The Toxic Truth About Non-Stick Cookware—an Honest Our Place Review

By Kiona McCormick
|
March 31, 2025

For years, I never thought twice about my nonstick cookware. If it made cooking easier and cleanup faster, what was there to question? But then I started hearing more about the hidden toxins in traditional nonstick pans—and once I looked into it, I couldn’t unlearn what I found.

A recent study found that 80% of nonstick pans still contain PFAS (also known as “Forever Chemicals”), which can leach into food and release toxic fumes when heated. Even worse? A single scratch on a nonstick pan can release thousands of plastic particles.

That’s when I knew it was time to make the switch. I wanted cookware that was truly toxin-free—without sacrificing performance. That’s how I found Our Place’s safe, healthy cookware, and after testing it in my own kitchen, I can confidently say: this is the best upgrade I’ve made.

Cooking Without the Chemicals (And Without the Sticking!)

I was worried that switching to a PFAS-free pan meant losing the convenience of nonstick cooking. But when I put Our Place’s Always Pan to the test, I was blown away by how well it performed.

The real challenge? 2-Ingredient Pancakes. These banana-egg pancakes are notoriously delicate and tend to stick—but in the Always Pan, they slid right out, no mess, no stress. Here’s my go-to recipe:

 2-Ingredient Pancakes (No Sticking, No Scrubbing!)

  • 1 ripe banana 
  • 2 eggs 
  1. Mash the banana and whisk in the eggs.
  2. Heat the Always Pan over medium-low heat with a little butter or oil.
  3. Cook small pancakes for 1-2 minutes per side.
  4. Serve warm with fruit, nut butter, or honey.

No mess, no sticking, no toxic fumes filling my kitchen.

The 4-Piece Cookware Set That Upgraded My Kitchen

Our Place 4 piece cookware set

Instead of replacing my old cookware piece by piece, I upgraded to Our Place’s 4-Piece Cookware Set—which replaces an entire stack of pots and pans with just four multitasking essentials:

Two Always Pans (Mini + Full-Size) – Sear, sauté, steam, bake, and fry.
Two Perfect Pots (Mini + Full-Size) – Boil, roast, slow cook, simmer.

Not only did this declutter my kitchen, but buying the set saved me $150 compared to purchasing each piece separately.

The Non-Toxic Kitchen Swap That Just Makes Sense

I used to think non-toxic cookware meant losing the convenience of nonstick, but Our Place proved me wrong.

  • It’s just as nonstick—without the chemicals. Eggs, pancakes, and sauces slide right off.
  • It heats evenly, with no hot spots. Everything cooks perfectly, every time.
  • Cleanup is a breeze. No scrubbing or soaking needed.

And, of course, the sleek design and gorgeous colors don’t hurt either.

Final Thoughts: Worth the Switch? Absolutely.

I didn’t realize how much peace of mind I was missing in my kitchen until I switched to Our Place’s toxin-free cookware. Now, I know I’m cooking on a safe surface, while still enjoying the convenience of nonstick.

If you’re still using traditional nonstick pans, I highly recommend making the switch. Use code CLEANPLATES for 10% off at Our Place.

What our editors love right now

Good food brings people together.
So do good emails.