Kitchen & Cookware
Caraway vs Our Place: which is actually the safer buy?
Same coating family, same consumable problem, two different answers to the question of how many pans you need.
Last reviewed October 13, 2026 — Selena H.
The verdict. Buy Caraway if you want a matched coated set, a higher oven rating (550F against 450F) and the fullest published construction in the category. Buy the Always Pan if your kitchen is small and one vessel that sautés, steams, fries and braises is worth more to you than a cupboard of matching pans. Neither is safer than the other in any meaningful sense: both are aluminum bodies with sol-gel ceramic coatings, both state PTFE-free composition as a manufacturer claim, and both have a non-stick layer with a one-to-three-year life.
If what you actually want is cookware that does not expire, neither of these is the answer and uncoated stainless or cast iron is.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Material | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caraway Cookware Set550F rating, fullest published construction, several matching vessels. | A matched coated set | Aluminum body | |
| 2 |  Our Place Always Pan 2.0One ceramic-coated pan doing four jobs, with a 450F ceiling. | One vessel, small kitchen | Cast aluminum body with a ceramic non-stick coating |
Tap a row to jump to that write-up. Prices are not shown on this site because they change — the button sends you to the live Amazon listing.
The specification, side by side
| Caraway | Our Place Always Pan | |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Aluminum | Cast aluminum |
| Coating | Sol-gel ceramic, no PTFE | Ceramic, no PTFE |
| Handle | Stainless steel | Stainless steel |
| Oven rating | 550F (manufacturer) | 450F (manufacturer) |
| Induction | Yes, stainless base plate | Model dependent — check |
| Certification | Manufacturer claim; third-party testing stated | Manufacturer claim |
| Format | Matched multi-piece set | One multi-purpose vessel |
| Coating life | 1-3 years | 1-3 years |
Where they genuinely differ
- Oven ceiling. 550F versus 450F is the clearest functional gap. If you finish dishes in a hot oven, Caraway wins outright.
- Format. A set versus a single vessel. This is a kitchen-size question rather than a product-quality one.
- Searing. Neither is a searing pan, but the Always Pan's deep sloped sides trap steam, which makes it the worse of the two for browning.
- Disclosure. Caraway publishes more, including a stated third-party testing program — which is a claim rather than a published report.
- Price per vessel. The Always Pan is cheaper outright and more expensive per piece if you then need a second pan anyway.
Where they do not differ at all
The coating chemistry. Both are sol-gel ceramic coatings with no fluoropolymer, and both will lose their release within one to three years with no way to restore it. Any argument that one of these brands has solved coating durability is marketing.
The certification position is also identical: neither holds a named third-party certification for the cookware, which is normal across this category rather than a mark against either.
Choose Caraway if...
- You want several matching vessels rather than one.
- You finish food in the oven above 450F.
- You want the most published construction detail available.
- Induction compatibility needs to be certain.
Choose Our Place if...
- Storage space is the binding constraint in your kitchen.
- You cook simple food for one or two people.
- You want one purchase rather than a set.
- You will never need an oven above 450F.
A third option worth knowing
If the replacement cycle is what bothers you about both, the honest third option is one small coated pan for eggs plus uncoated clad stainless or cast iron for everything else. It costs less than either of these sets, nothing in it expires except the small egg pan, and each piece is better at its job.
The picks in full
1. Best for A matched coated set
Caraway Cookware Set
550F rating, fullest published construction, several matching vessels.
- Made of
- Aluminum body, sol-gel mineral ceramic coating, stainless steel handles and base plate
- Certified to
- Manufacturer claimManufacturer claim; no third-party certification published.
- Oven safe
- Manufacturer states 550F
- Coating type
- Ceramic (sol-gel), no PTFE
- Induction
- Yes, stainless base plate
The better buy if you want more than one coated pan and the ability to finish food in a hot oven. Published aluminum body, sol-gel ceramic interior, stainless handles and base plate.
What you give up
A one-to-three-year coating on every piece, and premium pricing for that horizon.
Who it's for
Households replacing several pans at once.
Who should skip it
Small kitchens, and anyone wanting permanence.
2. Best for One vessel, small kitchen
Our Place Always Pan 2.0
One ceramic-coated pan doing four jobs, with a 450F ceiling.
- Made of
- Cast aluminum body with a ceramic non-stick coating, stainless steel handle
- Certified to
- Manufacturer claimManufacturer claim; no third-party certification published.
- Pieces replaced
- Marketed as replacing 8 pans
- Coating type
- Ceramic, no PTFE
- Oven safe
- Manufacturer states 450F
The better buy when storage rather than money is the constraint. Sauté, steam, fry and braise in one published-construction vessel with a stainless handle.
What you give up
The lowest oven rating here, poor searing because of the shape, same consumable coating.
Who it's for
Small kitchens and simple cooking.
Who should skip it
Anyone who roasts hot or sears often.
How we chose, and what we did not do
Every product on this page was checked against its published material composition and its third-party certifications, with each claim labeled as certified, manufacturer-stated or independently tested by a named party. We do not run a lab and we do not claim to have used these products — the full method is here.
Questions people actually ask
Is Caraway or Our Place safer?
Neither, in any meaningful sense. Both are aluminum pans with sol-gel ceramic coatings containing no PTFE, both state that as a manufacturer claim, and neither holds a third-party certification. The differences are oven rating, format and disclosure depth.
Which lasts longer, Caraway or the Always Pan?
Both coatings last one to three years of regular use. Caraway's higher 550F rating gives slightly more margin against the thing that actually kills coated pans, which is overheating.
Does the Always Pan really replace a whole set?
For simple cooking in a small kitchen, largely yes. It does not replace a searing pan, and it cannot go in an oven above 450F.
Is there a better option than either?
If permanence matters more than release, yes: one small coated pan for eggs plus uncoated stainless or cast iron for everything else costs less and nothing in it expires.
Sources
- Caraway Home (manufacturer)
- Our Place (manufacturer)
- US EPA — Our Current Understanding of the Human Health and Environmental Risks of PFAS — Regulator overview of PFAS persistence and health endpoints
- Science News — Sticky situation: nonstick surfaces can turn toxic at high heat
Read next
Kitchen & Cookware
Caraway cookware review: what it is made of, and what it is certified to
Caraway's published composition, its third-party testing claim, and the coating lifespan the box does not mention.
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Our Place Always Pan review: one pan, eight jobs, one coating
The Always Pan's construction, its 450F limit, and an honest read on the replaces-eight-pans claim.
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Is ceramic cookware safe?
What a sol-gel ceramic coating is, how it fails, and the one-to-three-year lifespan nobody publishes.
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Best ceramic cookware sets, and the distinction brands blur
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Written by Selena H., owner of Glass & Cotton.