I’m a 27-year-old millennial/Gen-Z person living in New York City; of course I’m a sucker for cool-girl home brands. Dusen Dusen, Floyd, Our Place, Material—you name it—they’ve stolen my heart, my money, and my counter space. Which means when I heard about Our Place’s newest launch, the Titanium Always Pan Pro, I had to get my paws on it.
I’ve tested almost everything from Our Place, and for the most part it’s all pretty darn good. But I always had some qualms with the OG Always Pan. I found that the nontoxic coating stripped too easily, the handle gets hot, and the fact that it’s not oven safe is inconvenient for anyone who likes to do more with less in the kitchen. The new Always Pan Pro, however, said, “Hold my beer.”
What makes the Always Pan Pro different?
It’s made with titanium, which is actually stronger than stainless steel pans, and the interior swaps the brand’s traditional ceramic nonstick coating with a new “NoCo” or “no coating” technology. This is cool because most traditional pans rely on nonstick coatings constructed with Teflon, PFAS (a.k.a. “forever chemicals”), and other materials that might not be so safe for us—especially as they degrade over time or are accidentally scratched off with metal utensils. And as someone with a chronic, nontreatable illness exacerbated by these chemicals, I’m always on the hunt for healthier alternatives. I can’t really tell you how the NoCo technology works scientifically, but after testing the titanium Always Pan for a few weeks, I can attest that it does work.
If you look closely, there’s an ultrahardened titanium, lotus-inspired pattern pressed into the interior. One 2011 study published in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology concluded that lotus leaves, because of their unique properties, have “unrivaled super hydrophobicity and self-cleaning properties as an effective protection of the delicate epistomatic surface.” This was dubbed the “lotus effect.” Our Place took this concept and recreated the lotus leaf construction to make the surface naturally hydrophobic, thus allowing your food to completely release when it’s ready to be flipped or moved, without any sticking.
Not only that, but it’s pretty much indestructible—though I will be honest and say I did not attempt to destroy it. The Always Pan Pro can withstand heat up to a whopping 700 degrees, it comes with a lifetime guarantee, and—get ready for it—it’s dishwasher safe.
Because of that hydrophobic tech and high heat capacity, this pan is especially stellar for searing steaks, flipping a batch of pancakes, crafting the perfect omelet, and whipping up a colorful stir-fry. I’ve made curries, salmon, and shakshuka in it too, and it works like a charm.
After using my original Always Pan for four years, the nonstick coating gradually wore off (despite me never using metal utensils), so everything from scrambled eggs to chicken curry got stuck on it. This pan’s new nonstick tech really does work. Scrambles cook nicely, steaks are easy to flip, and hardened salmon skin effortlessly lifts off the bottom of the pan.
