Many things in our adult lives follow one simple rule: If you want better results, you’re going to have to give up a little more; a little more time, a little more money, a little more energy. Whatever you’re trying to do, your best bet at achieving success and ease is to invest a little bit more upfront.

Now, this doesn’t have to be so deep – actually, one of the best examples of this rule is the journey of finding and purchasing the best kind of cookware.

Enter the kitchen section of any home goods store or watch any top chef on your favorite food show doing their thing. You’ll notice just how many options there are for cookware. With so many sizes, shapes, brands, and materials on the market, there’s no one-size-fits-all option that meets everyone’s needs. However, ceramic cookware comes pretty close. It’s the perfect nonstick, non-toxic, non-hassle investment for amateur and expert cooks alike.

If you’re still unsure how your bank account will feel about the investment a good set of ceramic cookware requires, here are a few reasons the payoff will make the initial cost well worth it.

Many people don’t realize the amount of toxic chemicals they expose themselves to when they cook on certain materials. Teflon, aluminum, and certain other types of nonstick pots and pans can contain toxic chemicals like PFOA, PTFE, lead, cadmium, or other PFAs, all of which can make people sick even in small doses.

In fact, Teflon has even been known to cause what’s been deemed “Teflon flu,” which can occur when Teflon is heated over 500ºF (260°C).

On the other hand, Ceramic cookware is free from these chemicals and heavy metals that can cause sickness, no matter what temperature they reach or how long you’ve had them. This is the primary driving factor behind peoples’ decisions to invest in ceramic cookware, among many others. The last thing you want to worry about when cooking a delicious meal for your loved ones is accidentally getting one of them sick from your pan!

The lack of toxic chemicals isn’t the only reason ceramic cookware is healthier for you. Its nonstick surface means you won’t have to use as much oil for cooking, meaning you’ll save a few calories and help your heart a little bit each time you cook a meal on it.

Another impressive feat of ceramic cookware is just how long it lasts. Whereas other types of pots and pans may burn and get damaged relatively quickly, ceramic more easily lasts the test of time, even if you cook multiple meals a day on it.

That said, as with any other product you own, the time it lasts still depends on how well you take care of it. Its durability and quality don’t mean you can use metal knives and rough scrubbing materials on it. Over time, its nonstick coating will still start to wear away. Still, you can drastically slow this process by treating your ceramic cookware gently and caring for it properly.

The durability of ceramic cookware is undisputed, largely due to the porcelain glaze and molten glass powder that make up its coating.

If you regularly cook meals or work with ingredients that contain a lot of acids, ceramic cookware is absolutely the way to go. This is because its non-reactive properties protect it from the immediate impact of acid, which would otherwise quickly damage the nonstick coating of any other type of cooking material.

In addition to acid damaging the coating of non-ceramic pots and pans, it can also absorb into the food itself and cause the flavor profiles to change significantly. Ceramic cookware eliminates this risk by creating a smooth surface for foods to retain their richest and boldest flavors.

There’s nothing more annoying than following a supposed “one-pan” recipe to the very end, only to find out that you need to complete the cooking or baking process in the oven. If you haven’t already been using a ceramic pot or pan, you’ll need to transfer the entire recipe into an oven-safe container!

This is not the case when you use ceramic cookware from the get-go. This material can be exposed to extremely high levels of heat without giving off fumes. This means you can transfer it from stove to oven and trust that it can take the heat (literally – it can handle up to 800ºF / 427ºC).

Not only are ceramic pans tolerant to heat, but they also distribute it evenly across their entire surface. This means you won’t have to deal with that oh-so-annoying scenario of one part of the pan burning your food while the other part remains undone.

All in all, investing in ceramic cookware has payoffs that will give you more than an equal return on your investment. From its durability to its heat-resistance and health benefits, ceramic cookware could be the secret ingredient your meals have been missing all along.