I’ve tested Caraway’s trendy nontoxic cookware for years. Here’s what food influencers won’t tell you | Food

If you’ve spent any time on social media in the last six years, you might have been targeted with ads for Caraway’s colorful nontoxic, nonstick cookware. Billed as a highly aesthetic and safer alternative to traditional Teflon, the brand’s pots and pans were a bit of an overnight sensation, thanks in large part to influencer-friendly colorways such as sage, marigold and “perracotta,” a mix of millennial pink and terracotta.

Since its rise to fame, the brand has expanded to offer nontoxic bakeware, food storage and prep tools, all perfect for Instagram. (Lately, even trash bins.) But pretty often comes at a price – and I’m not just talking about the high cost of Caraway’s cookware, though there is that too. In this case, pretty means high-maintenance, as the brand’s colorful coatings often require far more caution and care than what you may be used to.

After testing nearly all of Caraway’s products as a gear reviewer at Bon Appétit and Epicurious, my overall takeaway is this: if you like the look of Caraway and you’re very into kitchen colorways or beautifully organizing shelves, most of their stuff is very good. But there’s a better, more durable and cheaper version of nearly everything they make. Of course, durable products are rarely as pretty as Caraway’s, and for many design-minded home cooks, form is just as important as function.

Before you spend your hard-earned money on Caraway, here’s this home cook’s professional review of the brand’s most popular items – along with tested recommendations for what you might want to buy instead.

For a limited time, you can get 10% off all Caraway products with the exclusive discount code GUARDIAN10.

The most popular Caraway items at a glance

Nonstick cookware

Caraway Fry Pan

Every kitchen should have at least one nonstick pan for eggs, quesadillas and the like, and Caraway’s flagship nontoxic, ceramic-coated pans are a much safer – and prettier – alternative to traditional Teflon-coated nonstick cookware.

What we loved: These pots and pans are super slick right out of the box, and compatible with gas, electric and induction cooktops. In a test of Caraway’s roomy, straight-sided saute pan, the Filter called it one of best nonstick pans out there, and in a test of induction-safe cookware, the Filter crowned Caraway’s the best overall. I personally would never recommend anyone buy a full set of nonstick cookware, but doing so is the only way to get your hands on Caraway’s clever coordinating storage accessories, including a hanging linen lid holder.

It’s a shame that … While no nonstick pan is meant to last forever, Caraway’s is especially delicate. Accidental contact with a metal utensil may immediately result in a nick or scratch on any Caraway pan, and though it has a high heat tolerance (it’s oven safe up to 550F) repeated exposure to high temperatures contributes to the deterioration of all ceramic nonstick coating. Unfortunately, even with lots of TLC, Caraway’s nonstick pans can quickly become less slick with regular use – after I used the fry pan daily for only a few months, my omelettes started to stick a little.

Like all nonstick cookware, this should never go in the dishwasher, and if you stack it on a shelf or in a cabinet, you should use pads or towels to prevent chips. Caraway’s cookware also made louder-than-usual buzzing sounds on three different induction cooktops I used.

What should I get instead? If you want low-maintenance cookware that will last forever, stainless steel is the way to go. If you want another aesthetically pleasing nontoxic, nonstick pan, I love the GreenPan Reserve line. It’s just as pretty – and a little less pricey – than Caraway. In my experience, it’s more durable too. And if you’re OK with spending a bit more, the Made In CeramiClad pan is what I’ve been reaching for at home lately.

Nonstick bakeware

Caraway Baking & Cooling Duo

Caraway

Baking & Cooling Duo

$99

Caraway

Baking & Cooling Duo

$99

Like Caraway’s flagship cookware, the bakeware is available in a handful of pretty colors, it’s super slick right out of the box, and if you buy a set, you get handy slim storage caddies so the pieces won’t take up too much space in your cabinets.

What we loved: I absolutely love the Large Baking Sheet (which is technically a half sheet) for sheet-pan dinners. It browns food beautifully with a 550F oven tolerance, which is higher than most other baking sheets, and it’s easy to hand-wash. And the coating on the baking sheet is so slick that when I baked cookies on it in a test of various coated and uncoated models, the dough spread out and the edges of the cookies crisped up much more quickly than with any other sheet – think Tate’s Bake Shop texture. (This may be a pro or con, depending on your preference.)

I use the sheets most frequently, but I also really like the round cake pans as well as the muffin tins (my mini, crustless quiches pop out of them so easily).

It’s a shame that … Just like with nonstick cookware, the nonstick coating on Caraway’s bakeware will deteriorate with regular use. It will go even quicker if you stick it in the dishwasher or use metal utensils (I had to replace my first Large Baking Sheet after my ex-husband carved our Thanksgiving turkey on it). I don’t bake often, which is a big part of the reason my current Caraway bakeware has retained its super-slick, nonstick coating for years.

What should I get instead? If you want high-quality nonstick but don’t need the pretty colors and don’t want to spend $120 on two baking sheets, a set of Oxo Nonstick Pro sheets is a third of the price and just as slick. There are also plenty of ways to prevent food from sticking to uncoated aluminum – which is much more affordable and durable for long-term or heavy use.

Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens

Caraway Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

Caraway

Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

$220.50

Caraway

Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven

$220.50

Enameled cast-iron cookware can last for decades with proper care, and the quality of Caraway’s enameled cast-iron Dutch oven is backed up with a lifetime warranty.

What we loved: This roomy pot is deep enough for simmering soups and stews, and the slightly textured black interior enamel is great for browning and releasing foods cooked at high temperatures. That textured enamel is meant to perform like well-seasoned raw cast iron, but doesn’t actually require seasoning, so this is a fairly low-maintenance piece (though it should still be washed by hand to preserve the integrity of the enamel).

It’s a shame that … Currently, Caraway’s enameled cast-iron Dutch oven comes in two sizes: a round 6.5qt oven and an oval 8qt oven. Both might feel too big if you’re not roasting big cuts of meat or making big batches of stew. The handles are also weirdly designed and feel too small for the substantial pot; the loop isn’t quite big enough to wrap any fingers around, but there’s just enough room that I worried I might get a finger stuck in it (a problem easily solved with oven mitts!).

What should I get instead? Caraway’s Dutch oven is a high-quality piece of cookware, and you’ll likely be very happy with it. However, if you’re ready to invest in a piece of heirloom-quality cookware, I much prefer Made In’s comparable 5.5qt Dutch oven, which has more substantial handles and an everyday capacity for smaller meals and households.

Stainless steel mixing bowls

Caraway Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set

Caraway

Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set

$175.50

Caraway’s new mixing bowls are pretty, and their stainless steel can survive a drop on to a hard floor. But they’re very expensive, and the materials make them far less versatile than other mixing bowls on the market.

What we loved: All mixing bowl sets should nest and come with lids, and Caraway’s mixing bowl set delivers on both fronts. The three bowls have convenient capacities for large and small jobs (2qt, 4qt and 6qt). Though they aren’t entirely leakproof, the gaskets on the sleek, clear glass lids are secure enough that I can shake up a salad and put soup in the fridge without splatters or spills. And like everything Caraway makes, they sure are nice to look at.

It’s a shame that … I really wanted to love these mixing bowls, but I don’t because I can’t put them in the dishwasher – which I assume is due to the colorful exterior enamel. Since you generally don’t cook in them, mixing bowls shouldn’t be a big deal to hand-wash. But if I’m doing something that requires a mixing bowl, I probably have a whole lot of other dishes to do too, and I hate that I can’t toss these in the dishwasher while I’m cooking to at least get them out of the way (though I still do that sometimes when I’m desperate for counter space, but then take them out before I run a cycle).

What should I get instead? A basic or aesthetically pleasing glass Pyrex mixing bowl set is a fraction of the cost, and the glass can go in the microwave while all parts can go in the dishwasher. If you’re set on steel, this set from Cuisinart is a great, dishwasher-safe option. Hell, even a set of three nesting, insulated mixing bowls with lids from the infamously pricey outdoor gear brand Yeti costs less than the Caraway bowls – and all of the Yeti parts are dishwasher-safe.

Glass food storage containers

Caraway

Food Storage Set

$202.50

What we loved: Before I discovered Anyday’s containers (more below), Caraway’s ceramic-coated glass food storage containers were my best option for airtight fridge storage that could also go into the microwave or oven. I also appreciate that they come with vertical organizers, which save space in my cabinets.

What I love the most about this set is not the containers themselves, but the optional, add-on Dot and Dash containers that I use to store garnishes and small snacks. They nest inside the larger containers, and the biggest one is the perfect size to hold a stick of butter.

It’s a shame that … Though the pieces I held on to have grown on me a bit, I absolutely hated this system when I first tested it a few years ago. The stackable ceramic-coated glass containers are bulky and heavy, and the “air release technology” is basically a really strong gasket that makes it very difficult to remove the lid, especially after it’s been in the fridge. Given the annoyingly tight lid, it’s a shame that these containers aren’t leakproof enough to transport liquids. And while the containers themselves are safe for the dishwasher, the lids are not.

What should I get instead? Unless you’re trying to outfit your entire kitchen exclusively with Caraway gear, opt for Anyday’s glass or silicone line. They’re meant for storage and cooking, and they weigh less, leak less and cost less than Caraway’s pieces. They’re also safe to use in the freezer, oven, microwave and dishwasher.

Wooden cutting boards and butcher blocks

Caraway Prep & Serve Butcher Block Set

Caraway

Prep & Serve Butcher Block Set

$265.50

Caraway

Prep & Serve Butcher Block Set

$265.50

What we loved: I was really excited when Caraway released the Prep & Serve butcher blocks. The reversible boards are thick, feature a juice groove all the way around the perimeter of one side, and if you buy a set of two, you get a vertical storage accessory. They’re made of sustainably sourced end-grain wood and pre-treated with food-safe wax and oil (and they ship with a sample of board oil for maintenance). Though sturdy, they’re not too heavy, and the rounded corners feel modern yet timeless (the 12in square block feels uniquely so).

It’s a shame that … The butcher blocks may be the only Caraway product I’d consider to be flawless – if you don’t mind the price, that is. I’d also recommend passing on the original cutting board set, which has thin boards that are likely to warp with repeated exposure to moisture.

What should I get instead? Though Caraway’s butcher blocks are great, you can get a comparable Boos cutting board – the gold standard of wooden butcher blocks – for half the price.