The main differences between the Our Place Always Pan 1.0 and 2.0 are oven safety, coating durability, handle material, body construction, and functionality count. The 1.0 is a stovetop-only pan with a standard ceramic coating and an aluminum handle. The 2.0 adds oven safety up to 450°F, swaps in a proprietary Thermakind™ coating claimed to last 50% longer, upgrades the handle to stainless steel, builds the body from recycled aluminum, and bumps functionality from 8-in-1 to 10-in-1. The 2.0 launched at just $5 more than the original. The decision, for new buyers, is basically made for you.
Table of Contents
- 1 Quick Answer: 1.0 vs 2.0 — Which Always Pan Do You Need?
- 2 What Is the Our Place Always Pan 1.0 — And Why Did It Go Viral?
- 3 What Is the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 — And What Did It Actually Fix?
- 4 Always Pan 1.0 vs 2.0 — Every Difference That Actually Matters
- 5 What the 2.0 Fixed — and What It Didn’t
- 6 What Real Users and Reviewers Say
- 7 Always Pan 1.0 vs 2.0 — Final Verdict by Category
Quick Answer: 1.0 vs 2.0 — Which Always Pan Do You Need?
| Feature | Always Pan 1.0 | Always Pan 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$145 (discontinued) | $135 (10.5″) |
| Oven safe | No | Yes — 450°F |
| Functions | 8-in-1 | 10-in-1 |
| Handle | Aluminum (heats up) | Stainless steel |
| Coating | Standard ceramic | Thermakind™ |
| Body | Cast aluminum | 100% recycled aluminum |
| Size | 10″ | 10.5″ (+ 8.5″ and 12.5″) |
| Dishwasher safe | No | No |
New buyer? Get the 2.0. No debate.
Own the 1.0 already? Read on — the upgrade answer depends on how you actually cook.
What Is the Our Place Always Pan 1.0 — And Why Did It Go Viral?
The original Always Pan launched in 2019 and promptly broke the internet. It sold out over 30 times. The waitlist hit 60,000 people at one point. For a $145 pan. That’s not nothing.
What did it offer? A non-toxic ceramic nonstick coating, a beautiful matte exterior in colors people actually wanted in their kitchens, and a clever design with deep sides, a spoon rest notch, a domed steam-release lid, and an included steamer basket. For a certain kind of home cook — apartment dwellers, minimalists, anyone trying to do more with less cabinet space — it was genuinely compelling.
It was an 8-in-1 pan: braise, sear, steam, strain, sauté, fry, boil, serve. All on the stovetop.
Design and Specifications
- Size: 10″ diameter, 2.6 qt capacity, approx. 3 lbs
- Body: Cast aluminum
- Coating: Standard ceramic — PFAS-free, PFOA-free, lead-free, cadmium-free
- Handle: Aluminum — gets warm during stovetop use, NOT oven-safe
- Stovetops: Gas, electric, induction — full compatibility
- Colors: Started at 3 (Spice, Steam, Char), expanded to up to 13 over its lifespan
- Oven safe: No. At all. Stovetop only.
The accessories were great. The lid locked in steam or vented on command. The stainless steel steamer basket doubled as a colander. The beechwood spatula nested right into the handle. None of that changed in the 2.0 — they kept the stuff that worked.
Key Features and Limitations
The non-toxic angle was — and still is — genuinely meaningful. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, CDC data found PFAS in the blood of 97% of Americans. Choosing PFAS-free cookware is a real, practical step. The 1.0 delivered on that from day one.
But the oven limitation. That was the problem. Every serious review of the 1.0 led with it. Frittatas, dutch babies, shakshuka finished in the oven, roasted chicken — all off the table. Any recipe that started on the stovetop and finished in the oven required pulling out a completely different pan. For a pan marketed as replacing eight pieces of cookware, that was a conspicuous gap.
The coating also wore out faster than the price implied it should. Multiple users reported degraded nonstick performance within six months of daily use. That’s not exceptional for ceramic — it’s a known limitation of the category — but at $145 it stings.
Always Pan 1.0 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- PFAS-free, non-toxic ceramic coating from day one
- Iconic design — the pan that started the whole aesthetic cookware wave
- Lid, steamer basket, and beechwood spatula all included
- Excellent for stovetop braising, steaming, sautéing, and stir-frying
- Induction compatible
- Deep 2.75″ sides contain splatter and handle large batches
Cons:
- Not oven-safe — stovetop only, period
- Aluminum handle gets warm during cooking — not ideal
- Standard ceramic coating degraded within 6 months for many daily users
- Paint chipping on the exterior noted by multiple reviewers
- Discontinued — no longer the primary model; warranty support limited
- No mini or large size options
Always Pan 1.0 Price
Originally ~$145. Now discontinued as the primary model. You might find it at clearance pricing through third-party resellers — but unless it’s significantly cheaper than the 2.0, there’s no reason to buy it.
Who Should Buy the Always Pan 1.0?
Honestly? Almost nobody buying new. If you find it at $70–80 and you cook exclusively on the stovetop and don’t care about Thermakind™, it’s a functional pan. But at anything close to full price, the 2.0 is the obvious choice.
The one exception: if you already own the 1.0 and it’s still performing well, there’s no rush to replace it. The upgrade is worth it when the coating starts going — not before.
What Is the Our Place Always Pan 2.0 — And What Did It Actually Fix?
Our Place spent two years after the 1.0 launch listening to customer complaints. The 2.0 launched in April 2023. According to Taste of Home’s review of the 2.0, the new version adds oven safety, a refined nonstick surface that lasts longer, and a recycled aluminum core — the specific things users had been asking for.
It looks almost identical to the 1.0. Same silhouette, same accessories, same color energy. The upgrades are structural and internal — not cosmetic. If you’re expecting a dramatically different-looking pan, you won’t find it.
Design and Specifications
- Sizes: 8.5″ ($109 / 1.2 qt), 10.5″ ($135 / 2.6 qt), 12.5″ ($159 / 4 qt)
- Body: 100% post-consumer certified recycled aluminum
- Coating: Thermakind™ ceramic nonstick — PFAS-free (including PTFE), PFOA-free, lead-free, cadmium-free
- Handle: Stainless steel — stays cooler, oven-safe
- Stovetops: Gas, electric, induction, smooth surface — all of them
- Colors: Steam, Char, Blue Salt, Forget-Me-Not Blue, Sage, Spice (plus limited editions)
- Oven safe: Yes — up to 450°F
Key Features
The oven safety is the headline. Nothing else in the 2.0’s upgrade list comes close to this in practical impact. Finishing frittatas, baking a dutch baby, roasting vegetables, pulling a pan full of shakshuka from stovetop to oven — all now possible. That single change takes the functionality from 8-in-1 to 10-in-1.
The Thermakind™ coating is Our Place’s proprietary ceramic formula — claimed to last 50% longer than the original coating. It’s still PFAS-free, PFOA-free, no lead or cadmium. The composition is mainly sand derivative, water, and alcohol per Our Place. Some critics note the full coating formula isn’t publicly disclosed, and third-party lab verification is limited — worth knowing.
The stainless steel handle was a necessary upgrade to support oven safety. Aluminum handles can’t go in a 450°F oven. Stainless steel can. It also stays cooler during stovetop use than the 1.0’s aluminum handle — though both pans have a warm spot right where handle meets pan body.
The recycled aluminum body is the same cast aluminum performance with a better environmental story. Our Place notes aluminum conducts heat three times faster than stainless steel — both pans benefit from that, but the 2.0 does it with post-consumer recycled material.
Full feature list:
- Thermakind™ ceramic nonstick — PFAS-free including PTFE, no lead or cadmium
- Oven-safe to 450°F — opens up baking, roasting, finishing dishes in oven
- 10-in-1 functionality: braise, sear, steam, strain, sauté, fry, boil, bake, roast, serve
- Stainless steel handle — oven-safe, more durable than aluminum
- 100% recycled aluminum body
- All stovetops including induction
- Modular domed lid — locks in moisture or vents on command
- Steamer basket doubles as colander
- Nesting beechwood spatula with spoon rest notch on handle
- Hand wash only — still applies
- 1-year limited warranty
- Built-in pour spouts
Always Pan 2.0 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Oven-safe to 450°F — the upgrade 1.0 users had been asking for since 2019
- Thermakind™ coating claimed 50% longer-lasting — directly addresses the main 1.0 criticism
- Stainless steel handle — more durable, oven-safe, runs cooler than aluminum
- 100% recycled aluminum — better sustainability story
- 10-in-1 vs 1.0’s 8-in-1
- Three size options (8.5″, 10.5″, 12.5″) — more flexibility
- 10.5″ is slightly larger than 1.0’s 10″
- Same beautiful accessories bundle retained from 1.0
Cons:
- Still hand wash only — same limitation, not fixed
- No metal utensils — silicone or wood only, still
- Handle still gets hot near the pan junction — not fully resolved
- Coating still has a finite lifespan — 1–2 years with regular daily use is realistic for any ceramic pan
- Full coating composition not publicly disclosed
- Coating chipping still reported by some users, though less frequently than with 1.0
Always Pan 2.0 Price
- 8.5″ — $109
- 10.5″ — $135 (down from the $150 launch price)
- 12.5″ — $159
The price actually dropped since launch. The 2.0 now costs $10 less than the 1.0 did at retail. That makes the upgrade math even easier.
Who Should Buy the Always Pan 2.0?
Anyone buying a new Always Pan. Full stop. And anyone upgrading from the 1.0 whose coating has started degrading or who wants oven access. The 2.0 is cheaper than the 1.0 was, better in every measurable way, and currently available.
Always Pan 1.0 vs 2.0 — Every Difference That Actually Matters
The Oven Safety Gap — This Is the Whole Story
The 1.0 cannot go in the oven. The 2.0 is oven-safe to 450°F. That’s it. That’s the whole comparison in one sentence.
What does 450°F actually let you do? Frittatas finished under heat without pulling out a second pan. Dutch babies — the puffy oven-baked pancakes that need a screaming hot pan from stovetop to oven to work properly. Braised chicken thighs finished at higher heat. Skillet cornbread. Any recipe that calls for “start on the stove, finish in the oven.” The 1.0 locked all of that away. The 2.0 opens it.
This alone is why the 2.0 jumped from 8-in-1 to 10-in-1. Baking and roasting — both impossible with the 1.0 — are two of those added functions.
Coating: Standard Ceramic vs Thermakind™
The 1.0’s original ceramic coating drew the most criticism of any feature. Daily users commonly reported degraded nonstick performance within six months. Not catastrophic — just not what you’d hope for from a $145 pan. Paint chipping on the exterior was also noted by multiple reviewers at Gear Patrol, Bustle, and Consumer Reports.
The 2.0 addresses this directly with Thermakind™ — Our Place’s proprietary ceramic formula, claimed to last 50% longer. Consumer Reports tested both pans and gave the 2.0 an overall score more than 10 points higher than the 1.0. In their nonstick durability test — 2,000 steel wool swipes — the 2.0 held up well.
Does that make the 2.0’s coating permanent? No. Ceramic coatings are never permanent. Use it daily, hand wash it, skip the metal utensils, and you’ll extend its life — but you’re still looking at a 1–2 year realistic lifespan before performance starts degrading. That’s the honest truth about this category.
Handle: Aluminum vs Stainless Steel
The 1.0’s aluminum handle was a consistent frustration. It gets warm during stovetop cooking — nothing dangerous, but annoying enough that reviewers mentioned it in nearly every write-up. And critically, aluminum handles are not oven-safe. An aluminum handle in a 450°F oven is a problem.
The 2.0’s stainless steel handle solves both issues. It’s more durable, runs cooler during stovetop use, and can go in the oven with the pan. The junction between handle and pan body still gets warm — neither version fully solved that — but the upgrade is meaningful.
Body: Cast Aluminum vs Recycled Aluminum
Performance is essentially identical between the two. Both are aluminum, both heat fast and distribute evenly, both benefit from aluminum’s heat conductivity advantage over stainless steel. The difference is sustainability. The 2.0 uses 100% post-consumer certified recycled aluminum. Same pan, better environmental story.
Size and Sizing Options
- 1.0: 10″ diameter only — one size, no alternatives
- 2.0: 8.5″, 10.5″, 12.5″ — three sizes, plus the standard 10.5″ is half an inch wider than the 1.0
The half-inch difference in the standard size is minor in practice. The additional size options are genuinely useful — the 8.5″ Mini is excellent for solo cooking, eggs, and small sauces, while the 12.5″ handles family-size batches and hosting.
Price — The Numbers Side by Side
| Version | Original Retail | Current Price |
|---|---|---|
| Always Pan 1.0 | ~$145 | Discontinued |
| Always Pan 2.0 (10.5″) | $150 at launch | $135 now |
The 2.0 launched at $5 more than the 1.0. It now costs $10 less than the 1.0 did at retail. For a pan that adds oven safety, a better coating, a stainless steel handle, and recycled construction. There’s no price argument for the 1.0 unless you find it significantly cheaper on clearance.
What Looks the Same
Both pans are essentially identical to the eye. Same silhouette. Same accessory bundle (lid, steamer basket, beechwood spatula). Same deep-sided round shape with pour spouts. Same color philosophy — matte, beautiful, kitchen-display-worthy.
The beechwood spatula is slightly thinner and lighter in the 2.0. That’s the most visible design change between the two. Everything else is the same on the outside.
What the 2.0 Fixed — and What It Didn’t
Fixed
- Added oven safety (450°F) — the #1 user request
- Upgraded coating to Thermakind™ — 50% longer-lasting claim
- Swapped aluminum handle for stainless steel
- Moved to 100% recycled aluminum body
- Added 8.5″ and 12.5″ size options
- Expanded from 8-in-1 to 10-in-1 functionality
- Slightly increased pan diameter to 10.5″
Not Fixed
Not everything got addressed. And it’s worth being honest about that.
The hand wash requirement is still there. Still no dishwasher. Still no metal utensils. The handle junction still runs warm — Gear Patrol specifically noted that the helper side handle wasn’t upgraded to heat-resistant material, which was one of their main 1.0 complaints. Still no third-party verified disclosure of the full Thermakind™ coating formula. And the coating still has a finite lifespan — better than the 1.0, but still ceramic.
What Real Users and Reviewers Say
On the 1.0
The verdict from reviewers was consistent: gorgeous pan, genuinely useful accessories, great for stovetop cooking. But the oven limitation was frustrating, the coating degraded faster than the price justified, and the aluminum handle running warm was a daily annoyance. The Kitchn’s reviewer said directly that if you finish frittatas in the oven regularly, the 1.0 simply wasn’t the right pan. Gear Patrol said the nonstick coating wore off within a few uses and the exterior chipped early.
The 33,000+ positive reviews on Our Place’s own website tell you it has a large, loyal fan base. But the 1.0’s issues were real and widely documented.
On the 2.0
Consumer Reports gave the 2.0 an overall score more than 10 points higher than the original. They called out the handle sturdiness improvement specifically. Gear Patrol acknowledged the 2.0 is better — oven safety is the standout upgrade — but flagged the helper side handle still getting hot as an unresolved issue.
Buyers who use it every day report the Thermakind™ coating is noticeably more durable than the 1.0’s surface. One Food with Feeling reviewer had been using the 2.0 daily for seven months and reported zero detectable coating wear — which is a significant improvement over the 1.0’s typical six-month degradation timeline.
The persistent complaints: hand washing is inconvenient for daily cooks, some users still report chipping (less frequently than with the 1.0), and the $135 price feels steep when you know ceramic coatings don’t last forever.
Always Pan 1.0 vs 2.0 — Final Verdict by Category
New Buyers → Always Pan 2.0
No question. Better coating, oven safety, stainless steel handle, recycled aluminum, more size options, and now cheaper than the 1.0 ever was. This isn’t a close call.
Existing 1.0 Owners Whose Coating Is Wearing Out → Upgrade to 2.0
If you’re noticing sticking, degraded nonstick performance, or the oven limitation is genuinely frustrating you — the 2.0 is worth the $135. The Thermakind™ coating and oven safety are both real improvements over what you have.
Existing 1.0 Owners Whose Pan Is Still Working Great → Hold Off
If your coating is still performing and you cook exclusively on the stovetop, there’s no urgent reason to replace a pan that isn’t broken. Wait until it actually starts degrading.
Stovetop-Only Cooks Finding the 1.0 at Deep Clearance → Maybe
Under $80? Potentially worth it if you’re a stovetop-only cook and don’t mind the older coating. At anything close to $100+, the 2.0 wins on value.
Best for Oven Cooking → Always Pan 2.0
The 1.0 cannot go in the oven. The end.
Best Looking → Tie
They look essentially identical. If you care about the pan sitting on your stove looking beautiful — both versions deliver that equally.
