I tried the internet’s favorite cookware and found so much to love about the ceramic Caraway pan – but one thing I really hate

I've been seeing the ceramic Caraway pan everywhere online lately, celebrated for its clean design and non-toxic ceramic coating. I was curious to see if it lived up to the hype, so I got cooking in the test kitchen. I found plenty to love: the gorgeous colorways, lightweight feel, easy cleaning, and seamless, slippery surface.

However, Caraway doesn't feel as sturdy as the best non-toxic cookware competitors I’ve tried, and the bigger drawback for me was the cooking performance. While every piece of food lifted effortlessly, the ceramic Caraway pan just doesn’t sear well. Salmon skin never crisped, mushrooms steamed instead of browning, and that depth of flavor you get from caramelization was noticeably absent.

If you want the most effortless non-stick frying pan that looks as good as it performs, Caraway is a strong contender. But if durability and searing power are essential to your style of cooking, trust me, you'll want the Made In CeramiClad pan, or HexClad Hybrid Pan instead.

Design

In all honesty, I'm obsessed with the ceramic Caraway pan design. It's simple but clean, with rounded edges and a shiny ceramic coating layered over a cast aluminum core, with a stainless steel handle. The materials can only withstand temperatures up to 550°F, so it isn't as versatile for all cooking styles as some competitors.

The overall build is lightweight and comfortable to carry around the kitchen. I especially enjoyed Caraway's handle. It is rounded and nice to hold.

I went for the minamlist cream shade, but Caraway comes in a range of pretty colors (including the recent Blue Lagoon launch) that will really brighten your kitchen. They also make multi-piece cookware sets, plastic-free food containers, bakeware, utensils, and each piece is designed to match, which is great for anyone curating a seamless look in their kitchen.

Cooking performance

• Fried eggs slid right out the pan, little to no oil needed. As you can see from the pictures above, the edges didn't get very crispy or lacy, which is really the most delicious part of a fried egg.
• Tofu cubes cooked without sticking to the pan whatsoever, but they didn't get very golden. I had to cook for around 10 minutes, until I saw a nice level of browning on each side.
• Pasta sauces were delightful to cook in the ceramic Caraway pan. The sauce bubbled evenly across the pan (a good sign of even heat distribution) and the supportive, rounded edges make tossing pasta in the sauce super smooth.
• Mushrooms, instead of browning, turned soft and steamed. If you rely on caramelization for flavor depth – especially when building sauces – this pan won’t deliver the same results as stainless steel or even a hybrid like HexClad.
• American pancakes are a great match for this pan. Delicate foods never stick and the wide surface area is great for feeding a crowd.

Cleaning & maintenance

The ceramic Caraway pan cleaned up in literally seconds. I just used warm soapy water and a delicate sponge. The slick ceramic coating is easy to clean, but I can tell that it is delicate. You really need to take care when storing the Caraway ceramic pan and avoid metal utensils at all costs. Scratches will impact performance.

Getting a set of pan dividers from Amazon is a good idea, or just store them in between linens (there are actually some nice organic tea towels at Caraway that you could add to cart if you go for this pan).

Unlike HexClad, which can be 'revived' with a deep clean and re-season, Caraway doesn’t really bounce back after burning your food or after heavy use. I'd recommend staying within its comfort zone. Push the temperature too high or use a metal utensil, and it’s less forgiving.

How does it compare?

Caraway vs Hexclad

The Caraway pan features an aluminum core with a 100% ceramic non-stick coating, and is oven safe up to 500 °F. On the other hand, the HexClad pan combines a more professional stainless steel and aluminum core with a hybrid non-stick surface (ceramic with stainless steel peaks). It is oven safe up to a higher 900 °F.

Priced at $115, Caraway is best suited for cooks who care about style and color coordination in the kitchen. At $149, HexClad is aimed at home cooks who value durable, high-performance non-stick cookware (you can read my full HexClad review here).

As a chef myself, HexClad has to take the win. It’s not that much more expensive, but more versatile, durable, and better suited to the kind of high-heat, flavor-packed cooking I love to do.

Caraway vs Made In

I tested a Made In CeramiClad pan on the same day, and I was more impressed by the cooking performance. It features a five-ply stainless steel base, offering excellent heat control and better searing.

In testing, it produced beautifully golden, crispy tofu, chicken, and pancakes, but it comes at a higher price of around $150. It has a solid, reassuring weight without feeling cumbersome – I felt more confident about it's durability.

Caraway vs Our Place Always Pan 2.0

There’s not much to split the difference between the two in terms of materials – both use ceramic non-stick coatings over aluminum – but I’d choose Caraway over Our Place’s ceramic alternative any day.

I find Caraway’s handle far more comfortable, I love the range of colorways, and its oven-safe temperature of up to 550°F makes it a little more versatile for high-heat cooking. You can read more about my bugbears with Our Place in this Always Pan 2.0 review.

Our verdict: should you buy it?

A Caraway pan costs around $115. It seems to be pitched at the cook who wants a good non-stick pan without worrying about harmful chemicals, and who doesn’t mind replacing it in a few years if necessary. It’s still quite expensive, but worth it if you want something that looks gorgeous on the stovetop and matches your kitchen aesthetic – without stretching to colorful cast iron cookware made by the likes of Le Creuset or Staub – although the latter will last a lifetime, and Caraway definitely will not.