7 People Weigh In On If The Instagram-Famous Always Pan Is Actually Worth It
Wonder no more if that pretty pan you've been hearing about is worth it.
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By now, you've certainly heard of the Always Pan, the instant-classic cookware that has taken the internet by storm.
It seems like everyone from influencers to blogs to your aunt has been raving about this thing. Websites (BuzzFeed included) have fawned over its numerous features, gorgeous appearance, and outrageous waitlist. It seems like anyone with a kitchen is clamoring to get their oven mitts on this elegant new pan. After all, it's nine kitchen items in one: fry pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, non-stick pan, spatula, and spoon rest.
But is this splurgy $145 pan worth it? This is a question you've certainly had, seeing as you've clicked into this review. Well, good news! We have the answer. We asked seven members of the BuzzFeed Shopping team (myself included) what they thought and they provided their honest reviews.
Spoiler: Everybody loved it. Now that expectations are high, let's walk through some of the features of this cool kitchen item.
The first thing everyone notices about this thing? How drop-dead gorgeous it is.
"I love my Our Place pan. It's a beautiful sage color that isn't an eyesore on my stovetop. I also really love the steamer basket, which is great for frozen dumplings, and the nesting spatula. No more sauce and grease dripping from the spoon all over the counter!" —Melanie Aman
And my favorite feature: The nonstick is legit! Nothing ever sticks to this thing, making clean up as easy as a quick swipe with a sponge. The ceramic coating is nontoxic and made without potentially toxic materials like PFOAs, PTFEs, other PFAs, lead, cadmium, toxic metals, and nanoparticles.
"Not only is this pan extremely pretty, it's also versatile! I am far from a chef (pasta is pretty much my go-to), but all of the different functions of this encourages me to try more things. And my favorite feature is probably how easy it is to clean! Whether I'm cooking eggs, chicken, veggies, or whatever, the cleanup is always quick and easy. I never have to leave it to soak for hours or struggle to scrape food off of it. It just wipes clean with a sponge every time! And for someone who doesn't have a dishwasher, an easy after-dinner cleanup means a lot to me. Most of my other pots and pans are old and cheap, but now that I have this I hardly need to use anything else." —Kayla Boyd
This pan body is only 3 pounds (light but still feels substantial) and heats up super quickly, meaning it's gonna be your go-to pan for almost every single meal.
"My Always Pan lives on my stovetop, not only because the pretty pinkish lavender color fills me with joy, but also because I use it at least once almost every single day. The perfect nonstick, powerful heat conductivity, and perfect size make me question why I even have other frying pans. I've this bb to make easy-flip fried eggs, chicken pot pie filling, veggie fried rice, buttermilk pancakes, breaded chicken cutlets, shrimp scampi pasta, and more. It crisps up frozen Trader Joe's potstickers to perfection and perfectly browns pieces of meat, but somehow NOTHING EVER GETS STUCK ON. A quick spray of dish soap, a quick wipe with a non-scratch sponge (I love the Peachy Clean silicone sponges — they're super effective, never damage surfaces, and don't get stinky) and the pan is almost instantly clean. Now my parents have one (my brother is next), and they love theirs just as much as I do. From my family to yours, take our advice and get an Always Pan!" —Maitland Quitmeyer
It also comes with a steamer basket so you can make amazing veggies or dumplings at home. Lots of restaurants sell frozen dumplings so you can just pop them in and enjoy.
And if you're *really* serious about steaming, you can get the add-on spruce steamer.
"I own this pan and I'm pretty sure I'll never need to own another ever again. I've really put this treasure to the test, I looove cooking sticky, brown sugar sauces and other dishes that'd make a lesser pan faint in fright. It is always, always easy to clean after. I also love making/eating soup dumplings and the steaming basket makes cooking them a cinch. This is my go-to 'grown up' gift for friends and family now, because I think everyone deserves to have an Always pan in their place." —Mallory Mower
It also has a nesting beechwood spatula that hooks onto the handle so you don't have to bother with a spoon rest. And that little space in the lid that fits the spatula? It doubles as an air vent so you can let out some steam!
"This is basically the only pan I use anymore! It cooks everything evenly, cleans up like a dream, and of course, looks beautiful. My favorite feature is the little node on the handle that lets you hook on your spatula. IDK why, but finding a place for my cooking utensils is weirdly difficult so it's been really nice to just...not worry about it at all!" —Bek O'Connell (me)
This thing rules and has convinced nonchefs to feel like cooking is a little easier and maybe more fun.
"As someone who neither enjoys cooking nor is particularly good at it, the Always Pan has made being in the kitchen feel like less of a chore. Having one pan that can do everything means I don't have to second guess every cooking decision I make. I can boil and prepare pasta in it. And I can roast Brussels sprouts. And I can make the perfect fried egg. And I can steam dumplings. The best part is that, everything slides so seamlessly out of the pan and onto the plate, which also makes clean up super fast and easy. Both the amateur (read: reluctant) cook and the more seasoned chef will enjoy creating fan favorites and new recipes in the Always Pan!" —Taylor Steele
One small note: The lighter colors can possibly show stains. This is pretty typical for well-loved pans, but opt for a darker color if that bothers you! I have the green shade and the stains are less visible.
"When I got my Always Pan in a light purplish-pink color, my boyfriend and I were living with his parents for various pandemic-related reasons — which meant it got used pretty much every day, sometimes multiple times a day. The nonstick was fabulous, but we noticed pretty early on that every little splash, dribble, or other hot grease moment stuck on the outside of the pan pretty permanently, and no amount of scrubbing really made any difference. One reason it got so bad is because in that house, the pans in the heaviest rotation tend to (very practically!) get stored out on the stove, so even when this was just sitting on the back burner not cooking anything, it got splashed a few times. None of this affected how well the pan cooked of course, but if keeping your Always Pan in perfect shape for the aesthetic deeply matters to you, I think it’s all something to consider before buying in a lighter color.” —Natalie Brown
In conclusion, we are big fans! This is a great piece if you're looking to splurge on something a little nicer for your kitchen. Our Place makes high quality home goods that deserve a place in your cabinet.
Our Place was founded by Shiza Shahid, along with Amir Tehrani and Zach Rosner. She's a Pakistani social entrepreneur who also co-founded the non-profit Malala Fund, which promotes education for young girls. I also recommend checking out all the other kitchen goods for sale at Our Place because they're equally functional and pretty.
If you're interested in trying the pan yourself, you can get it from Our Place for $145 (available in seven colors).
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The product was provided to BuzzFeed free of charge, but we were not obligated to positively review it.