Finally someone tells the truth. I don’t understand how there are so many good reviews online. These pans are awful, I regret buying mine so much. After 7 months of use they look horrible and are no longer non-stick.
Most (although not all) reviewers are either outright paid influencers or receive the pans for free. Whenever you are looking for product reviews, first thing to pay attention is whether or not they disclose their conflict of interests or if they paid for the product with their own money.
I first purchased the Caraway cookware set in March 2021. I have to say, I baby each piece and keep them stored within the storage organizer. The coating is delicate, no doubt about it. Using an abrasive scouring sponge or metal cooking utensils will surely damage the interior. But if you are careful about cleaning and storing these pots and pans, they will last a long time. The exterior portion of the pots and pans has held up quite well, with the exception of the bottom. Most of my pots and pans are discolored on the bottom and I have tried to restore their former glory, to no avail. I love the pots and pans and use them regularly. They are still nonstick, with very little cooking oil needed. I adore the baking set-it is perfect in every way. The tea kettle is beautiful and works like a charm. The sqaureware set is also awesome-the griddle pan makes the BEST grilled cheese and I used the grill pan for paninis and they came out amazingly well. I do have a couple complaints. The handles get incredibly hot. Yes, there’s a bump that warns not to touch beyond a certain point, but despite this feature, I have sustained a number of burns. Worse, I placed the double burner griddle in the oven and removed it about twenty minutes later and set it upon the stovetop. The handles sit upon the top on the pan and I ended up getting a really nasty rectangular burn when my arm came into contact with the hot handle. It had been sitting out for some time, I was shocked that it was still lava-level hot! Now I know my burns are due to my carelessness, but I do think they conduct an immense amount of heat and can be a negative feature for some. Also, the storage contains are heavy and difficult to open. I just noticed that the lid on my largest containers is broken! I have NO clue how it happened. It looks as though someone sliced into it, which I know is definitely not the case. I am extremely disappointed by this. abut overall, I absolutely love Caraway pots and pans. I think they are well worth the price if you commit to taking good care of them.
Thanks for the review! I did want to point out that recent studies looking at the PFOA non stick chemical in Teflon known as PTFE is in fact being considered a potentially toxic chemical by the EPA. I think there is some merit to the ceramic coating being healthier compared to any Teflon coating, either pre or post 2014.
Exactly, just blindly believing the EPA is wild, considering they are a largely corporate captured institution. All these companies do, is change the coatings name, and a couple small attributes, and then release it as not having "PFOAs" but indeed have other toxic crap like PTFE.
This was a wonderful review. I was about to pull the trigger, but these pans don’t look like they can stand the test of time. The pans look beautiful, but if they look beat up after a few weeks it doesn’t even matter
@@hearthstia I always cook low to med heat, handwash to clean after use with warm water. I highly recommend cleaning it after the pot is not hot anymore and not leaving it unclean for too long.
Not exactly leaning heavily on "facts" provided by the EPA and FDA these days. There is potential financial gain for them to claim that Teflon is safe. Something to consider....
I bought mine about a year ago. For about 2 months it was fantastic. Scratching happens very easily, so be careful of it even bumping against anything in your cabinets. One of my roommates used it on high heat with out knowing you were not supposed to. After that one time the coasting was damaged and after every use since it has gotten worse, even on low heat. After one year it’s about as non stick as stainless steel, but without the ability of scouring it. Complete waste of money
I've had mine for a bit over two years now and they are horrific. The first year-ish was great - after that, everything started eroding away, even with correct care. Not durable in the least and extremely frustrating to have spent such a chunk of cash on the set. Totally awful.
Same here!!! Had mine for over two years now and at first they were terrific!! Now I'm unable to cook eggs without it taking massive amount of fat/oil to even make it non stick and even at that it still sticks. I use it daily for eggs. Pretty disappointed I did just love these pans. The others I have that do not get daily use of "frying" are fine. The search continues!
Thank You for this well presented and informative review. You seem to have addressed most concerns that a consumer would have. I will be watching out for more of your reviews.
Andrew. I just discovered you today and I have to tell you that your information on cookware is outstanding. I've been watching one after another and can't seem to drag myself away. You really do cover every base and I am sold on your reviews. Thanks SO much and you now have another subscriber 👍🏆
Thanks for the kids words and support! Feel free to reach out if you ever need help choosing products/brands Andrew@PrudentReviews.com -we’re here to help!
Thank you so much for your candid review! Whether the pan retains its non stick properties over time was EXACTLY the question I had when I saw the commercial.
I use my caraway cookware on low to medium heat only. Never bumped the heat up. For anything that requires a higher heat, I always use my cast iron skillets. To clean the oil residue on the bottom outside, I use a soft scour pad, a little soap, and bar keepers friend and gently rub in a circular motion. I’ve had my pans for a year now and they still look and cook wonderfully.
Thanks for providing sources and factual information instead of fluff in your review, a lot of youtube doesn't do a good job providing any source for claims.
I bought one of the Caraway 8 inch skillets for primarily making an egg or two in the morning, and so far it's working great. For most other needs like boiling water for pasta, searing veggies, making sauces etc our set of stainless pans is the way to go. I have had expensive calphalon pans wear out after a few years of careful gentle use, and I find cast iron and carbon steel to be too heavy for regular use.
This is why I do not use non-stick/ceramic cookware. No matter how low or high the price, they all have the same issues and you pay a price for convenience of non-stick. I prefer cast iron and stainless steel -both are workhorses and I don’t have to baby them. Cast iron has much initial maintenance, but, gets better and easier with each use.
Agreed. With the right seasoning/maintenance/cooking techniques cast iron or carbon steel and stainless steel is all you need, but the convenience of non-stick is appealing.
I just bought a new set for half the price at our local Habitat for Humanity Restore. I read in the literature that if the outside stains, soak it in baking soda & vinegar. Has anyone tried that method? I also got their full bakeware set for half price at the same place. They were unused returns that Caraway donated to the charity for resale.
Thank you so much for this review! I never understand the people that make reviews on a product they just opened and never actually used long term hahaha but this is fantastic! Very informative!
Eh, "seasoning" cast iron or carbon steel, which is just a thinner version of cast iron, doesn't remotely equate to what ceramics do. I have all of the above. You have to use WAY more grease/oil/butter etc to get eggs not to stick.
Thanks for this thorough review. It was very helpful. As far as PTFE and PFAS are concerned, you may want to take a look at the May/June 2023 issue of Consumer Reports, and perhaps approach cookware using PTFE with a bit more 'awareness', shall we say.
Teflon is also used in many biomedical implants like stents and joint replacements, jaw implants, all kinds of things because it is inert and harmless in the body. I appreciate you mentioning how Teflon is manufactured differently today. No one should be heating it above 500F. Also, there are many other materials in the kitchen tat when heated beyond their capacity release harmful fumes as well, handles of certain pots and pans for example, certain plastic and silicone utensils. I've tried the "ceramic" coated pans and they are garbage after a few months. Stainless steel is my go to.
I’m really surprised at the wear of your pan. I’ve had mine for over 2 years and it still looks perfect. My stove is a glass top and I don’t use any metal utensils. I didn’t purchase the whole set but bought 2 of the pans as I really need a smaller pan as I love making omelettes. The non stick function still works for me. I’m used to taking care of high end stuff as I own a lot of Le Creuset. I generally clean them up with a non abrasive soft sponge.
I’ve had my set about a year. They still look new & are still non-stick. They are great. I use silicone or wood and have no scratches on my cookware. I cook 3 meals a day most days.
Not to mention, it states in the directions to let it heat up, then put butter or oil down, then cook. Who the heck expects to just throw an egg in a pan with nothing else? @@stevie8787
I have the cookware set and I am happy with them but not as happy as I thought I would be with them. I actually found this video because I'm trying to figure out how to tighten my pan handles as they have loosened up and have gotten very annoying to use
i bought afew of these for baking/cooking and probably bought into the hype a bit - so far so good but great to get this thorough review after extended use - thats whats missing in reviews. and these are quite expensive so should last longer than what i'm seeing. thanks
It does say on their care instructions never to put it on high heat or the non-stick coating will wear off quickly and exterior will scratch. Is there a chance that you use high heat regularly like you did here?
I am quite disappointed with how my Caraway pan has held up - it's less than a year old and it looks like it's been through a war. Both the inside and the outside are a disaster. I'm looking for a replacement. Would not recommend.
Thank you for this review - particularly about the real deal with the safety claims. I had no idea that those harmful chemicals are no longer used in stick-free pans. The article link that you posted says that the PFOA Stewardship ended in 2015, but you said 2013 in the video (I think). Which date is it?
They absolutely are still used. The chemical manufacturing industry uses loopholes for constituent naming - what is being used now are all part of a PFAS chemical family with is absolutely toxic, and rapidly developing into another environmental disaster. www.epa.gov/pfas
I’d beg to differ that all nonstick are safe … especially ones that chip very easy and expose the aluminum and aluminum is toxic as well - it leaches into food.
Thank you, what an enlightening review. Very informative, I was about to spend $$$ on ceramic coated non stick pans but now I know it's just scaremongering
This guy is either financially gaining from saying that or he's incredibly undereducated in the matter of PFAS - the current family of non-stick coatings. DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ON RU-vid.
I have an induction range. Though they say they are induction capable, they are not. I liked the look, but they needed to perform and they didn’t. I returned the entire set after 3 days.
i'm glad i saw your review. saved me some hassle. i am one year new to induction and still looking for the right fit so i now know caraway isn't it. T Y
All non stick coatings fail with time. I had all kinds of coated pans, both ceramic and PTFE, from various brands, including some very expensive German ones - AMT, Woll and Berndes. They all failed after 1-4 years. I also had a host of pans from local brands (usually made in China) that were mediocre at best and failed quickly. At least in my case, pans with ceramic coatings proved inferior to those with PTFE. Now I only use (and recommend) cheaper, but not less durable, Tefal or OXO pans (PTFE coated), only on low to medium heat and only when I really have to - I use my steel clad (Cuisinart and OXO), carbon steel (De Buyer) or cast iron (Lodge) pans whenever possible. With time I learned how to reduce food sticking and how to quickly clean them.
Food may have started sticking after a few months due to using them on high heat. You boiled the water on high, but Caraway will tell you using their products on higher than medium heat on the stove top will lead to the coating degrading faster.
While valid, I've babied all 3 of the ceramic pan's I've tried (never high heat, hand wash, only a soft sponge, only plastic wood or silicone utensils, never stacked, and never in an oven), and they've all seemed to last 1/3 of the time as my inexpensive t-fal before the performance starts to tank.
I bought CARAWAY 10.5 PAN for about 100$.. I only bought 1 to see how it works out.. The review is 100% correct.. GREAT REVIEW! But let me tell you 100% TRUTH from a normal guy!! I buy this 100$ 10.5 PAN thinking i bought BEST OF THE BEST! I bought NEW WOOD utensils and told wife ONLY USE WOOD UTENSILS so we dont scratch it.. Great right!! PAN is beautiful and cooks great!! THe MAX TEMP pan can with stand i believe is about 500+ but we are only cooking eggs and heating premade meals up.. After 10 days-- THE DAM coating is PITTING NOT SCRATCH PITTING!! Makes no sense only after 10day! VERY UPSET!! going back to my STAINLESS STEEL!
I am confused about the heat tolerance because they say to go no higher than medium on the stove top. Then you stick them in a 550 degree oven. I have seen people do reviews after two years that say the non stick still works but the pans looks bad. The perfect heat distribution is interesting I have never had a pan that was that like that.
What did you think about the "square" edges/rims of the pans? They seem hard to pour out of without dripping back down the outside surface of the pan. I think these pans have some other points against them like how quickly they wear, but I am surprised I haven't seen information about pouring from the pans in any reviews. I always lift up my pans to pour out of them, and love to have curved, slim edges for this reason!
From my full review, “The sides of the pans are straight, which helps contain ingredients, but without flared rims, it’s harder to pour liquids or slide food from the pan to a plate. This could be a pro or a con, depending on how you plan to use the pan most often.” Personally I like flared rims since I make a lot of pan sauces. prudentreviews.com/caraway-cookware-review/
The loss of the nonstick property after a few months was hugely disappointing with my caraway. I kept it clean but it didn't matter. Would not recommend.
@@PrudentReviews Are the high-end makers better in that regard? If so, what are they doing different? I tried to find if the metal used makes a difference (iron vs aluminum) but couldn't get an answer.
Pretty much all ceramic non-stick cookware will lose its non-stick properties within a year or so (depending on how much you use it). That is the case with all brands, including Caraway, GreenPan, and others. The metal underneath won't impact the effectiveness of the coating. Your best bet is to buy non-stick cookware with a PTFE coating. It's usually black or dark gray, and "PTFE" or "Teflon" will be somewhere in the product description. PTFE non-stick won't last forever, but it usually outlasts ceramic by at least 2X. Made In, Misen, All-Clad HA1, and Calphalon are good brands to consider. I'm posting a video about "how to make non-stick pans last longer" next week, so check back in about a week.
I’m curious about all the people who don’t trust Teflon, why would you trust Caraway? I mean they are a profit seeking company and the ceramic they are referring to is sol-gel, which isn’t actually ceramic. I mean the whole ceramic being safer for you is a marketing tactic on the part of manufacturers…
I go into more detail on this topic here: Ceramic vs. Teflon: The Truth About Non-Stick Pans ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Rn_txCvfSx0.html
Plz can you do a review of Ninja Foodie Never Stick pans? We bought ours a year ago when they first came out and love them but I'm curious how they'd hold up in your tests.
It might be time to invest in a high quality tri-play stainless steel cookware set. I am glad i ran across this review before wasting money on another set of ceramic pans that I’ll end up throwing out in a year.
I dont know why this was recommended to me. I've had caraway for 4 years now and they are still as good as the day i bought them. I dont use them to fry food and keep temps relatively low. The pans are heavy but very durable. Dont dishwash them. Dont overheat. Its fine after
Thanks for all the info. I saw these advertised on FB. They look nice and are expensive, so thought I'd see what theyre all about.but yeah, I think I'll stay with my ninja nonstick pan for frying and sauteeing, and stainless steel for everything else 🤷♂️
I don't care what anyone says I will never use anything that has Teflon on it. I'll go with a stainless steel pot and pan any day. I was into my cast-iron a lot and I really loved it but when my son used it he was not great at cleaning it up right after and you know what happens if you don't clean your Cast-iron right away.
I’ve had my caraway set for years. Any cookware I get, I don’t expect the exterior to remain spotless. I use the 💩 out of my cookware. Honestly, this set has been the best I’ve owned. Teflon coatings still flake off over time. No thanks. The caraway cooking surface has held up very well for me. But I’m not using metal utensils.
I wish I could attach pictures of my caraway set after 2 years of use. They look horrible and I’m almost afraid to use them. I never use metal utensils while cooking with them, but there are somehow little dings at the bottom of each pan. The outside looks even worse, as the color “paint” is literally peeling off. Huge regret and I’ll never buy from that brand again.
I love my caraway bakikng pan and stove top. It really doesn't stick. I'm going to wait to make sure it holds up over time, but I think I would like the whole set.
I have not used the Staub daily pan but their Dutch ovens (cocottes) are great. I have used Scanpan and I’m a big fan. Here’s my review: prudentreviews.com/scanpan-review/
Got about 6 months out of our frying pan before it lost all nonstick properties despite following all cleaning instructions. These pans are garbage for the price.
Great question. They have the same non-stick coating but Caraway pans are thicker and sturdier. Also Caraway can handle up to 550F in the oven and most Rachael Ray pans are oven-safe up to 400F. So in terms of performance and durability, Caraway is better. But You can get Rachael Ray for much cheaper. Check out my review of Rachael Ray cookware for more details: prudentreviews.com/rachael-ray-cookware-review/
Enough said I will stick to my calphalon... I'm a cooking enthusiast I don't mind spending the money for it beware of new brands .. especially when chefs do not use them
If you prep food first chop or get ingredients out you need First then heat pan to medium heat and use olive or avocado oil may even turn down to medium/ low if need be you have to keep an eye on pan on medium heat and when it starts getting hot then place food in pan. Never use high heat period ruining pan . If using medium high don’t heat too long because it can also ruin your pan. I’ve ruined a pan before and I’m 59. Also in my very early 30 or late 20’s had a cast iron pan split in half. My fault I’m sure as I was not experienced cook. No one told me about cast iron or much of anything so I had to figure it out myself. Now there is you tube to teach you. Never had RU-vid back then. Only medium heat tops and never abrasive cleaner or harsh scrubber and do not use steel spatulas only silicone. If you take care of your cookware you probably won’t have issues. But not all cookware is good to begin with either.
