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Few kitchen products have generated the kind of sustained buzz that Our Place’s Always Pan has managed to hold onto for years. What started as a single, cleverly engineered pan has grown into a full cookware brand with over a million home cooks, a genuine celebrity following, and a mission that goes well beyond just making pretty pans. Here’s a full breakdown of what makes Our Place different, how the cookware actually performs, and whether it’s worth the investment.
What Is Our Place?
Our Place is an American kitchenware company founded in 2019 in Los Angeles, co-founded by Shiza Shahid, a social entrepreneur previously known as co-founder and former CEO of the Malala Fund. The brand was built on the belief that cooking at home is one of the most powerful acts of culture and connection, and it set out to design cookware that celebrates diverse culinary traditions and heritage recipes rather than treating cooking as a purely functional chore.
That mission-driven approach extends beyond marketing language into the brand’s actual business practices. Our Place uses recycled aluminum in its cookware construction, sustainable packaging, and has stated it partners with women-owned manufacturing collectives that pay fair wages, positioning the company as a values-driven brand rather than a purely design-focused one. Since launching, Our Place has grown rapidly, expanding from its flagship pan into a full cookware, bakeware, and kitchen tools lineup, opening physical stores in Los Angeles, and building wholesale partnerships with major retailers including Nordstrom and, more recently, Amazon.
What Makes Our Place Different?
- Genuinely multifunctional design — the brand’s signature products are engineered to replace multiple traditional pieces of cookware, reducing kitchen clutter rather than adding to it
- Thermakind ceramic coating — Our Place’s proprietary non-stick coating is free from PFAS, PTFE, and PFOA, chemicals commonly found in conventional non-stick cookware, positioning the brand within the “clean,” non-toxic cookware category
- Design-forward, display-worthy cookware — rather than the traditional black and stainless steel palette that dominates most kitchens, Our Place built its identity around an earthy, matte color palette inspired by natural minerals, designed to be left out on the stovetop rather than hidden in a cabinet
- Mission-driven manufacturing — the brand’s stated commitment to recycled materials and fair-wage, women-owned manufacturing partnerships reflects values-based business practices beyond the product itself
- Celebrity and brand collaborations — Our Place has partnered with figures like Selena Gomez on colorway collaborations, along with unexpected brand crossovers like a Crocs collaboration, helping maintain cultural relevance and visibility
What Does Our Place Sell?
The Always Pan
The brand’s flagship and most iconic product, an 8-in-1 to 10-in-1 ceramic non-stick pan designed to function as a fry pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, and more, complete with a built-in spatula rest and nesting steamer basket.
Perfect Pot
A companion piece to the Always Pan, designed with the same multifunctional, oven- and dishwasher-safe philosophy for tasks the pan itself isn’t suited for, such as boiling pasta or making larger-batch soups.
Cast Iron Series
A line bringing traditional, heirloom-quality cast iron cookware into the brand’s signature matte color palette, offering naturally non-stick performance once seasoned and exceptional heat retention.
Titanium Always Pan Pro
A more durable, premium version of the original Always Pan built with titanium reinforcement, aimed at customers who prioritize long-term durability alongside the brand’s core design philosophy.
Mini Collection
Smaller-scale versions of the Always Pan and Perfect Pot, designed for small-batch cooking, individual portions, tiny kitchens, dorm rooms, and travel-friendly cooking setups.
Bakeware & Tableware
An expanded product range covering baking and serving pieces, designed to carry the brand’s aesthetic and functional philosophy from the stovetop to the table.
Kitchen Tools & Accessories
Wooden spatulas, turning tools, and other kitchen accessories designed to complement and complete the Our Place cooking system.
Is Our Place Cookware Good Quality?
Our Place has built a large, genuinely engaged customer base, with the brand reporting over one million home cooks having made its products their go-to cookware. Independent reviewers and customer feedback consistently point to the brand’s proprietary Thermakind ceramic coating as a standout feature, offering strong non-stick performance without the PFAS and PTFE chemicals found in many conventional non-stick pans, a distinction the brand’s co-founder has specifically emphasized as important given how many kitchen products still quietly use those chemicals.
Because the Always Pan is intentionally lightweight compared to heavier cast iron or clad stainless steel cookware, it prioritizes ease of use and multifunctionality over the same level of heat retention and searing performance you’d get from heavier, more traditional cookware, a trade-off that’s generally well understood and accepted by the brand’s customer base given what the pan is designed to accomplish. For customers wanting more traditional durability and heat retention, the brand’s Cast Iron Series and Titanium Always Pan Pro offer alternatives within the same design aesthetic.
Our Place’s Color Palette and Design Philosophy
A significant part of Our Place’s appeal comes down to its distinctive, earthy matte color palette, including signature shades like Spice, Sage, Char, Steam, and Blue Salt, drawing inspiration from natural minerals and organic pigments found in kitchens across cultures. This design choice reflects a deliberate strategy: rather than cookware people hide away in cabinets, Our Place designed pieces meant to be left out and displayed, a shift the brand’s co-founder has described as encouraging people to cook more simply because their cookware is visible and enjoyable to look at.
How Does Our Place Compare to Other Modern Cookware Brands?
| Feature | Our Place | Typical Traditional Non-Stick Cookware Brand |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019, Los Angeles | Varies |
| Signature product | Always Pan (8-in-1 to 10-in-1 design) | Usually single-function pans |
| Coating | Thermakind, PFAS/PTFE/PFOA-free | Often conventional non-stick chemicals |
| Design focus | Display-worthy, curated color palette | Often standard black/stainless steel |
| Mission focus | Recycled materials, fair-wage manufacturing partnerships | Varies |
| Retail availability | DTC, Nordstrom, Amazon, own stores | Varies |
Tips for Buying Our Place
- Start with the Always Pan if you’re new to the brand, since it’s the flagship, most-reviewed product and a good test of whether the multifunctional design fits your cooking style
- Consider the Titanium Always Pan Pro if durability and longevity are a higher priority than the original pan’s lighter-weight design
- Explore the Cast Iron Series if you want heirloom-quality heat retention within the same aesthetic
- Check the Mini Collection for small kitchens, dorm rooms, or individual-portion cooking needs
- Watch for limited-edition colorways, since the brand frequently releases new shades and collaborations that tend to sell out
Final Verdict: Is Our Place Worth It?
Our Place has earned its sustained popularity by solving a genuine kitchen problem, cluttered cabinets full of single-use cookware, while also building real substance behind the brand’s design appeal: a non-toxic, PFAS-free coating, recycled materials, and stated fair-wage manufacturing partnerships. With over a million home cooks and a rapidly expanding product range beyond the original Always Pan, the brand has proven its staying power well beyond a single viral moment. For anyone looking to simplify their kitchen without sacrificing style or peace of mind about what’s actually in their cookware, Our Place is well worth the investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Our Place? Our Place was founded in 2019 in Los Angeles, co-founded by Shiza Shahid, a social entrepreneur and former CEO of the Malala Fund.
What is the Always Pan? The Always Pan is Our Place’s flagship product, a ceramic non-stick pan designed to replace up to 8 to 10 traditional pieces of cookware, including a fry pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, and saucepan.
Is Our Place cookware non-toxic? Yes, Our Place cookware uses a proprietary ceramic coating called Thermakind, which is free from PFAS, PTFE, and PFOA, chemicals commonly found in many conventional non-stick coatings.
Is Our Place cookware dishwasher safe? Most Our Place pieces are dishwasher safe, and the Always Pan and Perfect Pot are also designed to be oven-safe.
Where can I buy Our Place cookware? Our Place products are available directly through the brand’s website, at its physical stores in Los Angeles, and through retail partners including Nordstrom and Amazon.
Does Our Place offer a trial period? Yes, Our Place has offered a 100-day trial on select cookware, allowing customers to test the products before fully committing.
