Made In · Griddle Pans
Made In Carbon Steel Griddle
Lower PFAS concern, bare carbon steel griddle has no coating to release forever chemicals.
Made In's carbon steel griddle is an uncoated, bare-steel cookware product with inherently lower PFAS risk. Carbon steel does not require Teflon-type coating, Teflon-family coating, or water-resistant treatments.
Shop Made In on Amazon →Material
carbon steel, bare/seasoned
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
cookware is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
Uncoated safe material
Bare, uncoated material (cast iron, stainless, carbon steel, or glass) with no surface treatment to contain PFAS.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Made In's carbon steel griddle is bare metal, iron alloyed with small amounts of carbon, with no synthetic coating, enamel, or nonstick finish. This means no risk of polymer fume release, lead in glazes, or Teflon-type coating degradation that plague coated alternatives. The griddle relies on seasoning (a layer of polymerized oil) for nonstick properties and corrosion resistance, a method unchanged for centuries.
The brand's record and disclosure
Made In has not publicly disclosed testing data or third-party certifications specific to heavy metals, lead migration, or manufacturing contaminants in their carbon steel cookware. The brand markets durability and performance but offers no transparency on material sourcing or quality assurance testing. No recalls or safety violations are on record for this product line.
How it compares in its category
Carbon steel griddles occupy a middle ground: safer than nonstick cookware (which sheds Teflon-type coating or ceramic), but require more maintenance than enameled cast iron (which can chip and expose bare metal). Made In's bare carbon steel is comparable to Lodge or vintage cast iron in principle but commands a premium price for manufacturing precision and finish quality.
If you buy it
Maintain seasoning by washing gently, drying immediately, and oiling lightly after each use to prevent rust. Do not use in a dishwasher or allow prolonged soaking. Preheat gradually to avoid thermal shock; carbon steel conducts heat quickly and unevenly. If seasoning degrades severely, you can strip and re-season the griddle rather than discard it.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Iron/steel oxidation and rust
Bare carbon steel will rust if seasoning is compromised or storage is humid. Rust itself is not acutely toxic, but improper maintenance could force premature replacement or expose you to oxidized iron particles in food.
Lead or cadmium in steel base metal
Modern carbon steel cookware in the US is unlikely to contain added lead or cadmium, and no recall or test has flagged Made In griddles for heavy metal content. Historical cast iron can contain trace impurities, but contemporary production controls mitigate this.
Oil polymerization byproducts
Seasoning relies on heated oil polymers; if burned or overheated repeatedly, degraded seasoning layers may release volatile compounds. This is a maintenance issue, not a design flaw, and risk is low with normal use.
Coating delamination or chipping
Bare carbon steel has no separate coating to peel or chip. The seasoning is integral and can be reapplied if worn, avoiding the risk of consuming coating fragments.
Thermal hotspots and uneven heating
Carbon steel distributes heat less evenly than stainless or aluminum, which could lead to localized overheating of oil or food. This is a performance limitation rather than a contamination hazard.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 92% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Griddle Pans
Caraway
Sage Ceramic Non-Stick Square Griddle Pan
Ceramic non-stick coating (proprietary, PFOA/Teflon-type coating-free)
Lower-concern option; ceramic coating and third-party certifications support the PFAS-free claim, though independent lab testing of this specific product line i
⚠Risky category by default
More griddle pans grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.