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Checklist · 11 picks · 4 categories

kitchen swap checklist

Edited by Zach · updated Nov 1, 2026 · How I pick

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That nonstick pan with the scratched-up surface? Food Network says nonstick cookware with scratches from years of use should be replaced, so this is your sign.

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Swap in ceramic nonstick, stainless steel or uncoated cast iron, then move leftovers into glass and grab a wooden spoon (the Always Pan isn't metal-utensil-safe anyway). Food Network cooked pancakes, eggs and frittatas in its nontoxic cookware picks and timed how fast each one boiled water, and America's Test Kitchen chose the spoons and one of the glass sets. Quick reality check: 'nontoxic' isn't a regulated term, and Food Network says it generally means cookware made without PFAS. Each card shows the drawback the reviewers called out, from slow boils to pans that need extra oil.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you're stocking an empty kitchen from scratch; the First Kitchen list covers every basic, not just the swaps.

plan my budget pick an amount ↓

Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.

My budget

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see the plan, item by item

Estimates based on typical prices, checked Nov 1, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

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01 Pots and pans

the first pick is the one I would start with
Compare these 3
PickTierPriceBest forEvidence
GreenLife Soft Grip 16-Piece Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Setbudget$100-150swapping a whole cabinet of pans on a budget1 outlet
GreenPan Valencia Pro 11-Piece Cookware Setmid$300-500overhauling your whole cookware cabinet at once1 outlet
All-Clad D3 6-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Setsplurge$500+buy-once pans with nothing to scratch off1 outlet
Best cookware set

budget pick · 16 pieces

GreenLife Soft Grip 16-Piece Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set

Best for swapping a whole cabinet of pans on a budget

Food Network's best budget nontoxic cookware: a beginner-friendly ceramic set made with recycled aluminum, where food didn't stick even without oil.

Heads up. Water took over 8 minutes to boil, it's only oven-safe to 350°F, and the pots gave off a weird smell boiling water

1 outlet. Food Network best Budget nontoxic cookware.

$100-150

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mid pick · 11 pieces

GreenPan Valencia Pro 11-Piece Cookware Set

Best for overhauling your whole cookware cabinet at once

Food Network's best set: hard-anodized ceramic nonstick that goes from stove to oven, lids included, with flush coated rivets that don't trap grease.

Heads up. The stockpot is on the smaller side

1 outlet. Food Network best Set nontoxic cookware.

$300-500

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splurge pick · 6 pieces

All-Clad D3 6-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Best for buy-once pans with nothing to scratch off

Food Network's best stainless steel pick: an American-made classic with a lifetime warranty and no coating at all. A light coat of oil helps food release.

Heads up. Food stuck without extra oil, and it took more elbow grease to clean

1 outlet. Food Network best Stainless Steel nontoxic cookware.

$500+

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02 One great pan

Compare these 3
PickTierPriceBest forEvidence
Our Place Ceramic Nonstick 10.5-Inch Always Panmid$100-150small kitchens that want one pan for everything1 outlet
Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skilletbudget$25-50your first cast iron pan1 outlet
Xtrema Versa 8-Inch Pure Ceramic Skilletsplurge$150-200going from stove to oven to grill in one pan1 outlet
Best everyday skillet

mid pick · 10.5 in

Our Place Ceramic Nonstick 10.5-Inch Always Pan

Best for small kitchens that want one pan for everything

Food Network's most versatile pick: a space-saving ceramic pan that stands in for a stack of pans and tools, and nothing stuck to it even without oil.

Heads up. Not metal utensil- or dishwasher-safe, and only oven-safe to 450°F

1 outlet. Food Network most Versatile nontoxic cookware.

$100-150

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budget pick · Large

Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

Best for your first cast iron pan

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: it performed close to the winning skillet for a fraction of the price, with strong heat retention and browning.

Heads up. The rough, pebbly surface was sticky at first, and it's heavy

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy cast iron skillet.

$25-50

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splurge pick · 8 in

Xtrema Versa 8-Inch Pure Ceramic Skillet

Best for going from stove to oven to grill in one pan

Food Network's most durable pick: ceramic all the way through instead of just coated, and it made the best frittata in the oven-safe round.

Heads up. Heavier than other options, and the brand says to store it separately so it doesn't chip

1 outlet. Food Network most Durable nontoxic cookware.

$150-200

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03 Glass storage

Compare these 3
PickTierPriceBest forEvidence
Pyrex FreshLock Food Storage Setbudget$50-100leftovers and lunches in glass1 outlet
Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers (9-Piece Set)mid$50-100reheating leftovers in the same container1 outlet
OXO Good Grips 14-Piece Glass Bake, Serve and Store Setsplurge$50-100freezer meal prep you bake in the same dish1 outlet
Best food storage

budget pick · Set

Pyrex FreshLock Food Storage Set

Best for leftovers and lunches in glass

Food Network's best overall food storage: its top pick for everyday containers, glass with four locking tabs that it calls airtight, leakproof and stain-resistant.

Heads up. Heavy

1 outlet. Food Network best Overall food storage containers.

$50-100

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mid pick · 9-piece set

Rubbermaid Brilliance Glass Food Storage Containers (9-Piece Set)

Best for reheating leftovers in the same container

America's Test Kitchen's winning glass containers: sturdy, with easy lids that never leaked and wide rims for carrying hot food.

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning glass food storage containers.

$50-100

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splurge pick · 14 pieces

OXO Good Grips 14-Piece Glass Bake, Serve and Store Set

Best for freezer meal prep you bake in the same dish

Food Network's best for freezer storage: borosilicate glass that goes from freezer to oven, nice-looking enough to put right on the table.

Heads up. Heavy and fragile

1 outlet. Food Network best Containers for Freezer Storage.

$50-100

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04 Wooden tools

Best wooden spoon

budget pick · 13.5 in

FAAY 13.5-Inch Teak Cooking Spoon

Best for your one do-everything stirring spoon

America's Test Kitchen's winning wooden spoon: light, long and comfortable, with a slim tip for turning food and enough edge to scrape up fond.

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning wooden spoon.

under $15

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mid pick · 12.25 in

Jonathan's Spoons Spootle

Best for scraping sauces and sautés out of a pan

America's Test Kitchen's co-winner and the best innovative spoon it tried: a spoon-spatula hybrid in smooth wild cherry with a long scraping edge.

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen co-winning wooden spoon.

$25-50

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Side by side

Questions people ask

What does 'nontoxic' cookware actually mean?

Not much, officially. Food Network notes the FDA has no official definition of 'nontoxic' for cookware and it isn't a regulated term; it generally refers to cookware made without PFAS. Ceramic nonstick, stainless steel and solid ceramic are the materials its picks use.

Is it time to toss an old nonstick pan?

If it's scratched, Food Network says yes: nonstick cookware with scratches from years of use should be replaced. It also quotes the FDA saying coatings contain a negligible amount of PFAS capable of migrating to food.

Can wooden spoons go in the dishwasher?

America's Test Kitchen doesn't recommend it, or leaving wooden tools to soak. Wash them by hand with hot, soapy water, dry them with a towel, and oil them now and then like a cutting board.

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