Is Our Place Always Pan Non-Toxic? Safety Review of the Thermakind Coating

Over the years, many readers have asked for my opinion about the Our Place Always Pan, one of the most talked-about pieces of cookware online. The company says its ceramic-style nonstick coating called Thermakind is non-toxic and free of PFAS, PTFE, and other concerning chemicals.

Naturally, this raises an important question: Is Our Place non-toxic, or is it mostly clever marketing?

In this review, I explain what Thermakind coating actually is, what Our Place pans are made of, and whether Our Place cookware is safe for everyday cooking. I will also compare the Always Pan with similar brands like GreenPan and Caraway so you can decide whether it belongs in your kitchen.

Is Our Place Cookware Non-Toxic?

The short answer is I haven’t seen independent studies or test reports proving that Our Place pans are non-toxic.

On their website, Our Place claims their non-stick coating is made without PFAS (including PTFE), PFOA, lead, or microplastics.

It would be helpful to see independent test reports supporting these claims. In other words, I would like to review test reports confirming that the coating is indeed made without these substances.

The last time Our Place Always Pan disclosed their test report to me was in December 2020.  

From the test report, it follows that lithium, lead, cobalt, cadmium, and mercury are non-detectable. However, the report does not specify what the minimum detectable levels are.  

This matters because every lab test has a limit. The minimum detectable level tells you the smallest amount of a substance the lab can measure. If the limit is high, a test may report “non-detectable” even though a small amount is present. If the limit is very low, the result gives stronger confidence that the substance is truly absent or present only in extremely tiny amounts.

Additionally, the report does not include results for PFAS, PTFE, PFOA, or microplastics.

In the following years, the company stopped providing any test reports. The most recent time I reached out to them was March 2026, and they responded that they do not release test results.

As we state on our website, our coatings are specifically made without potentially toxic materials, including PTFE, PFOA, and other PFAS (which are used in the majority of nonstick cookware), and we support that claim with rigorous third-party testing. Our testing is always performed with sophisticated equipment under controlled conditions by trained, expert personnel, in accordance with industry best practices – the way we believe testing such as this should always be conducted. Due to our coatings having proprietary information, we do not release our test results.

Another way to evaluate whether the Always Pan is actually non toxic is to look more closely at the pan’s non-stick coating. Let’s do that next.

What Is The Thermakind Nonstick Coating?

To start with, Always Pan uses the Thermakind ceramic nonstick coating that is a type of sol-gel ceramic coating.

Sol-gel technology creates the coating by transforming a solution (sol) into a solid gel through heating.

The solution combines silicon dioxide with other compounds that potentially include:

• titanium dioxide nanoparticles (source)
• poly-zirconium oxides and poly-aluminum oxides (source)
• chromium oxides and silicon carbides (source)
• siloxanes (source)
• fluorine (source).

I say “potentially include” because no company has ever disclosed to me a full list of materials used in their non-stick coatings.

When a few years back I reached out to Always Pan requesting the composition of their ceramic non-stick coating, they replied that they use proprietary sol-gel technology:

It is a ceramic precursor, i.e., if you were to fire the sol-gel chemistry, it would turn into ceramic.  But because we are heating it at a lower temperature, it never gets to that ceramic state.  Ceramic is totally in-organic whereas our sol-gel has organic and inorganic substances. The inorganic material is glass/silica. The organic material is an organic polymer.

Note that the “organic polymer” used is not disclosed. Meanwhile, organic polymers include low- and high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, nylon, Teflon, and thermoplastic polyurethane (source). 

It would be great to know which organic polymer Our Place uses in their Thermakind ceramic nonstick coating.

Furthermore, Always Pan acknowledges the use of nanoparticles but provides no evidence to show that these particles cannot migrate into food.

Regarding the presence of nanoparticles in our nonstick ceramic coating, while there are nano-sized raw materials in the liquid state of all sol-gel ceramic coatings, once they are cured and hardened, these particles cannot break free. There is no possibility for nanoparticles to leach into food while cooking.

Does Our Place Use Teflon Or PFAS?

According to the company, Our Place cookware does not use PTFE (Teflon) or PFAS.

This means the coating should be different from classic Teflon-style nonstick coatings, which rely on fluorinated chemicals.

PFAS chemicals became controversial because some research links long-term exposure to health concerns, including hormone disruption and environmental persistence (source).

Because of this, many cookware brands now market PFAS-free ceramic coatings. However, in my opinion, testing is still important.

First, coatings can contain multiple ingredients, which companies normally do not disclose.

Second, independent testing helps confirm that cookware truly does not contain PFAS or PTFE.

So, while Our Place states the coating is PTFE-free and PFAS-free, third-party testing would strengthen this claim.

What Is The Our Place Always Pan Made Of?

To start with, the Always Pan has an aluminum base. Aluminum conducts heat very well, which helps food cook evenly.

Next, the cooking surface uses the Thermakind ceramic nonstick coating described earlier.

Other parts of the pan include a stainless-steel steamer basket, a beechwood spatula, a lid, and integrated spoon rest.

The pan weighs about 3 pounds, which makes it lighter than cast iron.

According to the brand, the Always Pan can function as a:

• frying pan
• sauté pan
• steamer
• skillet
• saucier
• saucepan

This design appeals to people who prefer minimalist kitchens or small cooking spaces.

Is The Our Place Always Pan Safe To Cook With?

I would not cook with the Our Place Always Pan for the following reasons.

First, the Thermakind nonstick coating is a type of sol-gel ceramic coating that arouses potential concerns with nanoparticles leaching into food.

Second, it is unclear what other ingredients are present in the Thermakind coating besides silica. Hence, there may be potential health risks associated with these ingredients.

Third, anecdotally, I hear that ceramic nonstick coatings tend to be brittle and can wear off. This can cause exposure to aluminum that can leach into food and potentially have side effects (source and source).

Fourth, I haven’t seen sufficient independent test reports proving that there is no leaching of any kind – nanoparticles, PFAS, heavy metals – from the Always Pan into food.

Ultimately, I do not consider ceramic nonstick coating safe for cooking, and I explain in detail why in my blog post Is Ceramic Coating Safe?.

On top of that, the Always Pan is facing an investigation and possibly a class action lawsuit based on the results of the investigation (source).

Our Place Lawsuit: What You Should Know

In December 2025, a law firm started an investigation into cookware made by Our Place, including the Always Pan 2.0 (source).

Some buyers say their pans chipped, rusted, or wore down within a year, even though they followed the care instructions.

Lawyers are now reviewing whether Our Place’s advertising about the pans’ materials and durability may be misleading.

People who bought one of these pans in the past two years and experienced chipping or other damage could be affected.

Right now, the investigation does not mean the company did anything wrong. The lawyers are simply reviewing the claims to decide if legal action makes sense.

This situation shows why clear testing and honest product information matter when companies make safety or durability claims.

Always Pan Vs GreenPan Vs Caraway

The Always Pan competes with several other ceramic nonstick cookware brands. Two of the most common comparisons are GreenPan and Caraway.

GreenPan uses a coating called Thermolon, which also relies on sol-gel technology with silica as the main ingredient. In the past, GreenPan provided test reports. However, after that, they stopped providing them.  Find out more about GreenPan & Thermolon safety here.

Caraway said they use a proprietary, mineral-based ceramic coating primarily derived from silica and applied using a sol-gel process. They explicitly told me it is not Thermolon. In 2024, Caraway provided test reports. More on Caraway visit here.

Neither of the three brands disclose full coating composition or sufficient 3^rd party test reports.

Overall, their products belong to the same general category of ceramic nonstick cookware that I don’t consider safe for cooking.

To see the results of my research into ScanPan, Swiss Diamond, Blue Diamond, Hexclad, Greenlife, and other popular nonstick cookware brands, get access to my email here.

Is The Always Pan Worth It? What Buyers Say

Because I have not personally used the Always Pan, I can only summarize what reviewers commonly report online.

People often praise its attractive design, lightweight feel, included accessories, and ease of cleaning when new.

At the same time, reviewers frequently mention that it is not oven safe, the coating may wear down over time, and some design details — such as the handle shape, hot side handle, domed bottom, and hard-to-clean crevices — can be frustrating in everyday use.

For me, though, these practical issues are secondary.

The main reason I do not recommend the Always Pan is that the full composition of the Thermakind nonstick coating is not disclosed, and no sufficient test reports are publicly available to support the brand’s safety claims.

So, in my opinion, the Always Pan is not worth it.

Final Takeaway: Is Our Place Always Pan Non-Toxic?

Based on the information available, I do not consider the Our Place Always Pan non-toxic.

The pan uses a sol-gel ceramic-style coating called Thermakind, but the company does not fully disclose the ingredients used in that coating. Without a complete list of materials or recent independent testing that shows nothing harmful leaches into food, I cannot confirm that the pan is safe.

I am also concerned about the nature of ceramic coatings in general.

These coatings may contain nanoparticles or other additives, and they can wear down over time. If the coating chips or degrades, the aluminum base of the pan may become exposed and potentially leach into food.

Because of these unknowns, I would not use the Always Pan in a non-toxic kitchen.

Instead, I prefer cookware made from materials like stainless steel or cast iron which do not rely on nonstick coatings and have a longer track record of safety and durability.

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