2013 when researchers found that PFOA caused thyroid problems in rats. Since then, several other studies have shown that PFOA can cause liver damage, kidney disease, birth defects, and even infertility.

But what about PTFE?

PTFE stands for polytetrafluoroethylene. This material is commonly known as “Teflon®.” It’s a polymer that makes up most of the surface area on nonstick pans and pots.

While PTFE is not toxic per se, it does contain perfluorooctanoic acid . PFOA is similar to PFOA because they both contain fluorine atoms. However, PFOA is much longer than PFOA. It also contains eight carbon atoms instead of four.

But, how will you find cookware that is safe and healthier for you? Don’t worry!

Here are some of the PFOA and PTFE free cookware that you can use for cooking some healthier dishes.

Why Nonstick Cookware Is So Hard to Shop For

The world of nonstick cookware is full of Orwellian-level disinformation. It’s incredibly easy to be misled by the marketing jargon because…well, because it can be misleading.

Why?

There are a couple of reasons.

One is that in the past few years, PTFE–better known as Teflon, Dupont’s brand name for the original PTFE product–has gotten some bad press, so people are worried that it’s not safe to cook with. So companies began to downplay, or just plain hide, the fact that their pans contain PTFE. Another reason is competition from the new kid on the block, ceramic nonstick cookware. Ceramic nonstick cookware, which came on the scene about 10 years ago, is the first real competitor to PTFE. Ceramic nonstick pans have become hugely popular, largely because they’re perceived as the healthier, safer nonstick cookware choice.

So PTFE cookware manufacturers are trying to hang onto their market share. And they’re doing this in a number of ways, from talking about the superiority of their product to using all sorts of euphemisms for PTFE, to downplaying the fact that their products contain PTFE at all.

Though none are illegal, these marketing strategies can result in confusion for the consumer.

Different choices of PTFE and PFOA Free Cookware

Ceramic

Ceramics are a group of materials that include glass, porcelain, clay, and others. They’re generally considered a type of pottery, though technically ceramics aren’t necessarily pots. They can be fired into various shapes and sizes, but they’re often made to look like metal.

While ceramics are usually thought of as being harder and stronger than other types of cookware, they don’t always perform well as nonstick cookware Additionally, the oven is not as efficient at cooking food.

Stone Cookware

The term “cookware” refers to kitchen utensils used in cooking. It includes all the equipment and materials that are required for food preparation, including pots, pans, baking dishes, skillets, serving platters, cutting boards, spatulas, whisks, ladles, measuring cups and spoons, and other items such as knives, forks, plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, etc. Cookware is made from a variety of materials, including metals , ceramics, glass, wood, plastic, silicone, and composite materials. The choice of cookware depends on factors such as the type of food being cooked, the amount of heat needed, and the material’s ability to withstand high temperatures without breaking down or losing its shape.

Copper Cookware

It is so easy to clean, durable, and has an awesome look. I don’t know why more people don’t use this type of cookware. If you are looking for something different than stainless steel or aluminum then try out some copper cookware.

Aluminum Cookware

There are two primary types of aluminum cookware: cast iron cookware and non-stick cookware. Cast iron cookware is made from a solid piece of metal, usually cast iron or steel, with no coating applied to it. Non-stick cookware is coated with a special material known as Teflon® or PTFE . These coatings allow the cookware to be easily cleaned without scratching or leaving any residue behind.

Hard-Anodized Cookware

The Hard Anodized Cookware line is the most popular cookware available today. The Hard Anodized Cookwares are made from a special type of aluminum that has been heat treated to create an extremely hard and durable surface. This surface makes it easier for you to clean your pans, which in turn helps keep them looking new longer.

This cookware is ideal for all types of cooking including baking, frying, sautéing and steaming. It’s also great for use on induction stoves because it won’t react with the coils or burn up.

Cast Iron Cookware

They are heavy duty and will last forever if you take care of them. They do not need to be seasoned like other types of cookware because they don’t react chemically with food. They can even be used as serving dishes.

Ceramic Cookware

Ceramic cookware has many advantages over other types of cookware including: durability, heat retention, ease of cleaning, and beautiful appearance. It also comes with some disadvantages such as being more expensive than other materials and not having the same versatility as stainless steel. The most common forms of ceramic cookware include bake ware , roasting pans, casseroles, griddles, skillets, saucepans, and stock pots. There are also ceramic utensils like spatulas, whisks, ladles, and serving pieces.

 Stone Cookware

The Stone Cookware or the stone-line cookware is free from the PFOA and PTFE.

This is made of steel or aluminum die-cast with a finely crushed stone layer inside the pan. This cookware contributes to a healthy lifestyle. Stone cookware is being in use from a very ancient period, thus making it very traditional.

Significantly this is black in color and is much heavier when you compare it to the other cookware that we use today.

Moreover, the stone layer that is on the inside is mixed with the non-stick elements to make it abrasion-resistant and more durable. This coating is much stronger than any other coating in cookware. The best stone cookware we suggest you is Ozeri’s 12 “stone earth frying pan.

Features of the cookware

 Copper Cookware

Cooking with copper cookware may not improve your health drastically, but the fact is they don’t cause any harm to the dish you are cooking.

The maintenance of this cookware is very simple and quite easy. Moreover, the color makes the cookware look more appealing and attractive.

The light-weight of the Copper cookware helps you handle them with ease. One of the most noteworthy points is that they regulate heat better than the other non-stick pans that you can find in the market.

The copper cookware gives healthy Teflon free pans that don’t spoil the dish that you are cooking. The T-Fal Stainless Steel with Copper Bottom Cookware Set is one of the copper cookware on which you can rely.

Features of the cookware

  Aluminum Cookware

This belongs to the family of modern cookware and is also free from PTFE and PFOA. Being very fragile, it is also light-weight.

Approximately half of all cookware is aluminum, typically coated or treated for some other purpose with a non-stick coating. Moreover, because of its low cost and ability to conduct heat effectively, aluminum cookware is a time-tested kitchen utensil.

The Aluminum includes many advantageous features that make many enjoy the kitchen equipment made from it. It’s heat resistant to flame and a strong conductor.

Overheating is not a problem for aluminum utensils. Heating is very fast that the preparation of food will happen quickly. They are safe to use in the kitchen because this material does not react with acidic food.

One does not have to worry that the flavor of your cooked dishes would be affected.

If you are sure about getting Aluminum cookware, then the best that you can opt for is the KitchenAid KCAS10ER Aluminum Nonstick 10-Piece Set Cookware .

Features of the cookware

  Hard-Anodized Cookware

Hard-Anodized Cookware is one of the PFOA free nonstick cookware that you can depend on.

The hard anodized cookware is made by hard anodization. Hard-anodization is nothing but an electro-chemical process that hardens the aluminum. Aluminum is immersed in an acid bath during hard-anodization and then exposed to electrical charges.

The effect is a chemical reaction in which the aluminum layer combines to form an aluminum oxide with oxygen. Often known as oxidation, this reaction is a process that takes place naturally.

In fact, hard anodization is controlled and accelerated oxidation only. This cookware is sure to last long and is non-stick which means you can cook easily and happily.

Because of its high performance, many people prefer Hard-anodized cookware. The one that we recommend you to purchase is the T-Fal Hard Anodized Cookware Set.

Features of the cookware

  Cast Iron Cookware

This cookware is a combination of carbon and iron, thus making it stronger than any other cookware. With carbon more than 3% in composition, cast iron cookware is very commonly in black color. This is neither light-weight nor thick.

However, if you are concerned only about the health issues then we recommend you to go for the Cast Iron cookware.

Cast iron cookware is made in a factory by combining iron and steel blocks together. Chemicals are then added to the mixture to raise the levels of carbon. Next, the molten metal is then poured into the sand, water, and powdered clay mold.

Finally, workers smooth out each of the broken molds before they are ready to sell. For the best Cast iron cookware, go for the Lodge 3 Quart Cast Iron Combo Cooker.

Features of the cookware

  Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless Steel Cookware is now being preferred around the globe as it has no health risk.

Being very popular, it is very common in many of the shops nowadays. Stainless steel is a steel alloy with some percent of chromium. Chromium renders stainless steel” passive” i.e. non-reactive by reacting with oxygen and creating an immediate layer of chromium oxide that prevents the iron present in the stainless steel from oxidizing or rusting.

The volume of stainless steel chromium varies depending on what it is to be used for. As per the NSF International Standard for Food Equipment Material “the stainless steel must contain by weight at least 16% chromium for food contact”.

If you are sure about purchasing the Stainless steel cookware, then the best that you can opt for is the Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set.

Features of the cookware

  Ceramic Cookware

The last cookware to come under the PFOA and PTFE free cookware is the Ceramic cookware. Technically, ceramic means “fire-hardened clay”.

So when we’re talking about ceramic coated cookware, we’re talking about some kind of metal usually hard-anodized aluminum that’s been covered with a ceramic layer.

In general, inorganic minerals, mainly silicone, and oxygen are used in ceramic non-stick coatings. Inorganic, this means that there is no carbon in it.

Additionally, all the modern Ceramic cookware has the non-stick property which means washing them will never trouble you. For Ceramic cookware, you can use the Hard Porcelain Nonstick Cookware Set from the Rachel Ray Cucina.

Features of the cookware

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tefal PFOA free ?

Yes, it is. What are the other names for this product?** It's called a 'Tefal' or 'PFOA-free'. It's made by Tefal in France and sold all over Europe.

Is PFOA free same as PTFE free

No, they are different. PTFE is a polymer made from perfluoroalkyl substances . PFAS are manmade chemicals that are found in everyday products like stain resistant coatings, nonstick cookware, water repellent clothing, firefighting foam, etc.  In contrast, PFOA is a chemical compound that is released into the environment during manufacturing processes. It’s used to make things like Scotchgard, grease proof paper, waterproof fabrics, and stain resistant carpets. PFOA is also found in our bodies after we eat fish contaminated with it. You may have heard about the recent controversy surrounding PFOA. Many companies have stopped producing it due to its potential toxicity. Unfortunately, PFOA is still widely used around the world. It’s possible that you might have come across it in your home or workplace. You should always wash your hands thoroughly after handling it.

Are there any studies showing that PFOA causes cancer?

We recommend you to use only the PFOA and PTFE free cookware to avoid the associated health impacts.

If you ask me which is the best to buy, my recommendation will be the ones on the top. But if you ask me in specific, my answer will be to purchase the Ceramic hardware that I mentioned at the last. It is best if you are looking for easier and healthier cooking.

One more that I will suggest is the Copper cookware that will definitely give you a luxurious look. It will enhance the look of the dish that you cook.

However, you need to keep in mind just one thing before you purchase any cookware – make sure they are PTFE and PFOA free cookware.

  Final Verdict

In the end, it is the cookware that you prefer. All of this above helps you to make the right decisions in choosing the PFOA and PTFE free cookware for safe, healthy and easy cooking.

Analyze the usage of the cookware at your residence, gather information and then purchase that one that suits you. Most of the homemakers or the chefs prefer stainless steel because of the affordability and availability.

However, if you are going out for the non-stick, then the best is the ceramic and hard anodized cookware for a better cooking experience.