If you want to buy 100% American-made cookware, it requires a fair amount of research.
We did the work of finding cookware actually made in the USA. This wasn't easy because some companies are quietly moving their operations overseas while striving to maintain the image of having an American-made product.
We found a surprising amount of wrong information about cookware made in the USA, and we had to really dig to find some of this information--but we're pretty sure we got it right.
Aluminum and Nonstick Cookware Made in the USA
Most nonstick cookware is made in China, but we found three brands who still make some of their nonstick cookware here.
We recommend buying only nonstick skillets, not entire sets, because of their short life span. They tend to lose their nonstick properties quickly, and you really only need a nonstick cooking surface on your skillet (and even then, it's best for certain foods, like eggs and fish).
We have several articles on buying nonstick cookware, reviews, safety information and more. See our Cookware page for a list of our nonstick articles.
Ameriware Professional Nonstick Cookware
See Ameriware Professional website
This is Regal's line of nonstick cookware. Heavy duty cookware, contains PTFE (Teflon). It has a 25 year warranty but that probably doesn't cover wear and tear of the PTFE. Worn-out nonstick coatings are not considered a manufacturing defect, so they typically aren't covered under a warranty.
And no matter how much you spend, a nonstick coating is only going to last 1-5 years.
But if you want nonstick cookware guaranteed to be fully made in the USA, this is a great option.
Calphalon (Elite Line Only)
See Calphalon Elite at Williams-Sonoma
Calphalon is an American company with several cookware lines. They're best known for their aluminum nonstick cookware, but they make clad stainless steel cookware as well as other products.
There's a lot of confusing and conflicting information on the Internet about which Calphalon lines are made where.
A lot of people think all Calphalon cookware is made in the USA, but the only line still made here is Calphalon Elite, which is sold at Williams-Sonoma.
Other interesting facts:
- All other Calphalon nonstick lines (besides Elite) are now made in China; they say that some of the pieces are still made in the US but they don't specify which ones, so it's impossible to know if you're getting US-made nonstick Calphalon unless you buy the Elite line.
- All of Calphalon's clad stainless steel and cast iron cookware is made in China.
- All Calphalon knives, bakeware, and small appliances are made in China.
- Unison and AccuCore (probably as well as other lines) were made in the USA but have been phased out and replaced by lines made in China, though you may still be able to find some of these lines online.
Nordic Ware
See Nordic Ware Texas Skillet on Amazon (pictured here)
See Nordic Ware store on Amazon
See Nordic Ware cookware at Nordicware.com
If you want to be sure to buy American-made nonstick, Nordic Ware is a better bet than Calphalon. Nordic Ware makes aluminum nonstick cookware and bakeware. They are a small, privately owned company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They still make most of their cookware and bakeware in a factory in the Twin Cities--but not all of it.
We couldn't find information on what is made here and what is made overseas. Our best guess is that if you buy their core products--aluminum nonstick cookware and bakeware--it's made in the USA. If you buy one of their other products, there's a decent chance it's made in China.
LloydPans (PTFE free)
Lloydpans makes hard anodized, semi-nonstick cookware--known best for their pizza pans, but they also make cookware. Lloydpans cookware contains no PTFE or other PFAS forever chemicals. The pans are high quality and come in a few different types of proprietary nonstick (or semi-nonstick) coatings.
Lloydpans are a 100% USA-made product, manufactured in a factory in Spokane Valley, Washington.
Tramontina Porcelain Nonstick Cookware Set
See Tramontina Nonstick cookware set on Amazon
Tramontina has factories all over the world. As far as we know, this is the only Tramontina cookware made in the USA.
It's fairly standard, porcelain-coated exterior with a PTFE nonstick cooking surface. At just over $100 for a 16 piece set, don't expect high quality (regardless of where it's made).
Vollrath Wear-Ever
See Vollrath Wear-Ever on Amazon
Vollrath is a Wisconsin-based manufacturer that makes dozens of kitchen products, many of them in China. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that their Wear-Ever line of aluminum nonstick cookware is made in the USA.
Vollrath makes commercial grade products for restaurant kitchens, so they are super heavy duty. The Wear-Ever line is reasonably priced, too.
Because Vollrath makes a lot of their products overseas, we can't guarantee with 100% certainty that all of the Wear-Ever line is made in the USA. Our best recommendation is to check the listing before you buy. (And we do know that the skillet linked to above is made in the USA.)
Since Vollrath is a commercial product company, they often do not honor warranties for items sold to home users. This isn't a big deal for cookware, but you may want to get an Amazon extended warranty if you decide to go with this brand.
Cast Iron, Wrought Iron, and Carbon Steel Cookware Made in the USA
Cast iron skillets have had a resurgence in popularity, and several small, artisan cast iron makers have popped up in the last few years. Almost all of them are made in the USA.
Whether or not you want to pay artisan prices for cast iron cookware is another question, but if you don't, there's always Lodge, which has some of the most reasonably priced made-in-USA cookware on the market.
But you have to be careful! Because not all Lodge pieces are made in the USA, either. Lodge bare cast iron and carbon steel pans are made here; their enameled cast iron is made in China.
In any case, cast iron is an excellent substitute for nonstick cookware, which people are moving away from for a number of reasons such as potential health and safety issues, environmental issues, and having to be extremely careful about temperature and utensils. Cast iron has none of the worries that come with nonstick cookware--and it lasts forever.
For more information on cast iron skillets, see our article The Best Cast Iron Skillets: How Much Should You Spend?
Field
Field makes beautiful pans, and they also have the lightest cast iron in the business. You will pay a premium for it, but if you or someone you know loves cooking with cast iron but has mobility issues, Field offers top notch cast iron in a (slightly) lighter package. Its highly machined finish is one of the smoothest you'll find anywhere.
You can read more about Field in our cast iron skillet review.
Finex
Finex is beautifully made cast iron, with a price to match. Whether you love or hate the octagonal design, it's definitely eye-catching. It may be a bit over-engineered, but it's high quality cookware. One of the heavier boutique brands on the market--weighs more than standard Lodge pans. 100% made in the USA.
Lancaster Cast Iron
Beautiful, high quality artisanal cast iron made in Pennsylvania. The 10.5" skillet goes for about $175. It weighs about 4.5 pounds, which is surprisingly lightweight for cast iron. It has an extremely smooth surface, made like the old school cast iron Griswold pans.
If you're looking for a lightweight cast iron pan (which we think is a better choice than carbon steel), and you're willing to pay a premium for it, Lancaster offers some beautiful, functional skillets. They also sell wooden utensils, cutting boards, and kitchen-related accessories (leather handle covers, pot holders, coasters, and more).
Lodge
See Lodge cast iron on Amazon (left)
See Lodge carbon steel on Amazon (right)
Lodge is one of the oldest and most trusted US brands. But if you want to buy an American-made product, stick to their bare cast iron and carbon steel skillets, because their enameled Dutch ovens are made in China.
It's tough to beat Lodge prices and quality. If you want a skillet for your kitchen workhorse, Lodge is an excellent choice. The cast iron is not as smooth as the boutique brands, but at a fraction of the price, you can live with the rougher surface until seasoning and use fills it in (polymerized oils fill in the rough spots and make the pan smoother and more nonstick with every use).
Most other inexpensive cast iron skillets are made overseas, so Lodge is one of the few choices--maybe the only choice--for budget-friendly, American-made cast iron.
The carbon steel skillets are good quality, 2.6mm thick (12 gauge) with riveted handles--we like Vollrath better because the handles are welded, but the carbon steel is thinner, so if you want a heavier pan made in the USA, Lodge is the right choice.
You can read more about Lodge in our cast iron skillet review.
Nest
See Nest braising pan on Amazon
Nest makes gorgeous artisan cast iron. One of the reasons to buy artisan cast iron is that the surfaces are machined to a fine polished smoothness, and Nest has one of the smoothest surfaces you'll find. Whether this is worth the premium price tag is up to you, but it is a pleasure to use, and look at, this gorgeous cast iron.
Its "cherry tree" handles are unique in the business; they're pretty, but more importantly they feel natural in the hand and are a great help with holding and stabilizing the pan.
Smithey Ironware
See the Smithey Ironware website
It's another gorgeous artisan cast iron skillet.
If you're in the market for the artisan stuff, the main reason to buy one brand over another is really just aesthetic choice. Since all cast iron is durable and will last for life, get the one you want: no matter how much you spend, your cost-per-year-of-use will be low. We think the Smithey pans are some of the prettiest ones out there.
Solidteknics
Solidteknics makes wrought iron, not cast iron products. The steel used has a lower carbon content, which makes it less brittle and also improves its heating properties--they're better than cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel (at least according to the manufacturer, but it makes sense because of the lower carbon content). The pans are also thinner (because, less brittle), and won't crack like cast iron can do. This also makes them lighter weight than cast iron--but just as heat retentive, which is great.
"Wrought" means pressed or hammered into shape. It's not a common practice anymore, but Solidteknics cookware is bringing it back.
Solidteknics pans are 100% made in the USA.
The pans are also surprisingly well-priced, with the 10-inch skillet going for about $89 and the 11-inch for just under $100.
Stargazer
Stargazer skillets, like other artisan brands, also have an extremely smooth surface and are one of the few cast iron brands to have a turned pouring lip to help prevent drips. They have a grooved handle--similar to the All-Clad handle that gets a lot of hate but is actually an excellent design, safety-wise--that can help stabilize the pan a little better than some other handle designs.
You can read more about Stargazer in our cast iron skillet review.