HexClad Cookware Review 2026: The Real Gordon Ramsay Story, Tested

HexClad's pans are easy to recognize by their laser-etched hexagon pattern, and easy to associate with Gordon Ramsay, whose relationship with the brand is more substantial and more interesting than the usual celebrity-endorsement story. This review goes beyond that headline to look at how the hybrid stainless-nonstick technology actually performs in independent testing, what a 2023 lawsuit actually changed about the product you can buy today, and where the real complaint patterns show up.

PickSuperb Verdict Box

HexClad's hybrid design genuinely delivers good heat distribution and searing performance in independent hands-on testing, a real strength. The coating-wear pattern that shows up over time, and the gap between "lifetime warranty" marketing and its defects-only fine print, are both worth knowing before you buy.

Brand Snapshot

HexClad was founded in 2016 in Los Angeles by Daniel Winer, who serves as CEO, and Cole Mecray, after an earlier juicer startup the two built together failed and was discontinued in 2013. Winer found a hexagon-patterned griddle pan while sourcing overseas and redesigned it with a nonstick coating recessed into laser-etched hexagon valleys, launching HexClad in 2016 after the founders put more than $500,000 of their own savings and credit into the first year. Gordon Ramsay became a genuine equity partner in 2021, not merely a paid spokesperson, and in July 2024, Studio Ramsay Global, Ramsay's joint venture with Fox Corporation, invested $100 million in the company, a deal Bloomberg reported valued HexClad at roughly $1 billion. HexClad remains privately held with no other outside institutional investors disclosed, and reported revenue of $170.7 million in its most recent disclosed year, with a later $350 million figure cited as a forward projection by the company's president rather than a confirmed actual result.

Product Deep Dive: The Hybrid Technology and Pricing

HexClad's core design is a tri-ply clad body, magnetic stainless steel outer layer around an aluminum core, with a laser-etched hexagon pattern of raised stainless steel peaks surrounding recessed nonstick valleys. The marketing pitch is that the raised peaks protect the nonstick coating and allow metal-utensil use, a genuine structural difference from a standard nonstick pan. The current nonstick formulation, branded TerraBond, is marketed as PTFE-free and PFAS-free ceramic, a notably different coating from the PTFE-based formula used in pans sold during the 2022-2024 period covered by the lawsuit discussed below. Individual fry pans run roughly $140-200, with cookware sets commonly priced $320-380 at Costco and up to $700 for a 12-piece set direct from hexclad.com, though the brand runs near-constant sitewide sales of 35-49% off, worth factoring in before paying list price.

HexClad — Representative Pricing

Pros and Cons

Pros

•      Gordon Ramsay's involvement is a genuine, substantial equity partnership with real financial backing, not just a licensed name, a meaningfully stronger brand relationship than most celebrity cookware tie-ins

•      A strong global Trustpilot score of 4.6/5 across 7,143 reviews, with 85% five-star, suggests broad customer satisfaction at scale

•      Independent testing (Reviewed.com) found genuinely even heat distribution and good searing performance, with no hot spots during hands-on evaluation

•      The current TerraBond coating is marketed as PTFE-free, a real formulation change from the pans involved in the 2023 lawsuit, worth crediting as the company's response to that complaint

•      Real third-party editorial recognition, including two 2026 Good Housekeeping Kitchen Awards wins for its knife set and pizza steel

Cons

•      A 2023 class action (Cliburn v. One Source to Market) alleged HexClad marketed PTFE-containing pans as "non-toxic" and "PFAS-free"; the case settled for $2.5 million in 2025 with no wrongdoing admitted, covering purchases between February 2022 and March 2024

•      Independent hands-on testing found visible staining appeared almost immediately during high-heat searing, not fully removed by a standard dishwasher cycle without extra scrubbing

•      The advertised "lifetime" warranty covers manufacturing defects only, explicitly excluding surface wear and staining that develops with normal use, a real gap between the marketing language and the fine print

•      Comparison testing against All-Clad found All-Clad heats slightly faster and more precisely, though HexClad's hexagon pattern can mask surface scratches and wear over time

•      The warranty is void if purchased through unauthorized resellers like eBay, and "dishwasher safe" marketing is undercut by the brand's own FAQ warning that dishwasher use can dull or blacken the finish

What Real Owners and Reviewers Are Saying

"Heat distributed evenly across the whole pan with no hot spots, and I got a genuinely good sear on a ribeye."  — Reviewed.com, independent hands-on test

"Nonstick coating started flaking after just a few months of normal use, disappointing given the price."  — ConsumerAffairs review

"Warranty claim was denied because they said it was surface wear, not a manufacturing defect, even though I'd barely used it."  — Verified customer complaint

"Both brands will lose some nonstick performance over a few years, but HexClad's steel lattice does a better job of hiding the wear as it happens."  — LeafScore, independent HexClad vs. All-Clad comparison

"Food still sticks sometimes even with the nonstick marketing, turns out you really do need to use oil and medium-low heat like any other pan."  — Tasting Table, customer complaint roundup

How HexClad Compares to the Competition

Against All-Clad specifically, an independent comparison found All-Clad heats a bit faster and more precisely, while giving HexClad the edge for its current PTFE-free nonstick formulation, since All-Clad's own nonstick lines still use PTFE. Both brands are expected to lose some nonstick performance within a few years of regular use, a shared limitation across the hybrid and traditional nonstick category generally.

Who Should (and Shouldn't) Buy HexClad

Good Fit: Cooks Who Want Metal-Utensil-Safe Nonstick

If being able to use metal utensils without immediately destroying a nonstick surface is a real priority, HexClad's raised-hexagon design genuinely delivers on that specific claim better than most standard nonstick pans.

Weak Fit: Anyone Who Takes "Lifetime Warranty" at Face Value

Given that the warranty explicitly excludes surface wear and staining, buyers who expect full lifetime coverage against normal coating degradation should read the actual warranty terms before assuming "lifetime" means what it sounds like.

Our Top Pick in the Lineup

A single 10 or 12-inch fry pan around $150-180 is the more sensible way to try HexClad than committing to a full set upfront, it lets you evaluate the hybrid design and your own cooking habits with the coating before a bigger investment.

Pricing and Where to Buy

HexClad sells through hexclad.com, Costco, and other major retailers, with sitewide sales running near-constantly at 35-49% off list price. Buying from an authorized retailer rather than a third-party marketplace reseller like eBay is worth confirming, since the warranty is explicitly void on unauthorized-reseller purchases.

Understanding the PFAS Lawsuit and What Changed After It

This deserves a precise, dated explanation rather than a vague "HexClad got sued over chemicals" summary. Cliburn v. One Source to Market, LLC (HexClad's parent entity), filed in November 2023 in California state court, alleged the company marketed certain Hybrid pans as "non-toxic," "metal-utensil safe," and "PFOA-free"/"PFAS-free" while they actually contained PTFE, a PFAS compound sometimes called a "forever chemical." The case settled for $2.5 million in 2025, with final approval in September 2025 and a claims deadline in November 2025; HexClad denied wrongdoing, standard for this type of settlement, and agreed going forward not to label PTFE-containing products as "non-toxic," "PFOA-free," or "PFAS-free." The class period covered purchases between February 2022 and March 2024. Here's the part worth knowing if you're shopping today rather than relitigating the past: HexClad's current flagship nonstick coating, branded TerraBond, is marketed as genuinely PTFE-free and PFAS-free, a formulation that postdates the lawsuit's class period. We can't independently verify every claim about TerraBond's exact composition, since the brand hasn't published a full ingredient breakdown, but the shift away from PTFE itself is a real, verifiable change worth crediting as a response to the underlying complaint rather than just a settlement payout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Gordon Ramsay actually own part of HexClad?

Yes, genuinely. He became an equity partner in 2021, and in 2024 his joint venture with Fox Corporation invested $100 million in the company at a reported roughly $1 billion valuation. This is a real ownership stake, not just a paid endorsement.

Was HexClad sued over PFAS chemicals?

Yes. A 2023 class action alleged the company marketed PTFE-containing pans as "non-toxic" and "PFAS-free." The case settled for $2.5 million in 2025 with no wrongdoing admitted, and the company has since moved to a newer coating marketed as genuinely PTFE-free.

Does HexClad's lifetime warranty really cover everything?

No. The warranty covers manufacturing defects only and explicitly excludes surface wear, staining, and other damage that develops through normal use, a real gap between the "lifetime" marketing language and what's actually covered.

Is HexClad actually dishwasher safe?

Technically yes, but HexClad's own FAQ warns that dishwasher use, especially with non-phosphate detergents, can dull or blacken the pan's finish over time. Hand-washing is the more cautious choice despite the dishwasher-safe marketing.

Can I buy HexClad at Costco for less than on hexclad.com?

Often, yes. Costco regularly carries HexClad sets priced around $320-380, which can undercut the direct-site list price even before hexclad.com's own frequent 35-49% sitewide discounts are applied. It's worth comparing both before buying, since which is cheaper can shift depending on which promotion is currently running.

How long does HexClad's nonstick coating actually last?

Independent comparison testing against All-Clad found both brands lose some nonstick performance within a few years of regular use, a shared limitation of nonstick cookware generally rather than a HexClad-specific flaw. Cooking with low-to-medium heat, avoiding cooking sprays, and hand-washing rather than using the dishwasher all appear to extend the coating's working life based on available reviewer guidance.

PickSuperb Scorecard

Final Verdict

HexClad's hybrid design genuinely performs well in independent testing, even heat distribution and a real metal-utensil-safe nonstick claim that holds up better than most competitors, and Gordon Ramsay's involvement is a real, substantial equity partnership rather than just a licensing deal. The settled PFAS-marketing lawsuit and the gap between "lifetime warranty" language and its defects-only fine print are both real and worth knowing, though the company's shift to a PTFE-free coating since then is a genuine, verifiable step in the right direction. If metal-utensil-safe nonstick is what you're after and you've read the actual warranty terms, it remains a solid, well-reviewed pick. For another cookware brand we've reviewed with its own documented marketing scrutiny, see our Our Place Always Pan review.