Are you shopping for new non-stick ceramic cookware and considering GreenPan or Caraway?
GreenPan is a Belgian brand and one of the pioneers in the ceramic non-stick cookware movement.
Caraway is a new, fresh-faced startup offering ceramic non-stick cookware that’s colorful, fun, and uniquely designed.
So, which ceramic non-stick cookware is better?
In this GreenPan vs. Caraway comparison, you’ll learn how their cookware differs in terms of construction, design, durability, performance, price, and more.
By the end, you’ll know if GreenPan or Caraway is the better choice for your home.
Key Takeaways
Throughout this comparison, I provide in-depth analysis, test results, and pictures of both brands. But if you’re in a hurry, here are the key highlights.
History: GreenPan entered the scene in 2007, establishing itself as a pioneer in the ceramic non-stick cookware industry. On the other hand, Caraway is a relatively new entrant, commencing its operations in 2018.
Where It’s Made: GreenPan and Caraway manufacture their pots and pans in China.
Range of Collections: GreenPan offers a diverse array of over ten cookware collections. Each collection caters to varying styles, needs, and price points. Caraway only has one collection.
Construction: GreenPan provides a selection of base materials, including aluminum, hard-anodized aluminum, and fully-clad 3-ply stainless steel. Caraway’s primary base material is heavy-gauge aluminum, known for its durability and heat conductivity. Both brands coat their pans with a ceramic non-stick material to prevent sticking.
Design: GreenPan’s design varies by collection. The exteriors range from glossy to matte, and the handles are either brushed stainless steel, polished stainless steel, silicone-wrapped stainless steel, wood/Bakelite hybrid, or black plastic Bakelite. Caraway’s collection comes in several bright colors contrasting nicely against the polished steel handle.
Non-Stick Durability: I conducted extensive stress tests to simulate months of use, including scraping, impact, and thermal shock tests.
Key findings (skip ahead to see the full test details and results):
- Long-term, Caraway’s exterior tends to chip, while GreenPan’s durability varied by collection.
- Initially, both brands performed well, with Caraway having a slightly slicker surface.
- After stress testing, Caraway maintained better overall non-stick properties, though with some decline.
- GreenPan’s performance varied by collection: Valencia Pro showed noticeable decline, while GP5 (with Infinite8 coating) unexpectedly had the most significant performance drop.
Heat Conduction and Retention: Based on my tests, Caraway heats faster, but GreenPan has superior heat retention.
Oven-Safe: GreenPan cookware offers a wide range of oven-safe temperatures, varying from 350°F to 600°F, contingent on the collection. Caraway’s cookware is oven-safe up to 550°F.
Induction Compatibility: All Caraway pots and pans are induction-compatible. While GreenPan offers several induction-compatible options, some of its aluminum bottom pans won’t work on induction.
Warranty: GreenPan offers a two-year warranty on the ceramic non-stick coating and a lifetime warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship. Caraway provides a one-year warranty for manufacturing defects, but this only applies to customers in the United States.
Price: Caraway positions itself as a higher-end brand with relatively higher prices. GreenPan offers more budget-friendly options while still maintaining robust construction and diverse collections.
Bottom Line: GreenPan and Caraway are the two leading brands in the ceramic non-stick cookware market. GreenPan offers a range of collections with unique construction, design, and price points. On the other hand, Caraway has one core design available in several colors. Ultimately, both brands use similar ceramic non-stick coatings and aluminum bases, resulting in comparable performance. So choose the brand that fits your budget and has the design elements (handles, lids, colors) you prefer.
Visit Caraway’s official website at CarawayHome.com and explore GreenPan’s offerings on GreenPan.us and Amazon.
Use the links below to navigate the comparison:
- Comparison Chart
- Construction
- Design
- Non-Stick Durability
- Heat Conduction and Retention
- Warranty
- Price
- GreenPan History
- Caraway History
- FAQs About GreenPan and Caraway Cookware
- Bottom Line: Should You Buy GreenPan or Caraway Cookware?
Comparison Chart
If you’re in a rush, this chart gives you a quick breakdown of the differences and similarities between GreenPan and Caraway.
GreenPan | Caraway | |
---|---|---|
Founded | 2007 | 2018 |
Where It’s Made | China | China and India |
Number of Non-Stick Collections | Over 10 | 1 |
Number of Stainless Steel Collections | 1 (exterior only, cooking surface is non-stick) | 0 |
Price | $$ – $$$ (view on Amazon) | $$$ (view on CarawayHome.com) |
Base Material | Aluminum, hard-anodized, or fully-clad 3-ply stainless steel | Heavy-gauge aluminum with a steel induction plate |
Cooking Surface | Diamond-infused ceramic non-stick | Ceramic non-stick |
Oven-Safe | Between 350°F and 600°F, depending on the collection | 500°F |
Induction-Compatible | Yes (10 collections) | Yes |
Dishwasher-Safe | Yes (except the Lima collection) | Yes |
Top Reasons to Buy | Natural non-stick materials, variety of styles and colors, excellent heat conduction, affordable | Natural non-stick materials, modern and colorful design, simple shopping experience (one collection) |
Top Reasons to NOT Buy | Less durable than traditional non-stick, low oven-safe temperatures (certain collections) | More expensive than most GreenPan collections, exterior coating is prone to chipping |
Construction
GreenPan and Caraway coat all of their cookware with ceramic non-stick materials. And both take pride in being an eco-friendly alternative to traditional Teflon-coated cookware. However, the way they make the other parts of their cookware is quite different.
GreenPan:
GreenPan has three choices of cookware construction:
Fully-clad stainless steel: Two layers of stainless steel with an aluminum core ideal for heat control and transfer.
Hard-anodized aluminum: An extremely durable type of aluminum that is resistant to corrosion, harder than stainless steel, and provides fast and even heating.
Standard aluminum: Offers good heat conduction and is a more affordable choice.
Each material offers different benefits, as well as a range of price points. For example, the GreenPan fully-clad stainless steel cookware is more expensive than its aluminum (hard-anodized falls in the middle).
The cooking surface of all GreenPan cookware is coated with their proprietary ceramic non-stick material, which is derived from sand. GreenPan offers different versions of their coating, depending on the collection:
- Infinite8: This is GreenPan’s most advanced ceramic nonstick coating, used in their GP5 Stainless and GP5 collections. It’s the 8th generation of their iconic ceramic nonstick coating, designed to be metal utensil safe, last longer, and perform better.
- Thermolon™ Advanced: This coating is used in the Venice Pro, Valencia Pro, and Reserve collections. It’s metal utensil safe, heats evenly, and cleans up easily.
- Thermolon™: The standard Thermolon coating is used in the Nova collection. It heats evenly and cleans up easily.
- Thermolon™ Minerals: Used in the Chatham collection, this coating is reinforced with diamonds for constant performance.
All versions of GreenPan’s ceramic coatings share these features:
- PTFE-free: PTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene is a highly-durable polymer found in traditional non-stick, like Teflon. It can be used safely if it is not overheated or scratched off.
- PFOA-free: This is a human-made chemical with known health risks. It used to be a key element in the manufacture of traditional non-stick. Since 2013, it’s been discontinued by most cookware manufacturers.
- PFAS-free: This group of chemicals includes PFOA, PFOS, and more. They are harmful to the body.
In addition to the non-stick coatings, some GreenPan collections feature unique bases for improved performance:
- The GP5 Stainless collection has a Balance Pro Base, which creates a stay-flat surface on frypans and sauté pans and keeps oil where you want it.
- The Valencia Pro collection features a Magneto™ Base, optimized for performance on all stovetops.
- The Venice Pro, GP5, and Nova collections have an induction base that delivers uniform heat distribution on all cooktops.
These various coatings and bases allow GreenPan to offer a range of performance levels across their collections, catering to various cooking needs and preferences.
Caraway:
Caraway cookware has one type of construction: heavy-gauge aluminum core with a proprietary mineral-based ceramic coating on the inside and exterior of the pan, as well as the lids.
Why does that matter? Because, sometimes, the outside of a pan or top of a lid gets dirty, and it’s nice to know that it’s designed to repel stains and food particles that could get stuck on while you cook.
The all-over ceramic non-stick coating is free of PTFE, PFOA, and other toxic materials such as cadmium that have been known to leach into food.
One part of the cookware is not non-stick: the magnetic stainless steel plate on the bottom. This plate adds durability but also makes the cookware induction-compatible.
Except for the frying pan, all pots come with a matching lid.
Finally, you may also like that Caraway offers free storage solutions, including a canvas lid holder that you can hang and a modular, space-saving pan rack that stores each pan on its side.
Clearly, GreenPan and Caraway have differences in construction. If you prefer stainless clad, GreenPan gives you that option. If you prefer an interior/exterior ceramic non-stick experience, Caraway has you covered. Both utilized safe, sand-derived ceramic non-stick coating.
Each brand has a unique flair for design. When it comes to GreenPan vs. Caraway, both brands have a style that will undoubtedly appeal to an array of home chefs.
Design
GreenPan offers a more traditional design with nuances in handle design, lids, and shape. Caraway boasts a modern, minimalistic appeal and shines in terms of color offerings.
Let’s take a closer look at each brands’ design, starting with GreenPan.
GreenPan:
Overall, GreenPan’s offerings include either stainless steel, various shades of gray, or black (hard-anodized). The GP5 Stainless collection has a light interior and a brushed stainless exterior:
Pots and pans have a glossy finish, brushed stainless, or matte look. In other words, a variety of looks to suit different tastes.
The handles vary by collection, but all provide a comfortable grip and are riveted in place for stability.
GreenPan handles are either brushed stainless steel, polished stainless steel, silicone-wrapped stainless steel, wood/Bakelite hybrid, or black plastic Bakelite.
One of the newest collections, Reserve, features stunning gold-toned, stainless steel handles that offer a nice contrast against the black cookware.
Lids are either tempered glass or stainless steel. Some collections, such as Levels Stackable, feature recessed straining lids for easy draining of liquids while cooking and space-saving when storing.
Glass lids are oven-safe between 350 and 425°F, depending on the collection. Stainless steel lids are oven safe up to 600°F.
With GreenPan, you’ll find various designs and features that reflect the way you cook and live.
Caraway:
If you’d rather keep it simple, Caraway makes it easy by offering one collection in five different colors: cream, gray, sage, navy, or perracotta (a terracotta/pink mix).
A high sheen finish inside and out gives it a monochromatic look — contrasted by the lighter interior cooking surface and the elongated, stainless steel lid handle.
The lid handles are inspired by the shape of the caraway seed, hence the company’s name.
The side handles are also stainless steel and parallel with the cooktop, while GreenPan handles are angled upward.
All Caraway cookware is oven safe (including lids) up to 550°F.
After reviewing both brands’ designs, it’s clear that GreenPan has the upper hand in terms of variety, but Caraway has a unique, eye-catching look.
Non-Stick Durability
To assess the durability of the non-stick coatings, I conducted a series of stress tests on both Caraway and GreenPan cookware. These tests were designed to simulate months of use in just a few days. Here’s what I did and what I found:
Initial Performance Test: I cooked eggs, cheese, and chicken in brand-new pans from both brands. Initially, Caraway had a slightly slicker surface, with eggs sliding around easily. However, I noticed that part of the egg quickly flowed to the edge of the Caraway pan due to a slight dip in the cooking surface near the wall.
Scraping Test: I used a 5-pound weighted wooden spatula and rubbed it across each pan 150 times. This test left faint rub marks on both brands, but surprisingly, there were no deep scratches.
Impact Test: I dropped a 2-pound steel saucepan on the surface of each pan 20 times from about 1 inch high. This test simulated the potential damage from stacking pans in cabinets. Neither brand showed significant visible damage from this test.
Mixer Scraping Test: Using a stand mixer with a coated beater, I scraped each pan for 2 minutes. This test caused more prominent marks than the wooden spatula test on the Caraway and GreenPan Valencia Pro pans. For some reason, the beater caused much deeper scratches in the GreenPan GP5 pan.
Simulated Washing: I used a sponge attached to a stand mixer to simulate months of washing. This test ran for 5 minutes on each pan with soapy water. Neither brand showed significant wear from this test.
Thermal Shock Test: I heated each pan to 400°F and immediately submerged it in 65°F water. This test was designed to measure warp resistance. Both brands passed this test without warping.
After these stress tests, I repeated the initial cooking tests. Here’s what I found:
Caraway: The non-stick performance declined slightly. Eggs didn’t stick but weren’t as slippery as before. The issue with eggs flowing to the edge due to the uneven cooking surface persisted.
GreenPan: The results varied by collection. The Valencia Pro collection showed a more pronounced decline in performance, with eggs sticking slightly and requiring more force to flip.
The GP5 collection, which GreenPan claims has its most advanced Infinite8 coating, surprisingly showed the most significant decline in performance. Eggs stuck firmly to the surface and were difficult to move without tearing.
Both brands maintained their non-stick properties for cheese and chicken even after the stress tests.
Long-term observations: Over weeks of continued use after the stress tests, I noticed that Caraway’s shiny exterior tends to chip and flake over time. GreenPan’s durability varied by collection, with the stainless steel and hard-anodized collections showing better resistance to wear and tear.
In conclusion, while both brands showed some decline in non-stick performance after simulated long-term use, Caraway maintained slightly better non-stick properties overall. However, GreenPan’s varied collections offer different levels of durability, with some outperforming others. The choice between the two may come down to personal preferences in design, price point, and specific cooking needs.
Heat Conduction and Retention
I conducted a simple test to determine which brand heats quicker and retains heat longer — two attributes of high-performing cookware.
After pouring precisely two cups of cold water in Caraway and GreenPan pans, I placed each on the burner and turned the heat to high.
To find out which conducts heat quicker, I measured the time it took for the water to boil.
The water in the Caraway pan boiled first at 2 minutes and 37 seconds, and the GreenPan was right behind it at 2 minutes and 51 seconds. Both pans distributed the heat evenly, as evident by the uniform distribution of bubbles.
Next, I poured the water out of each pan at the same time and set the empty pans on the counter. After five and ten minutes, I placed my hand on each pan.
After five minutes, the GreenPan was still very warm, but the Caraway pan was only slightly warm. After ten minutes, the GreenPan pan was somewhat warm, and the Caraway pan had lost its heat.
One major caveat to mention is that I used the GreenPan Paris Pro pan, which has a hard-anodized aluminum base. If I had used a pan from another collection with different construction, my results might have differed.
Ultimately, both pans heated quickly, evenly, and retained heat well.
Warranty
With GreenPan, you get a two-year warranty on the ceramic non-stick coating and a lifetime warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship.
Caraway offers a one-year warranty that covers manufacturing defects. That only applies to purchasers in the United States.
Some higher-end brands may have more extended warranties, but what both brands offer is pretty standard for non-stick.
Price
To be clear, these brands are not budget buys. They offer an excellent product for the price, but Caraway positions itself as a higher-end brand with higher prices overall.
In some cases, the brands are similar in price depending on what you buy. For example, the fry pans are about the same cost, depending on which Greenpan collection you choose.
The difference is that GreenPan offers high-quality materials like fully-clad stainless steel at nearly the same price as Caraway’s aluminum options. So, if you’re looking to maximize value, GreenPan has Caraway beat.
Check the current prices for Caraway cookware on CarawayHome.com and GreenPan on GreenPan.us or Amazon.
GreenPan History
GreenPan debuted in 2007 as a flagship brand of The Cookware Company, founded by Jan Helskins and Wim De Veirman. The founders’ mission was to create safe non-stick cookware without the use of PFOA and PTFE.
By 2008, they had the answer: Thermolon. We’ll get more into the details of Thermolon later, but for now, just know it’s a diamond-reinforced coating utilized by GreenPan to make its cookware non-stick.
GreenPan prides itself as a sustainable company. They use upcycled steel and aluminum to reduce waste, and the manufacturing process emits 60% less CO2 than traditional non-stick during the curing phase of production.
GreenPan has several ceramic non-stick collections (view all on GreenPan.us).
Caraway History
Caraway is a startup cookware brand founded in 2018. It launched as a direct-to-consumer company, selling exclusively on CarawayHome.com. However, in 2021 Caraway became available at Crate and Barrel, West Elm, and several other retailers.
The startup brand leverages social media and brand evangelists to get the word out, and in just a few short years, consumers are taking notice.
Caraway has a laser-focused set of offerings — a frying pan, saucepan, saute pan, and Dutch oven. In short, the company provides everything you need to make most meals. Caraway offers no specialty cookware, but you can buy the individual pieces if you don’t want the whole set.
The set includes (view details on CarawayHome.com):
- 10.5-inch Fry Pan
- 3-qt. Sauce Pan
- 4.5-qt. Saute Pan
- 6.5-qt. Dutch Oven
Other than the ceramic non-stick cookware, Caraway sells kitchen accessories such as oven mitts, pot holders, and tea towels.
Learn more about Caraway in my in-depth video review below (you can also watch the video on YouTube).
FAQs About GreenPan and Caraway Cookware
Here is what most home chefs want to know when it comes to GreenPan and Caraway cookware.
Yes. GreenPan and Caraway use materials that are safe to use with food and do not emit toxic fumes if they are accidentally overheated. Both brands are also transparent about testing results and claim to be non-toxic and eco-friendly in construction and production.
GreenPan cookware is designed in Belgium and manufactured in its own factory in China, where they control the quality standards firsthand. Caraway cookware is designed in New York and made in China and India, but they only work with manufacturers that meet Fair Trade standards.
Yes. GreenPan oven-safe temperatures range from 320°F to 600°F, depending on the collection (this chart shows the oven-safe temperatures of all GreenPan collections). All Caraway cookware is oven-safe up to 550°F.
All Caraway cookware is dishwasher-safe, and some of GreenPan’s offerings are too, but both recommend hand washing for longevity. Just make sure you don’t use harsh chemicals or abrasive sponges.
All Caraway cookware is induction compatible due to the magnetic stainless steel plate bonded to the base. GreenPan has several induction-compatible options, including its stainless clad collections, some standard aluminum collections, and the Venice Pro, Valencia Pro, and Levels collections. Be sure to confirm the details before buying GreenPan if you have an induction cooktop.
To extend the life of your non-stick ceramic cookware, use silicone, nylon, bamboo, or wood utensils. GreenPan claims you can use metal utensils on cookware with its Thermolon Diamond Advanced ceramic non-stick coating.
You may return your unused GreenPan cookware in original packaging at your own expense for a full refund within 14 days of purchase. Caraway, on the other hand, offers a 30-day hassle-free return policy. Provided you ship at your own expense and in the original packaging and include all accessories, you can get a full refund.
Caraway cookware is sold primarily on CarawayHome.com, but in 2021, the company expanded into retail, including Crate and Barrel and West Elm. GreenPan is available in stores and online on GreenPan.us and Amazon.
Visit the GreenPan FAQ and Caraway FAQ pages for more insight into both brands.
Bottom Line: Should You Buy GreenPan or Caraway Cookware?
Now that you’ve learned how both brands compare, which is the right one for you?
Here’s a brief recap:
Variety: With over ten unique cookware collections, GreenPan offers a lot more variety in construction, design, and price. Caraway keeps it simple with only one collection.
Non-Stick Coating: Based on my stress tests and long-term testing, Caraway’s non-stick coating lasts slightly longer than GreenPan’s coating.
Performance: Based on my testing, Caraway heats up quicker, but GreenPan retains heat longer.
Warranty: GreenPan has a more extended warranty than Caraway.
Price: GreenPan has some more affordable options than Caraway. Caraway is generally the more expensive brand of the two.
Bottom line — both are excellent choices for ceramic non-stick. If you’re looking for only the essentials with a modern design, Caraway is a solid choice. If you are looking for a brand with budget-friendly options and sturdy base construction, go with GreenPan.
If you’re ready to buy or just want to learn more, check out Caraway on CarawayHome.com and GreenPan on GreenPan.us and Amazon.
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