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If you’ve spent much time on this site you know I’m super sus of any pan that claims to be nonstick. I’ve used traditional nonstick pans (before I knew better) and have tried pans that claim to be non-stick but gave me an arm workout’s worth of scrubbing food that was all but cemented to the skillet.
Enter the Alva Maestro Nonstick Frying Pan.
While Alva has been among the most popular cookware brands in Europe over the past 70-plus years, they are not yet super well known in the US as they are just expanding to the American market (as of 2023!) If you haven’t yet heard of Alva, I’m here to tell you that it’s in your best interest to keep reading!
Note: Although Alva sent this Maestro Skillet to me for review, all opinions here are my honest thoughts.
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What is Alva Cookware?
Alva is a family-run Belgium cookware brand named after the company’s founder: Albert Vandaele, that has been producing sustainable and high-quality cookware since 1949. In fact, the first Alva aluminum pans were crafted from recycled WWII materials.
Alva is serious about sustainability. Not only do they use recycled aluminum in their processes, but the Alva factory operates incredibly efficiently, is 30% solar powered, and hosts an in-house water filtration system to prevent water pollution.
Alva has expanded over the decades from offering aluminum cookware to stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel options.
Today I’m reviewing the Maestro Nonstick Frying Pan which falls in the aluminum category. The nonstick properties come from a ceramic coating (rather than dangerous chemicals) and the handle is made of stainless steel.
The Alva Maestro collection includes two nonstick options and five stainless steel options:
- Maestro Nonstick Frying Pan (this review!)
- Maestro Nonstick Skillet with Lid
- Maestro Stainless Steel Frying Pan
- Maestro Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid
- Maestro Stainless Steel Casserole with Lid
- Maestro Stainless Steel Stock Pot
- Maestro Stainless Steel Chef’s Pan
The Maestro Nonstick Frying Pan: Features
The Maestro Skillet is an increasingly popular choice in the US for those of us searching for more natural (but still nonstick!) cookware. Here are some of the key features:
- Several Size Options: Available in 8”, 9.5”, and 11” sizes so you can choose the perfect size for your kitchen .
- Works on all Cooktops: Works with ceramic, electric, gas, and induction stoves and its oven safe up to 392F degrees.
- Three-layered Encapsulated Aluminum Base: This frying pan heats up really quickly thanks to the aluminum base and retains heat like a champ with a thick body (4.7mm).
- Non-toxic Nonstick Ceramic Coating: The ceramic nonstick, non-toxic coating is free from PFAS / PFOAs ‘forever chemicals’. Which we all have enough of already amitright?
- Straight Side Design: The Maestro has a unique straight edge design, creating 20% more usable cooking surface. I personally love this feature for keeping sauteeing veggies and sauces in the pan.
- Stainless Steel Handle: The handle is well designed and very comfortable in my hand, even when the skillet is full of ingredients.
Alva Ceramic Skillet: Unboxing and First Thoughts
When my Alva cookware arrived, it came in a perfectly sized cardboard box, and I was genuinely happy to find it had minimal packaging inside. Alva knows how to protect their pots and pans – without a ton of packaging materials. They used cardboard, paper, and just a bit of inflatable recyclable plastic for cushioning.
I respect that Alva is about their sustainability values, even in their packaging. There were 0 single-use plastics in the packaging. Instead, Alva’s got this smart cardboard packaging designed to fit together like puzzle pieces so there’s no all-but-eternal glue dot or plastic needed.
There is a barcode sticker on the bottom of the pan but it peels off satisfyingly easily.
A quick hand wash and the Maestro pan was ready to use.
Oh, and bonus points – all the packaging is recyclable, and most of it is made from FSC-certified recycled materials. Sustainable AF.
This frying pan is thick! I can immediately see and feel the quality in my hands. And while it’s thick, it’s not overly heavy (which I personally prefer). The enamel is smooth and slick and I immediately had high hopes for this pan.
The handle is made of stainless steel and feels very intentionally designed. The curvature of the handle design feels great in my hand. The handle is attached to the base with two grommets and feels very sturdy.
The length is perfect, short enough that a full skillet isn’t cumbersome, but long enough that my hand (or the handle) doesn’t get hot. This is important to me as I have absentmindedly grabbed a hot cast iron handle before. It’s a bad time. Take my word for it.
I like the styling of the straight sidewalls of the skillet and its overall design. It feels very clean-but-styled. After a quick hand wash, I was ready to test out the Maestro skillet.
What Is Cooking With The Maestro Skillet Like?
I’ve been cooking with this Maestro skillet for a few weeks, testing it out with different types of cooking – and it hasn’t let me down once.
I haven’t been delicate with it aside from handwashing it as advised. Even though hand washing dishes is my top personal kitchen ick, it’s fast and easy to clean the Maestro skillet as food just doesn’t stick to it.
I’ve used this pan in my everyday cooking on my gas stove and have had no issues with wear and tear or damage.
I do explicitly use silicone utensils (I highly recommend either silicone or wood utensils for everyone) and would tell you to never use metal utensils on your cookware. But especially on any enameled cookware like this skillet or a Dutch oven.
I have the space in my kitchen to store my pots and pans without stacking them (for the first time in my life) – if you store your pans stacked I highly recommend using a pan separator, thick paper plate, or dish towel between each pan to prevent them from scraping or chipping each other. We are going for a ‘no touching’ rule similar to those family road trip vacations.
I always start with a fried egg test when checking out a new fry pan because an egg is incredibly prone to giving you trouble when it comes to sticking and flipping – and because I like eggs.
I specifically like an over-medium egg, or as my momma calls them ‘dippy-toast eggs’ which is where the yolk isn’t runny but also isn’t quite firm either. My pickiness superior tastes are an excellent test of a pan’s heating abilities.
The Alva Maestro Ceramic Skillet Fried Eggs Test
I set the pan on my gas stove and turned my burner to medium-lowish to warm up the skillet. The Maestro skillet needs minimal oil to cook its best so a quick spray of Avocado oil was enough to get things going. Then I cracked an egg, (just one because it was 2PM) and that iconic sizzle let me know the magic was happening.
I typically use my favorite stainless steel skillet to make eggs, and honestly … The Maestro skillet is a new contender for my favorite egg pan. The Maestro pan heated up quickly and held the heat levels steady. Meaning my egg yolks can reach the perfect dippy toast level while my egg whites don’t get overcooked.
The egg literally glided around in the pan. I almost skipped using a spatula at all but I didn’t want to get too ahead of myself, I’m already multitasking here you know? After a minute or so on the flipped side, I tipped the pan and my egg slid right out.
Anti-stickiness score: 10/10. Truly non-stick properties without the weird chemicals.
The Alva Maestro Ceramic Skillet Seared Chicken Test
Many traditional nonstick pans can’t sear. They just can’t because of non-stick properties prevent food from getting that caramelized crisp. However, the Maestro skillet can sear. And it can do it wonderfully.
Once again I warmed up my skillet on medium heat, gave it a spritz of avocado oil (like the millennial that I am), and asked my husband to toss a raw chicken breast in the pan. (I cannot handle raw chicken because it 100% gives me the biggest ick. I’ll hand wash a sink full of soaked-overnight dirty dishes rather than touch raw chicken.
Anyway.
I achieved a beautiful sear on both sides of my chicken breast with a juicy interior cooked to a perfect 170* (we round up when it comes to food safety in my kitchen). The chicken was flavorful and the texture was perfection.
Sear score: 10/10. No complaints whatsoever. Also no picture for this test because the sun currently sets mid afternoon and it’s pitch black at like 5PM. (I have been personally victimized by daylight savings time.)
How to Clean an Alva Ceramic Skillet
Simply let the pan cool while enjoying your meal then quite literally give the skillet a few quick swipes with a soapy sponge. Done. I’ve never encountered any sticky food or gunk on the Maestro when using it but if you somehow do, avoid using any kind of scouring tools or harsh abrasives when cleaning the pan.
Alva Ceramic Skillet Pros:
Every piece of cookware will have pros and cons, but Alva is a solid choice with impressive perks:
- Tested and confirmed Nontoxic: The nonstick properties come from a ceramic coating, avoiding the use of dangerous chemicals like PFAS/PFOAs.
- Sustainable Practices: Alva has a strong commitment to sustainability, using recycled aluminum in their cookware production. The company operates efficiently, with 30% solar power and an in-house water filtration system to prevent water pollution.
- Thoughtful Packaging: Alva’s packaging reflects their commitment to sustainability, using minimal materials and avoiding single-use plastics. The smart cardboard packaging is designed to fit together without the need for glue or excessive plastic.
- Variety of Options: The Maestro collection offers a range of choices, including nonstick and stainless steel options in various sizes.
- Versatile Compatibility: The skillet is compatible with different cooktops, including ceramic, electric, gas, and induction stoves. It is also oven-safe up to 392°F, providing versatility in cooking methods.
- Efficient Heating: A three-layered encapsulated aluminum base offers quick and efficient heating. The thick body (4.7mm) retains heat effectively during cooking.
- Straight Side Design: The unique straight edge design increases the usable cooking surface by 20%.
- Comfortable Stainless Steel Handle: The well-designed stainless steel handle is comfortable to hold, even when the skillet is filled with ingredients.
- Quality Construction: The skillet is praised for its thickness, indicating high-quality construction. Despite its thickness, it maintains a manageable weight, contributing to ease of use.
- Easy to Clean: Reviewers (and myself) are happy with how easy the smooth enamel surface is to clean.
- Stylish Design: The skillet’s clean and styled design, including straight sidewalls, adds a touch of aesthetics to the cooking experience.
Alva Ceramic Skillet Cons:
No pan is perfect (so far), but the Maestro cons are totally subjective:
- The maestro skillet is hand wash only. While hand washing is easy due to the natural nonstick properties of the enamel coating, I’m just not into hand washing dishes.
- Although I personally enjoy the straight sides for more usable skillet space, some reviews mentioned that they prefer a curved pan edge.
- The handle is attached with grommets which some people may find annoying to clean.
How Does The Alva Signature Skillet Rate Online?
Alva cookware is primarily available for purchase directly from their website and on Amazon. Most reviews that I read are 5/5 level positive. Reviewers love that the pan looks and feels high quality, is nontoxic, and cooks like a dream.
“This saucepan has become one of the most used pans in my house. […] The pan heats pretty evenly and doesn’t have any spots that cause spot burning or problems. The handle stays pretty cool even when used on my gas stove for quite a while.
The pan cleans easily and I haven’t had any problems with stubborn stains or things getting cooked on. I’m in love with this little pan!” – Kim
Retailer | Rating | Reviews |
Amazon | 3.8 / 5 | 58 |
Wayfair | 5 / 5 | 8 |
Alva | 4.7 / 5 | 7 |
The negative reviews were all on Amazon (aside from one) and all mentioned damage in shipping. This seems to be more of a shipping issue than a product issue in my opinion. The one critical review on Alva.com is from a user who doesn’t prefer the straight sides of the pan design.
Who Makes Alva Cookware?
Alva is a family-owned and operated business Founded in Belgium and loved by chefs worldwide. Alva has a mix of manufacturing centers located in China and Belgium.
Is Alva Cookware Really Non-toxic?
I’m very skeptical when it comes to claims of nontoxic and eco-friendly products.
So many brands right now are guilty of greenwashing: basically when companies pretend to be more environmentally friendly than they really are. They make claims saying their products are super eco-friendly or made with recycled materials. For these companies, it’s more about looking good than actually doing good.
Alva isn’t one of them.
Not only do their products pass US standards, but they comply with the strict EU food contact standards as well as German, Italian, French, and Dutch food safety standards in addition to multiple tests confirming the absence of PFOA and PFOS.
These products really are free from toxins, safe, and sustainably made.
Is Alva Cookware Good?
From my personal experience with the Maestro pan, I say absolutely yes Alva cookware is high quality.
In today’s market, it is confusing and challenging to find truly non-toxic cookware, add in sustainability values and you’re even tighter on real options. The Alva nonstick pan is truly nonstick, is truly nontoxic, and is made with sustainable practices.
I would be thrilled to test out more of their products and may even find myself purchasing a few pieces to round out my personal collection. Alva is quality.
Where To Buy Alva Cookware?
The best place to buy your own Maestro skillet is via Amazon, Wayfair, or the Alva site.
The Alva site often has exclusive promotions like their Reviews for Discount program that offers 10% off in exchange for an honest review.
Do Alva Pots and Pans Have A Warranty?
Yes, all Alva aluminum cookware has a 10-year warranty that covers issues due to defective materials. If you overheat or damage your pan from improper use, you’re on your own (valid).
Is Alva Ceramic Cookware Worth It?
I think Alva is well worth the investment and would even say that it could serve as a foundational piece in your personal cookware set. You should go with Alva if you want:
- Non-toxic cookware that doesn’t stick
- Cookware that is made sustainably
- A sturdy but not overly heavy pan
However, this might not be the right cookware for you if you want:
- To toss your cookware in the dishwasher
- A grommet-less pan interior
- A pan with curved sides so you can attempt to flip food like a chef
This pan is perfectly named. Maestro is an Italian word that translates to “master” in English, commonly referring to someone highly skilled. I’ve successfully made eggs, seared chicken, sauteed veggies, made one-pot meals, and more in this skillet. Nothing stuck. Nothing.
The quality heavily outweighs the price point (and the competitors at this price point). Plus it is visually a beautiful pan. Maybe that shouldn’t matter, but to me it totally does. I want to feel like a pro chef when I’m cooking like one. The Maestro is becoming my go-to skillet.