Caraway Cookware review: Two years after testing, we still love the set

The Caraway Cookware lids are interchangeable, the pieces stack neatly within each other, and the heat distribution is even across every pot and pan. 

Since initially testing the cookware, I have been happily cooking with it for two years. The saucepan lives on my stovetop because it's the perfect size for a few cups of barley and reheating chunky soups, and I have converted to only using Caraway lids no matter what brand of cookware I'm using. When I'm too lazy to put the pans away, the matte gray exteriors add a sense of style instead of clutter to my kitchen.

I originally tested the Caraway fry pan for our guide to the best nonstick skillets by making pancakes and a sunny-side-up egg. It had the best heat retention and became my favorite nonstick pan for making pancakes. I can lower the direct flame and get an evenly browned pancake, whereas most nonstick pans lose heat quickly, requiring constant direct heat.

The bread came out evenly browned, well-risen, and with just the right thickness of crust. This tells me that the Dutch oven holds onto heat well and evenly distributes it. Plus, the handles are comfortable to grip and make it easy to lift the pot out of the oven. When I need to make a large pasta dish, I turn to this Dutch oven over my stainless steel stock pot because the sauce and noodles don't stick to the Caraway surface.

To evaluate the Caraway cookware saucepan, I defrosted frozen tomato sauce – a tricky heating task because you're melting a solid while trying to keep the liquid from evaporating. Since the Caraway pans heat up slowly, I used a higher heat initially, which led to bubbling at the edges of the sauce. After a minute or two, the pan held onto enough heat that I was able to lower the flame and defrost the rest without scorching it. 

The set comes with three covers: a small lid for the 3-quart saucepan, a large lid for the saute pan, and a medium lid that fits on both the fry pan and Dutch oven. What I love about them is that they are totally flat with an inset edge on the underside to prevent slipping off the pan. 

This makes them nearly universal, even with cookware from other brands. Since they're flat, the lids sit safely on any pan with a smaller diameter. Now when I'm cooking, I don't have to worry about finding the exact right lid – I just grab the Caraway cover closest to the size I need. Additionally, the lid handles are curved, which is not only aesthetically pleasing, but feels more natural to grip than the sharper edges I've seen on the lids of other pans.

One of the signature elements of Caraway Home Cookware is its included storage system: a hanging lid holder and set of pan racks. Unfortunately, this is the part of the set that disappointed me the most. 

I like the idea in theory, but I ran into some issues. Mainly, my kitchen drawers aren't deep enough for the pans to be kept vertical. Using the pan rack as advertised means my drawers can't close. Additionally, the website shows the hanging lid storage on the inside of a cabinet door. Since I don't have cabinets, I tried handing it on the wall beside the counter. The hooks provided seemed sturdy, but it all came crashing down after a little over a week. 

In addition to my qualms about the storage system, I found that all four of the pieces were slow to heat up. A quart of water in the three-quart saucepan took five and a half minutes to boil, almost two minutes more than another three-quart saucepan I compared it against. A few more minutes to heat may not seem like a big deal, but it can definitely mess with recipe times, especially when cooking in larger quantities.

The Caraway Home Cookware Set is well-designed from the individual pieces to how the set works together. This set is great if you're looking for eco-friendly nonstick cookware or just a mid-range set that won't overwhelm your kitchen with unnecessary pieces. 

Pros: Great heat retention, even heating across the surface, slick nonstick coating

Cons: Slow to heat up, storage system doesn't work in every kitchen setup