Scouting Report: If you want nonstick cookware without the chemicals, Caraway cookware is what you’ve been dreaming of.
For two decades, my mother’s kitchen cabinets have been crammed with the same garbage Teflon pots and pans that have been leaching toxins into her food while simultaneously infuriating me whenever I have to cook with them. Not only do I worry about the chemicals that leach from the Teflon coating into our food (particularly when the coating begins to peel or scratch off into the food – gross!) but the pans themselves cook unevenly and inefficiently.
Since I now prepare most of my mother’s meals, I upgraded her cookware to the new Caraway cookware set, which is currently 20 percent off during their annual sale. These ceramic-coated aluminum pots and pans promise to be nonstick for a lifetime so since my mom likes to keep her cookware for several decades, they seemed perfect for her.
Not only is Caraway's cookware non-stick and absolutely beautiful (I sometimes leave them out on the stove instead of putting them away just because they’re so dang pretty), but they also cook really, really, well. Compared to Teflon, the mineral-based coating provides superior heat conductivity and it’s more versatile than cast iron and stainless steel pots. My wooden spoon slides smoothly across the pan when I’m frying up kale and sweet potatoes while my silicone spatula effortlessly scoops up quinoa which, finally, isn’t all caked to the bottom of the pan like a big crusty Frisbee.
Caraway is known for its genius magnetic pan racks that hold the pans upright on glorious display on top of a countertop or out of view inside a cabinet. While I do love the magnetic rack (and the smart lid organizer that suction cups to the back of a cabinet door), I most appreciate the clever design features in the lids.
The lip of the lid easily locks it in place on the pots/pans while a small hole in the lid allows steam to escape. The large, wide handles are easy to grab and stay cool while you’re holding them. The lids themselves, on the other hand, do heat up so when I rest the lid on the counter while I stir the food, I usually use the Caraway pot holder to pick it back up. Sure, you could rest the lid handle-side up to solve this problem but I don’t feel like wiping food off the counter later so I’ll just stick with my potholder method, thank you very much!
When it comes to cleaning these bad boys, note that beautiful ceramic cookware like this has no place in a dishwasher. Dishwashers, just like steel wool scrubbers could damage the coating, but have no fear, the smooth, non-stick finish keeps food from sticking and hardening onto the pans so they’re a breeze to clean with just a rag and soapy water.
So if you’re a fan of amazing non-stick cookware that cooks evenly and is easy to clean, the Caraway cookware set is perfect.
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