Our Place always pan 2.0 vs Ninja possible pan: Which all-in-one cookware should you buy?

There’s no denying the always pan 2.0 is beautiful, with a matte design akin to something you might find in a gallery rather than something you would use to fry an egg. This 2.0 iteration is made from 100 per cent post-consumer recycled aluminum, too.

Like the possible pan, it’s deep enough to boil a hefty portion of pasta, plus you can use the strainer to steam, and strain pasta straight from the pan (more on that later). It’s also now oven-safe up to 230C – unlike the original model – so, we baked breaded cauliflower, roasted miso aubergine, and turned our cheesy tomato pasta into a crispy pasta bake without reaching for a separate baking dish.

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One of the major differences between the two pans is size. The possible pan has a 3.8l capacity, which makes it the bigger beast of the two, while the always pan (2.46l) is better suited to smaller spaces and cooking for one. What’s more, when you compare with the strainers and lids included, it’s much lighter and easier to manoeuvre around the kitchen with one hand.

Our Place uses a ceramic non-stick coating, which it says is toxin-free, made without PTFE, PFOA, and any other PFAS, which are potentially harmful chemicals. It’s also lead- and cadmium-free. Using oil should help with maintaining this coating, and we found that a spoonful really helps the non-stick quality, with food slipping around the pan as if on a layer of air, but, even without oil, our pancakes and tofu didn’t end up cemented to the pan. There was some sticking and residue left on the pan when cooking with high heats, though.

While some users of the original always pan have complained the non-stick surface becomes less effective over time, Our Place claims the new coating on the 2.0 will last 50 per cent longer. With that said, if you want to keep the coating in good nick, be prepared to follow the brand’s instructions. These include cooking with low to medium heat, which, for us, felt limiting; avoiding metal utensils, and making sure there’s something in the pan before heating it. If you see yourself straying from these suggestions often, we would recommend going with a more robust alternative instead.

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Beyond non-stick abilities, there’s plenty to be said for its practicality. The rounded shape of the pan fits the curve of the spatula well, which made it easy to scrape and stir around as we cooked, while sauce and porridge was easy to serve from the pan’s tapered pour spouts, which double as steam vents while cooking.

The lid and the angular pan handle are easy to grasp but beware when holding the handle near to the pan bowl, as this does get hot. We also thought it was slightly strange that the small handle on the other side of the pan isn’t heat-proof. But the notch on the handle for nestling the spatula in between stirs is genius for preventing pasta sauce splotches on the countertop.

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We weren’t convinced by the functionality of boiling with the colander inside the pan, which is a criticism that applies to both pans, as you still then have a dripping colander and a pan full of water to deal with. However, it’s helpful for pouring plain pasta straight onto your plate, and we did really like using it as a steamer. One minor annoyance is that the basket needs to be lifted with gloves or the spatula (slightly precarious), as its metal handles are inside the pan and will be hot.

However, we really like the beechwood spatula, which, despite not being dishwasher-proof, was easy enough to clean with soap and water. And, really, one less plastic thing in the world is no bad thing. The same goes for the pan itself – it can’t go in the dishwasher, but even charred remains and next-day pasta sauce simply melt away with some warm soapy water.

With a sleek glass lid and forged aluminium body in a handful of earthy colourways, Ninja’s take on multipurpose cookware looks as premium as it does functional. It covers the same cooking functions as the always pan, but it can handle higher temperatures in the oven, as it’s oven-safe up to 260C.

It may be the larger model but, when you remove the colander and the lid from the equation, it doesn’t really feel much heavier in your hand. It’s a nice luxury having extra room to move your food around (or for cooking different things at once). The obvious downfall here is you will need more liquid to fill the pan, which is annoying if you’re only boiling one portion of pasta. On the other side of that coin, it’s ideal for big batches and family meals.

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We wouldn’t be able to tell you whether Ninja’s “zerostick” non-stick cooking surface is 20 times more durable than traditional non-stick pans (as stated on the brand’s website) but what we can tell you is it performed brilliantly, whether or not we were cooking with oil – pancakes, vegan sausages and more were a non-stick zone.

The pan contains no lead or cadmium, and it’s also free from potentially toxic PFOA, although, this is standard across non-stick cookware being made now. It is worth noting the possible pan isn’t billed as being free from PFAS, and as there’s some debate around using PFAS for non-stick pans, you may want to look into this to decide where you stand.

One thing that immediately appealed to us was how low-maintenance this pan is. You don’t need to be wary when cooking without any oil and it’s been designed for high heats, so you can sauté, sizzle and sear to your heart’s content.

Putting it in the dishwasher is all good, so there’s no careful scrubbing required, and even using metal utensils has been given the green light, so you can whisk sauces in there. We have good faith that it should last, too, given it’s covered by a 10-year replacement guarantee – something Our Place doesn’t offer.

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Little design features mean this just feels very functional, too. We like that it has a glass lid – the glass is going to mist up but it’s nice to have a rough idea of what’s going on. Like the always pan, it features two pour spouts that double as steam vents, and we like that you can rest the spatula on the lid’s handle. The steel handle on the pan isn’t heat-proof, though, while the handle on the lid does get hot after cooking for some time.

With a bigger pan comes a bigger colander, and this was great for washing a big load of vegetables. Meanwhile, perfect for flipping and scraping around the side of the pan with its curved edge, the spatula’s wide surface is great for both cooking and serving.