We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Historically, cookware has skewed more functional than fashionable. But companies like Caraway, a new-ish direct-to-consumer cookware brand, are changing up that notion with pots and pans in gorgeous colors and sleek silhouettes. In fact, Caraway’s cookware is so pretty that you’ve probably seen it all over Instagram — either in ads or your friends’ posts. Of course, you can’t (read: shouldn’t!) buy everything you see on social media, so our team put the brand to the test. I’ve been using its signature pans for more than two years, and they’re still just as non-stick as they were on day one.
What’s Different About Caraway?
When it debuted in fall 2019, Caraway made a splash with cookware in fun colors and with clean lines — and also for its tagline: “Non-Toxic Cookware Made Modern.” It purports to offer a better kind of cookware both for cooks and the environment because the pots and pans are coated in ceramic enamel rather than Teflon or another harmful “forever chemical” to achieve a nonstick surface. Since then, it’s launched bakeware, a tea kettle, and even mini versions of its best-selling cookware — all of which have been super popular.
As with many DTC brands, you can’t buy Caraway in a brick-and-mortar store — they’re only available online. However, you can buy its best-selling Cookware Set at West Elm and Crate & Barrel, so it’s worth checking all three options to see if there’s a deal to save even more money. Right now, the set is on sale at Caraway’s site for $395, down from its normal $545 price.
Caraway’s Cookware Set is well-curated, so it’s no surprise that it’s a best seller. We’ve never loved the idea of buying cookware sets because there are usually too many pieces we never use, but when I tested the set, I found myself using each item regularly. Economically, it also makes the most sense to buy a set.
The set comes in a bunch of fun colors and the brand is always coming out with limited edition and exclusive shades. The latest drop was the Iconics collection which featured four modern shades and gold hardware. That said, you can’t go wrong with Perracotta, the brand’s signature pink-forward terracotta color.
With the Cookware Set, you’ll get a deep 10.5-inch frying pan, a slightly smaller 4.5-quart sauté pan, a 3-quart saucepan, a 6.5-quart Dutch oven, and three low-profile lids. There are a bunch of useful extras, too, including a canvas lid holder with rivets so you can hang it on the back of a cabinet door or wall, and a magnetic rack so you can store the pans in a drawer or on your kitchen counter.
For small spaces or those cooking for one, the Minis Duo, which we reviewed here, is a smart investment. The three-piece set includes an 8-inch fry pan and a 7-inch sauce pan with the same slick coating and fun colors we’ve come to expect from Caraway.
To round out the rest of the kitchen, tea drinkers would love the Whistling Tea Kettle, which has a generous 2-quart capacity. When we reviewed the kettle, we were impressed by how quickly and quietly it worked, and how absolutely lovely and relaxing it was to put on a pot of tea before bed.
An Honest Review of Caraway Cookware
Caraway isn’t the only ceramic-coated cookware on the market — far from it, in fact. But it’s definitely one of the more popular brands that I’ve seen in recent years, especially on social media. Ceramic coatings are quite slippery and nonstick at first, they can get stickier over time. Testing multiple pieces of cookware for various dishes would best represent the brand, so I got the Cookware Set.
The set arrived in a slim cardboard box, and each piece was nestled into slots within the cardboard, so there was no need for a bunch of Styrofoam or plastic to keep them from banging around. It was nice to be able to just recycle one box and not cringe at wasteful packaging.
The first thing I cooked was a fried egg in the smaller sauté pan (which is actually generously sized). I was immediately impressed by the super-slippery nonstick ceramic surface. I then spent the next few weeks cooking omelets, scrambled eggs, more fried eggs, and even dosas. I used very little oil and everything just slipped right out without a problem. I turned to the larger pan for sautéing all sorts of veggies for dinner — mushrooms, asparagus, green beans, and more. The veggies got great color and nothing stuck, and I came to love that the pan is deep enough to hold a ton of ingredients. This larger pan is also a dream for tofu.
I’ve cooked small batches of rice in the saucepan with no sticking, and I’ve used the Dutch oven to make a really thick bean soup. Even when I forgot to stir the dense soup, the beans never stuck to the bottom. And because the pans are so nonstick, cleanup has been ridiculously easy.
The pans are made of aluminum with stainless steel bottoms and handles, so they have really even heat distribution. I didn’t experience any hotspots, and the foods cooked very evenly. The light gray (and subtly sparkly) interior makes it easy to see how things are progressing during cooking.
The one ding (and this is true for all nonstick pans): I get a deeper color when searing meats and veggies in a cast iron, carbon steel, or traditional stainless steel skillet. The nonstick ceramic coating doesn’t promote that dark crust and as a result, you get very little fond. For dishes where I really want to encourage browned bits sticking to the bottom so I can deglaze them and get a rich sauce, I’ll use my other pans. But for everything else? Caraway.
These pans have been a joy to cook with these last few years — they’re lightweight; responsive to temperature changes; truly nonstick; compatible with induction, gas, and electric cooktops; oven-safe to 650 degrees; and they look great and heat evenly.
I haven’t noticed any big issues with durability. The ceramic nonstick coating is still going strong, though I’m careful not to use metal utensils with the cookware and I always wash pieces by hand. I’ve noticed some dark discoloration on the outside of the larger skillet at the bottom, but you have to really look for it to see anything. All in all? I’m beyond pleased with my Caraway set and will keep reaching for these pieces for years to come.
Have you tried Caraway? Do you have nonstick cookware you love?