Copper Cookware: Worth The Hype?

Copper pots and pans are beautiful, but are they worth the high price tag? Copper is a naturally-occurring, highly-conductive metal that's very responsive to heat changes. It's twice as conductive as aluminium and 10 times more conductive than stainless steel. This makes it perfect for cooking foods that require steady heat and precise temperature control, like a high sear or quick simmer. It's also naturally antimicrobial, so germs and bacteria can't survive on the surface. However, copper is high maintenance and requires handwashing and frequent polishing to prevent oxidisation. It's also not ideal for everyday cooking as it heats up and cools down quickly, which can cause heat retention issues for many recipes. So, are copper pots and pans actually better? The answer is yes and no.

Copper is highly conductive and responsive to heat changes

Copper is a highly conductive metal that's very responsive to heat changes. It's twice as conductive as aluminium and ten times more conductive than stainless steel. This makes it perfect for cooking foods that require steady heat and precise temperature control, such as a high sear or quick simmer.

Copper pans heat up and cool down very quickly, which gives cooks incredible control. This is especially useful for cooking delicate foods such as fish, finishing sauces, caramels, and emulsions. The even heat distribution of copper pans also means that there are no hot or cold spots, so food cooks evenly.

Copper's responsiveness to heat means that it can heat up food fast and then quickly lose that heat when the temperature is lowered. This is in contrast to other materials such as stainless steel or aluminium, which take a long time to heat up and then retain that heat, potentially overcooking or burning food.

Because of its conductivity and responsiveness, copper is the cookware of choice for many professional chefs and serious home cooks. However, it is also high maintenance and requires handwashing and frequent polishing to prevent oxidisation.

Copper cookware is lined with non-reactive metals

Traditionally, copper cookware was lined with tin. Tin is a pure element and is inert, non-stick, and doesn't react with acidic foods. However, tin has a low melting point of around 450°F (230°C) and can be worn away over time or damaged with metal utensils and abrasive scrubbing. Tin-lined copper cookware should never be preheated while empty and should not be used for very high-heat searing. Tin-lined copper cookware will eventually need re-tinning.

More modern copper cookware is often lined with stainless steel, which offers more durability. However, food sticks to stainless steel more easily and if the lining becomes decoupled from the copper shell, it is difficult to fix.

Other linings used include nickel and silver. Nickel lining was briefly popular in the '90s, while silver is an excellent heat conductor and is supposedly very non-stick, although it is expensive.

In some cases, copper cookware is not lined at all. Jam pots and egg white whipping bowls, for example, rely on copper's reactiveness for their intended use.

Copper is expensive

Copper is in high demand because it is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. It is widely used in construction, renewable energy applications, electronics, transport, pipes, motors, semiconductors, and more. Demand for copper is rising exponentially, driven by new industries, urbanisation, construction booms, and billions of electronic devices.

At the same time, copper supply is tightening. Copper discoveries are down, with analysis showing a downward trend in new copper discoveries over the last decade. The world's largest copper mines are facing depleting high-grade copper resources, and copper mining and refining activities have not kept up with the rebound in economic activity following the pandemic.

The high demand and limited supply of copper have resulted in increased prices. The price of a single copper pot typically starts at $100, and a full set can easily cost thousands of dollars.

Copper is high-maintenance

Copper cookware is high-maintenance and requires proper maintenance, which demands time, patience, and know-how. This maintenance includes cleaning and polishing the copperware after every use to prevent oxidization and the formation of a green patina. It is not dishwasher-safe and must be hand-washed with vinegar and baking soda.

Copper cookware is also sensitive to high temperatures, and it is recommended to use half the heat or flame that would be used with a non-copper pan. For example, if cooking eggs on medium-high heat in a stainless-steel skillet, the same should be cooked on medium-low heat in a copper pan. This is because copper is an excellent conductor of heat and can quickly reach high temperatures that may damage the pan's lining. Therefore, copper pans should not be preheated or used for "dry heat" tasks such as toasting rice.

The tin lining in copper pans is soft and melts at around 450°F (230°C). Hence, copper pans should not be used for cooking recipes that require very high heat, such as searing steaks and meat. Instead, cast iron, aluminum, or stainless steel pans are more suitable for such tasks. Additionally, copper pans should not be placed in an oven above 325°F due to temperature fluctuations.

Copper pans are also reactive to certain foods and should not be used for cooking highly acidic or salty foods as they can corrode the pan over time. It is important to avoid using metal utensils or abrasive scrubbing pads on the tin lining as they can scratch and damage the soft lining, leading to quicker degradation.

Overall, while copper cookware offers superior heat conductivity and even cooking, it requires careful handling and maintenance to preserve its functionality and appearance.

Copper is naturally antimicrobial

Copper's antimicrobial properties are still under active investigation, with scientists researching the various mechanisms by which it can destroy a wide range of microorganisms that threaten public health. One of the ways in which copper achieves this is by altering the 3-dimensional structure of proteins, rendering them unable to perform their normal functions, and thereby causing the inactivation of bacteria or viruses.

Copper alloys, such as brass, also have antimicrobial properties, although they may take longer to act than pure copper. In addition, copper surfaces have been found to be more effective than stainless steel in killing certain bacteria, such as E. coli O157:H7, which is a highly infectious pathogen.

Frequently asked questions