What are the Safest Pots and Pans?
When I first had my “food conversion” I went nuts in my kitchen, and one of the things I did was throw out all my Teflon or aluminum baking pans. I replaced them with stainless steel and cast iron pans for stovetop, and for baking either glass or stainless–because when looking for the safest pots and pans, that's all I knew about at the time. But now there are a few more options too!
Safest pots and pans for baking:
These are all affordable and good quality too…
- Stainless steel cookie sheets
- SS 9×13 pan
- Larger SS baking pan (11×12 or 11×14)
- SS square pan
- SS bread pans or this USA bread pan that many say gives you a higher loaf–these are the perfect size for sandwiches and toast.)
- SS pizza pans
- Glass 9×13 pans
- Glass bread pans
- Glass pie plates (these are so pretty too and inexpensive!!)
- Here's a really nice glass bakeware set
- I love how food turns out on baking stones, but they're very bulky to store.
- We use a clay roaster like this one for our roasted chicken dinners or for beef roasts and they always turn out well!
I've had these stainless steel and glass pans for several years now. They clean up easily and literally show no signs of wear.
Safest pots and pans for cooking:
Before I tell you what pans I use for stovetop, first I'll tell you what I use when I need something bigger than a pan on the stove:
My very favorite is this huge stainless steel electric pan that I've replaced my nasty Teflon skillet with (read more about it here). You can get SO much in here at once!
When I'm cooking right on my stovetop though, I'll use either…
- Cast iron (or this is the one we got our son for Christmas, it has a nice hotpad handle)
- This is on my wish list or actually this large one is what I'd really like!
- Stainless steel saucepans (for non-acidic foods that could cause metal to leach into whatever you're making, so no broth or tomato based foods or other acidic meals)
- Or lately I'm loving this safe nonstick frying pan. You have to be careful not to use metal utensils, but besides that it's amazing and cleans up so nicely, just as well as my old dangerous Teflon pans did!
- This is my new favorite stock pot (I use this for broth as I've heard it's better than stainless steel due to the metals that could leach into the food from the acidity of the vinegar that's added to broth) and this one cleans up nicely too–not as easily as the frying pan above, but not bad at all.
Don't forget the slow cooker / crockpot and pressure cooker!
- I still use my crockpot at least weekly.
- I also often use my multi-use pressure cooker for fast meals or even for slow cooking–because you can saute vegetables first or brown your meat, and then add your other ingredients and set it to go a few hours until it's time to eat. Yay for not dirtying a bunch of pans!
This is my next “dream-buy”:
Kent doesn't think we have room on the deck for this from my “dream list”! But everyone says that once you have it, you don't even want to use your gas grill much anymore!!!
I hope all of that is helpful, if you have any questions about the safest pots and pans for cooking and baking, just comment below.
Here are more posts you might like:
- Does fat make you fat? Part 1: Saturated fat, cholesterol and heart disease issues (and one little tid-bit about the role of fats related to sexuality)
- Does fat make you fat? Part 2: Specific principles related to fats & dieting
- BEST Beef Liver Recipe: I Ate Liver and Loved it, Oh Yes I Did, and so Did Our Teenager — Find out HOW!
Jessica says
I know this post is old but I just stumbled across it and want to add that Aroma makes stainless steel rice cookers, and Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker (and more) that has a stainless steel cooking insert. I’ve also heard that Secura makes a stainless steel insert that fits different 6-qt electric pressure cookers.
Charla says
Hi – my mom bakes sour dough bread all the time and just recently bought some stainless steel loaf pans to bake her bread in. The problem is that it didn’t brown all the way around (down in the pan) and it was gummy. How would you resolve this issue? A longer cooking time? A higher temp? Need some advice please. Thanks!
KitchenKop says
Hi Charla,
Yes, oven temps vary, so I’d say it just needed to bake longer. 🙂
Kelly
Anne Moore says
you have to have metal pots and pan. . any other type like glass
won’t allow the slug to generate heat
Commenter via Facebook says
Many of Norpro’s products are made in China. We took a stand not to buy anything made in China a very long time ago. Instead we opted for Nordic aluminum made in the USA.
Commenter via Facebook says
thanks again!
Chuck says
As to carbon steel cookware:
Carbon steel (or black steel) is more similar to cast iron than to stainless steel. It needs seasoning to keep from rusting. With seasoning, it will become more “non-stick” than pans with a stainless cooking surface, but less non-stick than “non-stick”. It is important to remember that carbon steel (like cast iron) can be reactive with certain foods, for example acidic foods. So you wouldn’t want to use carbon steel / black steel for cooking a lot of tomato, vinegar, beans, and so on, especially before it’s well seasoned.
It is light weighted and relatively inexpensive compared to cast iron and does brown meat nicely.
Chuck says
Kelly,
In response to your comments about reactive cookware, as made in your post about cooking tomatoes, more research is needed:
When cooking tomatoes (or when a recipe calls for non-reactive cookware), aluminum (and cooper) pans do react to the acidity of the fruit (yes, it is a fruit — skin on the outside and seeds on the inside, like oranges and watermelons and pumpkins)
When a recipe calls for a non-reactive cookware, use clay, enamel, glass, plastic, or stainless steel. Stainless steel is the most common non-reactive cookware available. Since it does not conduct or retain heat well, it frequently has aluminum or copper bonded to the bottom or a core of aluminum between layers of stainless steel. Although expensive, this kind of cookware offers the benefits of a durable, non-reactive surface and rapid, uniform heat conductivity.
Chuck says
Kelly, your comment about stainless steel being better if a magnet does not stick because of less nickel needed more research.
Poor stainless steel (18/0 steel) contains more chrome (18%) and no nickel, and therefore is more magnetic – it will stick, because it is more ferrous. Top quality (18/10) stainless steel will be only very slightly attractive, or not sticky at all as the addition of nickel neutralizes the natural ferrous properties of the iron in the stainless steel.
Induction cooktops require cooking devices to be very magnetic to work at peak performance.
Kimberly says
So sorry, I just looked back through the posts on this page and saw some talk about stoneware. But if there is anything more you have written about it, I would still love to read it.
You commented about stoneware being bulky to store; how is stoneware supposed to be stored, with it being so fragile?
Kimberly
KitchenKop says
Just wherever you have space for it is my best advice!
Kimberly says
Do you have any posts about stone ware? If not, do you have any information on it?
Thanks,
Kimberly
Janette says
Do you make tomato sauce? If so, what do you use as a stock pot to cook it down? I have read that SS leaches with the acidity but I couldn’t think of what other options there would be for this. Maybe enamelware?
KitchenKop says
Janette, I only make it for spaghetti, and I use my pan that is white on the inside, I think it actually might be enamelware like you mentioned. I’ve also heard people rave about LeCreuset cookware.
Commenter via Facebook says
Slowly moving in this direction:)
Commenter via Facebook says
Pampered chef will replace broken cooking stones, and they periodically break. We replace about one a year. You have to adjust cooking time and preheating in oven is a must. Like cast iron, they’re heavy but worth it. Just my op.
Commenter via Facebook says
My hubby bought me surgical steel and titanium cookware a couple months ago…..I LOVE them! Very pricey…..but I so love them!
Commenter via Facebook says
Karen, I’ve heard only good things about stones and I love my cast iron skillets.
Genet says
Hiya!
I LOVE my cast iron and glass bakeware.
Hey. . . .if a Teflon pan can kill a bird. .. .then what is it doing to us ??
Hmmmmmm ????
Now I recently saw a Titanium cookware set and wondered if anyone knew anything about that . . .???
Barb from Allendale says
I use a stainless steel 8 in. square baking pan that was a gift to my Mom on her 25th wedding anniversary, in 1965! It looks beautiful still. I tell my children as they leave to set up their own homes, “Two words of advice–stainless steel!” I love my stainless steel cooking pots and pans, plus mixing bowls, for their beauty as well as the super easy clean up. I also have a cast iron frying pan, griddle and cornstick pan that are ageless and used regularly.
Commenter via Facebook says
What about cooking stones, (Pamperd Chef) & iron skillets.
Karen says
Hello,
I use cooking stones, (Pampered Chef) alot to bake & sometimes a skillet on the stove. I’ve never heard anything bad about these, what have you heard? I also have stainless steel pots & pans & 1 teflon pan I want to replace.
Thanks for sharing,
Karen
Commenter via Facebook says
I thought it was the reverse – I thought you wanted magnets to stick to your pots and pans.
Commenter via Facebook says
We are gradually switching over. I have glass bread pans now and our first stainless steel cookie sheet has been shipped to the house and should be here soon. I did throw out all my nonstick pots/pans though and bought all stainless steel prior to us moving into our house 4 mos ago. I have to say that I don’t notice the food sticking like I thought it would, and they clean up really easily….now to get more cast iron and finish replacing our bakeware.
Commenter via Facebook says
So last night someone reminded me at our chapter meeting that if magnets do NOT “stick” to your stainless steel pans, that means they are a better quality (less nickel I think), so I checked mine today and they didn’t “stick”! 🙂
Marta says
Hi Kelly,
This post is old, but I just came across it and love it. We’re trying to replace various things in our house with safer alternatives step by step and your website is a great resource. I found out about the percolarator for coffee making at your website and we love it 🙂
My next goal is to get rid of the microwave. I would like to get a toaster oven or convection oven though to be able to heat things up. Can you recommend any brand? All those I’ve seen so far seem to have non-stick interior even if they are stainless steel outside. Should I be worried about that? Thanks!
Kelly says
Hi JK,
1. I don’t think I’m supposed to use soap, but I do. I also use lots of SOS pads.
2. If we just cook eggs, I’ll leave it on the stove for the next day without washing it. If it gets gunky and I wash it, then yes, I’ll use the stove to dry it, then put a tiny amount of olive oil around the inside.
3. Yep, stainless steel is good. 🙂
Take care!
Kelly
JK says
Hi Kelly
Thanks for your reply. A few more questions:
1) How do you wash your cast ironware? Do you use soap at all?
2) Do you oil your cast iron everytime after use? What oil do you use?
3) What type of pot do you cook your rice in? Is stainless steel ok?
Tks
JK
JK says
Hi Kelly
One more thing.
Most rice cookers use non-stick coatings. Is it OK to use?
If not, what is suitable to cook rice in?
Tks!
JK
JK says
Hi Kelly
For cookware (ie pots, pans, wok etc), are cast iron and enamel coated (eg Le creuset) the best?
What else is safe to use? Any brand recommendations?
What do you think of carbon steel?
Tks!
JK
Kelly says
I love my stone bakeware, too! Except for how bulky it is to store. So I use what I have, but won’t buy anymore since I’m out of room.
I sooooooooo love that I hear from you all the time – who would have thought that we’d reconnect this way? 🙂
tess says
Love this Can you help find stainless toaster oven pan 7 x 9.5 x 2 Have looked all over web but tiring Hard to type Muscle disorder
Teena says
Any thoughts on stone bakeware? I have a pizza stone and a cassarole dish that I use.