Our top picks for more sustainable, durable, non-toxic bakeware made without forever chemicals and heavy metals.
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In most U.S. households, baking a batch of cookies means reaching for a non-stick cookie sheet made with Teflon (PTFE) or other toxic chemicals. Sure, your cookies and cakes might slide easily off the baking pan, but this bakeware leaves a bad taste in our mouths. All those chemicals are bad news for the health of humans, pets, wildlife, and the planet in general.
The good news is that you can still enjoy a non-stick baking experience without toxic chemicals.
Here are our picks for the best non-toxic bakeware, plus a reminder of why to ditch the Teflon and the GenX chemicals that came after.
Our top picks
360 Bakeware 5-Piece Set
Highlights: Impressive 5-ply stainless steel bakeware made in the US by a sustainable company. Complete set, with ergonomic handles! (Handle-free versions also available.)
- Complete stainless steel bakeware set
- 5-ply surgical grade stainless steel
- Ergonomic handles
- 5 timeless pieces with even heating
- Made in the US
- Oven safe to 500 F
- Super sustainable company!
- Internal rivets can be annoying (handle-free pans are available separately)
- Expensive
360 Cookware is one of our favorite US cookware brands, thanks to its sustainably made, smartly designed slow cookers, cookware, and bakeware.
The 360 bakeware set is a top choice for kitting out a new kitchen or replacing toxic PTFE bakeware with non-toxic, sturdy, durable, and attractive pans and cookie sheets.
360 uses no less than 5-ply surgical grade stainless steel (T-304) to handcraft its bakeware in the US. Every piece is oven safe to 500 F and most feature ergonomic handles for safe, easy use.
All of the pieces are available individually, but you get the best bang for your buck with the 5-piece set. This includes:
- Two 9-inch round cake pans – 2-inches tall (view on 360 Cookware)
- A stainless steel pie pan (view on 360 Cookware)
- 9-inch x 13-inch bake and roast pan (view on 360 Cookware)
- Large cookie sheet – measuring 17.5 inches x 14.22 inches rim to rim (view on 360 Cookware).
Thanks to the 5-ply design, the bakeware heats fast and evenly, for best results every time. My only wish is that 360 offered a muffin pan too!
Aside from the price, which is high but worth it for such long-lasting bakeware, the main downside to this set is the riveted handles. The handles are great for safer handling of hot bakeware but those internal rivets can be a pain to keep clean. Don’t worry, though, if you don’t like or want the handles, you can purchase handle-free versions of the pans separately and make your own bakeware set!
Caraway Bakeware
Highlights: Non-toxic, non-stick ceramic-coated bakeware set in gorgeous colors, third-party tested for heavy metals and other contaminants. Includes baking sheets and pans, loaf pan, muffin tin, circle pans, and a unique bakeware storage solution.
- Non-toxic, third-party tested
- Non-stick ceramic coated bakeware
- Aluminized steel with stainless steel handles
- Oven safe to 550 F
- Wide array of items available separately and as a set
- Set includes bakeware storage solution
- Packaged sustainably (no single use plastics)
- Transparent, friendly company
- Storage organizers only available with the full set
Caraway is a top choice for non-toxic bakeware, offering beautiful ceramic-coated cookie sheets, muffin tins, loaf pans, and more. These are all third-party tested for:
- PFAS
- Lead, cadmium, and other heavy metals
- Other chemicals of concern.
The company shared its test results with me without quibble (everything passed) and generally demonstrates a level of transparency and commitment to quality and sustainability far above its competitors.
This ceramic non-stick bakeware is available in several delightful colors. Each piece comprises an aluminized steel body and, where necessary, stainless steel handles.
The Caraway bakeware set includes:
- One 18 x 13-inch Baking Sheet
- One 10 x 15-inch Baking Sheet
- One 12 Cup Muffin Pan
- One 9 x 13-inch Rectangle Pan
- One 9-inch Square Pan
- One 1 lb. Loaf Pan
- Two 9-inch Circle Pans
- Two Storage Organizers.
To help prevent chips and scratches on your bakeware, and to keep your cupboards tidy, Caraway includes a bespoke storage solution with every bakeware set. Unfortunately, you can’t buy the storage organizers after the fact. My tip, then, is to just go for the whole set from the get go, rather than buying each item piecemeal as you realize you love Caraway bakeware.
Other things we love about Caraway include its use of recycled and recyclable packaging materials. Everything is shipped without single-use plastics!
We used the Caraway non-toxic bakeware set in our home kitchen and are big fans! Read the full review, here.
Emile Henry Bakeware
Highlights: Gorgeous ceramic bakeware range made with lead-free clay in the south of France. Includes a perfect pie dish to turn out a professional-looking pie without having to grease the pan.
- Part of a large range of non-toxic ceramic bakeware
- Several color options
- Ceramics are made in France from lead-free clay
- Oven safe to 480 F and microwave safe
- Non-reactive (can bake acidic foods)
- No need to grease the dish!
- Dishwasher safe (but we recommend hand-washing)
- 10-year warranty!
- Transparent company
- Not resistant to thermal shock
- Heavy and ships from France (i.e., carbon footprint is high)
If you love Le Creuset but don’t like the company’s lack of transparency over heavy metals, check out Emile Henry. This brand offers gorgeous French ceramic cookware and bakeware with a robust glaze resistant to most scratching. The bakeware can be used in an oven up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit and is microwave safe. It’s also non-reactive, meaning you can use these dishes to bake acidic foods.
Emile Henry makes each item by hand from lead-free clay in Southern Burgundy, France, and has been in business since 1850. The range of bakeware includes a classic ruffled pie dish with a unique design that makes it a breeze to turn out a pie without having to grease the dish.
Other items include a:
- Deep baking pan ideal for mac and cheese, roasting veggies and meat, and lasagna (view on Amazon)
- Smaller baking dish
- Square baking dish (great for brownies!)
- Pizza stone
- Tagine.
There are lots of other matching bakeware items available at Emile Henry, with many suitable both for stovetop and oven use.
Most Emile Henry bakeware isn’t resistant to thermal shock, so don’t put a frozen dish in a hot oven or a hot dish in the freezer or on a super cold surface. Some of the newer items are Heat Resistant (HR), however, so check listings carefully!
This bakeware is dishwasher safe. However, I strongly recommend carefully cleaning ceramic bakeware by hand to avoid accidental chips and cracks from dishwasher dings. With the right kind of care, these ceramic bakeware items could last your lifetime and be in good enough condition to pass onto the next generation.
Emile Henry offers a decade-long warranty on its bakeware, but only for manufacturing defects, not for improper use.
Made In Ceramic Bakeware Set
Highlights: The perfect set of oval, square, and rectangular baking dishes made from enameled ceramic and resistant to thermal shock. Made by an eco-friendly company and Prop 65 compliant.
- Non-toxic, third-party tested
- Oven safe to 482 F
- Microwave safe
- Dishwasher and freezer safe
- Resistant to thermal shock
- Lifetime warranty
- More expensive
Made In ceramic bakeware comprises high-fired clay that is oven-safe to 482 Fahrenheit. It has an enameled surface that is naturally smooth and non-stick. This bakeware is resistant to thermal shock and suitable for use in the microwave, freezer, and oven. It can also be cleaned in the dishwasher, though we recommend cleaning by hand to maintain the enamel coating.
The 3-piece Made In Bakeware Set includes:
- 2.4 quart oval baking dish – 10 x 6.6 inches
- 8-inch square baking dish (2.6 quart)
- Rectangular baking dish (5.3 quart) – 9 x 13 inches.
These all come with a lifetime warranty.
Made In is third-party tested to be lead-free and cadmium-free and is also California Prop 65 compliant. The company has some robust sustainability initiatives and is engaged in good environmental stewardship, including heating the factories using heat from the kiln and recycling and reusing water and materials where it can.
The company has even figured out a way of diverting potential waste away from landfill: Made In works with partners to use defective or broken products and pieces to create road and pavement surfaces, helping to make them more reflective and reducing lighting costs. Pretty ingenious!
Staub Ceramic Bakeware
Highlights: A 4-piece baking set comprising stoneware with a glass porcelain finish. Scratch-resistant and resistant to thermal shock, these are oven safe, microwave and broiler safe, and dishwasher safe too!
- More affordable than lesser quality ceramic bakeware
- Scratch-resistant glass porcelain finish
- Resistant to thermal shock
- Ergonomic handles
- Stackable!
- Suitable for broiler, microwave, and oven
- Dishwasher safe
Staub’s attractive bakeware is stoneware finished with glass porcelain. These dishes retain heat really well and don’t absorb moisture. They’re also scratch-resistant and resistant to thermal shock.
You can use Staub bakeware in the oven, broiler, and microwave. It is also safe for the dishwasher, though I still recommend cleaning by hand to avoid mishaps.
My top pick in the Staub Bakeware collection is the 24 cm round pie dish. This is great for gratin, flan, pies, and more. It offers even heat distribution and a smooth surface for easy release of food even without grease. It’s also easy to clean and has ergonomic handles. You can even stack these (carefully!) for better storage.
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Pyrex Non-Toxic Baking Pan Set
Highlights: This two-piece glass set of non-toxic baking pans is affordable, sturdy, and safer if it does shatter.
- Durable and versatile
- Oven safe to 450 F
- Safe for the freezer, microwave, and dishwasher
- Scratch resistant
- Useful handles
- No sharp edges if they shatter
- Not quite as indestructible as original Pyrex
Pyrex has been around for more than a century and continues to be one of the best non-toxic bakeware choices. This durable, versatile glass bakeware is made with thick, tempered soda-lime and is almost indestructible. If the worst does happen, though, the glass doesn’t have sharp edges if it shatters.
The set featured here comprises:
- 3-quart baking dish – 13 x 9 x 2 inches
- 2-quart baking dish – 8 x 8 x 2 inches.
I love these dishes for mac and cheese, casseroles, desserts, and have even used them for bread thanks to the extra-thick design.
I especially like the handles, which make it much easier to turn the dishes in the oven, as well as for removal and transfer.
Unfortunately, these newer Pyrex dishes aren’t quite as rugged as the original borosilicate Pyrex. For that, you’ll need to check thrift stores (or view on Etsy). There’s also an option with BPA-free plastic lids (view on Amazon).
Corningware Pyroceram Bakeware Casserole Dish Set
Highlights: The original robust, thermal shock resistant casserole dish set from Corningware. With lids!
- Easy to clean
- Great for baking, transporting, serving, and storing food
- Microwave, stovetop, oven, and broiler safe
- 10-year warranty
- More modern version isn’t as resistant to thermal shock
- Need to grease to release food easily
- Lids don’t fit super snugly (can make for messy transport to potlucks!)
CorningWare is the more modern version of traditional corningware and is not resistant to thermal shock. Where you can, then, track down the original non-toxic, pyroceram bakeware made with a special blend of glass and ceramic that can withstand thermal shock. This means you can easily move dishes from freezer to oven and oven to cold countertop without worrying about glass explosions.
This four-piece casserole dish set includes:
- 2 liter dish (1.5 quart)
- 3 liter (2.5 quart) dish
- Lids for both dishes.
I grew up with the original Corning Ware dishes just like these (but sadly didn’t bring them when I emigrated to Canada). The dishes are fantastic for mac and cheese, brownies, roasting veggies and meat, and more.
This pyroceram set is also safe for use in a broiler, the microwave, and on the stovetop and withstands temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. It also comes with a 10-year warranty.
You’ll need to use a little grease for easy removal of food, but these dishes wash up easily, are non-reactive, and look great for serving food straight from the oven. The lids make it easy to store, reheat, and transport food, all without creating extra dishes.
If you can’t find the original pyroceram on Amazon, check out Etsy.
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Xtrema Bakeware 3-Piece Set
Highlights: Non-toxic bakeware that is pure ceramic and Prop 65 compliant. Easy to clean, versatile, and retains heat super well. Not resistant to thermal shock though.
- Non-toxic and eco-friendly
- Scratch resistant and easy to clean
- Safe for the microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe
- All shipments tested for extractable heavy metals
- Made using renewable materials and green manufacturing
- 10-year warranty
- Heavier than most bakeware
- Not resistant to thermal shock
- Retains heat and heats slowly (may need to adjust baking times)
Xtrema offers a line of high-quality pure ceramic bakeware that is, unlike Caraway, made purely with ceramic. That makes it more versatile and durable in many ways.
Xtrema is also based in America and every shipment is tested for extractable heavy metals to ensure it meets Prop 65 standards and is free from more than 800 troublesome chemicals. Xtrema bakeware contains no:
- PFOA, PTFE, or PFAS
- Glues or polymers
- Coatings or dyes.
Pure ceramic retains heat really well, meaning you might want to reduce your bake times slightly or be ready to remove baking quickly to rest on a wire rack.
This kind of pure ceramic bakeware can also be heat sensitive. As such, take care to warm bakeware slowly and never put frozen ceramic straight into a hot oven.
Though Xtrema bakeware isn’t non-stick, it is super easy to clean. Because this is pure ceramic, you can use more abrasive cleaners such as steel wool and baking soda without worrying over scratches.
The Xtrema 3-piece baker’s bundle comprises:
- 6-muffin pan
- 9-inch pie plate
- 2-quart loaf dish.
These are all in Xtrema’s signature black color and come with a 10-year warranty.
Bonus bakeware!
It’s a great idea to have a standard bakeware set with regular pie dishes and loaf pans, but what about those specialty items?
Here are some of the best individual bakeware items that are non-toxic, sustainable, and durable.
Made In Porcelain Bakeware – Baking Slab
Highlights: Stunning and practical porcelain enameled baking slab. Oven safe to 650 degrees F and a great choice for focaccia, sheet cakes, slab pies, and more. Naturally non-stick and resistant to thermal shock.
- Non-toxic porcelain bakeware
- Made in France using traditional porcelain techniques
- Oven safe to 650 F!
- Microwave safe
- Thermal-shock resistant
- Dishwasher safe (but we suggest hand-washing)
- Made by a sustainably minded company
- Lifetime warranty
- Few color options
Made In is an environmentally responsible company offering beautiful and functional non-toxic bakeware. Its innovative Baking Slab is unlike anything else available, offering even heating and a clever design that results in crisp corners and gooey centers as desired.
The slab measures:
- 15.5 inches long
- 11.5 inches wide
- 1.38 inches tall,
- 2.4 quart capacity.
(The baking surface itself is 13 inches long and 9 inches wide.)
The Baking Slab is made using a 200-year-old porcelain recipe in the Loire Valley in France. Skilled artisans use kaolins, clays, quartz, and feldspars to form the slab, which then undergoes three rounds of baking for more than 50 hours and temperatures over 2500 Fahrenheit.
Yes, this is an energy intensive endeavor, but the result is some of the most robust and versatile bakeware available that will last for generations with proper care (and a bit of luck).
The Made In porcelain range is safe for use in the microwave and oven (up to 650 Fahrenheit) and is resistant to thermal shock. It is naturally non-stick and super easy to clean. While dishwasher safe, we recommend washing by hand to preserve the coating. All Made In products come with a Lifetime Warranty.
Made In Carbon Steel Pizza Stone
Highlights: A non-stick, lightweight pizza stone with 86 perforations for optimal air flow. Made by an environmentally responsible company and far easier to use and clean than a stoneware pizza stone!
- Perfect pizza stone for air flow and crispiness
- Half the weight of cast iron pizza stone
- Durable and oven safe to 1200 F!
- Non-stick with seasoning
- Easy to clean
- Lifetime warranty
- Handwash only
The Made In Pizza Steel is a pizza stone made from a stamped, thin disc of carbon steel. It is oven safe to 1200 Fahrenheit and is non-stick (you’ll need to season it), easy to clean (by hand), and lets you make perfect brick-oven-like pizza at home without the fuss of a stoneware pizza stone.
The Made In Pizza Steel measures:
- 12.6 inches diameter
- 11.5 inches cooking surface
- 0.25 inches deep
- 2.6 lbs.
This pizza steel has 86 perforations for optimal air flow and is about half the weight of an equal size cast iron stone. It’s just as durable though, and you’re far more likely to use it and far less likely to break it than a stoneware pizza stone. All Made In items come with a lifetime warranty though!
All-Clad Stainless Steel Lasagna Pan
Highlights: Non-toxic, robustly built, stainless steel, deep baking pan with high sides and a BPA-free lid for mess-free transport and easy storing of leftovers. Mirror-polished to make it easy to remove food and clean.
- Large, non-toxic baking pan
- Mirror polished stainless steel (almost non-stick)
- Easy to clean and dishwasher-safe
- BPA-free lid for storage and transport
- Even cooking, oven safe to 600 F
- Suitable for stovetop use (including induction!)
- Robustly built, with riveted handles
- Lifetime warranty
- A metal lid would be more durable and non-toxic (instead of plastic)
- Expensive
Stainless steel is a great choice for non-toxic bakeware and All-Clad makes some of the best bakeware in the business. This includes the Stainless Steel Lasagna Pan, made of thick 18/10 stainless steel and a thick aluminum base plate (that doesn’t contact food) for a more even cooking experience.
This pan has riveted, inward-facing steel handles, making it easier and safer to move around. It’s also really robustly built and seriously durable, with a lifetime warranty from All-Clad.
This large pan holds 5 quarts and measures:
- 12 inches wide
- 15 inches long
- 2.75 inches deep (with straight sides).
I love that this is a deeper dish that helps prevent bubbly, messy, spillover. It also means you have more space in your oven for other pans and sheets.
All-Clad also offers a smaller, square, version of this bakeware, measuring 8 x 8 x 2 inches (view on Amazon).
The Stainless Steel Lasagna Pan is a great choice if you’re big on potlucks, because it comes with a tight lid for mess-free transport. The lid is raised too, meaning food doesn’t immediately stick to the top.
This All-Clad pan is also mirror polished, meaning food doesn’t stick as much as with other metal pans.
The biggest downside is that the lid is made of plastic, albeit BPA-free plastic. That means you can’t use the lid in the oven and will want food to cool before putting the lid on.
Because it’s easy to store food in this pan, you can quickly remove the lid and reheat food on the stovetop or in the oven. Unlike a lot of bakeware, this pan is suitable for gas, electric, ceramic, and induction stovetops.
CasaWare Ceramic and Carbon Steel Baking Sheet Set
Highlights: Ceramic coated carbon steel baking sheets, pans, and muffin pans, that are PTFE-free non-stick. Very affordable and warp-proof!
- Carbon steel coated with non-stick ceramic
- Warp-proof, unlike aluminum
- No PTFE or aluminum
- Oven safe to 450 F
- Wide range of pans available, including muffin pans
- Affordable
- Not indestructible – treat gently!
- If coating chips, carbon steel can rust underneath
- No third-party testing available for ceramic coating
CasaWare makes super affordable ceramic-coated carbon steel baking sheets that are free of PTFE, PFOA, PFOS, lead, cadmium, nickel, and aluminum.
These sheets have a granite-reinforced ceramic coating over a warp-proof carbon steel sheet, making for even baking and a naturally non-stick experience. The only downside to these sheets is that if you treat them like a regular cookie sheet and bang them about, the coating will chip off and the carbon steel underneath will start to rust.
Treat the sheets with care though and they’re safe, non-toxic, and actually pretty durable! The carbon steel makes for even heat distribution and won’t warp like aluminum and thin stainless steel baking trays. You can even get these sheets in a rose gold granite, blue granite, and a red granite (I’d avoid the red, though, given the potential for heavy metal contamination).
The set includes:
- 15.5-inch x 10.5-inch baking pan
- 13.5-inch by 9.5-inch baking pan.
Both pans have a depth of 0.75 inches. They’re oven safe to 450 Fahrenheit.
CasaWare also offers a deeper baking pan made using the same ceramic coating over carbon steel (view on Amazon), plus a cake pan (view on Amazon). There’s even a muffin pan (view on Amazon).
Staub 5.25 Liter Cast Iron Cocotte
Highlights: An attractive cast iron cocotte coated with ceramic and with a specially designed lid for self-basting. Oven safe up to 900 F (without the lid)!
- Durable – made to be an heirloom piece
- Made in France by traditional methods
- Versatile and robust
- Stovetop and oven safe
- Tight lid for self-basting food
- Good variety of color options
- Expensive
- Not dishwasher safe
- Heavy (cast iron)
- Not transparent about third-party testing
Staub makes cast iron and ceramic bakeware and cookware in France. The Staub cast iron cocottes (basically, Dutch ovens) are beautiful, robust, and ideal for:
- Slow-cooking meats and vegetables
- Stews
- Soups
- Baking bread.
With Staub’s cocottes, you get even heating and a unique tight-fitting lid design that drips moisture back into food, so it self-bastes as it cooks. The bakeware works on all stovetops too, including induction. It’s even dishwasher safe, though I’d still wash it by hand where possible.
The interior of this cocotte is a matte black enamel. You can choose from a variety of exterior colors, but we would recommend avoiding any of the red or orange items as these are more likely to have trace amounts of lead or cadmium (Staub says they don’t but it’s always a risk).
Staub’s cast iron is built for durability and is very likely to become an heirloom piece. The cast iron is oven safe up to 500 Fahrenheit with the lid and 900 F without the lid. The lids have a nickel-steel knob.
It takes a full week to make a cocotte at Staub, with around 20 people involved along the way. Every individually crafted pot undergoes one hundred inspection points to ensure it meets Staub’s quality standards.
Staub is a longstanding brand with a strong commitment to workers’ rights and environmental stewardship. Zwilling, its owner, is aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030 and has joined the amfori Business Environmental Performance Initiative (amfori BEPI) to ensure robust social standards and environmental principles are embedded into the company’s supply chain.
OXO Good Grips 9-inch Glass Pie Plate with Lid
Highlights: A borosilicate glass bake, serve, and store set with lid made by a 1% for the Planet member. Thermal shock resistant with a tall lid for easy, mess-free transport and stacked storage. Range includes a wide variety of oven-safe containers.
- Thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass
- Smartly designed lid (albeit plastic)
- Dishwasher safe
- Versatile range of bakeware
- Oven safe to 475 F
- Microwave safe
- Plastic lid
OXO Good Grips Glass Pie Plate with Lid is a 2-inch deep, 9-inch wide borosilicate pie plate with a BPA-free, PVC-free lid. Like the original Pyrex, this pie plate is made with borosilicate tempered glass that is supremely resistant to thermal shock. That means you can take the dish from the freezer to a preheated oven without the risk of it shattering, unlike with most glass bakeware.
The lid is plastic but is well built and designed, with moisture vents (to keep your pies crusty!) and a tall top to stop pies and quiches getting crushed. It snaps on and is easy to clean (by hand, or on the top shelf of the dishwasher only).
OXO offers a wide range of bakeware made from borosilicate, including:
- Glass loaf pan with lid (View on Amazon)
- 2-quart baking dish with lid (View on Amazon)
- 30-piece bakeware and container set (view on Amazon).
The latter is a great choice for families looking to switch away from all-plastic food storage containers! The set includes containers ideal for little and large appetites, snacks, dips, sauces, and more. The containers are all made with oven-safe and microwave-safe glass.
What’s the problem with Teflon? And is PFOA-Free bakeware really any better?
Teflon is created with chemicals such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that start to break down at temperatures over 464 degrees Fahrenheit (240 Celsius). This means baking with non-stick Teflon can seriously affect air quality in your home, with all kinds of health effects, as per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Acknowledging the perils of PFOA and Teflon, many manufacturers switched to making non-stick PFOA-free bakeware using other kinds of fluoropolymers (known as GenX). Unfortunately, these are often very similar to Teflon and have many of the same downsides for people and planet. Again, the EPA documents studies showing the adverse health effects of GenX chemicals.
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Which materials are best for non-toxic bakeware?
Ditching Teflon can seem pretty daunting, especially if you love the ease of sliding cookies off a sheet or a loaf from a non-stick pan. Avoiding Teflon and its toxic chemicals need not mean making life harder though, thanks to a wealth of excellent alternatives that perform just as well.
Some of the best materials for non-toxic bakeware include:
- Non-stick ceramic-coated bakeware
- Stainless steel bakeware
- Pure ceramic or stoneware bakeware
- Glass bakeware
- Enameled cast iron bakeware.
What about aluminum baking sheets and silicone bakeware?
Aluminum is safe for bakeware in terms of not off-gassing toxic fumes, and this kind of bakeware holds up well to high heat. However, uncoated aluminum bakeware does leach metal into food. This is more likely with aluminum that is used to bake (or cook) acidic foods and with bakeware that is scratched.
Aluminum leaching can affect the taste of foods and may be a significant health hazard for anyone with impaired kidney function. For healthy adults, the body is pretty good at eliminating aluminum. Still, though, with so many other good options for non-toxic bakeware, why risk it?
What about silicone bakeware? Again, this won’t off-gas toxic fumes. It also won’t leach harmful chemicals into your food as it’s an inert material that is resistant to thermal shock and is freezer safe and oven safe. The downsides of silicone bakeware are that you can’t use it at temperatures above 428 degrees Fahrenheit or 220 Celsius. You also can put it in the dishwasher.
The biggest downside to silicone bakeware, however, is that it doesn’t biodegrade and cannot currently be recycled. This means silicone bakeware isn’t exactly eco-friendly, even if it is non-toxic.
Other things to watch out for in bakeware
As well as looking for Teflon-free, PFOA-free, and PFAS-free bakeware, you’ll want to be sure about the glazes and colors used in a product. This is because some glazes and colors contain lead, cadmium, or other toxic heavy metals.
Proposition 65 in California specifies that lead and cadmium levels in any bakeware produced and sold in the U.S. must be below a certain level. Unfortunately, bakeware sold outside the U.S. and Canada is often not tested for these metals, meaning that cute cookpot you bought on vacation should stay ornamental rather than being used for baking.
Even some items produced overseas with problematic glazes can end up on store shelves in the U.S., though. The biggest culprits for lead and cadmium are ceramic items that are bright red and orange. So, unless a company can demonstrate robust third-party testing for these contaminants, it’s best to look elsewhere for bakeware (such as at the list above!).