Our Place is known for its trendy, colorful, and multi-functional cookware designed for the modern home cook, while Caraway focuses on elegant, non-toxic ceramic cookware for the health-conscious consumer. In contrast, HexClad delivers professional-grade performance with its durable hybrid of stainless steel and non-stick technology, targeting serious home chefs.
Let's compare these popular cookware brands to help you decide which is perfect for your kitchen.
Our Place: The Stylish, Multi-Functional Choice
Our Place became an internet sensation with its aesthetically pleasing and versatile cookware, most notably the Always Pan. The brand appeals to millennials, Gen Z, and urban dwellers who value both form and function, offering products that are as stylish as they are practical and designed to simplify cooking and save space.
- Product mix: Famous for the Always Pan and Perfect Pot, the brand also offers cookware sets, utensils, bakeware, and storage solutions.
- Style/vibe: Playful, contemporary, and minimalist. They are known for their vibrant and trendy color palettes like blush, sage green, and lavender that add a pop of color to any kitchen.
- Price point: Mid-range and accessible. The iconic Always Pan retails for around $145, with individual pieces and smaller sets typically ranging from $50 to $150.
- Quality & Materials: Utilizes a sturdy aluminum body for even heating with a non-toxic, non-stick ceramic coating that makes cooking and cleanup simple.
- Sustainability: The brand emphasizes responsible material sourcing, uses 100% recyclable and biodegradable packaging, and designs its products to reduce kitchen clutter and waste.
- Shopping Experience: Primarily sells direct-to-consumer through a highly visual and user-friendly website, with occasional retail partnerships.
Our Place is the go-to for home cooks who want good-looking, versatile cookware for everyday meals without a premium price tag.
Shop Our Place: ourplace.com
Caraway: The Non-Toxic, Elegant Cookware
Caraway has built its reputation on producing beautifully designed, high-quality cookware that is completely free of toxic materials like PTFE and PFOA. The brand targets health-conscious consumers and design aficionados who want safe, reliable, and sophisticated kitchen essentials that blend seamlessly into a modern home.
- Product mix: Offers complete cookware and bakeware sets, individual pots and pans, food storage, and accessories like linen aprons and trivets.
- Style/vibe: Elegant, clean, and minimalist with a premium feel. The color palette focuses on sophisticated, muted tones like cream, gray, sage, and navy.
- Price point: Premium mid-range. Individual pans start around $95, while their comprehensive cookware set costs $395. The price reflects their commitment to non-toxic materials and quality.
- Quality & Materials: Features an aluminum core with a mineral-based ceramic non-stick coating. Handles are stainless steel, ensuring durability and oven safety.
- Sustainability: Caraway is committed to environmentally conscious manufacturing and delivers its products in plastic-free packaging with recyclable materials.
- Shopping Experience: Sells exclusively online with a streamlined website, free shipping, a 30-day trial, and a limited warranty, ensuring a customer-focused experience.
Caraway is ideal for those willing to invest in safe, thoughtfully designed cookware that prioritizes both health and style.
Shop Caraway: carawayhome.com
HexClad: The Professional-Grade Hybrid Cookware
HexClad offers innovative hybrid cookware that blends the durability of stainless steel with the convenience of a non-stick surface. Their patented laser-etched hexagon design creates a unique cooking surface that allows for high-heat searing while being metal-utensil safe, appealing to serious home cooks who demand professional performance and longevity.
- Product mix: A comprehensive line of hybrid pans, woks, pots, griddles, and complete cookware sets designed for a wide range of cooking techniques.
- Style/vibe: Modern, sleek, and professional. The distinctive silver and black hexagon pattern gives the cookware a high-tech, chef-approved appearance that looks great in any kitchen.
- Price point: Premium. Individual pans typically range from $100 to $150, with larger sets priced between $300 and $400, reflecting their unique technology and durability.
- Quality & Materials: Constructed with a three-ply aluminum core between two layers of stainless steel, plus the laser-etched non-stick surface. This combination provides excellent heat control and exceptional durability.
- Durability: HexClad pans are known for their scratch resistance, oven safety (up to 500°F), dishwasher safety, and induction compatibility. They come with a lifetime warranty.
- Shopping Experience: Sold through its website and select premium retailers, HexClad focuses on educating customers about its hybrid technology.
HexClad bridges the gap between traditional stainless steel and non-stick, offering a durable, high-performance solution for ambitious home chefs.
Shop HexClad: hexclad.com
Our Place vs. Caraway vs. HexClad Comparison
Price Comparison
Our Place is the most accessible of the three, with its famous Always Pan priced at around $145 and other items being similarly budget-friendly. It provides an excellent entry point for stylish, functional cookware without a major investment.
Caraway sits in the premium mid-range, with its popular cookware set at $395. The higher price is justified by its commitment to non-toxic materials, high-quality construction, and elegant design, appealing to those prioritizing wellness.
HexClad is a premium brand, with sets ranging from $300 to $400 or more. This cost reflects its patented hybrid technology, professional-grade durability, and lifetime warranty, making it a long-term investment for passionate cooks.
Style & Aesthetic
Your choice here comes down to personal taste. Our Place is decidedly trend-focused, offering bright, playful colors that make a statement on your stovetop and are highly Instagrammable. It’s perfect for those who see their cookware as part of their kitchen decor.
Caraway offers a more timeless and understated elegance. Its muted, earth-toned color palette and minimalist design appeal to those who favor a sophisticated, clean, and cohesive look in their kitchen.
HexClad boasts a modern, professional aesthetic. The distinct hexagon pattern and brushed stainless steel finish communicate performance and seriousness, making it suitable for cooks who want their kitchen to feel like a pro setup.
Quality & Materials
All three brands offer quality construction, but their materials serve different purposes. Our Place and Caraway use aluminum cores with non-toxic ceramic coatings, providing good non-stick performance and even heating. Caraway emphasizes its non-toxic credentials most strongly, guaranteeing its products are free from PTFE, PFOA, and other chemicals.
HexClad's hybrid construction is in a class of its own. By combining stainless steel "peaks" with non-stick "valleys," it offers the searing power and durability of steel with the easy release of non-stick. It's the most durable and long-lasting of the three and is uniquely metal utensil-safe.
Cooking Performance & Versatility
Our Place's Always Pan is designed to be an all-in-one workhorse for everyday cooking like steaming, frying, and sautéing, making it ideal for casual cooks and small kitchens. Caraway's cookware provides reliable non-stick performance perfect for delicate foods like eggs and fish, promoting healthier cooking with less oil.
HexClad truly shines in high-performance cooking. Its hybrid surface excels at searing meats, getting a perfect crust, and deglazing pans for sauces - tasks that are often challenging for purely ceramic surfaces. Its oven-safe nature also adds to its versatility.
Sustainability & Ethics
All three brands make sustainability a priority. Our Place and Caraway lead with plastic-free, recyclable packaging and a focus on non-toxic coatings that are better for the environment and consumers.
Caraway in particular has built its brand identity around being a healthier, cleaner option. HexClad approaches sustainability from a "buy it for life" angle, with its extreme durability and lifetime warranty designed to reduce landfill waste by creating cookware that doesn't need to be frequently replaced.
Which One Should You Choose?
Picking the right brand depends on your cooking style, personal aesthetic, and budget.
Choose Our Place if:
- You want stylish, eye-catching cookware in trendy colors.
- You value multi-functionality and want to simplify your kitchen with fewer pans.
- You are furnishing a first apartment or have a smaller kitchen.
- You're a casual home cook who prioritizes convenience and easy cleanup.
Choose Caraway if:
- Your primary concern is having non-toxic, chemical-free cookware.
- You prefer an elegant, minimalist design with a muted color palette.
- You are looking for a complete matching set of cookware or bakeware.
- You're willing to invest more for peace of mind and sophisticated style.
Choose HexClad if:
- You are a serious, enthusiastic home cook who wants professional-level results.
- Durability and the ability to sear at high heat are your top priorities.
- You want cookware that is scratch-resistant and safe for metal utensils.
- You're looking for a long-term investment backed by a lifetime warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Our Place, Caraway, or HexClad cheaper?
Our Place is generally the most affordable, especially for individual pieces like its Always Pan. Caraway is priced higher as a premium non-toxic brand, and HexClad is typically the most expensive due to its unique hybrid technology and lifetime warranty.
Which cookware is the most durable?
HexClad is by far the most durable. Its stainless steel and non-stick hybrid construction is designed to withstand high heat, resist scratches, and last a lifetime, whereas ceramic coatings on Our Place and Caraway may degrade over time with heavy use or high heat.
Are Caraway and Our Place truly non-toxic?
Yes, both brands use ceramic-based non-stick coatings that are free from potentially harmful chemicals often found in traditional non-stick pans, such as PFOA, PTFE, lead, and cadmium.
Can you use metal utensils on HexClad?
Yes. HexClad's patented design features stainless steel ridges that protect the non-stick coating in the valleys, making it safe to use metal spatulas, whisks, and spoons without scratching the surface.
Which pan is best for a beginner cook?
The Our Place Always Pan is an excellent choice for a beginner. Its multi-functional design helps simplify the cooking process, and its effective non-stick surface is very forgiving for those just learning.
Is Caraway cookware worth the money?
For those who prioritize non-toxic materials and a cohesive, elegant aesthetic, Caraway is worth the investment. It reliably delivers on its promise of safe, easy cooking while looking beautiful on the stovetop.
Which brand is easiest to clean?
All three brands are designed for easy cleaning. The exceptional non-stick properties of Our Place and Caraway make them very easy to wipe clean after light use. HexClad is also easy to clean and has the added benefit of being dishwasher safe.
Do these brands go on sale?
Yes, all three brands typically offer sales during major shopping holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Presidents' Day. Signing up for their newsletters is another good way to be notified of promotions.
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