Our Place Always Pan 2.0
The internet-famous "non-toxic" pan is genuinely PTFE- and PFAS-free, but its Thermakind cooking surface is still an applied sol-gel ceramic nonstick coating that wears out in a year or two - a coating in direct food contact, not bare metal.
The verdict: Minimal plastic contact
The body is 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum, and the cooking surface is Our Place's proprietary Thermakind sol-gel ceramic nonstick - a silicon-based coating made without PFAS, PTFE, PFOA, lead, or cadmium. So this is not a Teflon pan, and that's a real distinction worth crediting. But "ceramic nonstick" is still an applied coating sitting directly under your food, and like all sol-gel coatings it degrades and loses nonstick performance in roughly 1-2 years, after which you replace the pan. Rated minimal-contact because there is a proprietary coating in the food path - better than PTFE, but not the same as a bare cast-iron, carbon-steel, or stainless surface.
Verification: Manufacturer confirmed · Last reviewed
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Food contact |
|---|---|---|
| pan body 100% certified post-consumer recycled aluminum | Aluminum | No |
| cooking surface (Thermakind nonstick) proprietary silicon-based sol-gel ceramic coating; PFAS/PTFE/PFOA/lead/cadmium-free but still an applied layer that wears out in ~1-2 years | Ceramic Nonstick sol-gel coating | Yes primary |
| handle stainless steel handle; specific grade not stated by Our Place | Stainless Steel grade unspecified | No |
A well-designed, lightweight multitasking pan built to stand in for several pieces of everyday cookware. The body is 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum with a stainless handle, it's oven-safe to 450F, and the slick ceramic surface releases food with little oil. Sold in a range of colorways, it's the internet-famous convenience pan for cooks who want nonstick without Teflon.
Pros
- Genuinely PFAS-, PTFE-, and PFOA-free (silicon-based sol-gel ceramic)
- 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum body; stainless handle, oven-safe to 450F
- Real convenience and versatility as a nonstick multitasker
Cons
- The cooking surface is an applied coating in direct food contact, not bare metal
- Sol-gel ceramic nonstick wears out in ~1-2 years and can't be renewed - you replace the pan
- "Non-toxic" marketing obscures that a proprietary coating still sits under your food
Categories: Cookware
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- manufacturer https://fromourplace.com/products/always-essential-cooking-pan Thermakind ceramic nonstick, PFAS/PTFE/PFOA/lead/cadmium-free, 100% recycled aluminum body
- review https://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-kitchen-products/always-pan-2-0-review/ independent review confirming sol-gel ceramic coating and its limited lifespan (nonstick fades in ~1-2 years)
- review https://www.reviewed.com/pots-pans/content/our-place-always-pan-2-review Thermakind described as silicon-based, ~50% longer-lasting than prior ceramic coating but still a wear-out coating
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