New Year, New Kitchenware: A Review Of Caraway’s Ceramic Cookware And Bakeware

The era of disrupters is here. From mattresses to plants, a new generation of entrepreneurs have imbued fresh design, sustainability, internet marketing, and technological innovation into age-old industries. The latest to get a revamp: kitchenware. From matte colors to metal finishes, the new breed of direct-to-consumer brands not only speak to millennial cooks buying Dutch ovens on Instagram but anyone looking for a functional beautiful kitchen gear refresh.

Today’s review: Caraway Home

Caraway From its range of colors (I’m all about the marigold) to modern branding, Caraway exudes style. Launched by Jordan Nathan in 2019, the brand boasts eco-friendly manufacturing, ethical fair-wage employment, and sustainable packaging. For example, your new pots and pans arrive in a recycled cardboard box sans single-use plastics.  

Looks are great, but do the products hold up? I recently tested two items: the large 18×13 Baking Sheet priced at $55 and the matching gray Sauté Pan, priced at $135.

Honestly, the baking sheet was so pretty, especially the silver half-moon handles, I used a silicon mat the first time I roasted salmon fillets. Realizing a baking sheet can’t be hung on a wall like art but must be employed in the oven to earn its keep, I roasted Brussels sprouts coated in sugar, olive oil, hot pepper flakes, and salt. Sugar is notorious for leaving caramelized char marks. Yet, this sturdy beauty cleaned up easily. It has the the same coating as the pan which I tested next.

The sauté pan comes with a lid and curvy, elegant handles reminiscent of my favorite Champagne coupe. Of course, being non-stick , the first trial is its ability to reduce sticking without needing an extra dose of cooking medium like oil. Or in my case, reducing the amount of butter needed to cook a pound of South Carolina shrimp. The crustaceans, seared a few minutes on each side with garlic, slid right out of the pan, barely leaving but a burnish marks. Clean-up was a breeze.

Most cooks nowadays know about the dangers of PTFE, aka Teflon, the non-stick coating which release toxins over time as the pan’s cook surface wears down. Ceramic has been touted as the safe alternative, and Caraway products are PTFE, lead, and cadmium free.

Caraway’s aluminum core is layered with a mineral-based ceramic coating. Ceramic itself is inert but as with any pan, always clean it by hand and use wood and silicone utensils, avoiding metal that can scratch the coating. Caraway works on gas electric, and induction stovetops.

If the above hasn’t convinced you to give Caraway a try, how about the complimentary, eco-friendly cork trivet that comes in every box, or the storage solutions that neatly hang or stack your equipment?

Caraway sells cookware, bakeware, and now linens including colorful pot holders, oven mitts, and tea towels. Striped aprons in blue and green suit cooks who prefer to look stylish in front of the oven range or nowadays, on their IG Live set.