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Equal Parts Ceramic Cookware Review – Goodbye Teflon, Hello Ceramic Nonstick

Equal Parts Ceramic Cookware Review - Goodbye Teflon, Hello Ceramic Nonstick

Equal Parts Ceramic Pan Review

Can I finally say goodbye to Teflon?

3/5 stars

I've been cooking at home a lot. Like, A LOT. And I couldn't take one more night of scraping food out of a no-longer nonstick Teflon pan. I've also been seeing a lot of direct to consumer (no retail middleman, just straight from the brand) ceramic cookware brands appear on the market, especially Instagram, which leads me to wonder, are they high-quality? Will they be as painless to cook with and clean as they say? And which one is the best? I'm embarking on a ceramic cookware testing journey that begins with the Equal Parts Big Pan.

After 30 days of using the Equal Parts pan, I found its nonstick coating to be fantastic. It has a comfortable handle and a solid, quality weight. I've cooked meals both small and large with this pan and found myself going back to it again and again over our Teflon set. Although the nonstick performance has been top-notch and reliable, I have noticed some wear and tear on the exterior. Read on to see how I tested this pan, plus my favorite and least favorite features.

Equal Parts is a part of Pattern Brands, a company specializing in design-forward products for the home. Equal Parts offers a range of cookware from pots and pans to accessories and full kitchen sets. I tested their best selling 10" Big Pan (a 2-piece set including the pan and a lid).

 

Quick Facts About the Equal Parts Big Pan

The Cost: $75.00 for the 10" Big Pan with lid

Ships to: The US for free, with delivery in 3-6 business days

Differentiator: Equal Parts offers a text a chef service, no purchase or subscription necessary. You can text their expert chefs for recipe ideas and cooking advice.

I paid for this pan and chose to review it for My Subscription Addiction.

Pros & Cons

The Pros
  • Excellent nonstick surface
  • Great heat distribution and conduction
  • High sides for tidier cooking and larger meal capacity
  • Substantial weight without being too heavy
  • Comfortable handle
  • Works on all stovetops (gas, electric, & induction)
  • No Teflon, synthetic coatings, or lead
  • Oven safe up to 450 degrees
  • Includes a lid
  • 30 day trial with free returns
The Cons
  • Arrived with some scuffs on the lid and chips in the paint
  • Exterior showing wear and tear in chips and scratches
  • Interior rivets aren't nonstick
  • Pricier than other ceramic pans from traditional retailers
Is It Worth It?
  • I think Equal Parts' Big Pan delivered on its nonstick promise and is a reliable kitchen addition if it's within your budget, as long as you're not concerned about exterior wear and tear.
I'd Recommend Equal Parts' Big Pan If You: 
  • Are looking for a nonstick frying pan and want a Teflon alternative
  • Are a home could who would benefit from Equal Parts cooking tips
  • Don't mind hand washing for the pan's longevity
  • Are willing to spend a little extra for design

Ceramic vs. Teflon

There are many debates surrounding the safety of Teflon cookware and the merits of ceramic as an alternative. I am not a scientist, so I took to the internet to learn more where I discovered this helpful article on nonstick cookware safety. The basics are that chemical compounds in Teflon can break down when heated above 500 degrees, which is when toxic particles can be released.

Ceramic surfaces don't start to break down til around 800 degrees, but it is unlikely that you're cooking anything at that temperature.

The short story is: don't overheat your nonstick pan, don't use metal spatulas that can scratch and chip surfaces, and it's better to just hand wash, even if your cookware is dishwasher safe.

Nonstick Coating Test

 

I used the pan over the course of 30 days for a variety of meals both big and small. I prefer to use nonstick cookware over stainless steel because I like to use less oil and spend less time doing dishes. The Equal Parts pan's nonstick coating performed its duties perfectly, most notably with the ultimate test of Just Egg (a vegan egg substitute): the stickiest, most painful-to-clean-out-of-a-pan food I’ve met. I’ve been cooking Just Egg in our Teflon pans, struggling with losing a quarter of the egg due to sticking, and then having to soak the pan to remove cooked-on residue. This was not an issue for the Equal Parts Big Pan. I used a light amount of oil to cook with and personally recommend using a Misto sprayer - it’s a refillable oil sprayer pump that uses your favorite cooking oil without the additives found in most cooking sprays. It also handled my Hungry Root lunches and my favorite pantry staple, ancho lentil taco dinner for two, with no sticking.

Heat Conduction

I tried this pan out on both an electric and gas stovetops and it performed equally well on both, heating quickly and cooking food evenly across the pan with no noticeable cold or hot spots. 

Design and Quality

 

I like the design of this pan; it is understated with just a hint of flair in the logo on the bottom of the pan and on the lid’s handle. I also appreciated the weight of the pan - heavy enough to keep it in place on the stove while stirring food but not so heavy that it's uncomfortable to lift with one hand. The handle shape is comfortable to hold and remains cool to the touch.

The nonstick interior seems to be of top quality, but I noticed chips along the pan’s edge and an easily scuffed and scratched exterior and lid.

Ease of Cleaning

Hand Wash

Because we’ve always had Teflon nonstick pans, we always hand washed them rather than putting them in the dishwasher. This pan is a breeze to wash by hand. Very little sticks and what does comes off with a regular sponge and almost no effort. There’s no soaking needed to loosen burnt-on or charred food. The only tricky area is the inside rivets which are less nonstick than the rest - I’ve been able to release any stuck-on food from the rivets with a dish brush.

Dishwasher

 

Although putting a nonstick pan in the dishwasher makes me nervous, I did it. The pan came out clean with some minor water spots (not the pan's fault). I also noticed new scratches and distressing where the ceramic coating meets the exterior pan's surface at the edge. 

Packaging

 

An important element for brands in this space is the packaging design and unboxing experience. Equal Parts packaging is simple and minimal with no plastic elements, meaning I was able to break down the cardboard and recycle it.

Verdict

Overall, this pan came through on its nonstick promise and I have chosen to cook with it again and again instead of our Teflon set. It’s easy to clean, has a good weight, a comfortable handle, and has the right capacity to hold all the one-pan meals we’ve been making. It provides a good sear on my burgers and held up diligently to the stickiest egg substitute. Where the pan fell short for me was the delicate exterior of the pan. There were areas of smudged or lightly chipped finish on arrival and more have started cropping up - though I have not seen any deterioration of the nonstick interior surface. For longevity, I will continue to hand wash this pan rather than run it through the dishwasher. If you're curious about giving the Equal Parts Big Pan (or any of their cookware sets or kitchenware) a try for yourself, they offer a 30 day, no questions asked return policy.

Have you tried the Equal Parts Big Pan? How was your experience? Do you have a holy grail nonstick pan you absolutely love? Let me know in the comments.

A look ahead: I’ll be testing the Our Place Always Pan next! 

Emily Cosnotti
Emily Cosnotti
Emily is a design enthusiast who loves beautiful objects. She's really into vegan snacks, corgis, home goods, and minimalist makeup. She is currently fostering a healthy subscription addiction.

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24 comments

Rakib talukder

Your content quality is best because your description is good & satisfied. I read your content regularly. It helps me to choose a good product for my blog site. But comment review is not good. most of people not satisfied using it.

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pink monkey bird

Chips in ceramic coating. Unsightly. Cheap.
I contacted them slightly over 1 month after purchasing the product and they straight up denied me the replacement. This is not a company I would put stock into. No doubt they are a small business, but this is the cardinal sin of starting a brand. -take your money and run-

DO NOT BUY

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Human606

As a whole the Equal Parts delivered on making a monochromatic black sleek set of cook wear. the non stick is infact non stick and just plain ole astetic. this i loved but after a month of heavy usage as a home cook does the handles were peeling off the black paint. honnestly i think this was due to the high heat steem i have in my dish washer.. but i contacted the company first on Instagram and they got back to me immediately. i showed them pictures and they sent off a new pair of pans within the week. i understand they are a new company and hopefully figuring out how to keep the sleek look more durable but overall i think they might be a little overpriced for the paint quality but i do not regret the experience and was extremely pleased with the fast responce and problem solving. even though the pans say dish washer safe i would recommend being gentle with these pretty babies.

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Anastasia

Absolutely unhappy about this purchase🤨 This pan burns food. You have to use oil. But video shows us no oil cooking pan. It lies. I sent email to the help center and they are ready to refund me only 15% of the value. It is ridiculously🤦🏻‍♀️

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Kaye

I kinda regret buying this pan after using it for three months. It was working amazingly for the first month and then it just lost its magic. I was pan frying chicken the other day and it sticked the hell out of it. But I thought maybe it was me didn’t put enough oil or turned the heat too high. So I tried making salmon the next day with LOW HEAT. But nope, salmon cubes turned into flakes. Ok, let me try it one more time with Chinese egg pancake (egg mixed with starch), even lower heat this time. Half of my pancake was sticked on the pan…

I tried customer service and showed them the photos but they said my pan doesn’t look detected so they can’t accept my return or exchange, but they offer me 10% refund for the disappointment. But I’m still very upset about it tho:(

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Esther

I personally do not recommend the brand as a whole. The product arrived with all pots and pans with indentation of some sort. Perhaps I was unlucky to receive a bad batch but you’ve noted the same. So I don’t think it’s just me but many more sets out there having the same problem! They were supposed to send out a new set and it’s almost a month and I haven’t received any updates. I’ve been using it for the past few weeks and the cooking ceramic surface has seemed to come off a bit on the small pan?! Knowing that this was a new set of cookware that I wanted to invest in I was careful to use it and I’m just appalled with the brand at this point. As someone has noted on the internet and I thought the same too while trying to research more about equal parts back in March there really isn’t any real customer review and especially on their website. 

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Esther

I personally do not recommend the brand as a whole. Product arrive with all pots and pans with indentation of some sort. Perhaps I was unlucky to receive a bad batch but you’ve noted the same. So I don’t think it’s just me but many more sets out there having the same problem! They were suppose to sent out a new set and it’s almost a month and I haven’t received any updates. I’ve been using it for the past few weeks and the cooking ceramic surface has seem to come off a bit on the small pan?! Knowing that this was a new set of cookware that I wanted to invest in I was careful to use it and I’m just appalled with the brand at this point. As someone has noted on the internet and I thought the same too while trying to research more about equal parts back in March there really isn’t any real customer review and especially on their website.

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Becky

This seems a little random, out of place, and makes me feel like this is just a money grab for affiliate links. Please don’t go down that road. I’m sorry, but for me personally it affects your credibility when you start trying to sell us on pans. Bad Kardashian selling tea cleanse vibes.

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Emily Cosnotti

Hi Becky,

Thank you for your comment, I understand your concern and take it to heart.

As noted in the review, I purchased this pan with my own money and thought a review would be helpful on MSA. I’ve been wondering about this and other pans popping up in the marketplace and couldn’t find a thorough review. The intent behind this review was to share my experience to help others who might be searching for better cookware right now, and I apologize if it felt out of place.

I want to also help clarify that the links for Equal Parts in this review are not currently affiliate links (and were not at the time of publishing).

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Becky

Thank you!

Knowing there is no financial gain for MSA for posts like these and affiliate links makes a big difference, to me at least.

chris

Thanks for the detailed review!

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Donwan

Your article doesn’t really point out the danger of Teflon. This has been listed in all books and articles for bird owners for 30 years as poisonous, and there are numerous reports of birds dying from it. (Think of a canary in the coal mine…so it’s bad for humans, too!)

It’s only in the last few years that Teflon has admitted to its toxicity. It’s also in most ironing board covers, and other products.

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Anna

Is it made in the USA?

We use cast iron here and love it!

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Emily Cosnotti

Hi! From their website:
“Our products are designed in Chinatown, New York + San Francisco, California and produced in Southern China.”

My husband loves cast iron for cooking his steaks!

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h

Cast iron is amazing; isn’t it? It can be heated to blazing temperatures, put on the range, then the oven, then the broiler, or even on a camp fire. It doesn’t need much cleaning other than hot water and a good scraping, if it’s well-seasoned. It’s amazing stuff. It’s so reasonably-priced. One of my favorite things is a little hibachi grill made by Lodge that will cook two hamburgers or around four kebabs. It takes about 11 briquets, using a chimney starter, of course. No way I’m using lighter fluid. Totally agree with your choice about cast iron. Wish I had just stuck with it. Love those little corn-shaped cornbread pans. 🙂

These Equal Parts Pans seem really nice.

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Anna

That little lodge hibachi grill is amazing!

h

I have had ceramic non-stick as a “quickie” side to my true professional cookware. It’s a chef’s kitchen over here. The trick to cooking with ceramic is to make sure that the protein is at room temperature. Start the pan at very high temperature for nearly two minutes, then immediately turn it down and add your fat, swirling it around to add the non-stick back. Imagine the hot ceramic coating coating filled with a bunch of parched little guys waiting for some butter or olive oil. Add your protein and cook as usual. Wash by hand, regardless of dishwasher-safe promises. I NEVER wash any of my cookware or precious knives in a dishwasher…ever. You do not need to season this like cast iron, it gets seasoned every time that you cook with it when you heat it up and swirl around the oil/fat after the extreme heat. Obviously, do not add water until it has cooled, or that will scorch your pan, probably. I don’t know this brand. I have a bespoke ceramic brand that the gentleman actually spoke with me as he was making the pans for me. I doubt he’s still in business. It’s been probably a decade, and the pans are still in prime condition, because I follow the directions above, religiously.

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Emily Cosnotti

Wow I love your pro advice and perspective. Amazing that you have a bespoke ceramic pan – I had no idea something like that existed! I 100% agree on always hand washing cookware and knives, it’s so important!

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h

My cousin and his wife work for a chef that used to have shows on the Food Channel, owns several chain restaurants, etc. It was through them that I was able to have some connections. My pans are so old that I cannot even remember much about the company, except that it was nice to be able to actually talk to someone making your pans. He lives in Australia. That’s pretty much all I remember, other than the extremely strict rules he drove home about keeping the cookware he made in immaculate condition. It may or may not work for these pans, but just thought I’d share how I’ve kept some decade-ish-old pans in new condition. Great review about nice pans. 🙂

Rose

That’s a lot of $$$ for a smallish pan that did not get a stellar review. A big “Nope” for me.

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Brianna

Dang! If I bought a $75 pan I would hope it would come out of the packaging looking perfect and stay that way for a while. Especially since this brand’s biggest selling point seems to be the aesthetic of the pan. I love the way it looks, but for $75 I would really expect something less fragile.

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Esther

Mine arrived with the scratches too and for the past weeks, the interior has seemed to wear off with careful use. Absolutely unacceptable and just baffled by the brand and quality

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Kristin

For a $75 pan it better not have a single blemish on it. I would have sent it back and asked for a replacement. Could the one you received actually be one that was returned by someone else within the 30 day window, thus the marks?

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Emily Cosnotti

The 30 day return window is totally something I could have utilized! I was so happy with the nonstick performance that I didn’t want it to leave my kitchen. I would encourage anyone who wants to try this pan and is unsatisfied for any reason to reach out to the brand to make it right.

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