Testing 12-Inch Ceramic Skillets

Regular nonstick skillets have come under scrutiny for containing a substance called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Its unique molecular structure makes for a superstrong, fairly flexible, and very slippery coating, but it can degrade and release dangerous fumes when it’s heated to above 500 degrees.

Ceramic nonstick skillets are often touted as being safer, more environmentally friendly options than regular nonstick skillets. But in past tests we found that foods stuck in most of the models, even when they were brand-new, and that the skillets’ nonstick surfaces quickly deteriorated with use. Because kitchen equipment is constantly improving, we purchased seven 12-inch ceramic nonstick skillets, priced from about $19 to about $80, and conducted a series of cooking tests. First, we ran a test common in the cookware industry: cooking eggs in a dry skillet back-to-back, stopping either