Is Our Place worth the hype?
As the brand behind the Always Pan and Wonder Oven air fryer, Our Place's pastel-coloured ultra-versatile cookware continues to be all over our social media feeds – but is it worth the money?
Anyone with a social media algorithm tuned into cookware, food or interiors will be familiar with Our Place. As the brand behind the Insta-famous Always Pan and the Wonder Oven, it's the epitome of the millennial kitchen aesthetic: where soft pastels and earthy hues meet practical design and storage.
Most of us accumulate pots and pans of all shapes and sizes, then tuck them away in various drawers and cupboards, but for Our Place it's about the opposite. Its cookware is multifunctional, so in theory you only need one of its pans to do the job of several, and it's so good looking that you'll want to keep it out on display permanently.
But as every Instagram or TikTok influencer affirms that Our Place is a must-buy brand, you might be asking: is the hype actually justified?
If you've already got your eye on a particular Our Place product, now might be a good time to invest as the brand's spring sale is live now until 11 May 2025. But for those still making their mind up, we're here to give you our honest view of the Our Place range.
We've spent our fair share of time testing Our Place products over the past four years, and we've put everything from the Perfect Pot to the Wonder Oven through its paces in the Good Food Test Kitchen – measuring against everything from ease of use and quality of materials, to sustainability and cooking results.
This means we know exactly which pieces of Our Place's cookware will give you bang for your buck, and how it compares to other brands on the market like HexClad, ProCook and Le Creuset. For more advice and product recommendations, read our guides to the best non-stick frying pans, best pan sets and best casserole dishes.
Jump to:
- Is Our Place worth it?
- What are Our Place pans made of?
- Is the Always Pan worth it?
- When does Our Place have sales?
- Our top-rated Our Place products
- Where to buy Our Place cookware
Is Our Place worth it?
Deciding whether Our Place is worth the hype (and cost) comes down to a few different factors: how much budget you have to spend; what you want from your cookware; and how much space you have in your kitchen. Here are a few things to consider before you hit the buy button:
- Our Place offers a lifetime warranty on its titanium, cast-iron and steel cookware
- Its non-stick, silicone, plastic, wood and ceramic products, and the Wonder Oven air fryer, only have a one-year guarantee
- The cookware is designed to be multifunctional, negating the need for lots of different pots and pans
- Its non-stick coating is PFA-free, which means it's made without PFTE (commonly known as Teflon)
- It can more expensive than other brands, with prices starting at £80 for the Mini Always Pan
- Our testers have found the non-stick of the Always Pan degrades after a year or so, even after proper care and use
- All the products are well made, stylishly designed and available in a range of colours
- The ceramic non-stick pans are oven-safe but not metal utensil safe or dishwasher-safe
- To maintain the non-stick, Our Place advises against exposing its pans to high temperatures
- The brand uses recycled materials for its cookware and all its packaging is plastic-free
What are Our Place pans made of?
For many, the main selling point of Our Place's cookware and bakeware is that it's PFA-free, which means it's made without chemicals like PTFE (also known as Teflon).
Traditional non-stick materials like PTFE are safe to use providing you use non-metal utensils, avoid abrasive scrubbers and don't overheat them (above 260C/500F) – you can read more about this in our guide on how to care for non-stick cookware. Most of the general health concerns around non-stick actually centre around another chemical, PFOA, which was banned in the UK in 2005.
When it comes to overall construction, the Always Pan 2.0 and Perfect Pot are made with a ceramic non-stick coating and 100 per cent recycled aluminium exterior, which means they're lightweight and heat quickly.
If you're after cookware with a bit more heft, Our Place's Titanium Pro range has a stainless steel exterior with an aluminium core and titanium interior, which means it's metal utensil safe and can handle high temperatures (up to 400C).
Enamelled cast iron has been used to create the Cast-iron Always Pan, and compared to other cast-iron skillets we've tested, it's remarkably lightweight at 4.2kg.
Is the Always Pan worth it?
The Always Pan is undoubtedly Our Place's hero product, having launched first in the UK in 2021 – and then again as the Always Pan 2.0 in 2023.
We were fans of the original Always Pan when we tested it in 2021, rating it 4/5 stars, and its smooth non-stick and even heat distribution impressed us. However, at £125, we weren't sure the cost was justified and felt there were plenty of other pans as effective but much cheaper. Unlike similarly priced offerings, like those from Le Creuset and HexClad, the original Always Pan also couldn't go in the oven.
So, when Our Place launched the oven-safe Always Pan 2.0 in 2023, it was music to our ears. Like the original, it comes with an integrated stainless steel steamer basket, beechwood spatula and heatproof handle. We awarded it 5/5 stars in testing and rated its impressive non-stick performance, lightweight build and fully recyclable packaging.
To maintain the effectiveness of the non-stick, high temperatures are best avoided, which makes searing and frying more difficult. With this in mind, the Always Pan 2.0 is perhaps less versatile than it makes out, though Our Place did share with us that "the occasional sear is totally fine". For this kind of cooking, the Titanium Always Pan Pro, which can handle temperatures of up to 400C, might be the better choice.
In our experience, the non-stick coating also starts to degrade after a year or so, even with proper care and use – so this is something to bear in mind.
If you're just looking for a new frying pan, you will find more affordable options that do the job just as well. However, we do think it's a solid pick for anyone lacking cupboard space or looking for a statement piece of cookware that looks attractive on the counter.
We also love a brand that takes sustainability seriously, and Our Place's commitment to an ethical chain of production and plastic-free packaging are worth applauding.
How to clean the Always Pan
Using a dishwasher to clean your cookware undoubtedly saves time and effort, but high temperatures and powerful detergents will impact the longevity of the non-stick coating. So, to make sure your Always Pan stands the test of time, make sure you only wash it by hand once it's cooled – warm water, mild dish soap and a non-abrasive sponge are all you need.
If you're tackling burnt-on residue, simply sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the pan's surface, add a splash of water to form a paste, then gently rub with a soft sponge before rinsing thoroughly.
When does Our Place have sales?
We've seen Our Place run a few smaller sales events already this year, and right now you can save up to 30% off site-wide in the brand's spring sale. The best offers we've seen so far include £190 off the Our Place Ceramic Cookware Set, as well as £105 off the Ultimate Bakeware Set – that's a saving of 34%.
The sale ends on Sunday 11 May, so you don't have too long to make the most of the deals. If you need some help deciding, we've selected a few of our top-rated Our Place products below – all of which have been tried and tested by the Good Food product reviews team.
Our top-rated Our Place products
Always Pan 2.0
Available from Our Place (£100), Harrods (£100), Selfridges (£100), Fenwick (£100)
Star rating: 5/5
An upgrade of the pan that started it all, the Always 2.0 is the do-it-all piece of cookware that's "deep enough to roast a chicken and shallow enough to flip an egg". It's oven-safe up to 230C, can be used as a steamer with the handled steamer basket (included) – which also doubles as a colander – and comes with a wooden spatula that nestles into the handle.
It's incredibly light for its size and build, and comes in five colours. We also found the ceramic non-stick coating ultra smooth and achieved speedy results, and even browning when cooking omelettes in test. Read more in our guide to the best non-stick frying pans.
Available from:
Our Place griddle pan
Available from Our Place (£95)
Star rating: 4.5/5
Functioning as a roasting tray, generous baking sheet and stovetop griddle, the multi-purpose Griddle Pan is a serious piece of kit, though it comes with a bit of a catch. It's not induction-friendly, but at 53cm wide it's large enough to cover two electric hob rings or gas burners. It's also oven-safe up 230C, but the size of it does mean it won't fit inside a standard oven, so you'll need a range oven if you want to roast or bake with it.
For those who have the space, though, it's a brilliant pick for feeding guests or a large family. In test we cooked eight sizeable American-style pancakes in one go and, despite the uneven spreading, all of them were perfectly cooked and slipped onto a plate with no trouble.
Read our full guide to the best pancake pans.
Available from:
Our Place Perfect Pot
Available from Our Place (£110), Harrods (£110), Amazon (£158.37)
Star rating: 4.5/5
Our Place has channelled the colourful, multifunctional design of the Always Pan into its 5.2-litre casserole dish, also known as the Perfect Pot. It can be used as a stock pot, dutch oven, saucepan, roasting rack, steamer, strainer, and braiser, and a spoon rest has been incorporated, too.
Like the Always Pan, the non-stick coating is PFA-free and our pot arrived in plastic-free packaging. It's more lightweight than other casserole dishes we've tested, which meant it shifted around on the hob a little while stirring. On the plus side, this meant we could effortlessly transport it from the countertop to the oven to the table.
Read our first-look review of the Our Place Perfect Pot, plus our full guide to the best casserole dishes.
Available from:
Always Pan Titanium Pro
Available from Our Place (£155), Harrods (£165), Amazon (£175.39)
Star rating: 4/5
For those who love the multifunctionality of the Always Pan 2.0 but want the searing power of cooking on stainless steel, the Titanium Pro is an excellent choice. Its tri-ply set-up, made from aluminium, titanium and stainless steel, doesn't rely on coating or chemicals, but will require a little seasoning with oil before use.
The surface of the pan also has a mesh-like texture, which prevents food from sticking but did leave a noticeable imprint behind on our American-style pancakes. Unlike the Always Pan 2.0, it's metal utensil safe, too.
For the price it's not the most premium-looking frying pan, though it does feel robust and with the right care should withstand years of use. Read more in our full guide to the best non-stick frying pans.
Available from:
Our Place Wonder Oven
Available from Our Place (£170), Harrods (£170), Amazon (£170)
Star rating: 4/5
Our Place jumped on to the air fryer trend in 2024 with the launch of the Wonder Oven, which sports the same chic, colourful design as the rest of its product range. The Wonder Oven has proved to be a huge hit on social media, and in test we had a great time cooking with it.
Functions include air fry, grill, roast, bake, toast and reheat, and though it's a little noisy and slower than other air fryers we've tested, we found it a doddle to use. All our dishes were nicely browned and evenly cooked, and accessories like a wire rack, non-stick baking sheet and air fryer basket are thrown in, too.
Read our first-look review of the Our Place Wonder Oven, plus our full guide to the best air fryers.
Available from:
Where to buy Our Place cookware
You can buy Our Place products directly from its website, as well retailers like Harrods, Selfridges, Fenwick and Amazon.
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Interested in Le Creuset and HexClad? We're also answered 'is HexClad worth it?' and 'is Le Creuset worth it?' in similar guides.
