WearEver Ceramic Cookware Review

WearEver is a historic brand that once pioneered aluminum pots and pans in North America. As aluminum pans became more commonplace, WearEver cookware began promoting their nonstick ceramic coating to differentiate from the competition. 

Ceramic cookware provides an excellent alternative to traditional nonstick options. It’s a good fit for kitchens that need to cut down cleaning time, and for those hoping to cut down on oil usage in their cooking. Compared with traditional non-stick cookware, most ceramic coatings are made without use of noted unhealthy chemicals like PFOA.

Read on to take a closer look at this set in our WearEver ceramic cookware review.

WearEver Cookware Set

WearEver Ceramic Cookware is durable, stylish, safe, and has good performance for the price. It won’t become a family heirloom like cast iron, but it is a great starter set that will suit the needs of most kitchens over the course of a few years of ownership. We recommend this cookware for low-to-medium heat cooking, which is suitable for most home kitchen applications.


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What we like

  • Good durability for the price.
  • Requires minimal seasoning, and simple maintenance.
  • Simple design with multiple color options.

What We don’t

  • Not suitable for high-heat cooking.
  • Not compatible with induction stoves.
  • Less durable than cast iron or stainless steel.

WearEver 15-Piece Ceramic Non-Stick Cookware Set

WearEver Cookware Set
  • Durable Ceramic coating is stain and scratch resistant
  • Soft-touch and riveted handles for secure, comfortable grip
  • Easy-clean exterior and easy-release interior
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The WearEver Pure Living set is made with a ceramic non-stick coating that provides excellent food release with little oil. The ceramic coating is free of PTFE, PFOA, Cadmium and lead for healthy cooking. It is safe to use and easy to clean.

The cookware is equipped with riveted silicone handles that provide a soft touch and secure grip when cooking. The handles can withstand temperatures up to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit, so they will work effectively for sear-and-bake recipes that require low baking temperatures. They are also equipped with end holes for optional hanging storage.

The pan base is pressed from heavy gauge aluminium, which is lightweight and radiates heat for even cooking. It is compatible with all stovetop configurations except for induction.

Wearever also provides a limited lifetime warranty which guarantees the set is free from manufacturing defects from the date of purchase. The warranty does not cover damage due to overheating, improper cleaning, commercial use, or improper oven use.

What Is Included

  • 8” Frying Pan
  • 10” Frying Pan
  • 12” Frying Pan with Lid
  • 1-Quart Saucepan with Lid
  • 2-Quart Saucepan with Lid
  • 3-Quart Saucepan with Lid
  • 5-Quart Dutch Oven with Lid
  • 3.5-Quart Deep Saute Pan with Lid
  • Steamer Insert

What are the pros and cons of ceramic cookware?

We invested hundreds of hours investigating the ceramics cookware category for comparison to this product. There are a few things you should understand about nonstick ceramic pots and pans before proceeding.

Nonstick ceramic pots and pans have become incredibly popular over the past decade. The ceramic revolution has been driven, largely, by a fallout in consumer confidence in nonstick PTFE coatings. You may know of PTFE by the popular brand name, Teflon. 

Nonstick ceramic coating has been widely considered a healthier alternative to PTFE following studies that linked PTFE production with environmental and health risks.

Ceramic nonstick provides excellent food release and decreases the need for cooking oils in order to achieve desirable non-stick properties. Pots and pans in this category are typically priced more affordably than similar stainless steel, cast iron, or Teflon non stick sets.

Durability is the most commonly voiced complaint in owner reviews across this product category. This is true even of the best ceramic cookware products. A common lifespan for daily use ceramic pans is about 2 years, which is significantly less than a material like cast iron which can be easily repaired and passed down for multiple generations. Ceramic coating is not scratch resistant to most hard utensils, especially metal.

Things to Consider Before Buying WearEver Pure Living

If you are comfortable with the pros and cons of this product category, the next section is for you. We spent 10 hours reviewing product specifications and owner reviews to surface the most common factors you should understand before purchasing the WearEver Pure Living set. 

How affordable is this set?

The Pure Living set is very affordable when compared with competing ceramic nonstick sets. If the price of the full 15-pieces is above your budget, you might consider the saute pan-only set.

Is the cookware safe?

The Pure Living set is made using a ceramic non-stick coating, which is widely considered to be a healthy alternative to traditional nonstick cookware. This cookware set is made free from PTFE, PFOA, lead and cadmium. From a food safety and manufacturing standpoint, ceramic coatings are best practice among nonstick cookware.

From a practical standpoint in your kitchen, this is a low-to-medium heat pan. Match the diameter of the burner to the size of the pan you are using. If you are cooking with a gas stovetop ensure that the flame is only in contact with the bottom of the pan. High temperature settings can damage the pan, void the warranty and make it easier to burn food or yourself. The set’s soft touch handles are heat resistant, but they will get hot if they are located directly above a heating element or gas flame.

Does this set have even heat distribution?

The heavy-duty aluminum base creates even heat distribution across the cook surface of the pans. For best results, allow your set to heat to a low or medium temperature setting before applying a high-heat cooking oil and food.

Of note for some kitchens, the WearEver Pure Living cookware set is not compatible with induction cooktops, which require a magnetic metal in the pan base in order to heat properly.

Is the design attractive?

The Pure Living set is available in gold, black or red color options. Handwashing will protect the color over time. If flames travel up the side of the pan this may also cause the pans to discolor.

The overall look is simple, so it’s unlikely to clash with any design decisions you’ve already made in your kitchen. We like the glass lids which are equipped with steam release valves and silicone handles. The valves may take a little extra cleaning after use, but they make it easy to monitor food on the stovetop and prevent condensation from bubbling over the sides of the cookware set when used at a boiling heat.

Is the non-stick any good?

Owners review the non-stick properties above average on this cookware set. The pans do require some oil to unlock their best performance. And, while the brand advertises these pans as scratch resistant and dishwasher safe, many owners review that harsh detergents and the crowded setting of a dishwasher tray will cause the non-stick to dissipate more quickly. We recommend hand washing this set after regular use, since it appears to only be truly “dishwasher safe” for occasional use.

Is the Pure Living cookware set durable?

Like all ceramic nonstick products, the durability of this cookware set will be contingent upon how you care for it. Read the owners manual for manufacturer care instructions. They are incredibly simple and will go a long way toward making your set last.

There are a few instructions you should be aware of before purchase. 

  • This pan should be seasoned before first use, which is simple to accomplish in less than 5 minutes. 
  • Always allow the pans to cool before cleaning. Take special care to not expose your hot pans to cold water.
  • The ceramic nonstick is not scratch resistant to hard objects, so use wooden or silicone utensils when cooking and clean using a soft cloth.

With proper care, many owners say the Pure Living set lasts 18-24 months before they begin to scratch and wear out. This is about average compared with competitors and, in our view, a decent result for the price. These pans were not made to last forever.

If durability is your primary concern, consider a cast iron or stainless steel alternative. This can be a good short term set for someone, but will definitely not turn into a family heirloom.

Who makes WearEver cookware?

The WearEver brand has been around for more than a century, gaining wide recognition in North America for its aluminum nonstick and stainless steel cookware products. Their first lines were produced in Pennsylvania and sold door-to-door by students. The company grew substantially after it was adopted as the standard issue cookware provider for the US Marine Corps.

In recent days, WearEver has been passed around between large corporate holding companies. And most recently, it was purchased by a French consortium called Group SEB for $36m. SEB operates other popular global cookware brands like All-Clad and Tefal. Historically an American company, WearEver moved its primary manufacturing operations to Mexico in 2004.

Wearever now produces a variety of durable and elegant cookware items that are free from PTFE, PFOA, cadmium and lead. The items are sold through a variety of big box retailers in brick and mortar locations and online in the US and Canada.

What is the best rated ceramic cookware?

Ceramic cookware may perform differently than pans built of other materials you’ve used in the past. They are incredibly convenient, but durability is a common complaint. 

Any cookware set will require attention to the maintenance instructions, and frequently care guides seem to contradict a brand’s advertising message. Most commonly “dishwasher safe” and “metal utensil safe” claims don’t add up to how a set will perform in the real world.

We wrote a full guide on choosing the best ceramic pan for your kitchen. Here are a few of our top picks for comparison with Wearever Ceramic Nonstick Cookware.

Starfrit The Rock

Starfrit The Rock 10-Piece Set
$199.99 $167.99
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02/19/2024 11:12 am GMT

The Rock by Starfrit is our bargain pick ceramic cookware set. We really like it for the price because of the design and durability compared to similarly priced competitors. Although we still recommend hand washing, this pan is the closest we’ve found to being actually “dishwasher safe.”

Stoneline

Stoneline Xtreme Frying Pan
$69.95
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02/18/2024 06:22 am GMT

Stoneline makes a quality German-designed product that is priced at the higher end of the market. The cookware set is stone rather than ceramic coated, and durability is a core proposition of the brand. It may not be as durable as stainless steel or cast iron, but Stoneline does stand up as a good value for the money and very convenient.

Scanpan 

Scanpan Professional 10-Piece Cookware Set
$499.95
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02/19/2024 04:07 am GMT

If you are looking to upgrade cookware materials, performance and durability, take a closer look at Scanpan. The Danish brand offers 10 lines of cookware, across a wide range or price points. We like the Scanpan Professional collection for our kitchen with it’s high quality stainless steel handles and scratch resistant PTFE non-stick coating. 

My Recommendation

WearEver Cookware is durable, stylish, safe, and has good performance for the price. It won’t become a family heirloom like cast iron, but it is a great starter set that will suit the needs of most kitchens over the course of a few years of ownership.

The 15 piece set is competitively priced, though you can also pick up the Pure Life collection in 10 pieces or as saucepans only. The frying pans and saucepans both work well as a daily use cooking vessel. Owner reviews consistently say they are delicate enough to do a good job with eggs, and hardy enough to sear and bake a steak.

This is a good set if you purchase it with reasonable expectations about durability, and take time to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer care instructions. It performs effectively for the price. Treating these pans outside the proper use guidelines can have a significantly shortening impact on their lifespan. The care tips are simple, and you can learn them quickly if you make doing so a priority.

WearEver Cookware Set
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About the author

David is the creator of Kitchen Ambition, and has been cooking seriously for about 10 years. Originally from the American South, the spirit of bringing people together fueled his passion for cooking.

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