Key events
That’s all for now!
Thanks, everyone, for reading and submitting questions.
The Filter US is your guide to buying fewer, better and more sustainable things. We’re here to answer your shopping quandaries (like which saucepan is best for cooking single serving meals), tell you which tinned fish is worth the hype and put everyday items like air fryers or blenders to the test.
Outside the kitchen, you can also trust out independent reviews of everything from the the best laptop backpacks to the most comfy seat cushion.
Our buying advice is informed by years of rigorous testing and expert knowledge. Have a question or product you want reviewed? Email us: thefilter.us@theguardian.com.
We’ll be back next month to answer questions about the busiest shopping event of the year (Black Friday and Cyber Monday).
What non-stick should I use to cook eggs?
Kathleen from Brooklyn, New York asks in a callout: I would like a reccommendation for a safe non-stick pan for cooking eggs.
Our lab is a fan of the Titanium Always Pan Pro from Our Place, of the pans we have tested so far.
It is safe up to 1000F and passed our egg test. A well seasoned cast iron pan can also build up non-stick properties. I think that there is a lot of innovation happening in this area and we will be seeing some great options in the next few years.
Here’s what the Drexel lab loved about the Titanium Always Pan Pro: This pan rated highly across our tests: it heated up quickly, eggs slid off the pan smoothly, and proteins got an even sear despite the micro-dot ridges on the pan’s surface (that help with the nonstick effect). If you’re looking for a flexible pan that’s easy to use, this is the one. (And, rare for a nonstick pan, it is dishwasher safe.)
What’s the best 8” non-stick pan?
Catherine in Seattle asks in a callout question: What is your recommendation for an 8-inch non-toxic sauté pan that can handle high heat?
Cast Iron is always a safe bet. It can handle high heat, comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and is non-toxic. Another option is the Titanium Always Pan Pro from Our Place. They have an 8.5-inch pan that is safe up to 1000F.
Not only is it safe but it is also non-stick, passed our egg test, and gave a good sear on our proteins.
If you want to read more about our testing an the pan, you can find our article here.
Someone scratched my non-stick. Do I need to toss it?
Kate from Chicago asks in a callout: A well-meaning family member used metal tongs on one of our non-stick pans, leaving scratches in the coating and revealing the pan surface beneath it. Is it still safe? Or should we toss it?
Caroline: Ouch, I am sorry to hear this. Micro-pieces of the coating can separate and become part of the food you are cooking. Safest thing is to properly dispose of the pan.
Are old pans safe?
Debora Modra from Albany, New York, asks in a callout: Are old cast iron pans safe to use for cooking? What about Paul Revere pans (copper bottom, stainless steel sides)?
I have an old seasoned cast iron pan I love and will leave it to my children. Be sure that yours is well-seasoned and has no rust. The Paul Revere pans have an strong following and the vintage ones are fantastic.
Be sure to check as not all of them are safe – but a good number are. I love the classic “copper clad” stainless steel or 1400 line.
Is leftover rice safe to eat?
A reader asks in a callout: Is it true that you shouldn’t eat leftover rice, even if it immediately went into the fridge after cooking because of the risk of foodborne illness?
Rachel: The short answer, no, this is not true. As long as rice is cooked and cooled properly, it should be safe to eat leftovers. The concern with rice is Bacillus Cereus, a heat-stable pathogen that can cause you to get sick. If you are worried about cooling your rice fast enough, try spreading it out in a thin layer on a tray in the refrigerator so it cools quickly (below 40F) and then transfer it to a container for longer term storage.
A price-conscious oven-to-table pan pick
Irene in Miami, Florida asks in a reader callout: What are the best pans to use to cook an entire meal from stove to oven? Price is important.
Rachel: I love a cast iron pan for stove to oven meals. Not only are they a non-toxic option, but they are inexpensive, easy to find, and hold heat well so you can keep your meals warm a little longer on the table.
Our test of the top non-toxic pans included the Caraway Enamel Cast Iron Skillet, our winner for best pan for the oven.
Filter editor Karen Yuan loves the No 5 chef skillet, writing that it fixes everything she hated about cast iron: “I’ve been reaching for this small but mighty workhorse every day. It not only is comfortable to use, but also cooks several basic dishes better than my other pans.”
What’s one food safety mistake most make?
nycreader2 asks in a comment: What’s the one food safety mistake people make most often at home without realizing it?
Rachel: Cross-contamination! Using the same cutting board for raw meat and vegetables is a risky move. If you want to use the same board, make sure to cut all your vegetables first and then move them to a separate bowl or platter while you cut the meat to prevent cross-contamination. Another area where I have witnessed concern is not sanitizing your sponge after cleaning raw meat off of things like the aforementioned cutting board.
Caroline: Using items that are damaged. We love old vintage items in the kitchen- Grandma’s pans are a favorite. But inspect the items regularly and be ready to part with them when they start to break down.
What dishes are safest for my pets?
Colleen from New York also asks in a callout: What dishes and mats are safest for my cats and dog? Stainless steel seems to be the right move, but then there are concerns about heavy metal toxicity.
Caroline: So, under high heat and acidity stainless steel will leach trace amounts of Chromium III (the good one) and nickel both are micronutrients dogs and humans need! Unless you have a nickel allergy.
Are there Pfas in the stone ground exterior of my cookware?
A reader asks in a callout: We bought a pan (similar to this on Amazon) which has ground up stone covering inside and outside. Does this contain PFAS?
Caroline: I found the manufacturer-linked documentation for the exact 20 cm Shield pan, RH02836EU7, UPC 5054061452778, but unfortunately Russell Hobbs/Ultimate Products does not disclose the chemical composition of the non-stick coating in the publicly available documentation. Based on other similar pans I would not classify this pan as PFAS-free or PTFE-free.
Drexel tested 13 nonstick pans free of harmful Pfas chemicals. Of those, we recommend seven including the Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro and Caraway Enamel Cast Iron Skillet. Our budget picks are the Lodge Cast Iron ($23.65 at Home Depot) and Victoria 12in Cast Iron Skillet ($29.99 at Amazon).
My ceramic cat dish chipped. Is it exposing my pets to harmful chemicals?
Colleen from New York asks in a callout: If a ceramic cat dish chips (like this from Chewy), is that potentially exposing them to additional toxins beyond what was present when the bowl was new? Are more colorful bowls likely to have more toxins?
Caroline: Those are so cute and whimsical. The colors are the underglaze and there is a coating on top that is lead and BHP free. They are safe for humans. That said if the dish starts to discolor or get cloudy, dispose of properly.
Is it okay to use the same tongs for raw meat and veggies in a stir fry?
A reader from Scarborough, Ontario asks in a callout question: When cooking a stir fry, if I use a spatula to move around raw meat at the beginning, should I clean it before adding veggies? Is it safe to use the same utensil throughout?
Rachel: Generally if you are cooking raw meat and using the same utensil to continue to stir while it heats up, you should be okay. The part of the utensil that is touching the meat is likely also hitting those safety temperatures. I would be wary if you simply use a utensil to add raw meat to a pan and the utensil does not get heated at all. For the most part, depending on the dish, I would assume that any cross contamination would be neutralized once the vegetables cook down.