GreenPan vs Caraway vs Our Place: Which Ceramic Pan Is Lower Concern?

Based on available materials and data, Caraway edges out GreenPan and Our Place as the pick with the fewest open questions, largely because of its third-party testing disclosures and more transparent supply-chain documentation. That said, all three brands market themselves as "PFAS-free" or "non-toxic," and based on available materials and data, none of these claims have been independently verified by a public, peer-reviewed lab report that we could locate at the time of writing. This guide treats all findings as model-based estimates, not certified lab results — always check a brand's current documentation before purchasing.

The short version: ceramic-coated cookware from all three brands avoids the PTFE/PFOA chemistry found in traditional nonstick pans, which is a meaningful distinction. But "ceramic-coated" is a marketing category, not a regulated one, and the aluminum or stainless bodies underneath, the sol-gel coating formulas, and the manufacturing locations all vary in ways that matter. For a broader look at how these products compare to other cookware categories, see our PFAS Product Finder and our cookware category guide.

Summary Comparison

Product	PFAS Concern Score*	Verdict
Caraway Ceramic Cookware	Lower concern	Best documentation of third-party testing among the three; still brand-supplied data
GreenPan	Lower concern	Long track record, Thermolon coating, but limited independent verification found
Our Place (Always Pan)	Moderate concern (documentation gap)	Past supply-chain controversy; brand claims exist but less third-party corroboration located

*Scores reflect model-based estimates from publicly available brand statements, ingredient disclosures, and third-party reporting reviewed at time of writing — not laboratory certification.

GreenPan

Materials: GreenPan's core product uses a ceramic non-stick coating the company calls Thermolon, applied over an aluminum or stainless steel base. Thermolon is a sol-gel derived coating that GreenPan states is manufactured without PFAS, PFOA, lead, or cadmium.

Brand claims: GreenPan has publicly stated since its founding in 2007 that Thermolon is free of PFAS compounds, and the company frequently cites this as a founding differentiator from traditional Teflon-style nonstick. These are brand-stated claims.

Third-party verification: Based on available materials and data, we found references to internal testing and industry awards but no widely publicized, independent laboratory report confirming zero-PFAS status across GreenPan's full current product line. This does not mean the claims are false — it means public verification is limited.

• Pros: Longest market history of any ceramic-coated brand (since 2007); wide price range including budget-friendly lines; coating durability has improved across generations.
• Cons: Ceramic nonstick coatings, including Thermolon, are known to lose their nonstick performance faster than PTFE coatings, sometimes within 1–2 years of regular use; once degraded, the pan needs replacing, and there's limited public data on what happens to coating particles during that degradation.

Caraway

Materials: Caraway uses a mineral-based ceramic coating over an aluminum body, marketed under its own branding rather than a licensed coating name like Thermolon. The company states its coating and manufacturing process avoid PFAS, PFOA, PTFE, lead, and cadmium.

Brand claims: Caraway has published more detailed sourcing information than most direct-to-consumer cookware brands, including statements about factory locations and testing partners. The company has also stated its products are tested for heavy metals and PFAS by outside labs, though the full raw test reports are not always made publicly downloadable.

Third-party verification: Based on available materials and data, Caraway's public-facing claims include references to third-party lab involvement more explicitly than GreenPan or Our Place, which is why it scores marginally better here. This is still short of an independently published, peer-reviewed certification accessible to consumers.

• Pros: More detailed public sourcing statements than competitors; modern design with widely reported even heat distribution; straightforward warranty terms.
• Cons: Premium price point relative to coating lifespan; like all ceramic nonstick, performance degrades with high heat, metal utensils, and dishwasher use — Caraway itself recommends hand-washing and low-to-medium heat only.

Our Place (Always Pan)

Materials: The Always Pan uses a ceramic nonstick coating over a cast-aluminum body. Our Place states the coating is free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium.

Brand claims: Our Place has made public statements affirming a PFAS-free coating and has responded to prior customer inquiries about manufacturing transparency.

Third-party verification: This is where Our Place trails the other two. In 2022, independent journalists and consumer watchdogs raised questions about the brand's manufacturing transparency and supply chain disclosures, which the company addressed publicly, but based on available materials and data, we found comparatively less independent lab documentation than Caraway has referenced, and less brand history than GreenPan. That documentation gap — not necessarily evidence of a worse product — is why it scores lower in this comparison.

• Pros: Popular multi-function design that replaces several pieces of cookware, which may reduce overall purchases; wide colorway selection; frequently praised for beginner-friendly cooking.
• Cons: Past scrutiny over manufacturing transparency; comparatively higher price for a single multi-use piece rather than a full set; ceramic coating durability concerns apply here as with the other two brands.

What to Avoid

• Unlabeled "ceramic" cookware with no coating disclosure. "Ceramic" is used loosely in cookware marketing; some products use ceramic-look enamel over steel with no clarity on the actual nonstick layer's chemistry.
• Very cheap ceramic-coated pans from unverified sellers, particularly on marketplaces where the manufacturer, factory location, and testing history are not disclosed at all.
• Any pan showing visible coating flaking, scratching, or discoloration — regardless of brand, a degraded coating surface is a reasonable point to stop using the pan and replace it, since the original claims (of any kind) no longer apply to a compromised surface.
• Cookware sets that don't specify base metal or coating name at all in the product listing — this is a red flag for limited manufacturing transparency more broadly, not specific to PFAS content.

Our Pick

Based on available materials and data, Caraway is the more documented option among these three, primarily due to its more specific public statements about third-party lab involvement and factory sourcing. This is not a certification of safety, and it is not a claim that GreenPan or Our Place contain PFAS — based on available materials and data, we found no evidence of PFAS in any of the three brands' current core product lines. It reflects the relative depth of public documentation available for comparison at the time of writing. Consumers prioritizing transparency may also want to compare stainless steel and cast iron cookware, which avoid nonstick coating questions entirely — see our cookware category page for alternatives, and use the PFAS Product Finder to check for updates on any specific product line before buying.

FAQ

Is ceramic-coated cookware guaranteed to be PFAS-free?

Based on available materials and data, all three brands in this comparison state their current ceramic coatings do not contain PFAS, PFOA, lead, or cadmium. These are primarily brand-stated claims; independent, publicly accessible lab verification across full product lines is limited. "Ceramic" itself is not a regulated term, so claims can vary by brand and even by product line within a brand.

Does ceramic coating wear affect health risk?

Ceramic nonstick coatings are known to lose effectiveness over time, particularly with high heat, metal utensils, or dishwasher use. Whether coating degradation is associated with any release of coating particles into food is a subject of ongoing discussion, and any such association would not establish causation of health effects. Based on available materials and data, replacing visibly damaged cookware is a reasonable precaution regardless of brand.

Which is the better long-term value: GreenPan, Caraway, or Our Place?

Value depends more on coating durability and how the pan is used than on brand alone. Based on available materials and data, all three ceramic coatings tend to degrade faster than traditional PTFE nonstick, meaning replacement cycles of roughly 1–3 years are common across brands. Buyers prioritizing longevity over nonstick convenience may want to compare stainless steel or cast iron options via the PFAS Product Finder.