Caraway makes cookware and bakeware coated in ceramic, which is thought to be safer than commercial cookware materials. The company’s website highlights the “non-toxic” nature of their cookware, and calls their products “clean kitchenware.”
But is Caraway really safer and healthier than the standard non-stick cooking pan? What materials is it made of? Does it cook well?
In this article we'll answer these questions and more by reviewing the materials in Caraway products and sharing a real, unsponsored review of the pans after two years of use. First, we'll share information on the safety risks of traditional non-stick pans to provide context.
Is Regular Cookware Even Toxic?
Most commercial non-stick cookware products release gases into the air which are toxic to humans. As we discussed in our recent review of another cookware startup called HexClad, medical research has found that the synthetic chemicals used as non-stick cookware coatings pose a risk to human health.
One interesting takeaway from the above-linked study is that the alternatives to common non-stick chemicals weren’t found to be safer. So just because a cookware manufacturer claims “PTFE-free” on their label, this doesn’t mean the product is necessarily safe.
We do not recommend using non-stick pans in light of the medical research on their potential toxicity. It seems illogical to use cooking products with questionable health effects when there exist cookware products on the market free of a non-stick coating.
Is Caraway Safer?
Caraway claims to use “ceramic non-stick” which doesn’t mean anything. The outer layer of their pots and pans are coated in ceramic, but they claim to use a “mineral-based coating” to create the non-stick effect.
The company doesn’t detail what chemicals are used to create this mineral-based coating, so consumers (and researchers like us) have no way to assess whether these products are safe or not.
Caraway also claims that their coating is “free of PTFE” which is a popular non-stick chemical proven to be harmful to human health. But as we referenced in the medical study linked above, medical researchers haven’t found that PTFE alternatives are safer.
Caraway provides no evidence that their products are safer than commercial non-stick cookware. Because the brand fails to publish information on the specific compounds used for their non-stick coating, consumers do not have enough information to make an informed purchase decision.
We strongly recommend avoiding Caraway Cookware until they clearly publish information on the materials used in their non-stick coating. At least HexClad shares that their non-stick coating contains PTFE.
Caraway Cookware Real User Review
One of the most popular Caraway reviews on YouTube is published by a channel called "Prudent Reviews" that breaks downs the pros and the cons of the product after two full years of use. The video appears unsponsored:
Our Non-Toxic Cookware Recommendation
We consider cast iron pans to be the safest and healthiest cookware option. Cast iron has been used for thousands of years and is non-toxic.
Cast iron pans are made primarily from iron and steel, and are somewhat naturally non-stick because of the effects of fat heated on the cooking surface over time.
One fascinating fact about cast iron pans is that the minimal levels of iron leaching may have a beneficial effect on human health. Iron is an essential mineral, and many people are deficient in iron (particularly women). Cooking in cast iron pots has been proven in medical trials to improve iron status.
We recommend Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet as our top cast iron pan because it's free of any questionable chemical coatings. The only material is cast iron. This pan costs $51.05 while a 12" Caraway fry pan costs $95.
Interested consumers can check out Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet at this link.
Caraway Cookware Customer Reviews
Caraway products are sold on Amazon which we consider to be a more objective resource for reviews than a brand's website. Their frying pan has been reviewed 248 times at the time of updating this article, with an average review rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Caraway's frying pan receives a "F" grade from Fakespot, which is a software tool that detects potentially fraudulent Amazon reviews. Fakespot typically issues an "Adjusted Rating" but for this product the tool simply states: "Insufficient reliable reviews."
The top positive review of Caraway's frying pan from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "LivingInTheShadow" who appreciates how effective the non-stick pan is:
"Everything just lifts right off this surface. As requested I use on medium to low heat. Perfect outcomes every time. I wish it had a lid, but otherwise it's glorious."
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "P L" who suggests that the product stains easily:
"Caraway pan got stain from the second time cooking itself. No matter how much I try the fried eggs stain is not going away (shown in the photos I shared). I was so confident about this pan after reading reviews on internet that I threw the packaging materials. I can’t even return this pan. It is only been little over 10days and the pan is already useless. DO NOT BUY this product unless you want to throw away your money."
