I Tried the Viral Green Pan and Dinner Cleanup Is So Much Faster Now
Updated: May 11, 2023I tried the famous Green Pan to see if it really made cooking and cleanup easier than ever—and wow! I was definitely impressed.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
The hunt for the best non-stick frying pan has been one of my passion projects for years. I cook almost all my meals at home and feed a small army each evening. Friends and family members kept raving about ceramic-coated Green Pans that are both non-stick and affordable, so I decided to give them a try and ordered a set of two. My Green Pan review left me shocked—how had I lived without these nifty pans for so many years?
What is the Green Pan?
The Green Pan is made from tough, multilayer stainless steel and then finished with the brand’s own ceramic nonstick coating. Much like its far more expensive competitor, Caraway Ceramic Cookware, the Green Pan boasts a nonstick coating that is both PTFE and PFO-free, as well as devoid of heavy metals that can seep into your foods as they cook. Those chemicals are often found in Teflon-coated cookware, and are fueling the major surge in ceramic cookware popularity.
Ceramic cookware also heats more evenly, and the duo of bestselling pans in this set is safe for all cooktops (including induction). You can even pop it directly in the oven or broiler at temperatures up to 600°F. If you read our frying pan guide, you know a pan that can transition from the stove to the oven at high temperatures is hard to find!
How We Tested the Green Pan
I’ve had the Green Pan since February 2022. I’ve cooked everything from eggs, to salmon and even shakshuka. Here’s how it holds up against each recipe, all of which are notorious for messing up my Teflon-based nonstick pans.
We fry a lot of eggs around here thanks to raising our own chickens and having farm-fresh eggs on the counter at all times. I figured eggs would be the best place to start testing. After all, eggs are the perfect litmus for the true nonstick capabilities of any pan. And no Green Pan review is complete without trying to figure out just how much scraping is necessary. Time after time, the eight-inch Green Pan allowed eggs of all styles to slip effortlessly out of the cookware and onto the plate with little more than a flick of the wrist.
I also tried the bigger 10-inch pan to make an especially cheesy family shakshuka recipe. The combination of eggs, tomatoes and melty cheese is sure to mess this pan up. At least, that’s what I thought. But to my surprise, everything slid right off the pan’s surface and wiped clean with just soapy water and a typical sponge. Even the really burnt bits of cheese that cooked too long came off easily!
The test that really sold me, though, was cooking a piece of salmon with little more than a bit of salt and pepper. I am notoriously bad at cooking fish, and I always manage to get bits of expensive fillets to stick on pans, grills and other surfaces. Somehow I didn’t screw up the salmon fillets in the eight-inch Green Pan. They cooked perfectly! And that’s what really convinced me that these otherwise ordinary-looking pans were worth every dollar.
Deputy Affiliate eCommerce Editor, Megan Wood, is a big fan of the 11-inch Green Pan. Megan says, “I was tired of scrubbing food off my stainless steel pots and pans, but I was worried about possible heavy metals in nonstick. The Green Pan is the solution I was looking for. I’m impressed by how quickly and evenly it heats up, and it gives me crisp edges on chicken thighs. It’s my go-to workhorse pan.”
Green Pan Product Features
One of the best things I learned during my Green Pan review was that I’ve been using too much oil and butter all this time. I was coating all sorts of pans with the best olive oils and creamy butter, but with nonstick pans that are truly as slick as these, the extra fat just isn’t necessary. Green Pan recommends using a tiny amount of oil or butter if necessary, but avoiding spray oils to protect the finish. The high-temperature capacity and durability of these steel-and-ceramic wonders also really impressed me.
Pros
- Competes with expensive ceramic cookware pans at a more affordable price
- Sturdy multilayer steel construction coated in ceramic
- No harmful Teflon chemicals or heavy metals seeping into food
- Distributes heat evenly
- Works with all types of cooktops
- Safe for use in the oven and broiler
Cons
- Nonstick factor has dissipated a little within six months of use
- Simple, basic designs without any frills or trendy colors
- The bundle doesn’t come with lids
FAQ
Is the Green Pan dishwasher-safe?
Yes! The brand suggests hand washing with mild, soapy water, though. A quick wipe and a solid warm water rinse do the trick. Even oily sauces and turmeric-filled recipes didn’t stain the pans.
Are Green Pans heavy or hard to maneuver?
Unlike cast iron cookware, Green Pans are lightweight and extremely easy to hold.
Are the Green Pans safe to use with metal utensils?
They sure are! That doesn’t mean you should actively be slicing and dicing inside your pans, but popping a spoon in to taste-test or using your favorite metal fork to grab a few extra veggies won’t damage this pan one bit. That’s a major departure from the nonstick pans of yesteryear.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
“These pans cooked up my meal wonderfully!” says Elaine from Ohio. “The heat was evenly distributed and the meat, onion and spinach did not stick at all. I was able to use my metal tongs without having to worry about scratches, which was great! They are solid, heavy-duty and well-made. I like that the handles will not come loose.”
Another enthusiastic reviewer from Indiana writes, “The most amazing nonstick pans I’ve used! I’ve cooked eggs, grilled cheese, fried potatoes and omelettes in these pans and I had no issue. They didn’t stick and the clean-up is easy. No more spending hours scrubbing pans. Pretty much can just wipe out with a damp rag or sponge. I love the 100% toxin-free coating. The food tastes so much better. I would highly recommend this product over any nonstick pans.”
Product Comparison
Again, the Green Pan is a wallet-friendly alternative to high-end ceramic cookware. But how does it compare to the nonstick Our Place Always Pan and tried-and-true Lodge cast iron skillet?
Similar to the Our Place Pan, the Green Pan is 100% free of potentially toxic nonstick ceramic coatings (think PFOAs, PTFEs, other PFAs, lead and cadmium to name a few). And thanks to the diamond-infused nonstick ceramic, it differs from the Lodge cast-iron skillet because, well, it’s not made of cast iron. It’s similar, however, in the sense that you’ll hold onto this pan for years. It’s just that good. Speaking of quality cookware, have you seen our best Dutch oven picks?
Final Verdict
Frying pan purists and budget-minded home chefs will absolutely love these pans. My Green Pan review showed me the ceramic-loving light and reigned in my olive oil habit.
Full transparency, I have found the nonstick quality does dissipate a little. Overall, it’s held up nicely against almost daily use. Wash this pan with the soft side of a kitchen sponge though, because more abrasive surfaces tend to leave it a little worn-out looking.
It has also held up far better than any of my old Teflon-based nonstick pans. I used to have to replace my black-coated nonstick pans annually, but I’m confident my Green Pan will hold up for at least a few years without worry.
If you rely on just a few key cookware pieces in between your arsenal of microwave-safe bowls (like these Anyday Cookware winners) and slow cookers, the Green Pans are a must-buy. They’re easy to use, even easier to clean and made me feel good about not using pans loaded with potentially toxic chemical coatings.
Where to Buy the Green Pan
If the promise of a frying pan without burnt-on bits sounds exciting, you’ll be happy to know you can buy the brand’s bestselling bundle for under $150. It includes an eight-inch and a 10-inch frying pan in a soft gray tone that matches most modern kitchens. You can find the pans on Amazon, but if you head to the Green Pan website to buy the bundle you can often score extra discounts and coupon codes.
Want more fun product picks and money-saving deals from our shopping experts and Test Kitchen? Sign up for the Stuff We Love newsletter.
