Our Place Always Pan 2.0

BBC Good Food’s Natalie Bass is cautiously positive about the Always Pan 2.0. She praises its stylish, multifunctional design, lightweight build, PFA-free ceramic non-stick and recyclable packaging, calling it a smart choice for those short on cupboard space or wanting a countertop showpiece; testing showed quick, even cooking and easy release for pancakes and omelettes. But she tempers enthusiasm with real-world caveats: the non-stick requires careful, low-heat use, begins to degrade after about a year despite good care, and it won’t sear like high-heat stainless options—so it’s less versatile than marketed and pricier than similar dupes. Overall the review reads as measured approval: the Always Pan 2.0 excels at everyday, gentle cooking and looks great, but buyers seeking heavy-duty searing or long-term non-stick durability might prefer other, more affordable or higher‑heat alternatives.

Bon Appétit’s Olivia Tarantino is clearly impressed and mostly enthusiastic about the Always Pan 2.0. After five months of daily use she calls it the most nonstick pan she’s tried—even versus Teflon—and praises its lightweight, even heating, easy cleanup, and useful multifunctional design for lazy weeknight meals and meal prep. She’s candid about limitations: the lid joint gets hot, the handle shape can feel awkward for certain flips, the steamer’s short legs limit water capacity, and the pan won’t achieve high-heat sears or fit some small countertop ovens. Overall Tarantino recommends the pan as a convenient, nontoxic upgrade for everyday basic cooking—eggs, one-pot pastas, frozen favorites—and suggests the 8-inch for oven use or the 10-inch for everyday versatility, while reserving cast iron or stainless for tasks that need serious sear and char.

Julian Plovnick of The Kitchn is positively impressed and recommends the Always Pan 2.0 with measured enthusiasm. He calls it a smart, space-saving workhorse—its non-toxic ceramic nonstick excels on finicky tasks like eggs and cheese fricos, the modular lid and included steamer/spatula add real utility, and oven safety to 450°F makes it a legit weeknight multitasker. He concedes it won’t replace stainless or cast iron for a truly caramelized sear, struggles a bit with long pasta capacity, and needs careful upkeep (no dishwasher, no metal scrapers), but those trade-offs feel reasonable against its $135 price and versatility. Overall the tone is upbeat and practical: a stylish, well-made pan that handles roughly 85% of home cooking needs while acknowledging clear limits for high-heat searing and heavier professional use.

Food & Wine’s Kristin Montemarano is clearly pleased with the Always Pan 2.0. She praises the pan’s familiar design, improved Thermakind nonstick, and new oven-safe stainless-steel handles, calling the updates meaningful improvements over the original: less sticking, better heat retention, and sustainable recycled aluminum. She balances enthusiasm with practical caveats—reminding readers it’s still not for high-heat searing, noting minor accessory and spatula changes, and mentioning a past handle crack and small sticking to the wooden spatula—yet says those issues haven’t stopped her from using it daily. Overall she presents the 2.0 as a tasteful, hardworking kitchen staple that’s worth upgrading to for everyday nonstick cooking and added oven versatility.

Reviewed’s Alyssa Langer is positive about the Always Pan 2.0 overall. She praises its improved oven-safe capability, reliable Thermakind nonstick that made eggs and seared meats easy, even heating, and thoughtful accessories and colors that make it both useful and attractive. At the same time she’s measured: the lid fits loosely (undermining steaming and braising), the steamer basket sits too low, the handle gets hot, it requires hand-washing, and a tiny patch of paint chipped in testing. Those trade-offs leave her feeling the pan is a worthwhile upgrade for people who value multifunctional, stylish cookware—especially for stovetop-to-oven dishes—but not a complete replacement for deeper pots or dedicated steamers, and maybe not worth $150 for everyone.

Gear Patrol’s Leila Barber is cautiously optimistic about the Always Pan 2.0. She says the pan improves meaningfully over the original—most notably with a durable new Thermakind ceramic coating and oven-safe performance to 450°F—so it’s more versatile and less prone to staining or chipping. That said, Barber remains restrained: the pan still demands careful care (handwash only, medium-heat limit, picky oils), the helper-side handle still gets hot without a mitt, and many earlier frustrations persist. She praises the unchanged, photogenic design and useful included spatula, and compares it fairly to alternatives (Ninja’s PossiblePan and Caraway), concluding the 2.0 is better but not perfect—worthwhile for space-conscious cooks who accept maintenance trade-offs, yet not a no-brainer for everyone.

LeafScore’s Leigh Matthews is cautiously skeptical about the Always Pan 2.0. She admires its looks, versatility, and initial non‑stick performance—calling it lightweight, oven‑safe, and great for small kitchens—but worries the ceramic coating degrades around six months, care rules are fussy, the helper handle gets dangerously hot, and the long handle is uncomfortable; worse, the brand won’t share third‑party toxicity tests. Matthews praises thoughtful packaging and some practical design touches, and acknowledges the 2.0 is an improvement over the original, yet argues it favors form over function, won’t truly replace many other pans for experienced cooks, and is poor long‑term value compared with cast iron or carbon steel. Her tone is measured but wary: appealing if you rarely cook and love the aesthetic, but not a confident recommendation for everyday or longevity‑minded buyers.

Madeline Diamond of WSJ | Buy Side is generally positive about the Always Pan 2.0. She likes that it keeps the original’s easy heating, nonstick cleanup and thoughtful extras (nested spatula rest, steamer basket), and values the new oven-safe function and improved coating that make it more versatile than the first model. Her hands-on tests—especially a perfectly baked, slide-out frittata—underscore reliable stovetop-to-oven performance, and she emphasizes convenience for small kitchens and new renters. She tempers enthusiasm with measured caveats: the pan isn’t professional-grade, the coating’s longevity claim is manufacturer‑led, and the upgrade is only $5 more than the original. Overall the review reads as a satisfied, realistic endorsement from a frequent user who finds the 2.0 a worthwhile, stylish, and practical improvement rather than a dramatic reinvention.

WIRED’s Louryn Strampe is clearly enthusiastic about the Always Pan 2.0. She calls it a beautiful, genuinely useful workhorse that she reaches for more than her All-Clad—praising the improved nonstick Thermakind coating, oven- and induction-friendly design, thoughtful details (pour spouts, nesting spatula, steam-lock lid), included accessories, and sustainable packaging. She acknowledges the original model’s quality-control problems but reports her two 2.0 pans feel consistently well-made; drawbacks are practical and mild—the ceramic coating loses some slickness and can stain over time, handles can get hot, and it won’t sear like cast iron—plus the care instructions ask for gentle treatment. Overall her tone is fond and confident: she loves the pan’s versatility and aesthetics and recommends it as a near-perfect everyday pan for most cooks, with a few caveats for high-heat searing or strict care routines.