Our Caraway Cookware Review, 2 Years Later

We are a team of recipe developers, dietitians, and moms. And there is probably no piece of kitchen equipment that we use more than our pots and pans. We’ve been using and testing Caraway cookware for more than 2 years now. We originally published this review in March of 2023, but we wanted to update it now that we’ve had another 15 months of use testing the Caraway skillets, Dutch oven, and saucepans.

We want to be clear and let you know that this post was created in partnership with Caraway Home. We agreed to do a sponsored post if, and only if, we could publish our honest review 100% as we chose, no matter how positive or negative it would be.  

In 2022, Caraway sent us each a set of cookware to use, and those are the pots and pans that we’ve been using for two years now. Most of us literally use them every single day in addition to our Caraway bakeware sets, and we’ve also paid to give them as gifts to our family.

Our Verdict

Caraway Cookware is the cookware that our entire team uses the most. We use it for recipe testing, creating videos and photography, and feeding our own families. The pots and pans do require consistent care, just like any quality cookware that you want to last for a long time. It’s not the best for very high-heat cooking, but since we rarely do high-heat cooking, we find that it has gone the extra mile with us over the years. After two years of use, most of us still love it and use it daily, in addition to a few other treasured pieces, like our enamel-coated cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens.

Pros & Cons

You’ve seen the hype on social media and are probably wondering if Caraway non-stick ceramic pans are worth it. We’ve been using them for more than two years and will continue to do so. When we do our deep-dive product reviews, we like to give you all of the detailed information for a deeper read, as well as a list of pros and cons that you can skim quickly.

Pros	Cons
Since we use this cookware every day, we’re thrilled that it doesn’t contain PTFE (Teflon), a PFAS that exists in nearly all other nonstick pans, or any other toxic materials	The nonstick feature of the ceramic coating lessens a little over time, requiring oil and a max heat of medium-high
The pans clean up so easily and rarely require more than simple hand washing	About once or twice a month, we need to do some deeper cleaning to keep our sets looking nice and to remove harder stains
We love that the set comes with a storage rack, making it easy to store the pans vertically, which saves space in cupboards	If you don’t use wooden utensils or store the pots and pans carefully in the provided racks, they can chip or scratch
After using this set for 2 years, we think the cost of the set is not only reasonable, but completely worth it for high-quality pots and pan we use every day
Picking a color was fun and hard! With so many good options, we each got to pick a “signature” color, giving our kitchens a clean and cohesive look

Is Standard Non-Stick Cookware Really Toxic?

As we’ve learned more about nonstick cookware over the years and what’s safe (and not safe) for our bodies and the environment, we’ve phased out certain things from our own kitchens. But we’re not the only ones. In fact, some of the first ever nonstick pans were made with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon. Those pans would never pass the safety inspection today.

For many years, Teflon contained a compound known as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which was linked to both environmental and human health concerns. In fact, PFOA was banned from use in cookware in 2006 and had to be completely phased out of cookware by 2015. So, saying that today’s cookware is PFOA-free is kind of the equivalent of calling a banana “cholesterol-free” (it’s technically true, but not really a meaningful statement).

However, many of the nonstick pans you can still buy today contain PFAS (including PTFE) and other man-made chemicals that can build up in blood over time, known as “forever chemicals.” None of them are currently as high of a concern as PFOA was, and the FDA has said it is “not aware of any research demonstrating that the use of authorized PFAS substances in cookware presents a safety concern for consumers.”

Despite this, there is at least one perspective study that states, “Due to toxicity concerns, PFOA [used to create PTFE] has been replaced with other chemicals such as GenX, but these new alternatives are also suspected to have similar toxicity.”Although the coatings on other nonstick pans must be PFOA-free and are generally considered safe, there are still some concerns if you’re using them when cooking at high heat. When used at temperatures of 500°F or higher, those PFAS coatings could lose their nonstick quality and release toxic fumes that we don’t want to be exposed to on a regular basis.

Is Caraway Actually Non-Toxic?

Caraway’s mission is to create “Quality Cookware, Without Chemicals,” so if it’s not made with PFAS or PTFEs, then what makes it nonstick? Even before we started using them, we did some digging to find out what the Caraway pots and pans are made of.

The pans are made from an aluminum core, the nonstick coating is a mineral-based ceramic coating, and the handles are made from stainless steel. In addition to not containing any PFAS, the cookware is also free of lead, cadmium, and other metals that can build up over time to toxic levels in the body. The entire pans, handles and all, are oven-safe up to 550°F, and they can be used on any type of stovetop, including induction (yes, induction!), gas, and electric.

According to the Caraway FAQs, the cookware is produced in China in a factory that adheres to their strict manufacturing practices and standards.

What Do You Get In A Caraway Set?

If you’re looking for an overhaul of your cookware set, then a Caraway Deluxe Set (the original 4-piece Caraway Set plus the Mini Duos set) would give you everything you need. This is the full 6-piece set that we each own, and here’s what it includes:

• 10.5-inch fry pan
• 8-inch fry pan
• 3-quart saucepan with lid
• 1.75-quart saucepan with lid
• 6.5-quart Dutch oven with lid
• 4.5-quart sauté pan with lid
• Magnetic pan racks (one of our favorite features)
• Canvas lid holder for hanging inside a cabinet or on the wall
• Cork trivets made from recycled cork (set of 2) 

Every pot and pan has a lid that fits it. That’s because the lid from the 3-quart saucepan fits on the 8-inch fry pan, and the lid from the Dutch oven fits on the 10.5-inch fry pan.

One unique feature of the set is the magnetic pan racks, which help us store the pots and pans vertically. We find that this makes them last longer and prevents scratches and scraps that can happen when you stack pans in a cupboard. The magnetic racks come apart, so you can store the pans all in a row or even in a few different rows, depending on the size of your space.

The cookware sets come in a variety of colors that look great in today’s kitchens and give ours a modern, clean feel. You can choose from colors in classics like Gray, Cream, and Navy, to bolder colors like Sage, Marigold, and Perracotta. Jess has the set in Navy, Stacie and Ana have the set in Cream, and I (Jessie) have it in Sage (shown in most of these photos). Stacie and Ana have found that their light-colored sets have more brown cooked-on stains over time than the colored sets that Jess and Jessie own do.

For something really eye-catching, check out their Iconic line with gold handles rather than the traditional stainless steel ones. They’re simply stunning!

A Few Built-In Features We Love

You can tell when a company has really thought about the design of their products. And that definitely shows when you’re using Caraway products. We keep discovering more things we love about them. Here are some of our favorite features: 

• The pan handles have a little ridge close to the pan that indicates a “hot zone” past which you don’t want your fingers to slide
• The pan handles are designed to easily double as a spoon rest
• The lids each include a steam escape hole and ridges for catching condensation 
• The magnetic storage racks come apart easily and give you many options for storing the pans safely and conserving space inside cabinets or on countertops
• The sets come in colors that match Caraway storage containers and bakeware, so you can color coordinate your whole kitchen
• The pans clean so easily – no more soaking and scrubbing for hours

Cost & Value

A full set of Caraway nonstick cookware costs $595. We created the following chart so you can see the number of pieces you get and how that compares to other high-quality nonstick cookware sets and popular name brands.
Viewing this on mobile? Scroll to the right to view all columns in this table below.

Brand	Nonstick coating	# of Pots & Pans	# of Lids	Storage rack included	Cost per Pan	Cost for a Full Set
Caraway Cookware + Minis Set	Mineral-based ceramic	6	4	Yes	$99	$595
Made In, The Non Stick Set	PTFE (Teflon)	4	3	No	$150	$599
All Clad, D3 3-Ply Bonded Nonstick Set	PTFE (Teflon)	6	4	No	$133	$799
HexClad, Hybrid Nonstick Set	PTFE (Teflon) with diamond dust	6	6	No	$116	$699
Le Cruset, Toughened Nonstick Set	PTFE (Teflon), FEP, and PFA	8	5	No	$112	$899
Calphalon Hard-Anodized Nonstick Set	PTFE (Teflon)	6	4	No	$95	$569
T-fal Excite Nonstick set	PTFE (Teflon)	5	4	No	$26	$129

[Spoiler alert] We definitely do think Caraway is worth the cost. 

After many months of rigorous use, our team gives the non-toxic cookware our thumbs up. From its versatility to its ease of use and nearly effortless cleanup to the attractive design, beautiful colors, and smart storage solution, we feel confident recommending them to anyone looking to replace their pots and pans with new cookware made without PFAS or other toxic chemicals. 

While they are an up-front investment (just like with any quality set of pots and pans), with proper care, they’ll last for many years.

What We Love About This Cookware

When you use something every day, you can tell when a company has really thought about the design of their products. And that definitely shows when we’re using Caraway cookware. We keep discovering more things we love about them. Here are some of our favorite built-in features:

• You know when you reach quickly for a pan on the stove and end up burning your hand or fingers on the handle? Ahhhh! Well, Caraway pan handles have a little ridge close to the pan that indicates a “hot zone” past which you don’t want your fingers to slide, and it has definitely saved us from getting burns when we’re working quickly. It also saves time by not having to put on our oven mitts every time we move a pan.
• It took us way too long to discover this cool feature, but Jess mentioned it to our team one day, and we all gasped out loud … The pan handles are actually designed to easily double as spoon rests. How cool is that! 
• The lids each include a steam escape hole and ridges for catching condensation. Jessie has discovered that when you lift up the pan so that the steam escape hole is highest, then any condensation that has collected on the inside of the lid will flow right down into the pan instead of spilling out onto your stovetop.
• It’s not recommended to stack these pots and pans to keep them in tip-top shape, so we absolutely love that the magnetic storage racks come apart easily. This is key since everyone has a different kitchen space and different cupboard sizes. This storage flexibility works for all of us. Stacie likes to keep her set right on her countertop, Jess keeps hers in a large, deep kitchen drawer, and Jessie stores hers in a lower cabinet that has a pull-out drawer.
• The sets come in colors that match Caraway storage containers and bakeware, so you can color-coordinate your whole kitchen. We’re kind of matchy-matchy like that, so a cohesive set feels good to us.
• The pans clean so easily – no more soaking and scrubbing for hours! Jessie uses the provided melamine foam sponge (that you get with a new order) on her pans about once a month to brush off any hard-to-release stains on the bottoms of the pans.

The Drawbacks

We will admit, when we first started using Caraway, we were blown away with the nonstick quality. We could cook an egg without using any oil at all and it would slide right out of the pan — it was amazing! 

We have found that, after literally hundreds of uses, the nonstick quality still works. But it’s admittedly not the same as it was the first few months of using this ceramic cookware. We can still cook an egg and have it slide out of the pan, but we do need to use olive oil or avocado oil now and keep the heat at medium-high or lower.

And you should be prepared to take care of this set. We don’t think that’s exclusive to Caraway, however, and something that you should expect to do with any high-quality set of nonstick cookware. Some of the extra measures we take to ensure our Caraway pots and pans stay nice are hand washing and drying them after every use, using only wooden utensils (never metal), cooking at a max temperature of medium-high on the stovetop, and storing them vertically in the provided storage racks.

7 Tips To Make It Last

Like any high-quality set of cookware, a little extra attention to the care will ensure they last for many years instead of months. Here are a few do’s and don’ts that we’ve discovered while using them for two years now.  

1. Do cook on low to medium heat – Though these pans are oven-safe up to 550°F, we find that the clean up is easiest and the “non-stickness” works best when we use them on temps from low to medium-high. We avoid very high heat to ensure the ceramic coating does not overheat, which can cause the non-stick layers to wear away over time. 
2. Do add oil or butter to the pan – While ceramic is naturally slick, we find that adding a bit of butter or oil enhances the non-stick surface while also adding flavor to whatever you’re cooking. We tried cooking an egg without adding any fat to the pan. It works for the first dozen or so times you use your Caraway pan, but after that, you’ll want to start adding some oil first.
3. Do hand wash with warm soapy water – All you need is warm water, a little soap and a soft cloth to clean your cookware. For stubborn stuck-on food or light staining, Caraway recommends using a Brillo or SOS wool sponge. When we’ve had really stuck-on messes (hey, you really can’t avoid that when you cook as much as we do!), we’ve found that simmering some water in the pan over low heat helps the stuck-on bits release gently, and then we finish washing them pans in warm water by hand. We never put our pots and pans in the dishwasher.
4. Do store your cookware properly – Avoid stacking your cookware, which can cause them to scrape or chip. To make storing the ceramic nonstick cookware easy, Caraway includes a set of magnetic storing blocks that keep our cabinets tidy while protecting the interior and exterior surfaces of the cookware. Lids can be stored in the included canvas lid holder mounted to the inside of the cabinet door. We all use the magnetic holders, but the canvas lid holders were too long to fit any of our cabinet doors, so we store the lids using a separate lid rack.
5. Don’t use metal utensils – Use only wood or silicone utensils to avoid scratching the interior surface. We’ve always known that you want to be careful with the utensil you use on nonstick pots, pans, and more, so using wood utensils comes naturally for us. But if you tend to reach for metal spoons or stirring utensils, then using Caraway could be a big adjustment to your kitchen routine (or may even require buying new utensils).
6. Don’t use spray oils – We know they are convenient, but these can leave a hard-to-clean residue on your pans and can damage the ceramic coating. If you must spray, we recommend using an oil mister filled with olive oil or avocado oil.
7. Don’t drag your pans across the cooktop surface – Instead, pick the pan up to prevent scratching the bottom of the cookware.

Where To Buy Caraway

You can buy some Caraway pieces on Amazon, Target, and other retailers, but the best way to get a full Caraway ceramic cookware set is direct-to-you at CarawayHome.com. There you’ll find their full-line of non-toxic cookware and bakeware sets along with other kitchen essentials such as their popular food storage collection (we love those, too). You can get 10% off when you shop using our link and code (DIETITIANS).

If you have any questions that we haven’t answered here, feel free to add them to the comments. We feel like we’re kind of pros when it comes to Caraway cookware after all the research and home testing we’ve done for the last few years. Ask us anything!

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This post was made possible by our friends at Caraway. Although we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are – as always – 100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating great recipes and content for you.

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