Cooking with copper pots and pans has been popular for generations. There’s something about the romance of walking into a kitchen loaded with copper. There are ways, though, to incorporate the benefits of cooking with copper into the modern kitchen. This post looks at the best copper cookware sets for your home, including what to consider before making the purchase.
*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Best Copper Pan Sets for 2023
When it comes to where to buy copper cookware, we recommend using Amazon. This is for a few reasons. First, they have a wide variety of every type of products for your home.
Second, we try to recommend products that are part of Amazon Prime, which provides purchasers with free and often super-fast delivery. (Get 30 days of Prime free here.) Almost all of our recommended cookware sets are Amazon Prime products.
I include full reviews of our recommended best-rated copper cooking sets below. But, if you are short on time, included in the table below are all of our recommendations for the best cookware sets. This is helpful if you are short on time.
Copper Cookware Benefits
For some, it’s shiny new jewels. For others, a shiny new sports car. But for food lovers and home cooks, there’s nothing like a brand-new set of shiny copper cookware. While the shine might draw people in, there are a lot of benefits to cooking with copper cookware.
Heat Conductivity
Copper has some of the best heat conductivity of any material used for cookware. This not only makes the pot or pan hot, but it evenly distributes the heat. This prevents uneven cooking.
This is particularly true when cooking sauces. This is why using one of the best copper saucepans can really transform your cooking. There is less of a chance of the sauce burning when using a copper saucepan.
One “side effect” of copper’s high conductivity is discoloration. Much like a good quality leather bag, copper cookware over time will develop a natural patina. This isn’t something to be concerned with, it’s just what happens over time. Many people will try to remove this aging, but don’t! The blemishes that appear on the cookware naturally result from the reaction of the copper to the high-temperature cooking surface.
Health Benefits
I would never assume that a type of pot or pan could provide health benefits. That was until I started to research copper pots. Copper does not react with the ingredients as you cook them. This is why cooking with copper can improve the health of your food.
Weight And Durability
Quality copper cookware has a little bit of heft to it. Unlike cheaper aluminum, it will not slide out of your hands or easily be knocked around in the kitchen.
Many copper pans have a heavy bottom and a durable handle making them feel weighty in the hand. This weight also lets you know you are cooking with quality material.
Efficiency
Because copper cookware conducts heat well, there is actually less of an environmental impact in using it. By being more efficient you can actually use less heat to cook your meals. There is no need to pre-heat copper cookware as long as you need to for other types of cookware as well.
Decor
I am not going to deny that copper cookware can also be a central part of your kitchen decor. This is why I became infatuated with copper, to begin with.
Not only do I love the look of copper cookware in a professional kitchen, but there is something about the romance of copper pots and pans dangling from the walls or the ceiling in an old farmhouse kitchen.
Much like quality leather, copper looks shiny and lovely when new. Over time, though, this shine gives way to a patina. The copper doesn’t look as shiny, but the pans can last a long time and still look lovely as they age.
It gives a little bit of character to your kitchen and is one of the reasons why I fell in love with this type of cookware.
Reviews Of The Best Copper Cookware Sets
Included below are a variety of options. Not only is there pure copper cookware but there are options for copper to be incorporated into a cookware set.
This includes stainless steel cookware with a copper bottom and stainless steel cookware with a copper core. Both of these options offer the ease of stainless steel cookware with the benefits of cooking with copper.
ALL-CLAD COPPER CORE
Although not copper in color, the All-Clad Stainless Steel Copper Core 5-Ply Cookware Set is a top-notch product that includes the heat conductivity of copper with the convenience of other types of cookware.
It includes 5-ply bonded construction, meaning it is stainless steel and aluminum cookware with a thick copper core. This means it provides even heating and is super responsive for cooking. The interior of each pot and pan is made with 18/10 stainless steel which makes it non-stick and easy to maintain.
The handles are made with riveted stainless steel. This set includes two frying pans, two saucepans with lids, a saute pan with a lid, and a stockpot with a lid.
The 10-piece set includes an 8-inch and 10-inch frying pan, 2-quart and 3-quart covered saucepans, 3-quart covered saute pan, and an 8-quart covered stockpot. It is dishwasher safe and oven safe up to 600F. It’s probably the best copper-core cookware on the market.
Pros:
- Can be used on the stove top and is oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees
- Dishwasher safe
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Made in the USA
- Also comes in a 7 piece set and a 14 piece set
VIKING CULINARY COPPER CLAD COOKWARE SET
The Viking Culinary copper clad cookware set features an aluminum alloy core between a durable copper exterior and a stick-resistant stainless steel interior.
These three metal layers combined provide a superior cooking experience. Thorough heat transfer is provided by the aluminum core, while the outer copper layer heats evenly. This makes Viking one of the best copper pans available on the market.
The pans are oven-safe up to 500° Fahrenheit. Stay cool handles allow for the safe and easy transfer from stovetop to oven to table.
The set includes an 8-quart stock pot with lid, 5 quarts sauté pan with lid, 2.25 quart and 3 quart saucepans with lids, as well as an 8-inch and 10-inch fry pans
Pros:
- 3 ply stainless steel with hammered copper
- Consistent heat transfer
- Oven safe up to 500F
MAUVIEL COPPER COOKWARE SET
French manufacturer Mauviel is one of the leaders in kitchen cookware and one of the best copper cookware brands. This Mauviel Copper Cookware Set is made of copper and stainless construction with 90% copper on the exterior and 10% 18/10 stainless steel on the interior.
The 9 piece Mauviel copper pans set includes a 10.2-inch skillet, 1.9-quart saucepan with lid, 2.6-quart saucepan with lid, 3.2-quart saute pan with lid, 6.4-quart stock pot with lid, and a bonus 5-ounce Copperbrill Copper Cleaner.
The 2.5-mm thick copper provides unsurpassed heat conductivity and distribution across the cooking surface. This set works on a variety of stove tops including gas, electric, and halogen.
Oven safe for temperatures up to 500°F, this set is not safe to use on induction stovetops. Hand wash with soap and water only. The nine-piece set comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
Pros:
- See the 12 piece cookware set here
- Oven safe up to 500F
- One of the top French copper cookware brands
LAGOSTINA MARTELLATA HAMMERED COPPER COOKWARE
Lagostina Martellata is probably not as much of a household name as All-Clad or Calphalon, but they have a reputation for quality kitchenware. An Italian company, founded in Italy in 1901, they specialize in stainless steel cookware.
Although this cooking set is not made of 100% copper, it falls within the copper category because includes a copper exterior to aid in cooking and heat distribution. The Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper Cookware Set includes an aluminum core set between two layers of stainless steel. This is all set in a hammered copper exterior to increase heat conductivity.
It includes stay-cook handles for easy cooking and flared edges to make it easy to pour from the pot. The hammered copper pots and pans set includes an 8-inch and a 10-inch copper skillet, a 2-quart and 3-quart saucepan with lids, a 3-quart saute pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid, which is a little smaller than the All-Clad cookware sets.
Pros:
- Try-ply construction with a stainless steel interior, aluminum core, and hammered copper exterior
- Oven safe to 500F
- An almost antique copper cookware look
RUFFONI SYMPHONIA PRIMA COOKWARE
If looking for a professional copper cookware set look no further than Ruffoni. Ruffoni is one of the best brands for cookware including copper. They produce their hand-hammered copper cookware in Italy. The Ruffoni Symphonia Prima Stainless Steel Triply Copper Cookware Set combines traditional Italian copper cookware craftsmanship with culinary performance.
Perfect for professional chefs and home cooks, the Ruffoni copper cookware set is the ultimate gourmet cookware. Each piece is made with a copper-wrapped aluminum core for extraordinary heat conduction. A bonded stainless steel interior ensures durability and effortless cleanup.
Each of the handmade copper pots in the set features mirror-finished cast stainless steel handles with stamped copper signets. Stainless steel lids accompany each covered piece. Oven-safe to 450°F and suitable for all cooktops except induction.
Pros:
- Handcrafted hammered copper cookware
- Made in Italy
- Oven safe to 450F
T-FAL STAINLESS STEEL COPPER BOTTOM COOKWARE
For over half a century, T-fal has been manufacturing high-performing and user-friendly cookware. The T-fal Ultimate Stainless Steel Copper Bottom Cookware Set is a great option for home chefs looking for a quality cookware at a good price.
Each piece features a heavy gauge base consisting of multiple layers of copper, stainless steel, and aluminum. This combination provides for fast and even heat distribution across the cooking surface. The set comes with riveted stainless steel handles that are secure and ergonomically designed for comfort.
The 13 pieces stainless steel copper bottom cookware set comes with an 8 inch fry pan, 10.5 inch fry pan, 12 inch fry pan with lid, 1-quart saucepan with lid, 2-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saucepan with lid, and a 5 quart Dutch Oven with lid and stainless steel steamer.
The T-fal set works on all cooktops, including induction. It’s oven-safe up to 500°F. Dishwasher safe, the set comes with a lifetime limited warranty.
Pros:
- Works on induction cooktops
- Good option when wanting the benefits of copper cookware at a great value
- Best copper bottom cookware at this price
CALPHALON T10 TRI-PLY COPPER
The Calphalon T10 Tri-Ply Copper 10 Piece Set includes a copper exterior paired with an aluminum inner core. The copper exterior helps with heat conductivity and more precise cooking. But the stainless steel interior offers an easier cooking surface.
We cooked with Calphalon for years when living in the US and can’t recommend it enough. If you are looking for the look of copper cookware and heat connectivity, this is a great cookware set at this price.
The set includes all the necessary pieces for a complete kitchen: 8-inch and 10-inch omelet pans, a 3-quart covered sauté pan, a 6-quart covered saucepan, and 1-1/2- and 2-1/2-quart covered saucepans.
This Calphalon copper cookware can be used on gas, electric, glass, or halogen cookware. This cookware should be hand washed but is safe in the oven up to 400F.
Pros:
- A great way to get the heat conductivity of copper at a good value
- Dishwasher safe
- Oven safe up to 500F
History of Copper Cookware
More people are becoming interested in using copper cookware at home. It can be an investment, but it is possibly one of the best investments to make if you have an interest in becoming a proper home chef.
Copper is one of the oldest materials used to make cookware. But, in recent decades, aluminum and steel took over. This is mostly because they are less expensive, but this can also mean it is cheap cookware. People are also becoming concerned about Teflon and other non-stick coating and what this can do to your food.
In recent years, copper cookware has had a bit of a resurgence. Although some of the products above are 100% copper, a lot of companies started to incorporate the benefits of copper into unique cooking systems.
Why Professionals Use Copper Cookware
There are a few reasons why chefs and kitchen professionals use copper cookware in their kitchens. Copper is great when it comes to heat conductivity. This means it distributes the heat evenly across the pan.
This means there are fewer hotspots that lead to uneven cooking or even burning. It also is efficient and doesn’t need as long to heat up before using it.
But what professional chefs love about copper leads many home chefs to wonder whether copper cookware is safe in the first place. This is entirely understandable.
Looking for other options for cookware? Check out these posts:
The Best Professional Cookware Sets
Tips For Cleaning Copper Cookware
Although some copper cookware brands will say they are dishwasher safe, we recommend only hand washing your cookware.
Over the years, we’ve owned really nice cookware and we’ve often supplemented it with stuff from Ikea. There is nothing wrong with Ikea cookware. It serves its purpose.
Our kitchen rule is anything purchased from Ikea can go in the dishwasher. Everything else gets hand-washed. This includes our quality knives, our Le Creuset cookware, and more! The same goes for high-quality copper pots and pans.
What Do You Need For Cleaning Copper Pans
It’s important to use the right kind of cleaning products. This includes warm, but not super-hot, water. This also includes non-abrasive dishwashing soap as well as a copper cleaner.
It’s also important to use a sponge or some sort of non-abrasive scrubber. Also, have on hand a dry dish towel or soft rag. It’s important to dry your pots and pans before putting them away.
Is It Necessary To Buy A Copper Cleanser?
I always hesitate to give people hard and fast rules to say you must do this or that. But, a good copper cleaner can be a great investment and help to keep your copper cookware clean longer. After using a copper cleaner, be sure to have a soft fish towel ready to dry the cookware immediately. This will also help you to buff the cookware until it shines.
We recommend Bar Keepers Friend for your copper cookware. It’s important to look for a cleaner that can be used on cookware to ensure it is safe.
See our other cookware reviews:
Best Cookware For An Induction Cooktop
The Best Professional Cookware Sets For Your Home
The 7 Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets
FAQs-Choosing the Best Copper Cookware
Yes. Cooper cookware, so long as it is coated with a non-reactive metal, is 100% safe to cook with. Most of the best copper cookware sets use stainless steel on the actual cooking surface.
There’s no getting around the fact that professional copper cookware is expensive. These sets, while expensive need to be looked at as a long-term investment. A high-quality copper cookware set can easily last over 10 years. This is why many professional chefs prefer using copper cookware.
Ruffoni, Lagostina, and Cuisinart are all highly regarded makers of copper cookware. Many say that French copper cookware brands like Matfer Bourgeat and Mauviel are the best of the best.
100% yes. Many professional chefs use copper cookware. This is due to copper being a great conductor of heat and durability of copper.
Copper and stainless steel are two of the most popular types of cookware used by chefs and home cooks. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages but it’s not accurate to say one is better than the other. Copper pans have been used longer than stainless steel. They are also more expensive. Therefore, most home cooks use stainless steel.
How We Review And Rate Products ⭐️
We only recommend brands we trust. We try to recommend kitchen products we’ve owned or used personally and we offer alternatives. We choose these alternative products based on recommendations from other food bloggers and chefs, sommeliers, and winemakers.
We conduct thorough research on the company, how the products are made, and whether they are a good value for home chefs. This allows us to offer competitive analysis, provide pros and cons of various products, and ensure you are purchasing quality products for your home.
- Some of the kitchen brands we love the most include 360 Cookware, UnoCasa, Calphalon, Ninja, and Instant Pot.
- For wine and drink products, we love Wine Enthusiast, VinGarde, and Danby.
- We often recommend purchasing products from Amazon because of the variety of kitchen and homeware brands they carry.
- Sometimes, we recommend buying a product directly from the manufacturer when we know it’s a brand we trust.
Learn more here.