The claim

The Always Pan bills itself as a do-it-all pan that'll replace your frying pan, nonstick pan, saute pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, spatula and spoon rest; a single piece of cookware that lets you braise, sear, steam, strain, saute, fry, boil, serve and store. A pan that you'll use not just often but "always."

Our Place

What I liked

At first blush, it's hard not to notice how darn good this pan looks, which I'm sure accounts for a healthy portion of its popularity. The Always Pan sports an understated modern aesthetic and is available in four warm hues, each with a matte finish: charcoal (gray-black), spice (light salmon), sage green and steam (ivory). You could absolutely keep this pan out on the counter with the lid on and it wouldn't look odd or out of place. It's also light and easy to handle but feels solid and well-constructed, so I wouldn't worry about it busting or breaking.

Designed for multipurpose use: Though you can do a lot more than just fry with frying pans, most aren't necessarily crafted with multiple cooking methods in mind. Not so with the Always Pan, which is designed to let you do things like safely make sauces with the unusually high sides (nearly 3 inches) and steam foods like fish and vegetables with the custom insert.

Built-in spoon rest/storage: I don't know why every pan doesn't have one of these. The pan's handle, which has a notch to hold the specially designed wooden spatula, serves as both storage and a temporary spoon rest while you're cooking. I love that feature and use it often. The spatula does jut out over the base of the pan, so I assume over time the heat might damage the wood if you left it there for extended periods, but when you need to put it down for a quick second to grab other ingredients or tend to another pot or pan, it's very nice to have.

Our Place

It's a great size: There are plenty of 10-inch frying pans so this wasn't a revelation by any means, but for a single fellow like me, or even when cooking for myself and a guest, this pan is an ideal size to use for almost anything from meats to vegetables to side dishes. If I were running a household of four or more I might find myself dragging the 12-inch frying pans out instead. As mentioned earlier, the high sides are great and mean less spillage as well as ample vertical room for steam to build for fish and veggies.

Our Place

Steamer basket: Speaking of which, steaming in a skillet is totally fast and easy, so it makes sense to have a steamer basket that fits snugly in the pan. It's another feature I use regularly and had me wondering, "Why doesn't every frying pan come with one?" especially since it can't possibly be too costly to produce.

What I didn't like 

Ceramic surface: This unique cooking surface is a bit of a double-edged sword. While it's quite possibly the easiest surface ever to clean, nonstick (honestly, nothing ever stuck to this pan) and nontoxic, it's also somewhat limiting. No matter how hot I revved the burner under my Always Pan, it never quite imparted a real sear like cast iron, carbon steel or stainless steel consistently do. So while it's an excellent pan for cooking vegetables, eggs and shellfish, trying to get caramelized burgers, steaks or scallops is not as easy.