This article looks at all the ceramic and ceramic-coated cookware and uses independent testing plus the companies’ leach testing to analyze which ones are free of Lead, Cadmium, and other toxic metals.
This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Summary:
The best approach, in my opinion, to reduce toxicants from cookware is to rotate the options you use.
- I use some modern high quality stainless steel (which is lead-free), though it leaches Chromium and Nickel. (I use the Instant Pot, which has a Lead-free stainless steel pot/liner and lid).
- Titanium is better as it doesn’t leach.
- I also currently use this exact GreenLife pan, which is free of all toxic metals including Lead. It’s a PFAS-free, “ceramic coated” pan. I look at that more closely in the article.
- I use the IKEA VARDAGEN enamelled cast iron pot almost every day, which I feel confident is free of toxic metals like Lead and Cadmium based on IKEA’s track record.
- You can also add in modern lead-free glass cookware if you use an electric stove (as this is the purest option out there, as it doesn’t leach any metls), and, if you do well with added iron in your diet, add in some lead-free cast iron as well to diversify (or if you can’t use some of the other options).
Non-Stick Ceramic Coated Pans
“Ceramic coatings” in frying pans are usually made of a sol-gel ceramic, which has a Si–O–Si (siloxane) polymeric structure (source, plus product descriptions).
Based on the testing that we have so far, it also seems that ceramic non-stick coatings contain various metals.
Always Pan, from Our Place
Always Pan tested very low in lead by Tamara Rubin.
For example, Tamara Rubin’s XRF testing of a ceramic-coated frying pan Always Pan from Our Place tested positive for the following metals:
- Lead: 34 +/- 6 ppm (safe according to all standards — but not negative, Tamara explains, she also thinks this might be a contaminate in the aluminum substrate, not the coating, which could get exposed when the coating is scratched),
- Chromium: 7,837 +/- 284 ppm, Tin: 23 +/- 6 ppm
- Platinum: 206 +/- 26 ppm, Zinc: 1,789 +/- 45 ppm
- Copper: 4,965 +/- 87 ppm
- Nickel: 615 +/- 41 ppm
- Iron: 7,795 +/- 196 ppm
- Manganese: 480 +/- 148 ppm
- Vanadium: 1,039 +/- 230 ppm
- Titanium: 37,700 +/- 900 ppm (Source).
Our Place does use nano-metals in the coating.
Our Place’s Statements
Our Place has not clearly demonstrated leach testing.
In 2020, they showed a document on testing that did not describe the method of testing, did not say the lowest threshold of detection, nor the margin of error.
The report simply says the pans are non-detect for Lithium, Cadmium, Cobalt, Mercury, and Lead.
As of July 2024, the company’s website says the ceramic coating on their pans is “made without potentially toxic materials like … lead and cadmium.”
They also declare as of 2024, that the cookware contains Aluminum (that is the substrate below the ceramic coating), Iron, Chromium, Nickel, and Manganese.
As for nano-metals they claim:
“While there are nano-sized raw materials in the liquid state of all sol-gel ceramic coatings for our nonstick ceramic, once they are cured and hardened, these particles cannot break free. There is no possibility for nano particles to leach into food while cooking.”
I guess that is assuming the coating is not damaged nor does it leach.
I personally don’t use materials with nano-metals.
Green Pan
Green Pan, another brand of frying pan with a ceramic coating is negative for lead and cadmium on the food surface.
It tested positive for:
- Barium: 1,220 +/- 200 ppm
- Chromium: 126 +/- 59 ppm
- Antimony: 66 +/- 40 ppm
- Iron: 2,361 +/- 177 ppm
- Titanium: 51,900 +/- 900 ppm. (Source)
They say they don’t use nanometals.
I own this Green Pan and I consider this a good option and a good item to have in rotation with stainless steel (which also leaches metals) and other choices.
(I can’t easily use the glass options below since I cook on gas, and my body doesn’t do well with extra iron from cast iron, so I don’t have that many choices).
Though once it got scratched (see pic) I tossed it.
Green Pans Statements + A Lawsuit
Green Pan seems to have shown legitimate test results in 2021 (they no longer share their test results).
According to I Read Labels For You, in these previous test results of their leach tests they declared the grey coating had 0.27 ppm Aluminum, was non-detect for Lead, and was non-detect for Cadmium.
A lawsuit initiated in 2019, alleged the pans contained potentially harmful silane, aluminum oxide, tetraethoxysilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, and potassium titanate.
According to an attorney, the lawsuit was dismissed.
He explains “It is most likely that GreenPan settled with Ms. Saldivar by paying a certain sum of money. There is a chance the parties agreed that the plaintiff would dismiss the case with prejudice for other reasons, such as that the case lacked merit, but the odds of this are smaller“.
Caraway
Caraway was not negative for lead in Tamara Rubin’s XRF testing but it is considered safe.
And a Caraway ceramic coated pan tested positive for:
- Lead (Pb): 44 +/- 4 ppm (safe by all standards)
- Chromium (Cr): 14,400 +/- 300 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 2,846 +/- 116 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 4,628 +/- 93 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 5,218 +/- 71 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 342 +/- 12 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 118,100 +/- 1,100 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 12 +/- 3 ppm
- Antimony (Sb): 45 +/- 5 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 159 +/- 14 ppm (source)
Caraway’s Statements
A test result for Prop 65 from 2020, showed they were non-detect for Lead and Cadmium, they also have a leaching test for Lead and Cadmium per FDA methods which they passed.
And they have a passing test on extractable metals.
GreenLife
I’m currently using this GreenLife pan in the photo which is free of lead and cadmium.
Tamara tested Green + Life (now called GreenLife) pan in 2019, it was free of lead and it tested positive for:
- Zinc (Zn): 74 +/- 16 ppm
- Copper (Cu): 159 +/- 30 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 3,198 +/- 197 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 63,800 +/- 1,600 ppm
- Platinum (Pt): 230 +/- 38 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 3,111 +/- 262 ppm.
This is a brand I recently bought to replace my very damaged Green Pan pictured above.
(Both are owned by the same parent company and have the same coating).
I bought the faux wooden handle one below, and I would recommend it, especially if your other options leach metals.
GreenLife statements
GreenLife claims they are free from Lead and Cadmium which seems to be confirmed by Tamara’s testing.
I did not find any leach test results from the company, though after seeing Tamara’s results I don’t think it would be necessary.
The substrate is aluminum, which can leach potentially when the coating scratches.
Not all brands with a ceramic non-stick coating should be assumed to be free of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances aka PFAS (which is why most people buy them). One brand, GreatJones for example, is or at least was not free of all PFAS. So I would make sure, if you are avoiding PFAS, that you check for that.
Solid Ceramic
Xtrema
Xtrema hasn’t tested free of lead in XRF testing but does pass all leach testing for lead and cadmium based on European and Prop 65 regulations.
An Xtrema Versa Pot, purchased in 2020, contained the following metals in the interior food contact surface:
- Lead (Pb): 19 +/- 8 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 11,000 +/- 500 ppm
- Vanadium (V): 2,928 +/- 619 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 2,778 +/- 229 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 11,200 +/- 300 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 7,773 +/- 226 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 2,514 +/- 105 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 34 +/- 11 ppm
- Titanium (Ti): 9,697 +/- 1,166 ppm
- Indium (In): 9 +/- 5 ppm
- Tin (Sn): 18 +/- 7 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 1,024 +/- 36
- Bismuth (Bi): 117 +/- 10 ppm. (source)
The red lid also contained lead and cadmium in the glaze and the logo on the bottom contained high levels of Lead, as well as Cadmium and Cobalt.
In 2017, the Mercola branded Xtrema Open Skillet’s permanently affixed enamel label on the bottom of the coated ceramic (cast iron look) pan tested positive for: 14,900 ppm Lead.
The interior of the pan had: 83 +/- 18 ppm Lead. (source)
And a 2016 Xtrema/Ceramacor saucepan contained in the interior glaze:
- Lead (Pb): 74 +/- 15 ppm
- Barium (Ba): 597 +/- 55 ppm
- Chromium (Cr): 12,900 +/- 800 ppm
- Zinc (Zn): 4,879 +/- 184 ppm
- Nickel (Ni): 2,417 +/- 163 ppm
- Iron (Fe): 19,100 +/- 700 ppm
- Bismuth (Bi): 106 +/- 18 ppm
- Cobalt (Co): 9,376 +/- 391 ppm
- Manganese (Mn): 1,466 +/- 317 ppm. (source)
The permanent label also contained Lead, Cadmium, and Cobalt. (source)
The clay substrate has some Lead (which is naturally occurring in clay) but Lead was higher in the glaze.
Plus, the clay substrate had only 4 metals, and 10 metals were detected just in the glaze.
Xtrema’s Leach Testing
Leachable Lead, Cadmium, and Cobalt tests have a pass based on European regulations.
Lead and Cadmium also have a pass based on Prop 65 testing.
Their statement on lead:
“Our products are not made with lead or other heavy metals. These materials are not ingredients in our recipe.
When sourcing materials from the earth, there is the possibility that they contain trace amounts of heavy metals, so we test all shipments for extractable cadmium and lead in accordance with California Prop 65.
Xtrema has passed California Prop 65 lead and cadmium leaching standards for the past 15 years. We want you to know that using our products will not expose you to lead in unsafe amounts.
We post all of our test results on our website so that you can feel safe knowing your home cookware will not expose you to harmful toxicants.”
They also said:
“The testing shows that even after years of use our product passed California Prop 65 standards for lead and cadmium leaching.”
Enamelled Cast Iron & Ceramic Stoneware
Not all enamelled cast iron is free of lead and cadmium though some brands can contain lead in the glaze but pass leaching tests. I feel confident that IKEA’s enamelled cast iron is free of lead and cadmium based on their track record.
Le Creuset
Le Creuset makes two main types of cookware: cast iron and ceramic stoneware.
Stoneware test results
According to Natural Baby Mama, the stoneware she had from them tested high for Lead and Cadmium on both the inside and the outside with a Niton XL3T XRF.
Tamara Rubin also found high lead in a blue stoneware pot (source).
Cast iron test results
Shannon found some of the same cast iron options (made in France) tested positive for metals in some colors on the exterior (like red) and was good for other colors.
Her blue Le Creuset tested fairly good – Lead and Cadmium free on the inside and Lead-free on the outside with only low levels of Cadmium on the outside. (Source: Natural Baby Mama).
A yellow cast iron pot from 2013 tested high in Cadmium and relatively high in Antimony (with the yellow exterior being much higher in Cadmium, but the white interior also has Antimony), and another yellow cast iron pan tested similarly but with some Lead as well (including on the inside) (source).
Better colors
While the cast iron by Le Creuset might be preferable (to the stoneware), not all the cast iron items are the same in terms of metals in the glazes.
Le Creuset has said in the past, to more than one person, that their Dune color and Palm colors are Lead and Cadmium-free (however, there is no current source of which colors are Lead and Cadmium-free, and the company did not respond to this question with any direct answer).
Shannon tested them with an XRF (both Dune and Palm colors, in 2017) and found trace levels of Cadmium on the outside only (Natural Baby Mama), which is good.
I would use these, I feel confident enough that I am considering buying one of those colors, or in white or off-white. (It is just a matter of cost for me) though I ended up going with IKEA’s enamelled steel instead (listed below).
Newer greys and beige colors have tested well according to Tamara Rubin, however, she does not link to any specific models.
Le Creuset Statements
Le Creuset does not mention or publically display metal leach testing results.
They did not reply to my requests for information on which colors are Lead and Cadmium free in 2024, nor with any other information about metal leaching.
IKEA
A cheaper dutch oven?
IKEA VARDAGEN is a more affordable version of a Dutch oven.
IKEA has been known to be excellent in keeping Lead and Cadmium out of their products.
So while we don’t have any third-party testing of this yet, I own this and feel confident using it everyday, based on IKEA’s great track record.
Discrepancy Between XRF Testing and Leach Testing
Why is there a discrepancy between the XRF testing which can show some metals of concern and the leach testing results that the companies say have no detectable metals?
Dr. Mudgal, toxicologist, says:
“The discrepancy arises because XRF testing measures total metal content, whereas leach tests measure only the metals that are released under specific conditions.
Thus, a product can contain high levels of metals but still pass leach tests if those metals do not migrate out significantly during leach testing”.
Can Ceramic Cookware Leach Metals?
Based on the testing that the companies have provided, they have passed EU, FDA, and/or Prop 65 leach testing.
These tests do allow for some Lead and Cadmium which I will show below.
Dr. Mudgal explains that “there is evidence suggesting that these ceramics and ceramic coatings can leach metals into food, particularly when the coating is damaged through thermal degradation, chemical interactions (in acidic or alkaline food making conditions), or physical abrasion (mostly induced during cooking cleaning) to the surface of the cookware.”
She also explains that if the scratching reveals a substrate that contains metals of concern (like Aluminum or Lead) those could begin to leach when exposed.
Allowable Lead and Cadmium Limits
These are the standards that the brands here have been able to meet.
| Categories | EU Standards | OEHHA (California) Proposition 65 | |||
| Standards | The European Union’s standards for the release of lead and cadmium from ceramic food contact materials are outlined in Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and further specified in the Council Directive 84/500/EEC and its amendments. The directive specifies lead and cadmium limits for three categories of ceramic articles, when said substances are extracted during testing. | California Proposition 65 sets limits for lead and cadmium exposure from consumer products, including ceramic cookware. The specific Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADLs) are mentioned below. | |||
| Category 1: Ceramic articles, which include articles that cannot be filled as well as those that can be filled (the internal depth of which should not exceed 25 mm); measured in decimetre (dm2) | Category 2: “All” other fillable ceramic articles | Category 1: Ceramic articles, which include articles that cannot be filled as well as those that can be filled (the internal depth of which should not exceed 25 mm); measured in decimetres (dm2) | |||
| Lead and Lead compounds | 0.8 mg/dm2 | 4.0 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 0.5 µg/day | |
| Cadmium and Cadmium compounds | 0.07 mg/dm2 | 0.3 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 4.1 µg/day | |
| Category 3: Ceramic cookware, as well as packaging and storage vessels that have capacities exceeding 3 liters | |||||
| USA – FDA | |||||
| The FDA has specific provisions regarding ceramic cookware, which might contain heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, both of which might contaminate food. 21 CFR Part 109 contains general requirements regarding unavoidable contaminants in food for human consumption and food packaging material. It also specifies tolerances for substances that are either poisonous or deleterious. Product examples include substances (e.g., lead) that migrate to food from ornamental and decorative food-contact products such as: Ceramic pans, Ceramic pots, and Ceramic teapots. The use of ornamental or decorative ceramicware to prepare, serve, or hold food may result in the leaching of lead from the glaze or decoration into the food. | |||||
| The FDA has specific provisions regarding ceramic cookware, which might contain heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, both of which might contaminate food. 21 CFR Part 109 contains general requirements regarding unavoidable contaminants in food for human consumption and food packaging material. It also specifies tolerances for substances that are either poisonous or deleterious. Product examples include substances (e.g., lead) that migrate to food from ornamental and decorative food-contact products such as: Ceramic pans, Ceramic pots, and Ceramic tea pots. The use of ornamental or decorative ceramicware to prepare, serve, or hold food may result in the leaching of lead from the glaze or decoration into the food. | |||||
| (FDA, 2005/Lead) Flatware: 3.0 µg/mL Small holloware (other than cups and mugs): 2.0 µg/mL Cups/mugs: 0.5 µg/mL Large hollowware (other than pitchers): 1.0 µg/mL Pitchers: 0.5 µg/mL | (FDA, 2005/Cadmium) Flatware: 0.5 µg/mL Small hollowware: 0.5 µg/mL Large hollowware: 0.25 µg/mL | ||||
Alternatives:
Glass Cookware
Visions Glass Cookware
Shannon tested a brand new Visions Glass Cookware set in 2017 for Lead, Cadmium, and other metals with a Niton XL3T XRF.
The old Visions brand glass cookware may contain heavy metals, but the new Visions cookware is free of Lead, Cadmium, and any other metals she says (source).
Leaves and Trees
This glass cooking pot tested free of Lead and other metals of concern by Tamara Rubin.
Cast Iron
Shannon tested a 12-inch Finex cast iron skillet with a Niton XL3T XRF.
The pan was negative for Lead, the stainless steel handle was negative, but the brass knob had Lead at 33,900 parts per million.
The company said it passed the stringent CA Prop 65 leach test.
Tamara has tested the Lodge cast iron pan which came out Lead-free.
She also has other cast iron options on her website.
Stainless Steel
While stainless steel itself does not contain Lead, stainless steel items can contain Lead parts.
Stainless steel cookware does leach Nickel and Chromium.
I use the Instant Pot which has a lead-free stainless steel cooking pot/liner. The lid is also lead-free. (Everything the food could touch is lead-free).
For this reason, I like to rotate the types of cookware that I use.
Titanium
Titanium essentially doesn’t leach after the first use at all.
However, it’s one of those products where very few brands actually legitimately use a substantial layer of titanium as the cooking surface.
(Some use 316Ti which is not different enough from stainless steel, some use a nano-layer which might be PVD, some use some titanium in their ceramic layer, etc).
Taima is one brand that shows test results to show that their products are titanium.
Though the version on their website has a brass handle which is not something I would use due to the fact that brass normally contains lead.
They offer the Taima frying pan (with brass) and titanium pots on their website which do not have brass.
Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.
Svetlana
I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, looking for safe cookware. I mainly make soups and stews on the stove top. I do not like cast iron because it is too heavy for me. Currently, I use Anchor Hocking glass cookware for the oven. Please recommend.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
All of the best options I know are on the list in the article.
Margaret
I only see barium mentioned in a few places. Does that mean it wasn’t present in the cookware mentioned, or that it wasn’t included in the testing? I tested extremely high in barium, and I am trying to avoid it (and other heavy metals) while I try to detox it from my body.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
I didn’t delete any metals from the list but you can check tamara rubin’s site if you want to double check it
Michael Tovar
Hi, Corinne; thank you for the article on cookware. Yup, I own a Le Creuset Dutch oven, and often use a steel wool pad, lightly, on it…I also soak it overnight to loosen hard stuff.
Sarah
Just bought some Green pans and they are amazing!!! They work beautifully and look pretty, as well. Mind you, I don’t like to cook, nor am I a good cook. It’s hard for me to get exciting about anything kitchen-related, but these pans made me understand how people who do love to cook can be very enthusiastic about various cooking tools, brands, etc. Awesome pans. So happy to have learned about them on site!
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
haha hard relate! i like the look of the greenlife ones i got with the wood look handle
Sarah
Any thoughts or recommendations on cooking utensils? It seems I’ve read somewhere on this site, you weighing in on things like silicone (much hype, but perhaps concerns), but can’t find it. I need cooking utensils and can’t find any good options. While, in theory, wood may have promise, I never feel like I can clean wood adequately. Silicone lacks those challenges, but I’m not convinced about silicone and when I’ve ordered some pieces recently I sent them all back as they stunk to high heaven! Would love to hear your thoughts on cooking utensils…. As always, thank you in advance.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
i use non stick pans so i cant use stainless steel, i used silicone which usually has some cadmium but will be less of exposure than from food it seems, and I also bought wood, and am also sort of grossed out by wood. you might also look for virgin nylon.
Sarah
Thank you, Corrine. May I ask which silicone products you use? I haven’t had luck finding any that don’t stink though I have some old Le Creuset w/wood handles and silicone ends, but there website doesn’t say BPA or BPS free, for starters, so I’m concerned. (I also dislike when there are multiple materials and keeping the junture where they meet clean.) Meanwhile I’ll look into the virgin nylon. (That’s quite a marketing feat re: the language they came up with for that one!)
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
linked to them on my chemical free house facebook page, i didnt smell them when new if i sniff them now a few weeks later there is a slight rubber smell.
Sarah
Thanks. I don’t do any social media so can’t see your facebook page.
Strange how the odor emerged afterwards.
Also, to correct myself, Le Creuset does say the silicone cooking utensils are BPA free. Not sure how I missed that in the specs recently. And, if you or anyone who comes here is interested, they have one version that’s one piece of silicone vs silicone end w/wooden handle. It’s on sale (I think less than half off) for $11 and the company has free shipping right now before Christmas. Good opportunity to get something that doesn’t have that seam where two materials meet that is always are to keep adequately clean. FYI.
Meanwhile bought a few things you recommend from this topic and so grateful to have the guidance. It’s a jungle out there trying to run btwn the raindrops of so many toxins in products we use, no less those that have contact with food.
Anna
Hi,
I am trying to get information on pottery from Arabia of Finland, the “Kosmos” line. I have this in green and its from the 1960. I would love to know if you have information on they are lead-free and cadmium-free? Statement about Arabia of Finland pottery that I found on the internet only says “Arabia Finland is renowned for its high-quality ceramics and timeless designs. Many of their products are made with non-toxic materials, ensuring they are lead-free and cadmium-free” they only state most of them, so not sure and can´t find any other information regarding this.
Thank you, Anna
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
You would have to get it tested to know for sure, I would not assume ceramics from that era are free of lead and other heavy metals
Yvonne
Thank you for your article, it’s helpful to know there are better options out there. I’m looking for a nontoxic Dutch Oven but it’s been hard to know which ones are truly low in toxic heavy metals. One brand I’m considering is Made In, they claim there’s no added Lead or Cadmium among other toxins. Do you happen to have any information regarding that brand?
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
I bought the IKEA one, I trust that brand a lot though I have not had it XRF tested.
Michelle
I’m looking to buy ceramic glazed soup bowls on amazon. probably made in China but I can’t tell. do you know if there’s any issues to watch out for in modern ceramic dishware? Thanks!
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
potentially lead or cadmium in the glaze