These Caraway cookware pots and pans are a great solution for nonstick surfaces if you’re concerned about the potential health risks of traditional nonstick cookware. Teflon and other non stick pans contain PFOAs, GenX, and other chemicals which carry health concerns. The main draw for using Caraway ceramic cookware is that they are non toxic and don’t contain chemicals that have been negatively linked to health.
Traditional Non Stick Cookware
Food sticks to pots and pans during cooking, and that can be bad (think cooking eggs in a stainless steel pan). Nonstick surfaces exist to help prevent this from happening, or at least limit the extent to which it does happen.
Typical nonstick cooking surfaces use Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE). Teflon is a synthetic polymer that has a very low coefficient of friction (and therefore nonstick). It was discovered at Dupont in 1938 by accident. Teflon is resistant to corrosion and relatively stable at high temperatures (properties that make it useful as a coating for cookware).
It does work very well to stop food sticking to your pan, but there are drawbacks. The nonstick properties break down at higher temperatures. Also, you have to be careful not to scratch the non stick coating with utensils during cooking or storage.
The biggest concern for many people is that there are chemicals. Teflon coating will break down at high temperatures and release toxic chemicals. PFOAs (perfleurooctanoic acid) have been used in the making of Teflon since 1951. PFOAs have shown associations with certain types of cancer, as well a number of other negative health problems. For such reasons, they were phased out of production in the US in 2015, but still can occur in imported products. PFOAs were replaced by GENx chemical products; however, there are indications that these GENx chemical products may cause similar health problems as the chemicals they replaced.
For these reasons, some may wish to avoid PTFE surfaces altogether and look to other options for nonstick cookware.
Ceramic Nonstick Cookware
Ceramic cookware is another solution for nonstick surfaces. The word “ceramic” comes from a Greek word meaning “of pottery”, and human made ceramics go back as far as 26000 years. So ceramic cookware isn’t new.
But Caraway pans aren’t really ceramic; the ceramic refers to the nonstick coating appied to the surface of the pans. The body of the cookware is metal, specifically aluminum. Aluminum has the benefit of conducting heat very well and being lightweight. The handles are made of stainless steel. The ceramic coating on the surface makes the pan nonstick.
Is Ceramic Nonstick Safe?
The ceramic nonstick coating does not contain chemicals and is non toxic. The nonstick properties come from the ceramic coating. Ceramic nonstick cookware is currently considered a safe and healthy way to cook.
Caraway Cookware Set
The Caraway cookware set arrives in one large box. On the top are the lids in the canvas storage hanger, and on the bottom are the Caraway pots and pans. The set also includes some trivets for hot pans and a cleaning eraser.
Caraway Cookware Lids
The set come with three lids, along with a hanging canvas bag for storage. The canvas holder comes with two hooks with stickers on the back so you can hang it conveniently without having to screw anything in. I am hanging mine on my wall, which is great because it is space that I wouldn’t otherwise use.
The three lids are for the sauce pot, the dutch oven, and the saute pan. They weigh 1.25 lb (for the sauce pot), 2 lb (for the dutch oven), and 2.75 lb (for the saute pan). This means that the canvas lid hanger holds about 6 lb of lids altogether.
The lids each have one large handle on the top. I am not crazy about the look, but it is very functional. There is also a small hole on each lid to release steam.
Caraway Cookware Pans
Non-toxic nonstick fry pan
This is the pan that I use the most (on a daily basis at my job). It is a good size and weight. The 10.5 inch diameter pan is big enough to accomodate most of my needs, but not too big to make cooking small portions impractical or to be inconvenient to use. I can easily hold 2 or 3 main portions in this pan.
Importantly, it feels good in my hand. The stainles steel handle is comfortable, with a relatively flat construction that allows it to be held steady easily. There is a bump on the bottom to let you know not to put your hand past it. The handle attaches at two rivets, with missing space in between. This allows less heat to transfer from the pan to the handle.
One issue I have is with a cream colored pan that I use at work. The cream color has become significantly discolored and marked up. To be fair, I do use it a lot. If you get a light colored pan, I would make sure you are extra gentle and careful if you want to keep it looking new.
Caraway Ceramic Saute Pan
This is the big pan in the set, weighing in at 4.3 lb (almost 7 lb with lid). The diameter of the pan is 11.8 inches, and it holds 4 qt. You may or may not use this everyday, depending on the size of your family. You can make a good amount at once; I’d say 4 to 6 portions easily. It’s pretty heavy duty so you’re probably not going to want to use if for smaller tasks, such as cooking one or two eggs (use a mini pan for that!). But it will certainly come in handy when you are cooking for a crowd.
Be careful when moving it around, especially if you get a light colored pan. As stated above, the bottom marks easily with moving it around on the stove with high flames.
One major difference between this pan and the smaller frying pan is that this pan has two handles (both stainless steel). In addition to the long handle for cooking, there is a short handle to help move the saute pan around if it is full.
Caraway Cookware Pots
Caraway Ceramic Dutch Oven
This is a beautiful pot. It is 10.5 inches diameter (same size as the fry pan). At 6.5 qt, it is large enough to cook food for at least six people easily, and up to 10 or 12 if full. It is ideal for soups, stews, and braises. Also good for cooking pasta. It weighs in at 4 lb (6.1 lb with lid), so it’s pretty heavy duty. It can hold quite a bit of heat, like a dutch oven should.
There are two short stainless steel handles on either side of the pot. Two handles are necessary to move it around especially if the ceramic dutch oven is full. Be careful though because these could get hot.
Caraway Ceramic Sauce Pot
The ceramic nonstick sauce pan is a smaller pot, with a diameter of 8 inches and 3 quart capacity. It weighs in at 2.75 lb (about 4 lb with lid). The Caraway sauce pot is great for heating up soup or cooking rice (holds 4 to 6 portions). It has a single stainless steel handle.
Can Caraway pans go in the oven?
Caraway nonstick pots and pans are oven safe up to 550 deg. F, hotter than most ovens will go. This is great so that you can start an item on the stove and finish it in the oven. Caraway nonstick cookware is oven safe because it is made of aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic coating.
How to clean Caraway pans?
Caraway pans should be handwashed and are relatively easy to clean. Be careful if you get one of the lighter colors, e.g. cream, since any stain on the bottom from the stovetop will show clearly. Click here for a detailed guide on how to care and clean your Caraway ceramic pots and pans.
Conclusion
Caraway ceramic pans are a great solution for non-toxic nonstick cookware. If you are uncomfortable with the health concerns of traditional nonstick cookware, then this Caraway cookware set is an excellent choice. These Caraway pots and pans feel great to use and function very well. The aluminum body distributes heat evenly and keeps the cookware at a comfortable weight. Overall, a great nonstick cookware set for a reasonable price.
