Best Sustainable Cookware That Lasts
Cheap nonstick pans flake and fail within a couple of years, sending layer after layer of coating to the landfill.
Sustainable cookware is the opposite: a few well-made pieces that last decades and improve with age. Here is where to spend your money.
Pieces worth investing in
- Cast iron skillet that seasons with use
- Stainless steel pots with thick bases
- Enameled cast iron for stews and braises
- Carbon steel pan for high-heat work
Care that extends the life
- Skip the dishwasher for these pieces
- Season cast iron and carbon steel regularly
- Avoid metal scrubbers on stainless
- Store with a cloth between stacked pans
A single cast iron skillet, properly cared for, will outlast every nonstick pan you have ever owned.
The nonstick question
If you need a nonstick pan for eggs, choose a ceramic-coated one and treat it gently to extend its life.
- Avoid metal utensils on the coating
- Use low to medium heat only
- Replace when the surface scratches
Buy it once, cook for decades, and a handful of good pieces becomes the last cookware you ever need.