Our Place Always Pan 2.0 Review: My Favorite Piece of Cookware

My colleague is wired Reviewers are some of the smartest people I know. Ask a gear team member any question about zipper quality, knob feel, material durability, or whether a shade of blue is actually greener, and they’ll have an informed opinion (and the resources to back it up). So a few years ago, when my late grandmother gifted me the Our Place Always pan, I was a little nervous. Wired contributor Joe Ray gave it a 3 out of 10.

But I loved my grandma, who was so excited to gift me something trendy and useful, and the pan looked great. So I cooked it. And I’ve cooked 99 percent of my meals since then.

Our place has listened to feedback from customers and reviewers. Rei wasn’t the only person on the internet who always took issue with Pan’s first iteration. The one I found, and which is now on sale, is the revamped Our Place Always Pan 2.0. It is available in three sizes. I’ve always used the standard size, which measures 10.5 inches. And I love it to pieces.

Photo: Lauryn Stramp

second chance

The negative response to the first iteration of PAN was valid. It had quality-control issues, such as an uneven surface on the bottom, inconsistent cooking surfaces from pan to pan, and inconsistent paint jobs. It was not oven-safe. But I’m happy to report that in my experience with two different Always Pan 2.0 models (the one I received as a gift and the other I called to compare), this pan is now nearly perfect. And that’s before accounting for any of the countless accessories available to complement it. It’s available in a bunch of colors, and each pan includes a lid, a steamer basket (which doubles as a colander), and a nesting spatula.

I reached out to the company to see what has changed from the original Pan to Always Pan 2.0. The new pan has improved nonstick performance, better stain resistance and an induction-friendly, oven-safe design. There are other changes to the form, such as a roomier helper handle and curvature improvements. The company hasn’t officially addressed the convex cooking surface or the chipping paint that Joe Ray had the problem with, but my cooking surfaces (on two pans) have been fine and the paint on both pans looks great (even up close).

Photo: Lauryn Stramp