2024 CAROTE Granite Cookware Review- All You Need to Know

When I first saw the CAROTE granite set of pots and pans, it blew my mind. Detachable handles? Nonstick coating? Easy stack? No Teflon? I knew I had to try these pots and pans. 

For this review, I purchased and tested this 11-piece set of stackable “white granite” pots and pans. The set includes 5 pans, 2 interchangeable handles, and 2 lids.

What Is CAROTE Cookware?

CAROTE is a Chinese company that produces non-stick cookware. The set I tested is a “granite” ceramic set with removable handles.

So what is it actually made of? CAROTE’s die-cast aluminum base is covered in a sol-gel (ceramic) coating, made by the Swiss company ILAG. It has a stainless steel ring set into the bottom so it can be used on induction stovetops, as well as gas.

The removable handles are made of Bakelite, which is a synthetic plastic made of phenol and formaldehyde (phenol-formaldehyde resin). They also have silicone on them. The handles are heat safe to 350°F (176°C), but repeated exposure to high heat can lead them to burn, or become less heat resistant. Since bakelite is a poor conductor of heat, these handles don’t heat up like handles made of metal.

The lids are made of tempered glass and silicone.

CAROTE also makes a set of stainless steel pots and pans with a detachable handle, if the ceramic coating isn’t your style. You can also purchase its ceramic cookware sets with permanently attached Bakelite handles.

Side-by-Side Comparison With Other Ceramic Cookware

* Without handle 1.62 pounds
**The pan is oven safe to 550°F(287°C) but you’d have to unscrew the handle

Cooking Performance

I tested this set on my electric stovetop and in my electric oven. I paid close attention to the instructions that came with the cookware, making sure not to leave the handles in the oven or cook on high heat so that the tests were as accurate as possible. 

Frying An Egg

If you get a new nonstick pan, you have to cook an egg. I’m pretty sure it’s a law. So I did. I heated the pan on 4 on my electric stovetop. I added no oil at all to the pan, because if we’re going to test this beauty let’s test it, right?

The egg did not slide at all when being initially cooked on each side. I stood the pan up at very nearly a 90-degree angle, and the egg was firmly in place. However, it released extremely easily when I used my spatula, with no stuck-on pieces.

The Takeaway:  It isn’t as nonstick as Teflon, even at first use, because the egg didn’t slide freely around the pan. 

True One Pot Test

I wasn’t going to go easy on this pot, so I decided to make a French onion chicken one-pot recipe. This recipe does it all. We sear chicken, cook down onions, boil the gravy, and the whole pot goes into the oven to finish cooking. So let’s take a look at how it did, using the 10” saute pan.

Sauteing Onions

I cheated. I used oil to saute my onions. The pan did well when set on 4. I was pleased with how they cooked, there was no sticking to the pan.  There were no hot spots in the pan, so everything cooked down evenly, with regular stirring. 

Searing Chicken

I left the already heated pan on level 4 on my stove. Because the chicken was so large, I had to sear it in batches. I took the opportunity to sear the chicken with oil and without any oil. I left the chicken for 3 minutes, then flipped it. The chicken seared reasonably well with oil. While it isn’t the hard sear I’d expect with cast iron, it looked nice and the chicken didn’t stick to the pan at all. I wasn’t nearly as impressed with the sear without oil. The chicken didn’t stick much, but it didn’t get crispy or really do anything more than steam. 

The takeaway: this is not the right pan for searing. It can’t be used on high heat and the nonstick coating doesn’t grip and release the protein, like a metal pan will. 

Boiling

This recipe calls for pouring in beef stock, deglazing the pan (although there were no stuck bits to get up in this case), and then bringing the stock to a boil. Still on level 4, because the pan isn’t recommended for use above medium heat, it came to a boil quickly when using room temperature beef stock. The evenness of the bubbles across the bottom of the pan confirmed that this pan had no hot or cold spots.

Baking

The final step of the recipe is to mix everything, top it with cheese, and pop it into the oven “until done.” The oven was set at 350°F (176°C).  The pan’s handle is not oven-safe, so I remembered to remove it before placing it in the oven.

The high sides of the large saute pan prevented any bubbling over. The chicken cooked evenly and more quickly than with pans I’ve used in the past, despite the large size of the pieces. CAROTE claims the premium, diecast aluminum core heats up in 10 seconds, and I have to say I believe it heats up more quickly than average!

My biggest regret was I was unable to use the broil function to get color on the cheese, for risk of ruining the pan with the high heat.

The takeaway: You can bake in these pans at moderate temperatures, but remove the handles first and don’t broil food in them.

Build Quality

CAROTE is lighter than many non-stick pots and pans because you can remove the handle. Even with its handle, the 10” skillet comes in at 1.81 pounds, which is lighter than the SENSARTE 10” skillet in our chart, and almost the same weight as GreenPan’s Rio 10” skillet.

The lids fit fairly well but have a cut-out for the removable handle. If you’re not using the handle, there is just a hole in the lid of your pan from which heat/steam escapes.  If you are using the handle, there is still room for the steam to escape around the handle. 

Design and Comfort

I love the removable handle. Can I get this on every piece of cookware, please? It was so nice to be able to unhook the handle instead of playing stove tetris to make sure the handles were all turned in different directions to make more space on the burners. 

When frying an egg, the egg ended up on the side of the pan, making it difficult to easily grasp the handle and use the spatula to flip it. So I just unhooked the handle and placed it on the other side of the pan. Problem solved!

The handle is comfortable in the hand, and not too heavy. It doesn’t take much force to hook and unhook the handle. I simply grasp the handle with one hand, position it on the pot and squeeze. It’s easy to tell that the handle is snugly secured due to the sound of it engaging and the movement of the release button. 

Versatility

I found this set to work reasonably well for one-pot meals. It can’t sear and can’t go under the broiler; but otherwise was great. The tall sides of the 10” saute pan helped contain all the ingredients in my one-pot recipe, allowing enough room to stir. Unlike many aluminum nonstick pans, the CAROTE set has a stainless steel base that allows it to work on induction cooktops. It works fine on gas, electric, and ceramic/glass stoves as well.

Metal will scratch the ceramic coating quickly, so I recommend sticking to wooden or silicone utensils. 

On the plus side, because the handles are removable, this unique set of cookware can be stacked! It only takes up a small amount of space in your kitchen, RV, dorm, or wherever you do your cooking.  It’s not the only stacking cookware on the market, so be sure to check out our list of the best stackable pots and pans! 

Ease of Use and Maintenance

The CAROTE marketing shows a picture of the pots and pans in the dishwasher, to show how useful taking the handles off is! However, it recommends that you only hand wash the pots and pans.

I found it a little difficult to wash these pots and pans.

I cooked chili in the 8” pan (which was deep enough to work like a small saucepan). The chili remained in the pan until after dinner, when I washed dishes. The white “granite” coating stained a bit, and the handle was noticeably stained after incidental contact with the chili.

This stain happened with just one use of a tomato-based food, and I couldn’t wash off the stain, even with scrubbing. I felt like I was frequently just chasing the chili around the pan as I tried to wash it, as it just slipped away from me instead of coming off on the cloth.

In a second test, I left the 10” saute pan from the French onion chicken to sit for a day. (Let’s be real; we don’t always clean the pan as soon as we finish dinner!) Cleaning that pan took some real elbow grease, especially where the gravy was baked on the sides. After scrubbing with a soft cloth, it eventually did come clean, but there were some very light scratches on the surface of the pan. This was the pan’s first use. 

Longevity and Warranty

As I described above, the CAROTE nonstick coating isn’t so nonstick that it cleans up easily. In fact, cleaning the food stuck on these pans seemed to damage them. That concerns me for the longevity of these pans.

We know from reviews of CAROTE, Sensarte, Stoneline and other brands that use the ILAG ceramic coatings that these nonstick pans only last a few years, even with the best of care. 

CAROTE offers a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase). The warranty only covers material defects and “non-artificial damage”. Now I have to ask- what is “non-artificial damage?” Those are some wiggle words if ever I’ve heard them.

CAROTE offers a 30-day no-reason return policy. You can return your cookware for any reason for a full refund. I recommend purchasing your cookware at a time when you can take full advantage of this test period, making sure you like it before this grace period runs out.

Amazon also offers a 30-day return period that does apply to CAROTE cookware as well, at least at the time of my purchase.

After the first use of the 8” pan in which I simply heated canned chili, I noticed a scratch on the rim of the pan from the handle. There was a wearing away of the nonstick coating, also where the handle had been. It’s disappointing to see after the first use, especially on such an easy test. 

Price and Availability

CAROTE is available on Amazon, Walmart.com, and on CAROTE’s website. The price is very affordable for an entire set of cookware, especially one with perks like removable handles and stacking for ease of storage.

CAROTE sells only sets on their website, though I found individual frying pans on Amazon, sold by the official CAROTE store. You can also order replacement handles, a crepe pan, a set of two pots, and other goodies there, too. So if you’re looking for individual pieces, head to Amazon.

Health and Safety Considerations

Are CAROTE pans really nontoxic?

I believe the CAROTE coating is nontoxic. The coating is designed by a Swiss manufacturer. It is SGS-approved, and, like other ceramic nonstick coatings, free of PFAS, cadmium, lead, and bisphenol-A (BPA). 

According to its website, “Carote cookware undergoes thorough testing and does not contain harmful chemicals in the manufacturing process. It is certified by FDA, SGS, MA, and CNAS and is considered safe for daily use.” 

I couldn’t find a California AB1200 (California Safer Food Packaging and Cookware Act) declaration on the CAROTE website – which makes me wonder if the company isn’t up to current regulations. I think they would need to declare the chemicals used in the handles.

The handles are made of bakelite, which is a type of synthetic plastic. Thankfully, bakelite no longer contains asbestos, as that was phased out in the mid-1980s. However, it is made with formaldehyde. If the handle gets too hot, it may release formaldehyde fumes, which smell terrible and are unhealthy to breathe.

The CAROTE website also doesn't make any reference to California Prop 65, which requires a warning if the product contains any of a list of chemicals that may cause birth defects, cancer, or reproductive harm.

Does CAROTE cookware use Teflon?

No, CAROTE is Teflon and PTFE-free. It uses a ceramic coating, which is derived from silicon and does not release toxic fumes when heated.

CAROTE cookware base is made of reinforced die-cast aluminum, which makes it sturdier than other ceramic pans that use spun or stamped aluminum. There are 5 layers of mineral coating between your food and the aluminum insides of the pan. The aluminum is completely sealed by the ceramic coating, so your food does not come into contact with the aluminum unless the coating becomes badly scratched or worn.

We have an in-depth article on this site on the safety of aluminum cookware if you would like to research that further. 

If your pan becomes badly scratched, we recommend you replace it immediately, as you don’t want to ingest flakes of coating.

Company and Environmental Impact

Unfortunately, non-stick pans are the “fast fashion” of the cooking world. These pans do not last a long time, even when well cared for. This means no matter how great this pan is today, it won’t be long before it’s piled up in a landfill somewhere.

There is not much information available on the CAROTE company and its commitment to responsible manufacturing. We know it was founded in China in 1992, and its products are still manufactured in China. China does not have the same strict manufacturing and environmental regulations that are found in the United States and the EU.

The company uses some buzzwords in its marketing and focuses on how its coating is not Teflon, but does not provide information on whether it uses recycled materials in its packaging or if there are environmental standards for its manufacturing plants. We know that the manufacturing of sol-gel (ceramic) coatings typically produces about 50% less carbon dioxide than Teflon coatings. But I can’t imagine the production of the Bakelite handles is very clean.

What Else Do People Say About It?

CAROTE has a 4.4-star rating out of over 11,000 reviews on Amazon. Several reviewers have said that after a year their granite pots and pans are still working beautifully. Others have said that after as few as 10 uses, the coating begins to come off. This was closer to my experience.

Customers are a big fan of the removable handles and the low space requirements for storing the whole set. Most reviewers agree that hand-washing extends the lives of the pots and pans.

Multiple users also report that the handles turn brown with regular stovetop use, and the bottom of the pan turns brown or discolors as well, sometimes within a month of beginning to use the pots and pans.

Amazon has multiple videos from reviewers towards the bottom.

FAQ 

Conclusion

If you’re looking for stackable nonstick cookware at an affordable price, CAROTE should be on your radar. It’s great for those with limited cabinet space, thanks to the stackable design and removable handles. This set made our lightweight cookware list as the best lightweight pots and pans for seniors! 

But this is not cookware you’ll pass down to your children’s children. It’s not cookware that will hold up to heavy use for a large family. Even with light use, you will probably need to replace them every 1-3 years. I would recommend it for occasional home cooks, as a starter set of cookware, or to keep in your RV for your travels.