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The Ultimate Guide to Shopping for the Best Ceramic Pan

There’s lots of options out there—here’s how to know you’re getting the best.

By Kara ElderAug 7, 2024
A well-organized kitchen shelf displays cooking books, a stand mixer, utensils, and various kitchenware, creating a cozy atmosphere.
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Have you cooked with ceramic cookware? Even if you haven’t, you’ve surely seen popular brands floating around your socials, making promises that seem too good to be true. We’ve set out to demystify some of the lore around ceramic cookware, resulting in our own line of CeramiClad™, high-quality ceramic cookware proudly made in the USA.

Like our stainless cladded cookware you know and love, our CeramiClad™ pans feature quality 5-ply design with a best-in-class ceramic coating that heats evenly and releases food easily. Sure, we’re biased, but we think we’ve created the best ceramic pan out there. Read on to learn what makes our new ceramic pan a valuable tool in your kitchen.

Understanding Ceramic Cookware

A person in an apron is pouring a pancake batter onto a plate from a small pan, with ingredients arrayed on the counter.

Ceramic cookware gets its name from the glossy, enamel-like appearance unique to pans with a ceramic coating. The coating, consisting of a naturally-derived substrate applied atop a metal base, mimics traditional coated non stick cookware but without the use of PFAS.

If you’ve cooked with other types of ceramic cookware, then you know how their performance can be vastly different depending on the brand. In our testing leading up the release of CeramiClad™, we found that some brands wear out more quickly and don’t quite live up to their high heat promises. Thankfully, as the interest in cleaner alternatives has grown, the ability to make higher quality ceramic cookware has also increased.

What Makes a Ceramic Pan the Best?

You’re not buying a ceramic pan just for its looks. There are a few key features that earn a ceramic pan the “best” designation.

  • Durability: Not all ceramic coatings are created equally. Some wear out after a few uses—especially when used over high heat. Our ceramic coating is oven safe up to 550F, and the nontoxic coating is also abrasion resistant and less prone to staining than other brands out there.
  • Non stick properties: The biggest advantage of ceramic coating is its frictionless cooking surface. Our ceramic coating offers easy release, making it ideal for delicate, stick-prone foods like eggs and fish.
  • Heat distribution: Since the ceramic coating goes atop our 5 ply clad pans, you’ll find our ceramic pans have the same even heating and cooking properties as our stainless steel pans.
  • Ease of cleaning: Similar to enameled cast iron, the non stick ceramic coating is a breeze to clean up. Food naturally releases easily, leaving less residue behind, meaning a gentle scrub in warm, soapy water is all you’ll need.

In addition to an easy cooking experience, the biggest advantage of going with ceramic over non stick is knowing that you’re using a piece of cookware made without harmful chemicals.

Benefits of Using Ceramic Pans

A neatly organized kitchen countertop displays cooking utensils and two pans of food, with a striped towel underneath one of the pans.

Similar to non stick pans, you’ll quickly find that cooking with ceramic pans offers many benefits.

Clean Cooking Experience

Our nontoxic ceramic coating is made without PFAS or heavy metals like lead and cadmium, ensuring a clean cooking experience. While modern non stick (any produced in the US or Europe since the ban on PFOA took effect) is similarly safe, its history with chemicals makes some consumers wary.

Ease of Use

We may be biased, but cooking with our CeramiClad™ reminds us why we love cooking—our 5 ply stainless clad design makes for even heat distribution, while the aluminum core acts as an excellent heat conductor. Add in a non stick ceramic coating that provides a frictionless cooking surface and you’ve got a pan that’s just as easy to cook with as it is to clean.

Durability and Longevity

We’ve seen some brands of ceramic pans that degrade super quickly. (Having personally cooked with one Instagram-popular brand in particular, I can attest to how frustrating it is to ruin a much-hyped pan.) Our premium CeramiClad™ brings the first coating of its kind to your kitchen, made only with high quality materials made to last. You can keep your ceramic pan in good shape by following a few basic guidelines, outlined below.

How to Cook with Ceramic Pans

A person in a brown apron is skillfully flipping a pancake in a kitchen setting.

There are a few tips when cooking with ceramic pans that help keep them in tip top shape.

First, as with non stick pans, avoid heating an empty pan, which can lead to overheating and quicker degradation of the ceramic coating. We recommend using your CeramiClad™ pan over just below medium on standard stovetops and between medium-low on higher end ranges—it’s oven-safe up to 550F, but should rarely need to be used that high as consistent exposure to higher temperatures will cause the coating to wear down more quickly. (It’s okay to occasionally use higher heat, but keeping it low will help maintain the cooking surface.) For cooking utensils, reach for ones that are less abrasive, such as wood or silicone spatulas.

A ceramic pan is very versatile: make anything from chicken and rice to simple sauteed veggies. Ceramic’s non stick abilities make it especially suited to making a perfect omelette and all sorts of pancakes. Flaky filets of fish cooked to perfection? No sweat. You’ll also need less fat when cooking, as the pan’s coating lets food release easily. Be sure to avoid cooking spray, which can cause a residue to build up on your pan’s surface.

Once it’s time to clean up, like all our pans, it’s best to wash by hand. Let the pan cool completely before using warm, soapy water and a soft sponge or dishcloth. Dry before storing, and if you’re stacking your pans, protect it with a clean towel or soft kitchen trivet to avoid scratches.

Ready to Shop?

3-Piece Set
  • CeramiClad™ Non Stick Frying Pan
  • 3-Piece Set
  • $349$397
    Save $48(12% off)

A great non stick pan is hard to find, but we’re excited to offer CeramiClad™—made with the care and integrity that you know and love. Browse our selection of ceramic pans to find one suited for your own kitchen.