The Our Place Always Pan and a Ninja Air Fryer serve very different cooking needs, despite both being popular kitchen staples. The Always Pan is stylish, non-stick stovetop cookware designed to replace eight traditional pieces, while Ninja air fryers are countertop appliances that use superheated air to cook food quickly for a crispy finish.
Here's a detailed comparison to help you decide which cooking tool is the right investment for your kitchen.
Our Place Always Pan 2.0
The Always Pan revolutionized stovetop cooking by packing multiple functions into one aesthetically pleasing piece. Created by the brand Our Place, it's designed for someone who wants to simplify their kitchen with a single, high-performing pan that can braise, sear, steam, strain, sauté, fry, and boil, all while looking great on the cooktop.
- What it is: A versatile, deep 10.5-inch non-stick skillet that comes with a steamer basket, a nesting spatula, and a lid.
- Key features: Non-toxic Thermakind™ ceramic non-stick coating, compatible with all cooktops (including induction), integrated spoon rest on the handle, pour spouts, and a modular lid to release steam.
- Price: Around $150.
- Style: Minimalist and modern with a wide range of soft, trendy color options like Sage, Spice, and Blue Salt. It's designed to be countertop art as much as a tool.
- Materials/Construction: Cast aluminum body for even heating, a sturdy stay-cool handle, and a toxin-free ceramic coating. Both oven and dishwasher-safe.
- Pros: Replaces multiple pieces of cookware, saving space. Stunning design and color options. Excellent non-stick performance for easy cooking and cleanup. Comes with useful accessories.
- Cons: The ceramic non-stick coating requires careful maintenance (no high heat or metal utensils) to preserve its lifespan. Price is high for a single pan. Limited to stovetop and moderate oven temperatures (up to 450°F).
The Always Pan is ideal for individuals or small families who prioritize style, versatility, and minimalism in their stovetop cooking experience.
Shop this product: fromourplace.com/products/always-pan
Ninja Air Fryer
Ninja is a powerhouse in countertop kitchen appliances, and their air fryers are known for performance, capacity, and versatility. A Ninja Air Fryer is an electric appliance that functions like a small convection oven, circulating hot air to "fry" foods with minimal oil. Many models go beyond just air frying, offering modes for roasting, reheating, dehydrating, and sometimes even baking.
- What it is: A countertop appliance that uses rapid air circulation for fast, crispy cooking.
- Key features: Wide temperature range, multiple cooking functions (Air Fry, Roast, Dehydrate, Reheat), large-capacity baskets, and easy-to-use digital controls. Specific features vary by model.
- Price: Ranges from $99 to $249 depending on the model, size, and features.
- Style: Utilitarian and functional. Most models come in black, grey, or stainless steel finishes designed to blend in rather than stand out. The focus is on function over form.
- Materials/Construction: Durable plastic and stainless steel housings with non-stick ceramic-coated baskets and crisper plates for easy cleaning.
- Pros: Cooks meals much faster than a conventional oven. Achieves a crispy, fried texture with very little to no oil. Many models offer multi-functionality. Dishwasher-safe parts make cleanup simple.
- Cons: Takes up valuable counter space. Can be loud during operation. Not suitable for wet batters or boiling liquid-based dishes like soups. Basket size may limit batch cooking for large families.
A Ninja Air Fryer works best for busy individuals and families who want fast, healthy, and convenient meals without being tied to the stove.
Shop this product: ninjakitchen.com/c/air-fryers-ovens
Our Place Always Pan vs. Ninja Air Fryer Comparison
Functionality & Cooking Methods
The primary difference is the cooking method and what you can make. The Our Place Always Pan is for traditional stovetop cooking - sautéing vegetables, searing steak, simmering sauces, or making scrambled eggs. It excels at tasks requiring direct, controlled heat from a burner and gives you hands-on control. Its included steamer basket adds more versatility for steaming dumplings or vegetables.
The Ninja Air Fryer is all about dry-heat cooking. It's essentially a compact convection oven perfect for roasting chicken, making French fries, crisping up leftover pizza, or dehydrating fruit. It's a "set it and forget it" appliance that cooks hands-off, replacing your oven for smaller jobs. It cannot boil, simmer, or cook anything with a significant amount of liquid sauce.
Style & Aesthetics
This is where Our Place stands apart. The Always Pan is intentionally designed to be beautiful, with a sleek silhouette and a stunning color palette. It’s meant to be left on the stovetop or used as a serving vessel. The pan is a statement piece that enhances kitchen decor.
Ninja appliances are built for pure function. They have a more industrial, tech-forward look with black plastic, stainless steel accents, and prominent digital displays. A Ninja Air Fryer isn't meant to be a decorative object, it's a workhorse appliance that blends in with other gadgets like microwaves and blenders.
Footprint & Storage
The Always Pan shines in saving cabinet space, as it's designed to replace a fry pan, sauté pan, saucepan, steamer, and skillet. While it lives on the cooktop, it consolidates clutter. It has a standard 10.5-inch diameter that fits easily on any burner.
A Ninja Air Fryer demands dedicated counter space, and some dual-basket models can have a significant footprint. Even smaller models are bulky compared to a single pan. You either need to commit counter real estate or have a large cupboard or pantry for storage when it’s not in use.
Price & Value
While the Always Pan’s ~$150 price tag seems high for one pan, its value is in its multi-functionality and aesthetic appeal. You're paying for design, brand recognition, and a single solution to replace multiple pots and pans. For stovetop cooking, it offers great value.
Ninja Air Fryers offer excellent value for appliance functionality. For a price point between $99 and $249, you get an appliance that often roasts, bakes, and dehydrates in addition to air frying, making it a multi-purpose workhorse. It provides a different type of value by saving time and delivering healthy cooking results quickly.
Which One Should You Choose?
Both tools are great additions to a modern kitchen, but they're not interchangeable. Your choice depends entirely on your cooking habits and kitchen needs.
Choose the Our Place Always Pan if:
- Aesthetics is a top priority, and you want cookware that doubles as decor.
- You primarily cook on the stovetop and need a versatile pan for sautéing, searing, and steaming.
- You're trying to minimize cookware clutter in a small kitchen.
- You enjoy the hands-on process of cooking on a stove.
Choose the Ninja Air Fryer if:
- You prioritize speed and convenience for weeknight meals.
- You want a healthier way to cook traditionally fried foods like fries, wings, and chicken nuggets.
- You want a multi-function appliance that can roast, reheat, and crisp up food better than a microwave.
- You have the counter space to spare for another appliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the main difference between the Always Pan and a Ninja Air Fryer?
The Always Pan is stovetop cookware for sautéing, searing, steaming, and braising. A Ninja Air Fryer is a countertop electric appliance that uses circulated hot air to roast, bake, and "fry" food with less oil, similar to a small convection oven.
Can the Our Place Always Pan air fry food?
No, the Always Pan cannot air fry. Air frying requires a special appliance that circulates very hot air at high speed. The Always Pan is designed for pan-frying and sautéing on the stove.
Which is healthier for cooking?
A Ninja Air Fryer generally promotes healthier cooking, as its main purpose is to achieve a crispy texture with significantly less oil than traditional deep-frying or even pan-frying. However, the Always Pan's non-stick surface already reduces the amount of oil needed for stovetop cooking.
Does a Ninja Air Fryer replace a stovetop pan?
No, it does not. You cannot perform basic stovetop tasks like making a sauce, boiling pasta, or scrambling eggs in a typical air fryer. They serve completely different culinary functions and are complementary tools, not replacements for each other.
Which is more versatile?
They're versatile in different ways. The Always Pan is versatile on the stovetop, handling many types of cooking methods from frying to steaming. The Ninja Air Fryer is versatile as a countertop appliance, often combining the functions of a small oven, a fryer, and a dehydrator in one machine.
Which is better for a small kitchen?
The Our Place Always Pan is better for minimizing cookware clutter, as it replaces eight items in one piece. However, a Ninja Air Fryer might be better if you lack a conventional oven or want an appliance that does the cooking for you, provided you have the counter space.
Which is easier to clean?
Both are designed for easy cleaning. The Always Pan has an excellent non-stick surface that allows food to slide off easily, while most parts of Ninja Air Fryers are dishwasher-safe, including the basket and crisper plate. Cleanup is a plus for both.
Which cooks food faster?
For tasks they both can handle, like roasting vegetables, the Ninja Air Fryer will likely be faster thanks to shorter preheating times and intense convection. The appliance is designed specifically for speed and convenience.
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