Since its introduction at the beginning of the 2019 holiday season, much has been written about Caraway Home and its line of cookware. The product gained initial notoriety because of some of its eco-friendly claims, then became increasingly popular in 2020 as the pandemic took hold and a growing number of people took to baking and cooking at home. For anyone who’s a foodie, culinary dabbler, or baker, it’s tough to miss online reviews, social media posts, and articles about the company’s line of products. So what are top reviewers saying when it comes to Caraway’s bakeware set — does the brand really live up to the hype?
The signature line of Caraway products are encapsulated in its 11-piece bakeware set that includes a 10.5-inch skillet, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 4.5-quart sauté pan with lid, 6.5-quart Dutch oven with lid, modular cookware rack, canvas lid holder, 18-by-13-inch baking sheet, 10-by-15-inch baking sheet, 12-cup muffin pan, 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan, and, lastly, a bakeware storage rack.
According to the company, Caraway’s products stand out from many of its competitors for a number of reasons — chief among them being its sustainable and clean features. Caraway’s cookware and bakeware is non-toxic and ceramic-coated. The company’s primary 11-piece cookware set also is designed for easy storage.
Reviewers who have tested out Caraway’s products have taken to the Internet to share their assessment of the company’s baking products against peers, and the majority have been positive. We took a look at a number of expert reviews to find out what the pros like and dislike about the trendy Caraway bakeware set.
Reviewers Love Sustainability Promise
Big picture, reviewers affirm the value Caraway offers for its non-toxic components. They also cite ease in clean-up, the relative sturdiness and quality of the products, and the generally attractive appearance. The prevailing con is the price tag for the Caraway bakeware set, which generally is north of $400 and more expensive than many similar products in the marketplace.
Unlike many of the traditional bakeware products out there, Caraway’s ceramic products are 100% free of PFAS — a manmade chemical compound that more technically is known as polyfluoroalkyl substances and has been noted for its inability to break down upon disposal. Studies in more recent years have linked heavy exposure of PFAS chemicals to such conditions as kidney cancer and thyroid disease.
A review by The Filtery lauds Caraway for having a product line free of PFAS. “There are different kinds of ceramic cookware. 100% ceramic cookware is actually quite different from ceramic-coated cookware,” the post reads. “Furthermore, not all ceramic-coated cookware is created equally… Even though Caraway’s ceramic-coated cookware and bakeware is actually completely PFAS-free, many other brands actually still contain PFAS.”
Other reviews, including one posted on Taste of Home, also cites the safe design as an attribute of note. “Caraway makes some of the safest cookware and bakeware on the market. It offers nonstick cooking surfaces without the use of harsh, toxic chemicals. Compared to traditional nonstick coated pans, Caraway pans are eco-friendly, too. They release 60% less co2 during the manufacturing process and ship in recycled cardboard packaging with low impact print dyes and zero plastic.”
Caraway Bakeware Set Storage & Quality
Most of the reviewers gave Caraway high marks for offering a product line that was organized and easy to store. A review from The Daring Kitchen, for instance, states, “One of the benefits of purchasing a bakeware set, as opposed to individual pieces, is the convenience of acquiring all of the pans you might need at once. While some bakeware sets go a bit overboard and include too many options, Caraway has hit the sweet spot of utility and functionality while keeping their selections minimal enough not to overcrowd your space.”
But not all the sites we explored gave the same assessment of storing Caraway’s bakeware set. An article on Mental Floss comes from a reviewer who had difficulty storing the set because of the layout of her kitchen.
“When you order a set of cookware or bakeware, it comes with magnetized storage organizers to keep everything in its proper place. I love this in theory, but apartment dwellers with smaller cabinets (like me!) might find them impractical. My lower cabinet is too narrow to accommodate all the pans in the pans in a row, and my upper cabinet isn’t deep enough to store the pans themselves. The lid holder doesn’t fit in my lower cabinet, either,” she wrote. “So instead of using all of the storage solutions provided with the cookware set I bought, I’ve had to Frankenstein together the pieces that work for me and find places to store the parts that don’t.”
The quality of Caraway’s products — particularly against the backdrop of the pricier cost — also yields mixed reviews, though most are positive.
A review on Organized 31 gives very high marks for the overall reliability and functionality of every piece within the set: “I wish I’d realized sooner that the money I wasted buy cheaply made bakeware and replacing it every couple of years could have been invested in a quality bakeware set. I would have saved money in the long run and would have had a better baking experience with better results. Learn from my mistakes and look for the best baking pans for you and your needs.”
But a post from Prudent Reviews offers a different take on the quality factor — particularly after several years of use.“My biggest complaint about Caraway,” the reviewers write, “and ceramic-coated cookware in general, is that it performs great at first, but it loses its non-stick properties much sooner than traditional non-stick cookware. After about five months, I noticed eggs and other delicate foods starting to stick, and it’s gotten worse and worse since then.”
When it comes to cleaning up, the Caraway bakeware set’s high quality also comes through and saves bakers valuable time at the sink.
For instance, a write-up on Food and Wine recounts the reviewer’s efforts to remove weeks-old burnt food from a piece of Caraway’s cookware: “Charred chickpeas and indistinguishable crisped veggies sat undisturbed for nearly two weeks during a massive heat wave; part of me thought I’d have to throw the pan away, while another worried there would be stubborn brown stains on its surface for the rest of its lifetime. I’m happy to report neither of these things was true. The burned crumbs of my long-forgotten dinners practically fell off the pan as I put it in the sink. I didn’t even need to soak it in dish soap and hot water for the blackened mess to remove itself. The Caraway sheet pan cleaned up in all of a minute and looked like new after a quick hand-wash.”
A+ For Appearance
The general appearance of Caraway’s bakeware — which comes in a variety of colors and designs — has been positively received by a number of online reviewers.
In The Kitchn writes: “One of Caraway’s major selling points is its appearance. I ordered my baking set in Slate, a deep navy blue that coordinates with the blue hues of my kitchen. Although I will admit to being more interested in function than form, I was initially impressed with how stylish these pans look. I have been using the bakeware for more than six months now, and I’ve become a believer.”
Over at The Spruce Eats, a reviewer notes, “There’s no doubt that the Caraway bakeware set looks attractive. Even better, it can match existing Caraway cookware, if that’s your aesthetic. The creamy color I received had a light gray interior that certainly looked upscale.”
Biggest Con, Not Surprisingly, Is Cost
If there is one prevailing con to Caraway’s products, price would be it. Reviews across the Internet note the comparatively higher cost. A reviewer from USA Today, for instance, writes, “The pans work well, but not necessarily any better than the pans I own at a fraction of the price. The coordinated colors and inclusion of a storage container are nice-to-haves, but not necessities worth the increased price.”
Caraway Bakeware Set: The Takeaway
If you can shoulder the higher comparative cost, Caraway’s bakeware products might be a worthwhile investment — particularly if you are an avid baker or simply enjoy concocting creations in the kitchen. A majority of the people who have conducted online reviews give Caraway high marks for high-quality, eco-friendly, attractive cookware. If you have used Caraway’s bakeware set and have your own opinion to add, please do so in the comments section below!
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