Buy Our Place if you want one do-it-all pan for a small kitchen, and Caraway if you want a full matching nontoxic set that comes with its own storage. Both make PFAS-free ceramic cookware, but Caraway publishes third-party safety tests while Our Place doesn't, and Our Place now sells a no-coating Titanium pan that outlasts both.
These are the two pans you keep seeing on Instagram. They look similar, they cost similar money, and most comparisons stop at color and call it a day. The real differences are in what each brand will tell you about its coating, how long that coating lasts, and whether you want one clever pan or a whole coordinated set. Here is the honest version.
How we compared them
- Coating and testing. Both sell ceramic nonstick that's free of PFAS, PTFE, and PFOA. What separates them is whether the brand will show you proof.
- Durability and care. Ceramic nonstick is finite on both. We looked at real-world lifespan and how forgiving each one is.
- Range and format. One multi-functional pan versus a full matching set is the core decision here.
- Price and warranty. What you actually pay, and how long you're covered if something fails.
- Looks. Both lean hard on aesthetics, in opposite directions.
- Performance. Heat speed, oven-safe temperature, searing, and induction compatibility.
At a glance
| Brand | Best for | Price | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Place | Small kitchens, one do-it-all pan | Always Pan ~$135 | The multi-functional Always Pan and a no-coating Titanium Pro |
| Caraway | A full matching nontoxic set | 4-piece set ~$395 | Coordinated ceramic sets with storage and published test results |
Our Place
Our Place built its name on the Always Pan, a single ceramic nonstick pan (about 10.5 inches, 2.6 quarts) designed to do the work of eight to ten pieces. It sautés, fries, steams, and braises, and it stores flat with a spatula that clips to the handle. If your kitchen is small or you mostly cook for one or two people, that one pan plus the matching Perfect Pot covers most of what you do.
The range has grown well beyond that. There's now a Perfect Pot, a Wonder Oven, rice and Dream cookers, dinnerware, and three different pan materials: ceramic, enameled cast iron, and titanium.
That titanium line matters. The Titanium Always Pan Pro has no coating at all. It uses a micro-textured titanium surface (Our Place calls it NoCo) that releases food through material science instead of a chemical layer, so there's nothing to wear off. It's tri-ply, oven-safe to around 1000°F, dishwasher safe, and you can use metal utensils on it. It costs more than the ceramic Always Pan and behaves differently (food needs to cook through and self-release rather than sliding from the first second), but it sidesteps the one real weakness of ceramic.
The Always Pan 2.0 itself runs around $135 and is oven-safe to 450°F. The honest caveat: Our Place won't publish third-party test results for its ceramic coating, citing a proprietary formula. The pans are made in China, Thailand, and Mexico.
Best for: small kitchens, cook-for-one-or-two, aesthetics-led shoppers, and anyone who wants the no-coating Titanium pan.
Caraway
Caraway goes the other direction. Instead of one clever pan, it sells coordinated ceramic-coated sets, the classic four being a fry pan, sauté pan, saucepan, and Dutch oven, and they ship with magnetic pan racks and a canvas lid holder so the whole thing stores neatly. The brand has since added bakeware, food storage, prep sets, and a 5-ply stainless steel line.
The coating is a proprietary sol-gel ceramic, free of PTFE, PFOA, and PFAS, and here's Caraway's real edge: it commissioned third-party testing showing no lead, cadmium, or heavy-metal leaching, and it makes that documentation available. If you're buying "nontoxic" specifically because you want to see proof, that transparency is the difference.
Caraway's ceramic is oven-safe to 550°F including the lid, heats quickly, and works on induction. The four-piece cookware set runs around $395, and a single 8-inch fry pan is about $90, which often reads as better per-piece value than buying individual Our Place pieces. Warranty is mixed: one year on the ceramic, but a limited lifetime warranty on the stainless steel and enameled cast iron. Caraway cookware is made in China.
The honest caveat: ceramic coatings are finite, and a one-year warranty is short for a set at this price. Reported lifespans vary widely depending on how carefully owners follow the medium-heat, no-metal-utensils, hand-wash rules.
Best for: shoppers who want a full coordinated set with storage, muted minimalist looks, and published safety testing.
How they compare
Nontoxic coating and testing
Both ceramic lines are PFAS-free and skip PTFE and PFOA, so on paper they're even. In practice Caraway wins on transparency: it publishes third-party heavy-metal testing, and Our Place declines to. If you want the no-chemical-coating route entirely, Our Place's Titanium Pro is its own answer, since it has no coating to test in the first place.
Range
This is the cleanest fork. Our Place sells one or two do-everything pieces plus a growing line of appliances. Caraway sells full matching sets with storage. Pick based on whether you want to consolidate down to one pan or kit out a whole kitchen at once.
Price
A single Always Pan ($135) is a lower entry point than Caraway's four-piece set ($395). But compared piece for piece, Caraway often comes out as the better value, and the set price includes the storage racks. Your math depends on whether you actually need four pans.
Looks
Our Place is playful and vibrant, with bold color drops and a trend-forward feel. Caraway is muted and minimalist, in soft neutrals built to disappear into the counter. Neither is better, they just suit different kitchens.
Performance and durability
Caraway's ceramic heats fast and takes higher oven heat (550°F vs Our Place's 450°F). Both ceramic coatings will eventually wear, and the Always Pan's thinner body can develop a hot spot in the center that wears the middle faster. Neither ceramic is built for high-heat searing of big cuts. The most durable option in either lineup is Our Place's Titanium Pro: no coating to fail, metal-utensil safe, and oven-rated far higher.
Which should you buy?
If you have a small or apartment kitchen and cook for one or two, go with Our Place's Always Pan. One pan, stores flat, covers most weeknight cooking.
If you're outfitting a kitchen and want a full matching set with storage, buy the Caraway cookware set. The bundled racks and per-piece value make more sense than buying Our Place pieces one at a time.
If you specifically want published proof that your nonstick is clean, Caraway is the pick for its third-party testing.
If you're tired of replacing worn ceramic and you cook with metal utensils or sear a lot, skip both ceramic lines and get Our Place's Titanium Always Pan Pro. No coating means nothing to wear off.
And if looks decide it: Our Place for color and personality, Caraway for quiet neutrals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Our Place or Caraway more non-toxic?
Both ceramic lines are free of PFAS, PTFE, and PFOA. The practical difference is proof: Caraway publishes third-party testing showing no lead or heavy-metal leaching, while Our Place keeps its formula proprietary and doesn't release test results. For documented reassurance, Caraway has the edge.
Which lasts longer, Our Place or Caraway?
Both ceramic coatings are finite and lifespan depends heavily on care (medium heat, no metal utensils, hand washing). Reported Caraway lifespans range from under a year to several years; the Always Pan tends to run one to two years of daily use. Our Place's no-coating Titanium pan outlasts both.
Is Caraway cheaper than Our Place?
A single Always Pan (around $135) costs less up front than Caraway's four-piece set (around $395). But piece for piece, Caraway is often the better value, and the set includes storage racks. It depends on whether you need one pan or several.
Can you use metal utensils on either?
Not on the ceramic versions. Metal utensils scratch ceramic nonstick on both brands, so stick to wood or silicone. The exception is Our Place's Titanium Always Pan Pro, which is rated metal-utensil safe.
Which is better for a small kitchen?
Our Place. The Always Pan is built to replace several pieces and stores flat, which is the whole point for an apartment kitchen. Caraway's value is in a full set, which needs more cabinet space even with the storage racks.
Are Our Place and Caraway made in the same place?
No, though both manufacture in China. Caraway's cookware is made in China; Our Place produces across China, Thailand, and Mexico depending on the product.
Is the Titanium Always Pan Pro better than the ceramic one?
For durability, yes. The Titanium Pro has no coating to wear off, is metal-utensil and dishwasher safe, and takes far higher heat. The trade-off is that it costs more and food needs to cook through and self-release rather than sliding off instantly like fresh ceramic does.
More brand guides
Looking for more? These guides round up the best brands in other categories.