Caraway vs. Our Place Cookware: Which is best?

The smoothest nonstick pans we’ve tested

Caraway and Our Place are two brands that came onto the home goods scene in the last six years. Their cookware sets have similar features and attractive designs, so if you’re trying to decide between the two, it’s tough to know which one is worth purchasing.

Numerous options are available when upgrading or building a new cooking space and choosing products in your kitchen. BestReviews’ Jacob Palmer shares the top kitchen picks from the BestReviews Testing Lab to simplify the process.

To find out, the BestReviews Testing Lab conducted performance and versatility tests on the Caraway Cookware Set and the Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set, including cooking tasks like frying, boiling and sautéing.We cooked a variety of foods known for sticking, such as eggs and pancakes, without using oil or butter. And we couldn’t believe the smoothness of the cooking surface, requiring zero effort to scramble and sauté. In fact, after testing cookware sets from leading brands, including Le Creuset and Viking, we concluded that Caraway and Our Place make the smoothest nonstick pans. As for cleanup, even though both Caraway and Our Place require hand-washing, the nonstick surface made cleaning a breeze.

In the end, we concluded that you can’t go wrong with a cookware set from either brand because both make durable, attractive cookware that’s easy to clean. But if you’re willing to pay more, Our Place offers a few additional convenience features that might appeal to home chefs.

Caraway vs. Our Place: What they do well

Caraway and Our Place both make Instagrammable cookware sets in a variety of fun colors.

Caraway and Our Place are both trusted brands that offer cookware sets with plenty of excellent features.

Caraway benefits

Magnetic storage and lid holder: Caraway sets include a lid holder and magnetic pan rack that can either be hung on the wall or stored in a cabinet. We noted that the pan rack didn’t necessarily save space, but it’s an aesthetically pleasing designated place to store the pans.
Oven safe up to 550 degrees: Caraway cookware’s oven-safe temperature limit is 550 degrees, which is higher than the Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set’s limit of 450 degrees.
Smooth nonstick surface: Cooking with Caraway’s nonstick cookware set felt smooth as butter. Food easily released when we scrambled eggs and sautéed veggies.
Classic look, various colors: Caraway cookware has a classic look that will never go out of style. You can choose from eight eye-catching colors, such as navy blue, marigold and a beautiful sage green.

Our Place benefits

Built-in strainers: We’d never seen cookware with built-in strainers until now. Every Our Place pot and pan comes with a spout that allows you to strain water and release steam when cooking.
Nesting spoon/spatula rests: We loved that Our Place includes a spoon/spatula with each piece. It’s a minor detail that makes a big difference in the kitchen.
100-day trial: Unlike Caraway’s 30-day trial, Our Place lets home chefs really get to know their cookware. And if you’re not satisfied, returns are free.
Stainless steel long handle: We were impressed by how the handle and knob stayed cool on the stovetop even when the base of the pan was incredibly hot.
Long + short handles: Most pots and pans have one handle, but Our Place cookware has a handle on each side. The smaller handle made lifting and pouring easier.

What they could improve

Our testers loved Caraway and Our Place, but there are a few minor issues to consider when investing in either brand.

Caraway drawbacks

Not dishwasher safe: Caraway cookware cannot be put in the dishwasher. Know that you’ll need to spend a little more time cleaning and caring for your pots and pans.
Pans take a while to heat up: We noticed that Caraway cookware took a while to heat up. Before cooking a turkey burger, the Caraway pan took about five minutes to warm up versus other leading brands that heated up almost instantly.
Handles get hot: We noticed that the Caraway handles became noticeably hot after about 10 minutes when cooking on medium heat. Keep this in mind and make sure you always have oven mitts nearby.

Our Place drawbacks

Potential chips and scratches: Before using the Our Place cookware, we noticed some chips in the paint on the Mini Perfect Pot and the lid of the Always pan. Ultimately, Our Place cookware could scratch more easily than Caraway cookware.
Always Pan colander is tough to grab: The Always Pan 2.0 that comes with the Our Place cookware set includes a separate colander that rests inside the pan. It’s a great idea in theory, but we found it was tricky to grab the handles when the water was boiling.
Not dishwasher safe: Most Our Place cookware cannot be put in the dishwasher. The Titanium Always Pan Pro is a rare example of an Our Place pan that can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Top Caraway models

You’ve likely seen Caraway cookware praised by social media influencers for its nontoxic surfaces. The design is classic and functional, plus each set comes with a pan and lid storage solution. We tested the Caraway Cookware Set and researched the Stainless Steel Cookware Set. The difference is in material and the fact that stainless steel is made for cooking at higher temperatures.

Caraway Cookware Set

Caraway cookware comes in eight eye-catching color options.

The Caraway Cookware comes in a 12-piece set that includes a 10.5-inch frying pan, 3-quart saucepan, 4.5-quart sauté pan, 6.5-quart Dutch oven and three lids. It also comes with four magnetic pan racks and a lid holder for organization, allowing you to display the set (though it takes up quite a bit of counter or cabinet space). Caraway offers eight color options, two of which have gold handles rather than silver. The set is also compatible with all stovetops, including induction, gas and electric.

We found that Caraway pans took longer than expected to heat up. Making bread took about nine minutes to brown, while other sets heated up instantly or within five minutes. Once the pan was hot, however, heat consistency and heat distribution were not issues. In fact, Caraway recommends using these pans on low to medium heat because they hold heat more efficiently; this also prevents damaging the surface of the pans.

Caraway received a perfect score for its effective ceramic nonstick coating. But the overall design wasn’t completely ideal: Caraway’s hot handles were a drawback for us, and the lids were a little heavier than other lids we tested.

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Caraway Stainless Steel Cookware Set

The Caraway Stainless Steel Cookware Set is crafted from durable five-ply steel, which evenly distributes heat.

Material: Nontoxic 5-Ply Steel | Number of Pieces: 12 | Oven-Safe Temperature: Up to 550 degrees | Induction Compatibility: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: No

Caraway’s Stainless Steel Cookware Set comes with a 10.5-inch frying pan, 3-quart sauce pan, 4.5-quart frying pan, 6.5-quart Dutch oven and magnetic pan racks and lid holder. The five-ply stainless steel pans are almost identical to the classic set, except for the fact that stainless steel is made for cooking in higher heat. Home chefs can feel comfortable using this set on medium heat without damaging the surface of the pans.

The set is crafted from durable five-ply steel and built to evenly distribute heat. It’s designed for a long life of sizzling, searing and sautéing. There’s also a limited lifetime warranty.

While cooking, Caraway recommends adding one tablespoon of oil or butter to the stainless steel pan to coat the surface each time you cook, allowing one minute to preheat before adding food. To clean the cookware, according to Caraway, all that’s needed is a gentle scrub with water to keep your pans in optimal condition.

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Top Our Place models

Our Place is also praised online, with more than 740,000 followers on Instagram. In 2022, the brand released new colors and partnered with Selena Gomez, donating 10% of profits to her Rare Impact Fund.

We tested the Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set and researched the Ultimate Cookware Set Pro. The Pro comes with a Titanium Always Pan Pro, which is made with new no-coating nonstick technology. The brand claims it’s the first-ever nonstick technology that’s coating-free and made without harmful PFAS, otherwise known as “forever chemicals.”

Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set

Each Our Place pot and pan has a long and a short handle, making lifting and pouring easy.

The Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set includes a 10.5-inch Always Pan 2.0, 8.5-inch Mini Always Pan 2.0, 10.5-inch Perfect Pot and 8.5-inch Mini Perfect Pot 2.0, each with its own lid and spoon or spatula, spout and nesting spatula rest. You also get Our Place’s five-piece bakeware set, which comes with a large Griddle Pan, Main Bake, Side Bake and Loaf Pan, plus a large matte silicone Oven Mat. There are also six stunning color options to choose from, including blue salt and lavender.

Our Place revamped the pots and pans included in this set, hence the “2.0” in the name. The infamous Always Pan 2.0 is now oven-safe, with a nonstick surface and made of recycled materials.

Every pot and pan from Our Place comes with a spout that allows you to strain water and release steam when cooking. There’s also a spoon or spatula for each pot or pan. We think these minor details make Our Place cookware shine compared to other leading brands.

The Always Pan 2.0 deserves its own paragraph. Each pan by itself can sauté, sear, steam, bake, braise, fry, boil, roast, strain, store and serve. Not only did we make traditional meals like eggs and sautéed veggies in the pan but also steamed broccoli and boiled water to make mac and cheese. Our Place impressed us with quick and consistent heating, earning it a perfect score in our tests.

Our Place cookware is a little bit lighter than what Caraway offers. The 10.5-inch Always Pan 2.0 weighs in at 3 pounds. It can feel heavy when the pan is full, but there’s a small handle on one side and a large handle on the other to make lifting and pouring easier. As for the built-in colander, we think it’s an amazing idea in theory, but we didn’t find it to be much of a convenience since you need to grab the handles out of the hot water, which can be tricky.

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Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set Pro

Our Place offers a 100-day day trial option and free returns.

Material: Nontoxic ceramic coating | Number of Pieces: 17 | Oven-Safe Temperature: Up to 1,000 degrees | Induction Compatibility: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes for Titanium Always Pan; no for the rest of the set

The Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set Pro comes with a 10.6-inch Titanium Always Pan Pro, 8.5-inch Mini Always Pan 2.0, 10.5-inch Perfect Pot, 8.5-inch Mini Perfect Pot 2.0, lids for each pot or pan, a five-piece bakeware set with oven mat, and a spoon or spatula for each pot or pan. The standout piece is the 10.6-inch Titanium Always Pan Pro, which is made with no-coating nonstick technology. The brand claims it’s the first-ever nonstick technology that’s coating-free and made without PFAS, or “forever chemicals.”

In other words, feel free to turn up the heat with this piece. Our Place says the Always Pan Pro’s titanium surface is 300% harder than stainless steel, making it “virtually indestructible” and able to withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees. This pan can also be cleaned in the dishwasher, unlike other products that require hand-washing. By itself, the Titanium Always Pan Pro costs $195, which is $45 more than the 2.0 version.

Everything else in the set is identical to the original, including the bakeware and the Perfect Pot.

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Caraway vs. Our Place Cookware functionality

Caraway and Our Place impressed us when it came to nonstick ability. Our testing helped us determine how these sets hold up when things get heated.

Cooking performance comparison

Both Caraway and Our Place passed our cooking performance tests with flying colors. However, we noticed that Caraway cookware took a little bit longer to heat up. Prior to cooking a turkey burger, the Caraway pan took about five minutes to warm up versus Our Place pans, which heated up within a couple minutes.

Design and durability comparison

We gave Caraway a perfect score of 10 out of 10 for long-term durability. We used the cookware sets intensively over several days to simulate months of regular use. And after repeated cooking and cleaning cycles, we observed minimal wear and tear.

We did spot some chipping of the paint on the Our Place Mini Perfect Pot and the lid of the Always Pan right out of the box, so we gave it a 9 out of 10.

As for design, Caraway and Our Place do an amazing job of combining functionality and visual appeal. Most other pots and pans have one handle, but Our Place cookware has one on each side. The smaller handle made handling and pouring easier. Meanwhile, Caraway offers tons of storage options.

They both feature stunning colors as well, and choosing which one is prettier will likely come down to your personal taste.

Cleaning and maintenance comparison

Cleaning Our Place and Caraway cookware was easy and effective thanks to the nonstick properties. Our testers said barely any effort was required to clean either set.

The Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro is the only piece from the collection that can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Pricing

With its $760 price point, the Our Place Ultimate Cookware Set is one of the more expensive sets on the market. However, we’ve seen it as low as $466 on sale. The Our Place Ultimate Cookware Pro Set is slightly more expensive, retailing for $805. Our Place offers a 100-day trial option.

Retailing for $545, the Caraway Cookware Set is more affordable and can be purchased on the Caraway website or Amazon. The Caraway Stainless Steel Cookware Set is available for $845 on the Caraway website. Caraway has a 30-day return policy.

Bottom line

If you’re ready to invest in multifunctional, durable cookware, you can’t go wrong choosing either Caraway or Our Place. They both ranked high in every category we tested, including durability, design and ease of cleaning. And they featured the smoothest nonstick pans we’ve had the pleasure of testing.

Ultimately, if we could only pick one, we liked Our Place slightly better. Our Place cookware weighs a little less, heats up quickly and has unique features like the pouring spouts, spoon rests and short and long handles for easy pouring. However, it does cost a couple hundred dollars more.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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