The as seen on TV Green Pan claims to reduce food sticking without risking the potential health problems of Teflon.
Is GreenPan really a healthy alternative?
In this GreenPan review we will look at 3 of their ceramic cookware sets to help you understand the hype and determine if one might be right for you and your kitchen.
GreenPan Reviews
One of the Greenpan sets calls to us a little louder than the others, and that’s okay as they’re all pretty cool. But if we had to choose, we would pick the Greenpan Lima Cookware Set because it has glass lids to see what you’re cooking and more budget friendly than the Lima set.
GreenPan Lima
Top Features
- Thermolon Nonstick Coating
- Stainless-Steel Handles
- Drip-Free Edges
- Glass Lids
The GreenPan Lima ceramic cookware is made by The Original Green Pan brand.
This set has the basics that you will need to make a great meal and hopefully be fairly easy to clean when used properly.
What really gets our attention about this set of GreenPan ceramic cookware is that it is lined with a Thermolon Ceramic coating.
It’s POFA free that is supposed to give off little to no toxic chemicals, fumes or persistent pollutants. And this ceramic coating is claimed not to blister or peel like other types of ceramic cookware.
Then you also have the stainless steel handles feature. They’re durable and riveted for easy handling.
Also, because they’re stainless steel, this enables you to cook your food with these pots and pans both on the stove top and inside the oven.
Yes! They’re oven safe up to 450F!
All of the lids are made from tempered glass. They made the lids this way so that you could see what you’re cooking and hopefully catch things before they start burning.
The edges of the pots and pans are designed to be dripped-free which means even less mess for your countertops.
Bottom Line
When comparing against the best ceramic cookware we feel GreenPan Lima is a mid-range collection of pots and pans.
GreenPan Paris Pro
Top Features
- Thermolon Nonstick Coating
- Stainless Steel Handles
- Forged Body
The Paris GreenPan set looks similar to the Lima series, but there are differences such as the lids, types of cookware, and temperature tolerance.
We feel it’s a bit higher end compared to the Lima series.
The Thermolon ceramic nonstick surfacing on these pots and pans have means that less oils and fats are needed for when you’re cooking.
Also, it doesn’t flake, chip or peel, so you shouldn’t have to worry about accidentally eating any of it.
The forged body of these pots and pans are made of a thick aluminum. This base makes cooking fast and helps to evenly distribute heat across the pans.
The lids are also made of stainless steel. While they prevent you from seeing inside while you’re cooking, the handles and the lids allow you to easily move your food from the stove top to the oven.
Bottom Line
The main difference that we can tell between Paris and Lima is that the build quality can endure extremely high oven temperatures and the hard anodized surface on the outside of the cookware.
GreenPan Rio
Top Features
- Phenolic handles
- Glass Lids
The Rio GreenPan cookware set offers a more classic cream colored ceramic coating still made from Thermalon.
This GreenPan cookware set is moderately priced and also created by The Original Green Pan brand.
When cooking with any GreenPan cookware set you shouldn’t use cooking sprays to grease them. Unfortunately the leftover residue will deteriorate the Thermolon coating. And of course using metal utensils and abrasives will damage them as well.
The forged body of the Rio GreenPan cookware is made of a thick aluminum which helps evenly distribute the heat across your pans.
If you’re like us, you have owned skillets that heat up the most in the center and don’t cook evenly.
The phenolic handles make this GreenPan cookware set different from the others.
Basically, they are rubber handles that are cushiony and help you maintain a good grip on your pots.
The glass lids are similar to the Lima series and made from tempered glass so that you can easily see inside your pots.
Bottom Line
The Rio GreenPan Cookware Set is oven safe up to 356F, but we don’t recommended doing it which may be a deal breaker. If don’t plan to move food from stove top to oven , then it may worth considering.
GreenPan Comparison Chart
You will need to double check with the vendor you are buying from and your packaging for exact temperatures, but the following chart is what our research has found.
| GreenPan Set | Handles | Lids | Max. Oven Temp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lima | Steel | Glass | 420°F |
| Paris | Steel | Steel | 450°F |
| Rio | Phenolic | Glass | 356°F |
| Lima 3D | Steel | Glass | 420°F |
| Padova | Steel | Glass | 420°F |
Temperatures will vary based on handles and lids. Some pots and pans are safe to use under a broiler, but the temperatures we’ve listed keep the lids in mind for general oven use.
According to GreenPan USA,
- Glass Lids – Max temperature of 390F when used with stainless cookware and only 356F when used with Bakelite (Phenolic).
- Stainless Steel Lids – No max temperature for the lids themselves.
- Stainless Handles With Soft Core – Max oven temperature 428F.
Our general rule of thumb for ceramic cookware has always been to avoid the oven, avoid cooking sprays, and use lower temperatures when cooking to hopefully extend the life of our cookware.
Final Thoughts
You’ve probably seen the “Green Pan as seen on TV” commercials before now, and the interest is definitely there for a Teflon alternative.
Being able to cook with pots and pans that have a nonstick surface without having to be concerned about the risks Teflon possesses is a great incentive.
One of the Greenpan sets might be calling to you a little louder than the others, and that’s okay as they’re all pretty cool. If we had to choose, we would pick the Greenpan Lima Cookware Set because it has stainless handles and glass lids.
