Cooking balanced, nutritious meals for yourself and your family shows how much you care. Bonding with your family and creating lasting memories around the table starts with choosing quality cookware. Unfortunately, using pots and pans that release heavy metals and toxic chemicals into your food could counter all your efforts to eat a healthy diet.
Aluminum, PFAS , and Teflon are harmful toxins commonly found in cookware. It's best to steer clear of nonstick, coated pans and other products that are more likely to contain these dangerous materials. But how can you know what is safe to use?
Learn everything you need to know about nontoxic cookware in this guide.
Types of Nontoxic Cookware Materials
Switching to nontoxic cookware can create a safer and healthier environment for you and your family. Only use cookware made from the following materials to limit your exposure to harmful toxins.
- Ceramic: Ceramic pots and pans are naturally nonstick and easy to clean. The best nontoxic cookware brands, like Xtrema Cookware, don't use a metal base — they are 100% ceramic. That means there's no risk of toxicants or metals leaching into your food.
- Stainless steel: On the more affordable end of the kitchenware spectrum, stainless steel is another safe material that's durable enough for pots and pans. This corrosion-resistant alloy is practical for various nontoxic cooking utensils, though you must always preheat this kind of cookware, and it's not stick-proof.
- Tempered glass: Glass is also a nontoxic and nonstick material that's easy to clean and oven-safe. You can watch your food cook through transparent cookware to ensure nothing burns or sticks.
- Cast iron: While trace amounts of iron may leach into foods during cooking, cast iron is generally one of the safest metals for cookware. Moreover, some studies found using cast-iron cookware may even benefit iron-deficient people, though research on this topic is scant.
While all these materials are safe options, always read the manufacturer's description to understand everything they use to make their pots and pans. Sometimes, marketing may claim a product is "green" despite containing harmful toxins in its coatings or base.
How to Choose Nontoxic Cookware
When choosing a safe cookware material, you must consider the pros and cons associated with each type.
- While stainless steel is affordable and easy to use, it's not stick-proof and can be tricky to clean.
- Cast iron is an exceptionally safe material, though it can be challenging to keep clean.
- Tempered glass is naturally nonstick and makes cleanup a breeze, but it is not the most durable material and can shatter on the stove.
- Pure ceramic cookware may be the perfect fit for you and your kitchen. It checks all the boxes for safety and longevity. It is also scratch-proof and versatile enough to use almost anywhere.
Xtrema Cookware's Ceramic Collection
Xtrema Cookware's ceramic collection has no metal core and zero toxins. Our pots and pans are entirely leach-free and safe to put on the grill, in the oven, in your microwave, dishwasher and even on a campfire.
Ceramic Cookware Sets
Our versatile, nontoxic cookware sets include the top-selling Versa Pan that allows you to fry, sauté, braise, boil and sear ingredients into delightful meals. These sets are perfect for everyday use because they include all the essentials. Invest in a 12-piece Versa set or our smaller five-piece starter set that comes with a 1.5-quart stock pot and lid, the seven-inch Signature Skillet and a two-piece potholder set.
Signature Skillets
Every kitchen needs at least one skillet. These pans have shallow side walls that make it easy to sear, sauté and fry your favorite healthy ingredients. Our Signature Skillets are available in five different sizes, and we also offer skillet sets and mini-skillets to add to your kitchenware collection.
Ceramic Sauté Pans and Saucepans
Its reliable, nonstick nature makes ceramic the most practical material for skillets, sauté pans and saucepans. You don't need to grease your ceramic pans with oil or butter, though you can if you want to add extra flavor. Our ceramic sauté pans and slick saucepans are available in a few different sizes, so you can prepare rice, pasta, grains, mouthwatering sauces and so much more.
Dutch Ovens
Slow-cooked stews, chili and rich soups taste best when prepared in the right pot. Our large ceramic Dutch ovens are perfect for these hearty meals. Dutch ovens are also excellent for baking and roasting large, meaty cuts, making them a versatile investment for your kitchen.
How to Clean Ceramic Cookware
Keeping ceramic cookware clean is effortless. While Xtrema Cookware is dishwasher-safe, hand-washing is the best way to remove grease and grime that dishwashers sometimes can't. Use your favorite cleaning product, from eco-friendly mixtures like vinegar and baking soda to standard dishwashing liquid or a soft scrub. You can confidently use scrub pads for extra stubborn spots because our ceramic pots and pans are scratch-proof.
For tough stains and burned-on food, add soap and hot water to the pot or pan and let it soak. If this method doesn't remove the stuck-on food, put the pot or pan on low heat and use a spatula to scrape the residue off once the water begins to boil.
Shop Xtrema Cookware's Range of Healthy Cookware
If you want to replace your cookware set or add to your kitchenware collection, visit Xtrema Cookware to browse our range of 100% pure ceramic pots and pans. Find an heirloom Dutch oven to prepare hearty meals, buy the perfect stick-proof skillet or maximize your value with one of our sets.
We make all our ceramic cookware, bakeware and teakettles to last. But because we know accidents happen, our Forever Replacement program ensures your first replacement is free. After that, we offer a 30% discount.
Our selection of ceramic cookware is a durable investment in your family's health and a symbol of your commitment to cooking healthy, nutritious meals.
