The Made In and Our Place brands cater to two very different cooks. Made In offers professional-grade cookware with materials like 5-ply stainless steel and carbon steel designed for high performance and longevity, targeting serious home chefs. Our Place focuses on stylish, multi-functional convenience with its ceramic non-stick Always Pan, which appeals to casual cooks who value versatility, a colorful aesthetic, and easy cleanup.
Here’s everything you need to know to decide whether the professional performance of Made In or the all-in-one simplicity of Our Place is right for your kitchen.
Made In Cookware
Made In is a direct-to-consumer brand that produces professional-quality cookware trusted by home enthusiasts and restaurant chefs alike. Their focus is on high-performance materials, exceptional craftsmanship, and timeless design. Their premium pans are built to deliver precise heat control and last a lifetime, forming a core collection for any serious kitchen.
- What it is: A collection of premium pots and pans, including stainless steel clad, non-stick, carbon steel, and copper kitchenware, made in the USA, Italy, and France.
- Key features: Multi-ply construction (typically 5-ply stainless steel with an aluminum core), excellent heat conduction and retention, ergonomic stay-cool handles, and oven-safe designs up to 800°F (for stainless).
- Price: Mid-to-high range, with popular frying pans starting around $99 - $140.
- Style: Sleek, minimalist, and professional. The polished stainless and blackened carbon steel finishes prioritize function and a classic kitchen aesthetic over trendy colors.
- Materials/Construction: Premium materials like 18/10 stainless steel, full metal construction, and high-gauge carbon steel ensure durability and prevent warping under high heat.
- Pros: Superior performance for searing and browning, lasts for decades with proper care, induction compatible and oven safe, precise heat control, lifetime warranty on many products.
- Cons: Higher upfront investment, requires more technique to use than non-stick (especially stainless and carbon steel), can be heavier, requires proper cleaning and maintenance.
Made In is the right choice for cooks who treat their kitchen tools as a long-term investment and prioritize cooking performance above all else.
Shop this product: madeincookware.com
Our Place Pans
Our Place is a modern, lifestyle-focused kitchenware brand best known for its viral Always Pan. The brand's philosophy centers on simplifying the kitchen with a few beautiful, versatile pieces that replace the need for an overflowing cabinet of single-use items. Their products blend function and form designed for the everyday, casual cook.
- What it is: Multi-functional, non-stick cookware designed to replace 8 to 10 traditional pieces, like fry pans, saucepans, and steamers.
- Key features: Slick, non-toxic ceramic non-stick coating, lightweight aluminum body for fast heating, included accessories like a nesting steamer basket and spoon rest, and a wide array of bold, modern colors.
- Price: Affordable, with key products like the Always Pan 2.0 priced around $150.
- Style: Playful, modern, and aesthetically driven. Known for its curated, Instagram-worthy color palettes that look great on the stove and the table.
- Materials/Construction: Aluminum body with a claimed "Thermakind" non-toxic, PFOA-free ceramic non-stick coating. Lids and handles are often integrated into the design.
- Pros: A single pan can steam, sauté, fry, and boil, saving space and money. Exceptionally easy to clean. Lightweight and easy to handle. Stylish enough to serve from directly.
- Cons: Non-stick coatings have a limited lifespan and degrade over time. Not suitable for high-heat searing. Not fully oven safe (newest models have limited oven compatibility).
An Our Place pan is perfect for casual cooks, small-space dwellers, and anyone who wants a simple, stylish workhorse for daily meals without the fuss.
Shop this product: ourplace.com/collections/cookware
Made In vs. Our Place Pans Comparison
Materials & Construction
There is a fundamental difference in philosophy here. Made In uses "forever" materials like multi-clad stainless steel and durable carbon steel. Their 5-ply stainless construction wraps an aluminum core with stainless steel, delivering the fast-heating properties of aluminum with the durability and heat retention of steel. This makes them heavy, robust, and able to withstand extreme temperature changes without warping.
Our Place prioritizes convenience. Their pans are built on a lightweight aluminum core, which heats up very quickly but doesn’t retain heat as well as steel. The star is the ceramic non-stick coating, which offers incredible food release and easy cleaning. However, the trade-off is durability - all non-stick coatings eventually wear out and cannot be restored.
Performance & Versatility
For sheer cooking performance, Made In has the edge. Their pans are designed for technique: achieving a deep, crusty sear on a steak, a perfect pan sauce, or an even sauté. Being oven-safe to high temperatures opens up techniques like starting a dish on the stovetop and finishing it in the oven. Their versatility comes from being a high-performance blank slate for any cooking task.
Our Place's versatility is about function consolidation. The Always Pan genuinely can fry an egg, steam vegetables, and boil pasta, replacing several pans. It's built for weeknight meals - not for professionally nuanced cooking techniques. Its weakness is searing, the non-stick surface is not made for the kind of ripping-high heat needed for a proper crust.
Durability & Maintenance
A Made In pan is an investment intended to last a lifetime. Stainless steel is a workhorse that can handle metal utensils and abrasive scrubbing. Carbon steel will even get better with age as it develops a seasoning. While they can require more effort to clean after a hard sear, they are built for the long haul.
The Our Place Always Pan must be treated more delicately. To preserve the non-stick coating, you must avoid metal utensils, high heat, and abrasive sponges. Despite best practices, the non-stick surface will inevitably wear out in a few years, at which point the pan's primary function is lost. Maintenance is easy day-to-day but the product’s lifespan is inherently limited.
Style & Aesthetics
Cosmetically, the brands exist in different worlds. Made In sports a classic, professional restaurant C-suite aesthetic. The shimmering steel and dark, seasoned carbon steel look serious and utilitarian, meant to blend into an efficient, function-first kitchen. They are handsome, but they don't call attention to themselves.
Our Place is all about aesthetic expression. Their pans are design objects meant to be seen. Offered in a beautiful range of trendy colors from sage green to terracotta, they function as decor as much as cookware. They’re designed for the person whose kitchen is an integrated part of their living space and want their tools to reflect a certain style.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both brands represent the top of their respective classes, but they cater to very different needs and priorities.
Choose Made In if:
- You are a passionate cook who wants tools that match your enthusiasm and skill growth.
- Developing a perfect restaurant-quality sear is important to you.
- You value investing in kitchenware that you will use for decades to come.
- Your cooking style often involves moving pans from the stovetop to the oven.
Choose Our Place if:
- You want to simplify your kitchen collection with one versatile, do-it-all pan.
- Your top priority is fast cooking and even faster cleanup on busy weeknights.
- Your kitchen is small and you need to maximize space with multi-functional items.
- You love a pop of color and want your cookware to match your home's aesthetic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between Made In and Our Place?
The main difference is materials and purpose. Made In uses professional-grade materials like multi-ply stainless steel and carbon steel designed for high-performance cooking and lifetime durability. Our Place uses a convenient ceramic non-stick coating on aluminum designed for maximum versatility and easy cleanup for everyday meals.
Which brand is better for a beginner cook?
Our Place is generally better for beginners. Its non-stick surface is very forgiving, making it easy to cook things like eggs and fish without sticking, and its all-in-one design simplifies the learning process. Made In requires more technique to manage heat and prevent food from sticking.
Is Made In cookware worth the high price?
For serious cooks, yes. The price reflects investment-grade materials, superior manufacturing, and high-performance capabilities that deliver better cooking results, especially for searing and heat control. They are built to last a lifetime, offering long-term value over cheaper pans that need frequent replacement.
How long does the Our Place Always Pan's non-stick last?
With proper care (avoiding metal utensils, dishwashers, and excessive heat), the non-stick surface typically lasts for 1-3 years of regular use. As with all non-stick pans, its effectiveness will naturally decline over time.
Are Our Place pans non-toxic?
Yes, Our Place pans use a ceramic non-stick coating that is free from PFOAs, PTFEs, other PFAS, lead, and cadmium, which is considered a safe and non-toxic option.
Can Made In stainless steel pans go in the dishwasher?
Yes, Made In's stainless clad cookware is dishwasher safe. However, most chefs and the brand itself recommend handwashing to maintain the pan's pristine finish and ensure its longevity.
Which pan is better for high-heat searing?
Made In is unequivocally superior for high-heat searing. Both their Stainless Clad and Carbon Steel options are designed to take high temperatures, which is essential for developing a deep brown crust on meats and vegetables. Our Place pans and their non-stick coating are not intended for high-heat cooking.
Where are the pans made?
Made In proudly manufactures its products in Western countries known for their craftsmanship, their stainless steel is from Italy, carbon steel and non-stick from France, and knives from the USA. Most Our Place products are designed in California and manufactured in China.
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