HexClad Hybrid Pan

HexClad's design embeds a hexagonal pattern of stainless steel peaks into an underlying PTFE-based coating. The stainless ridges protect the coating from metal utensil damage and allow some searing performance. But the non-stick valleys between those ridges are fluoropolymer — the same class of chemistry as traditional PTFE coatings, just recessed and harder to scratch.

The brand's marketing emphasizes "PFOA-free," which is accurate — PFOA has been phased out industry-wide since 2013. But PFOA-free does not mean PFAS-free. PTFE itself (polytetrafluoroethylene) is technically a PFAS compound, and while it is chemically stable at moderate cooking temperatures, it begins to decompose above approximately 500°F (260°C). The decomposition releases a range of fluorocarbon gases, some of which are irritants and one of which — PFIB — is acutely toxic in concentrated form. Birds are particularly sensitive; even small PTFE exposures are fatal to pet birds.

For cooking at moderate temperatures — sautéing vegetables, cooking eggs, gentle fish — the PTFE coating in a HexClad pan is likely to remain stable. The concern arises when the pan is preheated empty, used for high-heat searing, or left on a burner unattended. At those temperatures, the fluoropolymer valleys degrade even if the stainless ridges remain intact.

For consumers trying to move away from PFAS entirely, the HexClad still falls short despite the premium price. Carbon steel, uncoated stainless, or cast iron achieve comparable or superior searing without any fluoropolymer component.