Our Place Always Pan 2.0: The Unique Design Continues to Impress

We received a sample of the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

We’ll admit it, we love new cookware! So we were excited to test the Always Pan when it first came out in 2021, and just as interested in the new 2.0 version—released in early 2023—to see what had changed. As usual, we readied recipes and bought ingredients to put it to the test. Is the Always Pan 2.0 better than the original? Should you throw out all of your cookware and stock up on multiple Always Pans? Read on to find out.

Design: Small but attractive

Right off the bat, the Always Pan looks distinctive. Our original pan was in the Spice color, which reminded us of a Southwestern red adobe hue, while the new version was the Blue Salt—a muted blue that will remind you of your favorite well-worn jeans. The other four colors are just as interesting and somewhat unusual when it comes to cookware. Just like the original Always Pan, the new version has a long handle and a looped helper handle on the opposite side.

A wooden spatula, domed lid, and stainless-steel steamer basket are still included. The spatula sits on top of the handle and nestles inside the pot through a slot under the lid so that it can rest during cooking. However, we probably wouldn’t leave it on the handle if we were cooking something for a long time, since steam can damage the wood. There's also a raised triangle on the lid to indicate where the spatula fits.

The pan is fairly shallow and was smaller than it appeared in Our Place's promotional materials. The 10.5-inch version can hold up to 2.5 quarts of liquid; anything more than that might overflow into the spatula cutout. Larger foods can fit under the domed lid, but only shorter foods can be completely submerged. It's also designed with rounded sides, which we found great for making sauces.

Unlike many products that come out with an upgraded version, the new Always Pan looks very much like the old version. And by "very much" we mean that they look identical. But there is one difference—and it’s a big one. More on that later. And there are two other differences that are worth a comment.

Material: Made of aluminum

The Always Pan is made from cast aluminum, with a nonstick ceramic coating on the interior and a colorful coating outside, and the new version’s nonstick is said to be even better than before. That’s hard to test, but it certainly performed well, no matter what was cooked. 

With the original pan, a layer of molten magnetic stainless steel was sprayed on the bottom of the pan so it could be used on induction cooktops, then the stainless was hidden by the colorful coating. The current version has a stainless steel disk on the bottom, but it’s virtually invisible when the pan is viewed from the side. In theory, it now performs better than the previous pan on induction cooktops.

But that’s not the big change that had us so pleased. What we love is that the current version is oven safe to 450 degrees, making it much more versatile. We tested it with several recipes, and appreciated the ease of getting baked goods out of the pan. As before, all the materials on the Always Pan are made without made without PFOA or PTFE.

Heating Capacity: Heats quickly and evenly

Because the Always Pan is made from aluminum, it heats up quickly. The pan's thickness and stainless steel base also help with even heating and provide some heat retention, as well. While Our Place recommends using the pan on low and medium-low heat to protect the nonstick coating, they say that an occasional sear is okay. But let’s face it, we don’t choose a nonstick pan for searing.

The locking lid is the same as the previous, and is designed to keep steam inside when you want and release steam when you don't. While this feature sounds helpful, we found it did not matter as much since steam can still escape through the spatula cutout when the pan was covered.

Performance: Mixed results

With the first Always Pan, our first tests were with braised, then sautéed carrots, and an eggy French toast. The shape of the pan made flipping the carrots without utensils easy, but the beechwood spatula was uncomfortable and we ended up grabbing a different spatula for serving. The French toast skated around the pan nicely, but didn’t have as much space as we’d liked. But importantly, nothing stuck, with the toast and accompanying scrambled eggs sliding easily out of the pan. 

With the new version, we tested a saucy pulled pork, which didn’t stick or burn, and cleaning the sauce out was simple when cooking was done. A vegetable stir-fry was just as successful, which was expected since the cooking features haven’t changed. We continued using it for daily cooking tasks, and appreciated how versatile it was, from eggs to pastas.

We had also used the steamer basket for boiling pasta, though it was only useful for a very small amount to avoid frothy overboiling. The steamer basket worked well with a small head of cauliflower and was useful for steaming hard-boiled eggs, too. However, liquid levels should be monitored when cooking with steam to make sure the liquid doesn't evaporate or overflow.

Ultimately, we found most of the company's advertising claims to be true. The Always Pan can work as a nonstick frying pan, sauté pan, skillet, or saucier with ease. It can also steam foods as long as they’re not too large. But, while this pan can do some of the same things as a saucepan, a saucepan is typically deeper, and the Always Pan didn't leave us much room for simmering sauces.

And now, it can be used for baking and oven braising. While we’d likely choose another pan to bake a cake, it worked well to finish a frittata in the oven, and to bake a few frozen cinnamon rolls. It’s also great that there’s no worry about stashing it in a hot oven to keep food warm after cooking.

Cleaning: Nonstick makes it easy

While the pan is dishwasher safe, the manufacturer suggests handwashing it instead, which is easy enough to do. Food simply glides off the nonstick surface, and even the exterior was easy enough. Since the pan's appearance is one of its strong points, we know that keeping it in mint condition won't be a problem.

Price: Expensive for nonstick

Retailing for $150, we felt that this pan was a bit expensive. However, it's a very attractive modestly-sized nonstick pan that we liked using. While we can’t be sure how long the coating will last, the generous warranty and the new upgraded nonstick coating give us hope.