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I’ve been using Caraway cookware for the past two years, and in this review, I’m gonna tell you the good, the bad, and everything in between. Let’s get started. Prudent Reviews. Hi I’m Andrew with Prudent Reviews where we help you find the best products for your home. And in this video, I’m going to break down the pros and cons of Caraway cookware.
You’ll learn how it looks and feels, how it performs in the kitchen, and what i like and dislike about it. I’ll also address whether the cookware is actually safer and healthier for you like Caraway claims. Unlike most cookware reviews, I’m not evaluating Caraway after taking it out of the box and using it for a month. Caraway sent me this pan over two years ago and I’ve been using it almost every week since then.
Before we get started, if you’ve used Caraway pots and pans, let me know what you think of them in the comments below.
Caraway’s main value proposition is that their products are better for you and better for the planet. But this message can be slightly deceiving. Let me explain. Caraway cookware is made with a heavy gauge aluminum base free of lead cadmium and other toxic metals. Unlike most non-stick cookware that has a PTFE more commonly known as Teflon coating, Caraway’s interior and exterior are coated in a proprietary mineral-based ceramic coating.
Ceramic non-stick cookware like Caraway became popular in the early 2000s due to fears over toxic chemicals such as PFOA being used in the manufacturing process of traditional non-stick coatings. While valid at the time, these fears are no longer relevant. Long story short, in 2006 the environmental protection agency and the biggest manufacturers of non-stick coating worked together to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals in the material. And by 2013, they accomplished that goal. So all non-stick cookware manufactured since 2013 is free of PFOA and is considered completely safe.
The one risk with traditional Teflon-coated non-stick pans is overheating. If you expose the coating to temperatures over 500 degrees fahrenheit for several minutes, the material will release fumes that can give you temporary flu-like symptoms.
That said, authorities like the American Cancer Society clearly state, “there are no proven risks to humans from using cookware coated with teflon or other non-stick surfaces”. So Caraway’s claim that their cookware is safer is valid, but only if you misuse Teflon-coated non-stick cookware and overheat it for several minutes. If you’re still concerned about the safety of non-stick cookware and the only reason you’re planning on buying Caraway is because you believe it’s safer, I’ll link to the latest research on this topic in the description of this video.
Now let’s get into the pros and cons starting with what I like about Caraway. Without a doubt, this cookware is attractive. It has a modern design and comes in several colors including navy, sage, red, gold, gray, and cream. The steel plate contrasts nicely with the colorful exterior, and the light gray interior allows you to monitor browning and font development better than typically dark colored non-stick coatings. The handle is rounded and super comfortable, but it’s not too round so you don’t have to worry about it slipping in your hand when you tilt or pour.
The handle is made with mirrored stainless steel and the middle is hollow, which disperses heat and allows the handle to stay cool. The handle does get hot as you get closer to the pan, but there’s a small bump on the underside to warn you to keep your hands away from the heat. Unlike many non-stick pans, Caraway is heavy and sturdy. The 10-inch frying pan weighs almost 3 pounds. Most aluminum 10 inch pans weigh around 2 pounds.
The aluminum base is thick, which helps prevent warping and distributes heat evenly.
Speaking of heating, I tested Caraway against several other non-stick pans of equal size to determine the speed and evenness of heating. I poured two cups of cold water into each pan place them on the same size burner and set the heat to high the goal was to see how fast the water boiled and how evenly the bubbles dispersed. At 2 minutes and 26 seconds, Caraway was one of the fastest pans to boil the water and there were no signs of hot or cold spots; the bubbles were completely even across the cooking surface. Caraway performs well in real world tests.
It cooks even and maintains its temperature when you put cold ingredients in the pan.
And, in the beginning, food slides around and releases with ease, making cleanup simple and easy. In a minute, I’ll explain how the performance changes over time. Unlike most non-stick pans, which, as I mentioned, need to be used on lower heat, Caraway is oven-safe up to 550 degrees fahrenheit. You don’t have to worry about the coating degrading or harmful fumes releasing if you accidentally overheat it.
Lastly, it’s compatible with all cooktops. Most aluminum non-stick cookware won’t work on induction, but Caraway pans have a magnetic steel plate bonded to the bottom making them compatible with all cooktops.
There’s a lot to like about Caraway, but there are some downsides. Here’s what I dislike. My biggest complaint about Caraway and ceramic-coated cookware in general is that it performs great at first but it loses its non-stick properties much sooner than traditional non-stick cookware.
After about five months, I noticed eggs and other delicate foods starting to stick, and it’s gotten worse and worse since then. My second biggest complaint is that the exterior paint comes off very easily. The pan looks amazing when you first get it, but after about a month, you’ll notice small chips in the paint, which get worse over time. These could come from utensils, accidentally rubbing the pan across cast iron stove grates, or any other contact with hard objects. Also, when oil or food spills over the sides, it sticks to the exterior and pulls the paint off when you clean it.
So, as good as Caraway looks online or when you first get it, don’t expect that to last very long.
On a similar note, the interior also gets scratched and damaged relatively easily. You need to be really careful when cooking and cleaning. Avoid overheating, cooking with metal utensils, and cleaning in the dishwasher. There’s a reason why you’ll never see this type of cookware in a commercial kitchen; it’s not the most durable.
The sides of the pan are straight, which helps contain ingredients, but without flared rims it’s harder to pour liquids or slide food from the pan to a plate. This could be a pro or a con depending on how you plan to use the pan most often. If you plan on broiling, you’ll have to use another type of pan because Caraway doesn’t offer any broiler-safe cookware. Ceramic cookware brands, including Caraway, use fear-mongering and outdated information to pitch their cookware as safer and healthier. The truth is that, since 2013, all reputable non-stick cookware brands follow FDA and health protocols and manufacture without PFOA or any other toxic chemicals.
So yes, Caraway cookware is safe, but it’s not any safer than other non-stick cookware unless you severely overheat it. Caraway’s manufacturing process releases up to 60% less CO2 into the environment compared to traditional non-stick pans. However, given these pans lose their non-stick properties quicker and have shorter lifespans, you’ll end up needing to replace these pans more often which creates more production and more waste. Caraway cookware is made in China, which isn’t inherently bad, but if you’re looking for locally sourced and locally made cookware, you’ll have to find another brand. I’ll link to my guide to the best cookware made in the USA in the description of this video.
Lastly, this cookware is expensive, especially considering it’s only going to last a couple years. You can buy cookware of similar construction for about half the price. If you’re looking for an alternative, consider brands like GreenPan and GreenLife. Caraway is an emerging cookware brand with a growing fan base. But is it the right cookware for you?
If you’re set on buying ceramic non-stick cookware, Caraway is one of the best brands to buy. It’s got a modern design, thick and sturdy aluminum base, high heat tolerance, and heats quickly and evenly. However, the claims that their cookware is safer and more environmentally friendly are only partially true despite the prominence of them in the brand’s advertising. I know a lot of people really love their Caraway cookware, but I’m not a huge fan of ceramic coated non-stick; therefore, I would not recommend this brand. Traditional Teflon-coated non-stick cookware lasts longer, performs better, and is just as safe.
Plus, most traditional non-stick cookware is cheaper than Caraway. There are a ton of alternatives to choose from, but my top picks for non-stick cookware are Made In, Misen, and All-Clad HA1.
In the description of this video, I’ll link to my full review of Caraway plus my reviews of Made In, Misen, and All-Clad. I’ll also add affiliate links to the products I talked about in this video so you can compare the current prices of Caraway versus these other brands that i mentioned. If you click on those links and buy I’ll earn a commission but at no extra cost to you.
Read More: Made In vs. All-Clad: My Unbiased Comparison After Testing Both for 3+ Years
