Whenever a shiny new promise of kitchen minimalism is dangled in front of me, I’m tempted to take the bait. Such was the case with the Always Pan by Our Place, which is a nontoxic, nonstick pan boasting multiple cooking functions. It also happens to be incredibly beautiful, making it total kitchen eye candy. We decided to give it a spin, and today we’re sharing our full review.
Who: Our Place is an LA-based company making cookware and dinnerware with the mission of helping people connect over home cooking.
What: The Always Pan is designed to replace 8 traditional pieces of cookware: a fry pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, nonstick pan, spatula, and spoon rest. It allows you to braise, sear, steam, strain, sauce, fry, boil, serve, and store.
How: Our Place invests in ethical factories that provide supportive environments and compensation to their teams. They make products with thoughtful and responsible materials as often as possible.
Cost: $145 USD
Selling points
- Exclusive high-performance ceramic nonstick surface
- No PFOAs or PTFEs
- Replaces 8 pieces of cookware
- 2 easy-pour spouts
- Custom steamer basket and colander
- “Stay cool” lid and pan handle
- Beechwood spatula and built-in spoon rest
- Modular lid to release and trap steam
Note: This review is not sponsored. We purchased the Always Pan, did not contact the company about doing so, and reviewed it an unbiased manner. We do, however, have an affiliate link that provides a small commission when used for purchase.
Updated 2/22/21
We purchased the Always Pan in August 2020 and have been using it almost every day to put it to the test.
We didn’t have any complaints for the first 6 months (easy to clean, heats quickly, non stick, the works), and absolutely would recommend it. However, as some other readers suggested, after about 6 months the nonstick coating wore off and was no longer non-stick, which is a huge bummer because we loved the pan otherwise.
I will note, we never put it it in the dishwasher and used it on high heat sparingly. So I don’t believe it was user error.
Pros
- It’s beautifully designed and comes in many colors (we have our eyes on the lilac shade next)
- It’s lightweight (4 lbs. including the lid)
- It’s easy to clean initially (and dishwasher safe – though we recommend hand washing), however, after 6 months when the non-stick coating weakened, cleaning became more difficult)
- It really is nonstick…at first. But after 6 months the non-stick was no longer as effective
- It heats quickly and evenly
- It doesn’t require much (or any) oil when cooking (great for those cooking with less or no oil)
- It’s well designed with a custom steam basket and nesting spatula
- The company is doing its best to do business ethically and sustainably
Cons
- It’s expensive — $145 USD (but considering it’s multi-functional, it does save money if replacing other cookware)
- It’s not oven-safe (cast iron still has a leg up here)
- It’s not deep enough to boil a substantial amount of ingredients in my opinion
- Most notably, after ~6 months of gentle, responsible use, the non-stick coating wore off.
Is The Always Pan Safe?
One of the main questions I received when sharing I’d purchased the Always Pan was “Is it safe?” According to all the information available on their website and information they provided when contacted directly, I would say yes.
The Always Pan features an “exclusive non-toxic, nonstick ceramic coating made without potentially toxic materials like PFOAs, PTFEs, other PFAs, lead, cadmium, toxic metals, and nanoparticals.”
Also from the company:
“Our product is free of lead and heavy metals both for the interior and exterior of the Always Pan. We’re working on some testing that will be available on our site for all our customers (new and old!) to be as transparent as possible.”
As far as cooking goes, it’s kind of a dream. We love the steamer basket that allows for a sizable quantity of ingredients.
And the handles on the sides make it easy to lift out once done cooking. (Note: Always be careful when handling a hot pan.)
It also sautés incredibly well and requires very little to no oil thanks to the nonstick surface (again, at first it sautés great, but as the pan wears, it’s no longer nonstick). I’ve tested it with oil, a light amount of oil, no oil, and water for sautéing and each worked well.
The ultimate test? Frying an egg. For the first 6 months it worked beautifully, but after that point, most foods (especially eggs) started sticking to the pan even when a little oil was applied.
We do love the depth of the pan, which allows for sautéing and stir frying a sizable portion of ingredients without spillage.
One thing we do love: aesthetics. It’s incredibly beautiful and the color range is stunning. We have the color “spice,” but also eyed “lavender.” “Sage” is also a stunner. And minimalists will delight in the colors “char” and “steam.”
The pan is also great for serving as it’s lightweight and even looks pretty when plopped down on the table for serving.
Perhaps the best part about the Always Pan? CLEANING. It’s SO easy to clean. (Again, this is largely at first but as the pan ages and more things stick, cleaning becomes less of a breeze).
While it’s technically dishwasher safe, the dishwasher is inevitably tough on cookware, so I’d recommend sticking to hand washing to preserve the non-stick longterm.
More Thoughts
Several readers reached out to us and either praised the pan as the ultimate kitchen companion or said the nonstick coating wore off in a matter of weeks.
At first, we didn’t notice this. But after ~6 months, the nonstick coating started wearing off. If you already own an Always Pan, to help prevent this from happening we strongly recommend the following steps:
- It’s not intended to be used over high heat for sustained periods of time (it’s better on medium to low heat)
- It wears best when hand washed (avoid dishwashing)
- It should not be used with metal cooking tools (like spatulas or whisks) or cleaned with abrasive sponges (like steel wool).
Do We Recommend The Always Pan?
At first, yes (whole heartedly). But after 6 months, no. It’s just not justifiable due to the high price tag. And ultimately, if it’s advertised as a non-stick pan, it should remain nonstick! I still use the pan for stir fries and saucy things. But when I want non-stick I go for my cast iron. Such a bummer.
Tell us: Have you tried the Always Pan? What has your experience been? Do you have other questions about the Always Pan? Leave your comments below!
Note: This review is not sponsored. We purchased the Always Pan, did not contact the company about doing so, and reviewed it an unbiased manner. We do, however, have an affiliate link that provides a small commission when used for purchase.
angie poppell says
I love mine but after a few months of use the handle has become loose and the nonstick coating is wearing off. I have followed manufacturer’s instructions for use so this should not be happening on such an expensive piece of cookware.
Emma Roads says
Have had my pan sets for three months. The large casserole dish and saucepan are fine, but the small frying pan has already started sticking especially when I do eggs have been using it for around 12 weeks only washed it with water, not in the dishwasher and only used plastic tools or wooden to make the eggs.
Very very disappointed given they are pretty expensive