VICE may receive a commission if you buy products through the links on our site. Read more here.
Shopping

You Can Finally Pre-Order the Cast-Iron Version of the Beloved Always Pan

The cast-iron Always Pan is ready to hit your stovetop and the oven, and you don't have to worry about screwing up seasoning or washing it.
cast iron Always Pan
Photo: Our Place / Composite by VICE Staff

Unless you’ve been living under a large boulder with an assortment of friendly beetles and worms—which, if you have been, we’re jealous!—then you’ve heard of the Always Pan by now. Made by nouveau direct-to-consumer cookware brand Our Place and popularized by both social-feed virality and word-of-mouth chatter, the Always Pan is that hyper-colorful, lightweight, all-in-one nonstick pan that we’ll probably look back on in think-pieces in 10 years as an example of ultra-appealing design and function in the distinct aesthetic style of the 2020s. Anyway, this thing does, in fact, rock, as one of our editors recently found by cooking all sorts of delicious things in the pan and watching them glide right off that nonstick coating onto a plate and into her eager maw.

Advertisement

$145 at Our Place

$145 at Our Place

Now, the beef that certain home cooks have had with the Always Pan is that it just isn’t cast iron, and some people are real cast-iron freaks, you know? They want that sizzling sear, that stovetop-to-oven versatility, and the ability to talk people’s ears off at parties about how cast iron pans rule above all. And… they’re kinda right. There are dishes that cast iron really does do best, from juicy medium-rare steak with a peppery crust to ham-and-cheese quiche baked to savory perfection. But Our Place heard their pleas and just released a cast-iron version of the Always Pan, to complete the great circle of life.


$155$120 at Our Place

$155$120 at Our Place

Now, you don’t have to make the Sophie’s choice between the Always Pan’s ultra-slick, nonstick ceramic surface and your GOAT cast iron: You can grab either, or both, in the colorful, crush-worthy form that has put the Always Pan on the map. The classic Always Pan is perfect for eggs, sautéing, and other medium- to low-heat cooking; meanwhile, the hotshot new cast-iron version is equipped with easy-handling Hot Grips and a modular, oven-safe glass lid. It’s also oven-safe, and is suitable for sky-high temps thanks to its durable surface and enameled, cast-iron composition. Brown in it, bake in it, sear in it! It simply DGAF!

And did we mention that it doesn’t need to be seasoned? That’s huge, since the most annoying thing about owning an old-school raw cast iron pan is worrying that you’re going to screw up the seasoning by washing it incorrectly, or whatever. This is failure-proof, even for you, friend! (RIP all the old nonstick pans you used metal utensils on until they were destroyed.)

Advertisement

At $155, it’s 10 bucks more than the $145 classic Always Pan, but right now the brand is also offering a bundle of the two that’ll save ya $55 and equip you with two sexy-looking pieces of cookware that can do virtually everything.


$305$250 at Our Place

$305$250 at Our Place

According to the brand, the Always pan can replace your “fry pan, skillet, sauté pan, braiser, griddle, roaster, baking dish, spatula, [and] spoon rest.” With just one nonstick pan, we weren’t totally convinced. But, with a Slippery Boi and a Cast Iron King, now we’re talking.

Let us know what color you get. We’re indecisive, but leaning toward Blue Salt. Thanks in advance for cooking us a delicious steak!

The Cast Iron Always Pan is now available for pre-order at Our Place, as is the classic Always Pan.


The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.