In life, there are things you can buy in a heartbeat without any kind of consideration and use over and over again with excellent results.
Good cookware is not one of said things, so here are a few tips to help you find the best copper cookware for you.
It’s hard to oversell the importance of cookware. After all, it’s what we use to cook our food which means that it not only gets used frequently but it also can have an impact on our health.
This is the reason why the market is full of various kinds of cookware sets made out of dozens of different materials, as well as the reason why you should take your time to choose a best copper cookware set that fits your needs.
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Things To Consider To Find The Best Copper Cookware Set
When it comes to cookware, there are certain things you need to keep in mind.
These elements can make the difference between a cookware set that you can use for years with excellent results or ones that will ruin your food more often than not.
Heat Conduction
As you can imagine, heat conduction refers to how good is a material at heating up or cooling down when placed on the burners.
Think of it this way. A highly conductive material will heat up fast and will be very responsive to temperature changes which means that, when a recipe calls for going from high heat to low heat, you’ll be able to do so with no complications.
A material with poor conductivity, on the other hand, will take a while to heat up and a while to cool down which means that, when it’s time to switch from high heat to low heat the cookware won’t react fast enough and you’re at risk of overcooking your food.
Aluminum, copper and stainless steel are very good heat conductors, with copper taking the crown for most conductive material out there.
Heating Elements
Simply put, heating elements describe not only the kind of materials used to heat up the cookware but the way it’s placed in order to maximize the heat conductivity factor.
Think of it as the metal spiral that’s located at the bottom of your cookware:
Cookware with small heating elements located at the bottom will concentrate all the heat at the center.
Cookware with larger heating elements or heating elements that go up to the sides of the pots and pans will distribute heat more effectively and evenly, resulting in overall better results.
Reactivity
Reactivity refers to the chemical reactions certain metals go through when in contact with certain foods.
These chemical reactions can change the taste, looks or even properties of what you’re cooking.
Curiously enough, most highly conductive materials are also highly reactive, which is why quality cookware manufacturers often use more than one material when creating their wares.
For example, they might use an aluminum or copper base to exploit the excellent heat conductive properties of those metals while coating the cooking surface with Teflon or ceramic in order to minimize the reactivity of the cookware sets.
As you can see, copper is an excellent material for cookware, despite the fact that it’s expensive and high maintenance which means that, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to keep it in top shape, copper cookware is amongst the best investments you’ll ever do in your life.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the following top 5 best copper cookware sets so you can know when to start when you decide it’s time to make the switch to copper.
BEST COPPER COOKWARE REVIEWS
1. Lagostina Q554SA64 Tri-ply Hammered Stainless Steel Copper Cookware Set
via Amazon.com
This is an excellent option for those looking to purchase a cooper cookware set without breaking the bank.
The reason behind this is the fact that the Langostina Q554SA64 set is made mostly with stainless steel with an aluminum, copper alloy on the exterior that helps with heat distribution and an accurate temperature control.
Because of this, this set requires considerably less maintenance than sets made almost entirely from cookware. You can even go as far as to use metal utensils as it won’t scratch as easily as pure copper cookware sets.
That said, because this isn’t actually made with copper it does have some downsides compared to other sets.
For starters, it’s quite light, which isn’t necessarily bad unless you’re looking for that weighty feel that’s expected from copper cookware. While the heat conduction is good, it pales in comparison with other copper sets but this can be glossed over if you’re not interested in top of the notch heat conduction.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Requires less maintenance that other copper cookware sets.
- Good heat conduction
Cons:
- Not actually made with copper but rather an aluminum, stainless steel, copper alloy.
- Doesn’t conduct heat as well as other copper sets.
- Very light, moves around too easily compared to purely copper sets.
via Amazon.com
This is another great option for people who are looking for a way to enjoy some of the benefits of copper without necessarily spending hundredths of bucks while doing it.
The T-FAL C836SC is an aluminum set with a copper bottom that ensures great heat conductivity thanks to the metals used in its creation.
Regardless, you won’t be getting the same conductivity as with a pure copper set but if that’s okay with you then this is a set that’s definitely worth looking at.
Because the copper elements are only then to ensure better heat transfer capabilities there’s barely any of it which means that you won’t have to give this set extra maintenance but it also mean you’re just getting a taste from the real copper experience.
This set is very lightweight and feels rather flimsy, the instruments provided are aluminum as well and they do have a “toy-like” feel to them that might bother some people. Ultimately, however, this is a rather solid set for the value and one you should absolutely consider.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Good heat conductivity
- Comes with accessories
Cons:
- Not an actual copper set. Has a minimal copper content located on the bottom only as a heating element.
- Feels rather flimsy compared to other copper sets. The accessories provided are rather flimsy and “toy-like” in their quality.
via Amazon.com
If you’re willing to spend more on a cookware set that’s capable of replicating most, if not all, of the effects of copper then you should consider the Amoretti Brothers’ Set.
This tin cookware is lined with 2 milimeters of copper which allows a speedy and effective heat transmission that will cook your food in no time. While this thickness isn’t ideal, particularly compared with cookware sets with higher prices, it does the job nicely as long as you’re not cooking delicate recipes.
This set was built to last, with a double layer of thin, thick and strong feeling handles and solid copper lining which means that, while more expensive than the previous two sets it’s going to last longer.
This is also a gorgeous set and you can tell extra attention was directed to the handcrafted handles, made out of bronze in order to stay cooler than the rest of the cookware and allow you to handle it securely and without risk to your safety.
Unfortunately, these handles are rather hard to clean properly and add more steps to the already lengthy list of maintenance requirements that comes with this set.
However, that’s a rather small downside when you consider the overall great performance of this particular set.
Pros:
- Looks absolutely beautiful
- Is built to last
- Feels solid and has a good weight to it
- Copper lined tin cookware ensures good heat conductivity
Cons:
- Requires regular maintenance, which is complicated by the handles because they’re not only hard to clean but require a different kind of maintenance than the copper lining.
- The 2-milimiter copper lining, while useful, doesn’t live up to the standards set by higher quality, higher copper content sets.
via Amazon.com
This is a wonderful cookware set that’s made with an aluminum core and a solid copper exterior. This combination makes it highly conductive which means you’ll be able to cook recipes that are sensitive to temperature changes.
Thanks to the aluminum copper combination, this set lacks the reactivity that copper sets are known for which means you’ll be able to cook just about anything in them. Yes, that includes eggs and tomatoes. (Though you might still want to season this set to maximize the non-stick factor, particularly when it comes to cooking eggs)
Another great thing about this set is the fact that it’s oven friendly and relatively easy to clean and care for… for a copper cookware set that is. (This means you’ll still have to hand wash, hand dry and polish every now and then)
This set has a solid weight to it that speaks about the quality of the materials used on them which makes the fact that this set is gorgeous to look at even more relevant because you can tell no expenses were spared when creating this gorgeous cookware set.
Pros:
- High heat conductivity
- Made with great materials
- Sturdy and well made
- Oven friendly
- Looks amazing
Cons:
- Requires a lot of maintenance
- Small pots and pans
via Amazon.com
This is one of the most trusted cookware brands around the world so it stands to reason this set is one of the best copper cookware sets out there.
This 8-piece collection, which includes casserole dishes, saucepans, sauté pans and braziers is lined with 2.5 millimeters of copper that gives them great heat conductivity and a weighty, solid feel.
This set is lined with 18/10 stainless steel that eliminates the reactivity of copper and makes this set one of the most trusted by professional chefs around the world.
Another great aspect of this set are the cast iron handles which allow you to easily move around the pots and pans by giving you a solid grip on them but, bear in mind that the fact that the handles are cast iron means they heat up a lot so you might not want to grab them with your bare hands.
As you can imagine, this is a rather pricey set so consider it only if you’re willing to make a hefty investment on your kitchen.
Pros:
- Made with high quality materials
- Solid weight and sturdy feel
- Cast iron handles that make handling easier
- Looks amazing
Cons:
- While it’s better suited for professional chefs than for casual cooking enthusiasts, some chefs believe it lacks enough variety to cover all kinds of needs.
Advantages of Copper Cookware Set
Thanks to its heat conductivity, copper cookware is often used by professional chefs and experts. Hot spots, overcooking and undercooking is unheard of when it comes to copper cookware as they change temperature almost as fast as your stove top itself.
Because of this, cookware is an excellent option for braising and browning food.
Another good advantage of copper is its solid built and heavy weight. This is the kind of cookware that won’t move around on the stove and that will take a banging even if you’re not careful with them.
Finally, copper cookware are amongst the most aesthetically pleasing out there which explains why kitchens that use copper cookware often ‘store them’ by hanging them from the walls in plain sight instead of hiding them away; Copper cookware adds visual appeal in ways no other cookware can.
Here are some reviews of the best copper pans the market has offered:
Disadvantages of Copper Cookware Set
As we mentioned before, copper is a highly reactive material which means that you can’t get a cookware set made entirely out of copper. It’s a bad idea.
Because of this, manufacturers will often line their copper cookware with tin, stainless steel and even ceramic.
Tin-lined copper cookware is the most affordable of the bunch but that’s because tin wears out quite fast which means that you’ll have to replace your copper cookware much sooner than expected.
Stainless steel and ceramic lined cookware sets are considerably more expensive but will last you for longer.
Regardless of what copper cookware is lined with, it needs to be polished frequently to prevent any corrosion. To prevent any damage, copper cookware should always be hand washed and hand dried.