The 8 Best Eco-Friendly Cookware Brands

Best Overall

Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set

$395 at Amazon View on Carawayhome.com $395 at The Container Store

There are plenty of eco-friendly cookware options out there, but none as attractive as this set from direct-to-consumer brand Caraway Home. Its trendy color palette and clean lines are perfect for a modern minimalist kitchen. The brand offers a complete cookware set constructed of ceramic-coated aluminum with stainless steel handles. The pans are oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit and will work on every cooktop, including induction. Once you're finished cooking, you can opt to place the pans in the dishwasher, or go with gentle hand-washing (recommended).

We noted its even heating and lack of hot spots, providing just the right surface for a nice sear on chicken and beautifully-cooked fried eggs. We struggled to find anything they didn't like about this set, the only thing they noted was that the handles tend to get hot when used on the stove for a long time. Remedy this issue by having a thick dishtowel or potholder on standby when you're ready to move your pans.

The complete set is a great deal considering how many pieces are included: a 10.5-inch frying pan, 3-quart saucepan, 4.5-quart saucepan, and a 6.5-quart Dutch oven, plus a handy lid storage organizer. But, if you only need select pieces, Caraway recently started offering their cookware a la carte too—perfect for trying out a pan or two before committing to the entire set.

Price at time of publish: $545

Material: Aluminum with ceramic coating | Oven Safe: Up to 550 degrees | Induction Ready: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but hand-washing is recommended

Best Splurge

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Vitale 10-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set

$450 at Amazon $550 at Walmart $550 at Wayfair

You may recognize Zwilling as a renowned cutlery manufacturer, but they've proven their excellence in cookware manufacturing with this set—one of the best we've tested. Made in Italy from thick aluminum, the surface is coated with a combination of hardening speckles and ceramic particles that make it extra durable against wear. The 10-piece set includes 8-inch and 10-inch fry pans, 1-quart and 2-quart saucepans with lids, a 3-quart sauté pan with lid, and a 6-quart Dutch oven with lid.

We appreciated the pans' even heat distribution and conduction, allowing us to cook on lower-than-usual heat settings (which, in turn, uses less energy). We were able to create perfectly scrambled and fried eggs without sticking, even on low heat. One thing to note is that the handles tend to get hot while the pans are in use, but that's easily mitigated by keeping a pot holder handy. The pans feel well-balanced in the hand and beveled edges make it easy to slide out food or pour liquids from the skillets and saucepans with no spillage. The nonstick surface makes it really easy to clean the set by hand, but they can also be placed in the dishwasher if needed. While this set is spendy, it feels like one that will last for years and offers a lot in terms of versatility thanks to the well-curated assortment.

Price at time of publish: $550

Material: Ceramic over aluminum | Oven Safe: Up to 500 degrees | Induction Ready: No | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but handwashing is recommended

Best Budget

T-fal Initiatives Ceramic Cookware Set

Orig. $110 $99 at Amazon $102 at Home Depot View on Hsn.com

If you're in need of a cookware refresh but want to keep costs low, turn to the Initiatives line by T-Fal, a long-trusted European cookware brand. This 14-piece set is made from heavy-gauge aluminum with a PTFE, PFOA, and cadmium-free ceramic coated interior that withstands high temperatures and delivers fast and uniform heat distribution. Heat-resistant handles are riveted to the sides of the pans, and the included glass lids let you keep an eye on your food while cooking. We noted that these pans are fairly light and ideal for anyone who doesn't want to move heavier cookware around.

This set includes three sizes of fry pans (8.5-inch, 10.5-inch, and 11-inch), two saucepans, and a 5-quart Dutch oven, as well as four nylon cooking utensils. The pans are also oven-safe up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and can be used on most cooktops, except for induction.

Price at time of publish: $90

Material: Heavy gauge aluminum with ceramic coating | Oven Safe: Up to 350 degrees | Induction Ready: No | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but handwashing is recommended

Best for Beginners

Ozeri 10-Inch Green Earth Frying Pan

$26 at Amazon $28 at Walmart $28 at Wayfair

Making scrambled eggs or frying up bacon is a breeze in the Ozeri Green Earth frying pan—these eco-friendly pieces are coated with nonstick German-made Greblon ceramic, which is free of PTFE and PFOA. The scratch-resistant surface is textured and designed to withstand high temperatures. It also features a sturdy die-cast aluminum build with a magnetized bottom that makes it compatible with induction stoves.

We noted that these pans are best at low or medium heat, in order to preserve the nonstick layers. Other special steps are required to maintain the pan, like continuing to season the surface, and watching out for mineral buildup if you have hard water.

Ozeri's Green Earth collection includes a 12-inch wok and 3 sizes of frying pans—8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch—with accompanying lids sold separately.

Price at time of publish: $27

Material: Die-cast aluminum with Greblon ceramic coating | Oven Safe: Up to 320 degrees | Induction Ready: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best Stainless Steel

All-Clad D5 Stainless Brushed 5-Ply Bonded Cookware Set

$900 at Amazon $900 at Wayfair $900 at Williams-Sonoma

This classic 5-ply set by All-Clad is a professional-grade cookware collection made with an aluminum core and a brushed stainless steel exterior. Due to its excellent heat conductivity along the bottom and sidewalls, it requires less energy than other types of cookware. The pots and pans are oven-safe to 600 degrees, and can be used on any type of cooktop.

During our three rounds of testing this set, it has repeatedly given a beautiful, even crust when searing, produced picture-perfect simmering sauces, and anything that happens to get stuck on, easily releases when hand-washed. We also stand behind the durability of these pans—they stood up to "hot pan into cold water" test without any damage.

Included in this set are: an 8-inch frying pan, 10-inch frying pan, 1.5-quart sauce pan with lid, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart sauté pan with lid, and 8-quart stock pot with lid. All-Clad offers a limited lifetime warranty on this collection because these are meant to last, aligning with the idea of "buying less but buying better quality" that supports eco-friendly shopping habits.

Price at time of publish: $1,430

Material: 5-ply stainless steel with aluminum core | Oven Safe: Up to 600 degrees | Induction Ready: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: No

Best Professional

Scanpan Classic 2-Piece Fry Pan Set

$100 at Amazon $100 at Walmart $100 at Wayfair

Scanpan's cookware features a GreenTek non-stick surface and ceramic-titanium coating that's free of PFOA. Its Professional line includes Dutch ovens, fry pans, saucepans, sauté pans, grill pans, sauce pots, woks, and steel lids.

Scanpan recommends avoiding the use of extremely high heat when cooking with this cookware. The pans are oven-proof and dishwasher-safe and can be used on electric, gas, induction, and halogen stoves. In addition to its professional line, Scanpan makes two other cookware lines that feature the Green-Tek coating.

Price at time of publish: $100

Material: Squeeze-cast aluminum with ceramic-titanium coating | Oven Safe: Up to 500 degrees | Induction Ready: No | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

Best Enameled Cast Iron

Le Creuset 5-Piece Signature Set

$575 at Amazon $575 at Williams-Sonoma View on Lecreuset.com

Le Creuset is best known for its iconic round ovens, but the brand also makes a variety of silhouettes in its signature colorful enameled cast iron. This set includes three essential pans: a 4.5-qt Dutch oven with lid, a 1.75-qt saucepan with lid, and a 10-inch skillet. Each of these pieces is made from thick cast iron coated with a glass-like enamel that is food-safe and requires no additional seasoning to maintain its slip. In fact, the enamel will develop its own patina over time, allowing the surface to become even more nonstick.

These pans are also ovenproof to 480 degrees Fahrenheit with the lids (higher without the lids), allowing you to start cooking on the stove and finish in the oven or under the broiler. To clean, you can easily scrub these with a non-abrasive nylon scrubbing pad or opt to wash them in the dishwasher. The pans are quite substantial, which might be an issue if lifting heavy pans is a problem, but their heavy-duty construction makes them durable enough to last for generations. Their longevity means they're less likely to end up in a landfill, which makes them a smart green choice.

Price at time of publish: $575

Material: Cast iron with enameled coating | Oven Safe: Up to 480 degrees with lid, 500 degrees without | Induction Ready: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but handwashing is recommended