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.
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
Common questions
Does the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 have plastic in it?
Yes. On the Our Place Always Pan 2.0, the cooking surface (Thermakind nonstick) is plastic and sits in the food path.
What is the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 made of?
Part by part, the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 is: pan body — aluminum; cooking surface (Thermakind nonstick) — ceramic nonstick; handle — stainless steel.
Does the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 contain lead?
Yes. Lead was detected in the surface of the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 that touches your food. That finding comes from independent lab (XRF) testing, not a manufacturer claim.
Where is the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 made?
The Our Place Always Pan 2.0 is made in China.
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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