Caraway Cookware Set Review

We purchased the Caraway Cookware Set so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Nonstick cookware is arguably the most important part of a well-stocked kitchen. Unfortunately, most of the time, nonstick means that your pots and pans are coated with PTFE, or PFOA. You can opt for stainless steel, but if you don’t properly oil your pan or you turn the heat up too high, you’re left with a mess that can take too much time and too much elbow grease to clean. Caraway stepped up to solve these problems with their cookware set, which is made of ceramic-coated aluminum that promises to be nonstick for a lifetime. But while Caraway probably has the most visually appealing cookware out there, looks can only get you so far.

We spent a couple of weeks testing the Caraway Cookware Set to see how it fared with steaks, pasta sauce, eggs, and more. Here’s what we found.

Design: As beautiful as it is functional

If we had to judge on design alone, we were pretty much sold right away. A welcome departure from typical silver or black, the Caraway cookware comes in five dusty floral colors that can add to any kitchen aesthetic. We went with the navy set, a gorgeous deep blue, but there’s also cream, light gray, perracotta (a pink and terracotta hybrid), and sage. 

The colors complement each other really nicely, so if you want to mix and match, instead of purchasing a one-color set, you have that option too. Keep in mind, however, that you save some money—$65 to be exact—when you purchase the set as-is.

If you opt for the set, you’ll get a 10.5-inch fry pan, a 4.5-quart saute pan with a lid, a 3-quart saucepan with a lid, and a 6.5-quart Dutch oven with a lid—pretty much everything you need in the kitchen. The only thing we wished for was a smaller saucepan for cooking small quantities of rice or reheating leftovers, but it’s certainly not a dealbreaker.

As for the design of the cookware itself: it was the perfect size without being too bulky. We were able to make a Sunday family dinner-sized pasta sauce in the Dutch oven with plenty of room to spare.

The handles were positioned well as they were large and easy to grip and hold. The only knock we had is that they’re made of stainless steel, with no rubber grips, so they get hot fast and you’ll need an oven mitt to move the cookware when you’re draining grease or pasta in the sink. Again, not a dealbreaker, and definitely something that’s pretty common with cookware, but we thought it was worth noting. 

Accessories: Went above and beyond

The set also comes with magnetic pan racks that perfectly hold each pot in an upright, sideways position and a canvas lid holder that you can hang on the inside of your cabinet door so you have easy access to the lids whenever you need them. When it came time to put the cookware away, the magnetic pan holder really reduced its footprint in our cabinet. These included extras immediately set the cookware apart from other sets we own, which end up stacked in a pile in our cabinet. Another nice little touch is the inclusion of two corkboard trivets stamped with the Caraway logo.

Material: Easy-to-clean and nonstick 

Nonstick cookware is a kitchen must-have, but sometimes you’re forced to make a choice between something that’s easy to clean or needs some serious scrubbing.

With the Caraway set, there’s no choosing necessary because it promises the best of both worlds. The pots and pans are aluminum with a nonstick ceramic coating that’s free of PTFE (the main compound in Teflon®) and PFOA.

And here’s the part you’ve been waiting for: the nonstick coating is a dream. Teflon® may be considered the gold standard of nonstick, but this Caraway set outperforms every other pan we’ve tried by a mile. 

It didn’t matter if we were sauteing onions, heating butter, frying eggs, searing steaks, or simmering a pasta sauce, not one single piece of food stuck to the bottom of the pan. We could stir and flip with no problems whatsoever. Speaking of stirring and flipping, keep in mind that as with other nonstick cookware, you can only use plastic, rubber, or wooden utensils with these pans so you don’t scratch the coating. 

Heating Capacity: Efficient and even

Ceramic cookware is known for its ability to hold and retain heat and the Caraway demonstrates that quality to the fullest. Even when cooking on low to medium heat, which is recommended by the manufacturer, the pots and pans got really hot and our eggs and bacon cooked evenly and quickly. 

This was true no matter where you placed the food in the pan. We’ve noticed with other cookware, especially large skillets, that if bacon isn’t placed perfectly in the center, it won’t cook evenly. Or the bacon in the middle will burn, while the bacon on the outside is barely cooked. These problems were completely eliminated with the Caraway set, for all of the dishes that we prepared. 

However, there was a learning curve for us. We’ve gotten used to having to turn the heat way up in our older pans, but since this cookware is much more efficient and better at distributing heat, high heat wasn’t necessary. We kept having to remind ourselves to turn the flame down.

You can use the Caraway set on electric stoves and induction stovetops, too. The pots and pans are also oven safe—up to 550 degrees—so they can replace heavier cast iron skillets in your kitchen. 

Cleaning: Dishwasher not recommended

When it comes to the most important feature of a cookware set, we think it’s a tie between cooking performance and ease of clean-up. It’s great if you have a pan that can sear a rib-eye perfectly, but if you’re left with remnants of baked-on steak crust for the rest of that pan’s life, it kind of dampens the whole appeal. Besides, if a ceramic cookware set is claiming to be innovative by providing non-stick capabilities, it has to live up to the hype.

The Caraway cookware set doesn’t only live up to the hype, we thought it wasn’t hyped up enough. After making a thick meaty spaghetti sauce, all it took to clean the pot was a quick rinse and wipe with a clean sponge and the pot looked good as new. The same was true when cleaning up after a seared rib-eye steak. The brown crusty bits wiped right off with almost no effort at all.

If you’re wondering about using the dishwasher, we wouldn’t recommend it. We couldn’t find a solid answer about whether or not the set is dishwasher-safe, which has us believing that it isn’t. And since these pots and pans are so easy to clean, we didn’t think a dishwasher was necessary since they can degrade cookware over time.

Price: Worth it

At first, the $395 price tag gave us a little bit of sticker shock. After all, that’s almost $100 per piece! But after we spent some time in the kitchen with this set, we quickly realized that it's worth every penny. As Caraway puts it, “well-done cookware is rare,” and you really do get what you pay for. The set looks and feels high-end and, once you get the hang of it, the cooking feels high-end too. Plus, it comes with the pot and lid holders—something that other sets are lacking—and to us, that kind of organization is priceless. 

Competition: Stacks Up Well

It’s difficult to put the Caraway set up against other cookware since it seems so different, but if you’re not totally sold, or you’re looking for a larger set with more pieces, there are some other great options out there too. 

Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless 12-Piece Cookware Set: When it comes to anything kitchen-related, you really can’t go wrong with Cuisinart. The Multiclad Pro Stainless 12-Piece Cookware Set includes two saucepans, two skillets, a saute pan, a stockpot, and a steamer insert. Since it’s stainless steel, but cleanup is more difficult than with the Caraway.

T-fal Initiatives Ceramic 16-Piece Cookware Set: If you’re looking for a larger set on a smaller budget, the T-fal Initiatives Ceramic 16-Piece Set has a lot to offer. Like the Caraway cookware, the main cooking surface is made of ceramic, but this set also includes a square griddle, a smaller saucepan, and a set of compatible kitchen tools, at about one-third of the price.

Long-Term Use: Smooth and steady wins the race

by Amanda McDonald

I have been using the Caraway set since April 2021 after saving up for it, and as the days, weeks, and months pass, I keep becoming more and more impressed. Of the cookware sets out there, this one continuously proves it is small but mighty.

By far my favorite pan in this set, is the 3-quart saucepan. It permanently lives on my stovetop because I use it almost every day. From warming up water for a matcha latte to heating frozen store-bought pasta to cooking quinoa or rice, this pan is reliable. Like the others, there are very few scratches, chips, and other marks—despite it being the most-used of the bunch.

The frying pan has also gotten a lot of use. Nothing sticks, and I rarely use oil or butter unless it is vitally necessary. This one has seen its fair share of typical frying pan recipes like scrambled eggs, blackened corn, warm tortillas, and grilled cheeses crusted in crispy Parmesan (that glides right off onto a plate). There are a few spots that won't come off with light scrubbing with a soft sponge and dish soap, but this has not affected the smooth, nonstick surface.

I have yet to make bread in the Dutch oven, but that is on my to-do list. In the meantime, I mainly use this piece in the Caraway set for comforting soups. The 6.5-quart size is perfect for a big batch of my favorite throw-anything-in vegetable soup. It makes enough servings that I have lunch for days. The heat distributes well throughout the Dutch oven and simmering for a half hour or longer won't result in burnt sides that are hard to clean. The two handles are sturdy enough that even when full and hot, I can easily pick it up and move it.

Due to its size, the 4.5-quart sauté pan is the least used in my kitchen and looks brand new. It's big and spacious, which isn't a huge necessity for me, as I rarely cook for a crowd—but it's a good problem to have! I can see how anyone making enough food for over four people would find this pan useful. So far, I've mainly used it for one-pot meals like vegetable stir fry, and creamy sage butter and lemon orzo.

Speaking of blemishes, I make sure to only use bamboo/wood or soft utensils to stir and scrape with these in order to keep the coating intact. I also don't put them in the dishwasher...mainly because I don't have one. Non-abrasive sponges, wet paper towels, and sometimes just soap and water work well enough to get the four pans, plus their corresponding lids, clean. All four pans have small scratches on the bottom, mainly due to putting them away in the magnetic pan racks in my cabinet (that have held up very well) or maneuvering them on top of my gas stove. Each handle gets a tad bit hot during cooking, so I usually keep a kitchen towel around to grip with if I need it—but oftentimes I just use my sleeve.

Lots of people have ceramic, stainless steel, cast iron, and glass pots, pans, and dishes that have lasted years and years. Despite there being a ton of products to choose from nowadays and the more expensive price, I certainly believe the four pans in the Caraway set will last me many more years.