Is the Always Pan 2.0 Worth It?
Based on tests by Prudent Reviews (Sep 2025). How we score
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Why
Prudent Reviews tested the 2.0 against five other ceramic pans and put it in its "never buy" group. It held up well in their stress tests, but "the square handle is uncomfortable and the lid allows steam to escape directly on the handle," and it was the most expensive of the six. Reviewed found it "doesn't work as a replacement for a nonstick frying pan." The GreenPan Valencia Pro did slightly worse after stress testing, but it costs less and is oven-safe to 600°F.
Estimated cost per year of use
How we estimate lifespan
- Our Place, ~3 yrs: Our estimate. Ceramic nonstick coatings wear out; the 2.0 held up well in Prudent Reviews' stress tests, but no tester we can cite has tracked it over years.
- GreenPan, ~3 yrs: Our estimate. Ceramic nonstick coatings wear out; this one's release declined more than the Always Pan's in Prudent Reviews' stress tests, though America's Test Kitchen found the 12" size one of only three pans to pass its coating-durability test.
Cheaper alternatives, scored against the Our Place
Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 10" Frying Pan with Lid
From 1 tester: Prudent Reviews
From 1 tester: Prudent Reviews
Tested side by side with the Always Pan 2.0 by Prudent Reviews and rated "worth considering": it "performed slightly worse, but it's lighter and less expensive." After stress testing, eggs stuck slightly to it but not to the Always Pan. It's a conventional frying pan, so there's no steamer basket, and it doesn't have the Always Pan's deep sides.
Common questions
Is the Always Pan 2.0 oven safe?
Yes. Our Place lists the 2.0 as oven-safe up to 450°F. The original Always Pan was not oven-safe, which is the main difference between the two versions.
Is the Always Pan good for eggs?
It releases eggs, but Reviewed found it "better suited to cooking that requires stirring and sautéing ingredients, not flipping them," and said it "isn't our first choice for cooking eggs."
Sources: Prudent Reviews: Made In CeramiClad vs. Caraway vs. GreenPan vs. Our Place vs. Carote (updated Sept. 26, 2025), Reviewed: The Best Nonstick Pans (updated Dec. 3, 2024), Manufacturer specs via Amazon listing
