'I'm a keen cook and tested Lakeland's £60 Only Pan vs viral £125 Always Pan'

Coveted cookware brand Our Place first launched the Always Pan in the UK back in 2021 with it causing such a stir it proceeded to sell out multiple times. The kitchen item got many home cooks talking as it prided itself in being far from an ordinary pan. It's a 10-in-1 non-stick pan that can do much more than its classic counterpart, including steaming, straining and sautéing.

Plus, it certainly looks the part, too. With its sleek and aesthetic design, the multi-purpose product can elevate any kitchen countertop into stylish heights. Following suit, Ninja, the brand best-known for air fryers, showcased the Ninja Foodi PossiblePanin 2022, boasting eight ways to cook.

And now there's a new kid on the block - Lakeland has entered the chat with the Only Pan. Costing £59.99, it's half the price of the Always Pan and the Ninja PossiblePan, with the brand claiming it to be the fastest-selling new product of the past six months. Having used the Always Pan myself pretty much everyday over the last year, I got my hands on Lakeland's latest cookware addition to compare the two.

• I tested the Our Place Always Pan to see why the stylish cookware has sold out over 30 times
• I made meals using ProCook's 12-in-5 kitchen set to see if it could beat the bestselling Always Pan

Lakeland Only Pan

Pros:

- Good value price
- Large capacity
- Easy to clean spatula

Cons:

- No roast or bake
- Only a few colours

Our Place Always Pan

Pros:

- Lots of colour choice
- 10 functions
- Oven safe up to 230°C

Cons:

-Expensive
- Beechwood spatula not as versatile

How did I test the Only Pan against the Always Pan?

To help shoppers decide which pan is best for their cooking style, budget and overall taste, I cooked several meals using both the Only Pan and the Always Pan. Cooking a variety of dishes and food, such as simmering curry, fried bacon, steamed vegetables and more allowed me to see which features came out top.

I made a note of how the pans performed when it came to cooking speeds, non-stick abilities, functions and aesthetics. I've broken these sections down in an easy-to-read guide, ending with my overall verdict.

What are the similarities and differences between the Only Pan and Always Pan?

Upon first glance, the Only Pan and the Always Pan do look fairly similar, however, there are several differences between the two.

Cooking capabilities: Steam, saute, simmer, bake, fry

Lakeland's Only Pan has 8-in-1 functions (steam, simmer, pan-fry, boil, saute, stir-fry, braise and strain), whereas the Always Pan has two extra - roast and bake. The Only Pan is oven-safe but has a limit up to 150°C, compared to the 230°C limit for the Always Pan.

This difference stood out to me when cooking a chicken pie in the Only Pan - while I was easily able to cook the pie filling in one pan, I then had to transfer it to another dish that would be suitable for the oven temperature. This meant more washing up, time and effort.

Many bakes require an oven temperature of at least 180°C or above, a benefit that users get from the Always Pan that in my opinion is important. Those that don't often use a pan to roast or bake may not find this to be as problematic.

When steaming food using the provided steamer basket for both pans, I found they worked equally as well, cooking carrots and dumplings to perfection. Boiling, simmering, sautéing and stir-frying in both pans was a very similar experience, both pans cooking the food evenly and well.

The Only Pan has a larger capacity of 3.1L and a diameter of 26cm, making it bigger than the Always Pan with 2.46L capacity and 26.7cm diameter. I found the larger size of the Only Pan to be incredibly useful, especially as the pans are designed to do all-in-one. When cooking dishes with several ingredients, the more space, the better. A larger capacity also comes in useful when cooking for several people and larger families.

Accessories

Both pans come with a lid, a steamer basket and a spatula. The lids help food retain moisture thanks to nodules that collect water, and both steamer baskets are similar in design with a handle and stainless steel structure.

The Always Pan's spatula is made from beechwood and the Only Pan's spatula is silicone. They are designed so as to not damage the non-stick ceramic surfaces of the pans, but in my opinion I prefer the Only Pan spatula. This is because I found it easier to wash and the angle of the spatula was easier to stir with.

With the Always Pan, the spatula rests inside the pan, meaning any food drips straight back into the pan, whereas the Only Pan spatula sits on top. Both built-in spoon rests eliminate the need for a separate spoon-rest, however, I did find that food sometimes dropped onto the top of the Only Pan which was messy and required cleaning.

Shoppers have the ability to buy custom-designed accessories for the Always Pan, adding a new layer of technique to cooking. This includes a spruce steamer, fry deck, tagine and flipping platter. So far, I have found that I haven't needed these accessories, however, adventurous cooks may deem these add-ons essential.

Cooking speed

To compare cooking speed, I fried a few slices of bacon on each pan at the same time. It was clear from the outset that the Always Pan heats up a few minutes quicker than the Only Pan. I didn't find this difference to be too impactful as it only adds a couple of minutes more onto cooking time and the overall result of the fried bacon was crispy and well-cooked for both.

Appearance

To me, I much prefer the look of the Always Pan compared to the Only Pan. While at first glance they may look pretty similar, having lived with them both on my kitchen counter for several weeks, I find the Always Pan to appear much sleeker. It feels a little heavier in weight, giving it a high-end feel and look, plus I'm not keen on the bulky lid on the Only Pan.

I have the Always Pan in the colour Steam, but there are several other shades to choose from including Lilac, Spice and Blue Salt. The Only Pan has three colours available - Sage Green, Pale Grey and Slate Grey. I also like that the Always Pan spatula neatly slots inside instead of on top of the lid.

Non-stick / Cleaning

Both pans are coated with a non-toxic, ceramic coating that gives them their non-stick nature. After a year of use, the Always Pan non-stick capabilities are still going strong and the Only Pan's non-stick feature was excellent. It means you don't have to cook with as much oil and cleaning the pans post-cooking is a breeze.

The Only Pan is dishwasher safe (but the brand recommend avoiding this to pro-long the life of the non-stick coating) and the Always Pan is strictly not dishwasher safe.

Price

One major difference between the Only Pan and the Always Pan is the price point. Lakeland's offering is £59.99 and the Our Place pan comes in at £125. This makes the Always Pan more than double the price of the Only Pan.

My verdict: Lakeland's Only Pan vs Our Place Always Pan

Ultimately, after trialing the Only Pan against the Always Pan, the case between the two isn't completely straightforward. They're both top performers that in my opinion certainly live up to the hype and make cooking a lot easier, less time-consuming and more fun.

When deciding whether to splurge or save, consider your cooking style, how often you cook and the size of your kitchen. For me, I cook most days and I enjoy experimenting with different recipes so I found the versatility of the Always Pan crucial. I also love keeping my cookware out on the side to add to the look of my kitchen and the Always Pan ticks that box for me.

I typically cook up to four portions at a time, so found the impressive capacity of the Only Pan very useful. Those that are only cooking for one or two will likely find the Always pan has more than enough space.

With the Always Pan costing over £100, it's definitely an investment but one that is totally worth it for me. As an everyday item that gets used time and time again, it's something I deem worthy spending extra on. However, at less than £60, Lakeland's Only Pan is an excellent alternative, with many comparable features - I recommend considering this if you don't plan on using the pan to bake, or prefer the appearance of this pan.

Shoppers will find the Only Pan directly on the Lakeland websiteand the Always Pan can be picked up from multiple retailers, including Our Place, Amazon, Fenwick and Selfridges. These sites often run sales so it's worth keeping an eye out for discounts and special promotions.