Is Our Place cookware non-toxic?

By The PlasticFreeLab TeamUpdated August 10, 20267 min read
The Our Place Always Pan uses a ceramic non-stick coating free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium. Here is what that means and where the limits are.
What people ask us next.
- Is Our Place cookware non-toxic?
- On the available information it is among the cleaner non-stick options, with the same framing as other ceramic pans. The well-known Always Pan uses a ceramic non-stick coating over an aluminium core, and Our Place states it is free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium, the substances at issue with classic Teflon and poorly glazed ceramics. There are test statements behind this. The framing is that ceramic non-stick performance has a limited lifespan, which is a performance issue, not an acute toxicity one.
- Does the Always Pan contain PFAS or Teflon?
- By the manufacturer's statement no, and that is the core difference from classic pans. Conventional non-stick pans use PTFE, meaning Teflon, which belongs to the PFAS family. The Always Pan's ceramic coating is instead based on a sol-gel silica layer and is, per the brand, PFAS- and PFOA-free. That is exactly why many people switch to ceramic non-stick. We cover the larger Teflon and PFAS question in our piece on the truth about Teflon and PFAS.
- What are the honest limits of Our Place?
- Mainly the durability of the non-stick effect and the do-it-all ambition. Like all ceramic non-stick coatings, the Always Pan's wears faster than cast iron or stainless steel, especially with high heat or metal utensils, so the non-stick effect fades after a while. The Always Pan also tries to combine many functions in one pan, which is convenient but hits limits with hard searing and high heat. These are performance and sustainability points, not toxicity problems.
- Who is Our Place worth it for?
- For anyone who wants a versatile, good-looking, PFAS-free non-stick pan for everyday cooking and factors in the limited lifespan. If you want one pan for many light to medium tasks and want to move away from PTFE, the Always Pan is a sensible choice. If you need maximum longevity or very high searing heat, cast iron, carbon steel, or stainless steel serve you better, which we cover in our guides to the best non-toxic cookware.
Sources we cited on this page.
The PlasticFreeLab Team
A small group of researchers and writers cutting through the noise around non-toxic living. We read the studies, read the labels, test the products. We update our recommendations as the science evolves. We do not accept payment for product placement, we disclose every affiliate relationship, and we name the brands we reject.
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