One of the most important things to consider when buying a slow cooker is its safety and the materials used to make it. Teflon has many benefits that people like, but many people have concerns about it leaching into food.
Looking into options that may not include the substance has moved to the top of many cooking enthusiasts lists.
Are there slow cookers without Teflon? Yes, there are slow cookers that do not use Teflon. You will be able to find variations of slow cookers that utilize either:
- Non-stick Ceramic / Natural Stoneware
- Stainless Steel
These options still ensure a non-stick atmosphere without the risk of Teflon breaking off over time and tainting your food.
Teflon is the trademarked brand name for the chemical Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene.
Many people think Teflon is their only option to keep food from sticking to their appliances. But newer innovative options have shown us Teflon isn’t the only game in town, and it is not the safest.
Different Types of Non-Teflon Slow Cookers
If you decide you want to cut Teflon out of your kitchen, you will want to find the materials that will closely mimic the properties it offers but without the chemical and toxic elements.
All Teflon-free options have their differences from each other, but the main thing to remember is they are all chemical-free and safer options. They all offer a nonstick cooking experience and will make clean up just as easy as a Teflon product would.
Some brands of cookware are upfront about the use of Teflon, but others aren’t. So, if you want to be confident in safer options, sticking to natural elements and these clean materials will help.
Non-stick Ceramic or Natural Stoneware Slow Cookers
Ceramic kitchen appliances have become increasingly popular. Not only are they pleasing to the eye, but they are also safe, durable, and offer a wide range of cooking abilities. One of those abilities is creating a non-stick surface without the use of additional chemicals such as Teflon.
Stoneware is a subcategory of ceramics. Because stoneware is made from a type of clay that requires a higher temperature for it to be heated, it doesn’t require a glaze. Many stoneware products will still have a glaze, but it is not mandatory for the surface.
The glaze is mainly meant to be aesthetically pleasing, rather than functional for stoneware. Natural stoneware has become a popular option for those who want to avoid any additional chemicals altogether.
Ceramics offers a sturdy surface that can take on extreme temperatures, keep food from sticking, and help hold in the abundant flavor that slow cookers offer us.
The ceramic or stoneware inserts you will find in slow cookers are removable, easy to wash, and dishwasher safe. The non-stick material that ceramic offers will help limit cleanup times, and the fact that it is a removable insert makes it even easier.
It offers the convenience you get from a Teflon product. But the process of making ceramics is more eco-friendly and sustainable. So, while you are helping keep you and your family safe, you are also helping to do your part in creating a sustainable kitchen.
Here are some excellent ceramic and stoneware slow cooker options:
- Cuisinart PSC-350 Ceramic Slow Cooker
- 3-1/2-quart ceramic pot
- Touchpad control panel
- 4 cooking modes
- 24-hour LCD timer
- Hamilton Beach 33642 Programmable Slow Cooker
- Auto time adjustments based on the amount of food in the pot
- LED display and timer
- “Take it to-go” lid
- Three sizes in 1 crock – 6, 4, or 2 quarts
- All-Clad SD710851 Slow Cooker
- 4 – 6.5 Quart
- Large digital display and push-button controls
- Auto 6-hour keep warm settings
- Homogeneous heat
Bonus Cooking Tip: Ceramic heats slowly from the bottom and the sides, so it offers a nice even cooking experience for your slow cooker and won’t burn or brown anything on the bottom.
Stainless Steel Slow Cookers
Stainless steel is another great material that can be used for slow cookers but is sometimes overlooked. When we think of stainless steel appliances, a slow cooker isn’t what typically comes to mind.
Stainless steel can withstand some of the most extreme temperatures, and its surface is as easy to clean as ceramic. It has inherent nonstick qualities that will help make for easy cleanups after delicious meals.
Aesthetically, if much of your kitchen is already adorned in stainless steel, these will go great with the room. Their exterior and interior are just as easy to keep clean and sparkling.
Similar to ceramic options, the stainless-steel models also come with a removable insert that will make for easy cleaning and offers the ability to use it as a stovetop pot as well.
Here are some great stainless steel slow cooker options:
- Magic Mill 10 Quart Slow Cooker
- 3 settings: Low, High & Keep Warm
- Removable pot doubles as serving dish with non-heat handles
- 10-quart capacity
- 360 Stainless Steel Slow Cooker
- Comes in 2.3- or 4-quart options
- Surgical grade stainless steel
- Oven safe up to 500 degrees
- Eco-friendly and certified green manufacturing
Why Consider Teflon-free Slow Cookers?
The PTFE coating (Teflon) is considered a fluorocarbon solid which makes it resistant to extreme temperatures. It is also low friction and UV resistant. These are major attributes for any kitchen appliance to have.
And Teflon is not necessarily a dangerous element until it is fully ingested or inhaled. When appliances use Teflon, it’s not dangerous for food to be cooked on it unless it begins to chip away. That is where the real danger lies.
Once Teflon appliances get older, extreme heat can begin to cause the Teflon to chip or flake, and at that point, it can enter your food. The other concern is from fumes released from the Teflon once it is heated.
Aside from health concerns, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says PTFE presents “persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity properties to an extraordinary degree.” (source: The Good Human)
The Dangers of Teflon
While manufacturers of Teflon have been defending this product for decades, research is proving otherwise. According to an article on Fast Company, the chemical conglomerate, 3M, knew about many of these dangers since the 70s and never spoke up.
The fact that PTFE does not react with other chemicals, and it can reach extreme temperatures are some of the reasons it was considered to be safe. But over time, we have also realized that this element doesn’t leave the air for a very long time after its exposed.
This means that after you use a Teflon product, those fumes are released into the air around your home and will linger there. When you are around those fumes too frequently, it can cause polymer fume fever, which will cause flu-like symptoms.
During the manufacturing process, many of the carcinogens in Teflon will be removed, but enough remain to be cause for concern. It has also been linked to disrupting hormones, as shown by Ecologist. And according to a Psychology Today article, it is also a known reproductive toxin that can affect fertility.
Finding Slow Cookers Without Teflon
Always read the manufacturer’s labels to ensure there is no Teflon or any other unwanted chemicals used in the materials found in your slow cooker.
Maybe you prefer a more natural approach like stoneware and ceramics or maybe you’re ready to complete your fully stainless-steel kitchen with a shiny new slow cooker.
Either option will help limit the number of toxins that could potentially be going into your food and offer the same flavor-packed, easy style of cooking.