Sol-gel ceramic

What it is

Sol-gel ceramic is the nonstick coating on most pans sold as "ceramic": a liquid that's heat-cured into a hard, glass-like film on the pan. It releases food beautifully when it's new, and that slickness fades sooner than it does on a classic PTFE nonstick pan.

Why it matters in your kitchen

Picture your first week with a ceramic pan. Eggs skate around in a dab of butter and cleanup is a rinse. A few months later, the same eggs start to catch.

That's the trade. America's Test Kitchen says the surface is more brittle than PTFE and forms tiny cracks that make food stick, so it gets less slick with use and eventually needs replacing.

It's a coating, so it's what your food actually touches. When we read 50 frying pan listings this fall, 3 of the 30 nonstick pans said what their coating was made of.

Good at

• Eggs and pancakes with little fat. When it's new, food lets go with almost no effort, which is the reason to buy one.
• Light to lift. America's Test Kitchen puts ceramic nonstick skillets at about 1½ to 2½ pounds, lighter than clad stainless or cast iron.
• Higher oven limits than PTFE. Most ceramic skillets go in the oven at 400°F to 600°F, depending on the pan, by America's Test Kitchen's count. Check your pan's handle and the maker's number.
• No PTFE. It's a different chemistry from the classic fluoropolymer nonstick, so it's the coated option if you'd rather not use PTFE.

Watch for

• The release wears out. In a 2025 lab test of five sol-gel coatings, the best two stayed nonstick for 30 to 60 cooking cycles, and PTFE outlasted them all. Buy it as a pan you'll replace.
• Heat and harsh cleaners shorten its life. Coatings maker PPG says heat stress and chemicals, more than scratches, are what make sol-gel coatings fail. Keep the heat moderate and wash it by hand.
• The dishwasher. America's Test Kitchen says ceramic skillets can go in and doesn't recommend it. A soft sponge and warm soapy water do the job.
• No broiler. Ceramic skillets aren't rated for the broiler. Finish a frittata under the broiler in stainless or cast iron instead.
• "Ceramic" is a vague word. It names a type of coating, not a recipe. Ask the maker what the coating is, and what testing backs any "free of" claim.

Who it suits

Good for you if you want slick eggs with little fat and a light pan, and you're fine replacing it when it stops releasing. Skip it if you sear at high heat, cook under the broiler, or want one pan for decades.

In short. Sol-gel ceramic is a glass-like nonstick coating that's slick, light and PTFE-free when new, and it loses its release sooner than PTFE.

For what research has and hasn't shown about ceramic coatings and the PFAS question, see our guide. Not sure what's on a pan you own? Try our cookware material lookup.

Where it is used

• Frying pans and skillets sold as ceramic nonstick, usually on an aluminum body
• Saucepans and saute pans in the same coated lines

How to care for it

• Keep the heat moderate. Heat stress wears sol-gel coatings faster than scratches do.
• Use wood, silicone or nylon tools, and go easy with metal.
• Wash by hand with a soft sponge. The dishwasher shortens its life.
• Replace the pan when food sticks no matter what you do. That's the coating telling you it's done.