The Best Copper Frying Pans (Reviewed 2024)
homedude is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, We may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Copper is one of the oldest materials on the planet to be used for cooking. However, it retained its untouchable value as one of the most prized materials in the cookware industry due to its excellent heat conducting and distributing properties.
If you want to buy the best copper frying pans to enjoy an evenly cooked meal every time, this article will help you make the right choice.
Today, I’ll showcase 7 of the best copper fry pan options that come at various prices and features. So without further ado, let’s dive right in!
Top 7 Copper Frying Pans On The Market
1. Best Overall – Copper Chef 3-Piece Non-Stick Fry Pan Set
- Dishwasher safe
- Comes with Cerami-Tech (no-stick)
- Durable 5-layer construction
Kicking off the list with one with a great frying pan set from Copper Chef. What makes this option great is that it’s composed of 3 pans of different sizes to suit all of your cooking needs.
The pans have a copper exterior, which is excellent for heat conduction and even cooking. They’re also coated with Copper Chef’s Cerami-tech coating, which prevents food from sticking to them for easy cooking and cleaning.
The aluminum construction of the pans also gives them a remarkable level of strength and durability against warping or cracking.
Another great aspect of the frying pan set is that despite having a copper exterior, the pans are induction-ready.
This is possible thanks to the magnetic stainless steel base that allows you to use the frying pans in almost all cooktop surfaces, whether they’re induction, gas, and electric stoves.
Moreover, they feature riveted stainless steel handles that allow them to go into ovens, and they have a very high heat resistance of 850 degrees F.
Pros
- The package features 3 different pan sizes to meet all cooking purposes
- Induction ready with a magnetic stainless steel base plate
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a lid
2. Our 2nd Favorite – All-Clad Copper Core Fry Pan
- Made in the U.S.A.
- 4 layers of stainless steel + thick copper core
- Super stick resistant exterior
The founder of All-Clad is John Ulam, who also happens to be the one who discovered the metal bonding and cladding process between stainless steel and aluminum, so it’s clear that the folks at All-Clad are top-level experts in copper core pans.
In fact, this particular fry pan is one of the most successful lines in the company’s history. What makes this frying pan a favorite among many professionals is that it combines the superiority of copper with the convenience of stainless steel.
The copper core transfers heat and spreads it evenly and precisely throughout the entire surface of the pan while the stainless steel exterior makes it extremely easy to handle, maintain, and clean.
Pros
- Excellent cooking performance and heat control
- Broiler and oven safe up to 600+ degrees F
- The 5 ply construction also makes it compatible with all kinds of stovetops
Cons
- A bit pricey
3. Premium Pick – Mauviel M’Heritage M250C Copper Round Frying Pan
- Made in France
- Guaranteed for life*
- Pan handle stays cool
- 100% copper body-bonded
If you don’t mind going fancy all the way, here’s an ultra premium frying pan that is popular among professional chefs.
The Mauviel M’Heritage M250C frying pan offers superior functionality and quality, which justifies the hefty price tag they’re set at.
The first impression while using this frying pan is that it’s a bit heavier than other frying pans of comparable size. This is because it has a 2.5 mm copper clad rather than the commonly used 1.5 mm copper in other frying pans.
Of course, this also adds to its longevity, as the Mauviel frying pans are known to last for a lifetime. The pan is made of pure copper and bonded with a layer of stainless steel that makes the frying pan more versatile and much easier to maintain.
* Guaranteed against manufacturing defects.
Pros
- Superior cooking performance and control
- Comes with a lifetime warranty
- Compatible with most cooking surfaces
Cons
- Premium price tag
4. Best Hammered Copper Pan – Gotham Steel Hammered 10” Nonstick Fry Pan With Lid
- Non-stick coating
- Comes with lid
- Induction and oven-safe
Gotham Steel is a reputable brand that specializes in making advanced nonstick cookware with some great products on the market.
This copper frying pan is made primarily with hammered copper, which serves both an aesthetic and functional advantage, as hammered copper is known to be extremely durable while distributing heat evenly.
The interior of the frying pans is lined with a TI-Cerama coating, which improves the non-sticking properties of the pan and makes it easier to cook and clean.
According to the manufacturers, this one is tested to outperform regular ceramic coating and should last twice as long!
The frying pan also comes in a variety of additional options, such as 12 inches frying pans as well as stock pots and saucepans of different sizes. All of them come with glass lids and metal handles to make them oven-ready.
Pros
- The hammered design makes them durable and stylish
- Available in a full set option
- Compatible with induction stoves
Cons
- The handles are a little bit flimsy
5. Best Copper Ceramic Coated Pan – Home Hero Copper Frying Pan Skillet With Lid
- Comes with a tempered glass lid
- Large induction base for even heat distribution
- Easy to clean
Copper frying pans are quite expensive. However, the copper-ceramic coating is a much more affordable alternative that still offers decent heat distribution and evenly cooked goodies!
The Home Hero Copper frying pan is a heavy-duty yet quite affordable frying pan. It’s available in both orange and grey as exterior color options. As for the interior, it has a copper ceramic lining that withstands heavy use and has excellent nonstick properties.
Another reason why this skillet/frying pan is quite durable is because of the 2.8 mm thick aluminum, which enhances the product’s durability against chipping and warping.
The pan comes with a tempered glass lid and large stainless steel handles that are both oven and dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Combines between copper’s conductivity and aluminum’s efficiency
- Features a tempered glass lid
- Open and dishwasher safe
Cons
- The handles might heat up a bit
6. Best Square Pan – Red Copper Dance Copper-Infused Ceramic Square Pan
- Copper infused ceramic
- Square design for greater cooking surface
- Will not scratch
Square-shaped pans allow you to place up to 25% more food in your pan in a single go compared to round ones.
If you’re looking for a copper square pan for efficiency, you might want to give the Red Copper Dance Square pan a try!
This frying pan features a premium nonstick copper infused ceramic surface with extra scratch resistance to last you a long time.
Meanwhile, the construction of the frying pans doesn’t include any controversial materials, such as PTFE, PFOA, or PFOS.
Pros
- The square design offers a more spacious interior
- Free of controversial materials
- Comes with a recipe guide
Cons
- The square lid is sold separately
7. Budget-Friendly Option – Copper Chef 8 Inch Non-Stick Fry Pan
- Heavy-duty aluminum construction
- Stainless steel induction plate
- Oven-safe design
This highly affordable option is also from Copper Chef. The frying pan here is 8 inches in diameter, which is suitable for cooking medium-sized meals.
The frying pan core is made of hard-anodized aluminum, which guarantees a superior level of durability and ruggedness even with continuous use.
The pan’s interior is lined with ceramic-tech coating, which allows the food to slide right off without needing to spray the pan with oil before cooking
Another bonus is that copper frying pans are designed to work on induction stoves, thanks to their stainless steel base plate design at the bottom of the pan!
The pans have riveted die casting stainless steel handles, which are durable but can get quite hot to touch.
However, it also means that you can use the pan both on stovetops as well as ovens up to 850 degrees F.
Pros
- Durable construction
- Can be used in ovens and induction stoves
- Affordable price
Cons
- A bit tricky while cleaning
Why Go For A Copper Frying Pan?
Despite being quite pricey, a lot of people and professional chefs use copper frying pans regularly.
Here’s a brief overview of some of the benefits and advantages you’ll enjoy by opting for a copper frying pan:
1. Great Conductor of Heat: Copper is capable of conducting the heat better and quicker than almost all other materials used in making cooking utensils. This includes stainless steel, aluminum, cast iron, ceramic, and more!
2. Stable and Balanced on Stovetops: A copper frying panmight be a little heavier than aluminum. However, it’s still lightweight and balanced enough to sit steadily on stove tops without tipping off.
3. Even Distribution of Heat: In addition to the brilliant heat conduction properties, copper also distributes the heat evenly across the cooking surface, which eliminates cold and hot spots that cause over and undercooking.
4. Long Lifespan When Made Right: Copper is a high maintenance material but it’ll last for ages and shine brilliantly if treated with proper care.
5. Aesthetically Pleasing, Especially for Antiques Lovers: Copper cookware is always an eye-catcher and has a unique beauty that’s second to none! A lot of aluminum and stainless steel pans are painted with reddish-brown to give off this impressive look.
Things To Keep In Mind While Shopping For A Copper Frying Pan
Copper frying pans aren’t created equal. They differ in composition, features, properties, and more!
In this section, I’ll provide you with a quick guide to help you pick the most suitable copper frying pan for your needs
Lining Material
At first thought, you might think that a copper frying pan is a term that describes frying pans that are exclusively made of copper.
However, there’s a variety of other materials that will be typically used while making a copper frying pan, especially for the lining and coating. Let’s check them out:
Bare Copper
Contrary to what you might think, the bare copper lining is the most inexpensive and the least desirable type of lining out there. This is because most health organizations will recommend against using them.
Copper will easily react with food at high heat, especially acidic ones like tomato sauces and vinegar-based dishes.
Also, copper in bare form can leach into food, which can be hazardous to our health if taken in large quantities.
However, you should keep in mind that copper frying pans are almost always lined with different materials nowadays, which I’ll discuss in the following sections.
Tin
The most traditional lining material for copper pots is tin. The process of bonding tin with copper is pretty simple and strong, as it happens chemically. It also has been practiced for over a hundred years.
Tin doesn’t react with acids like copper so it’s much safer to use. However, you should keep in mind that tin has a melting point of 450 degrees F, so you need to avoid exceeding this temperature while cooking with such a pan.
Stainless Steel
Using stainless steel lining is the most recent approach in the premium copper frying pans industry. Stainless steel is more durable than tin, so the pan can handle a lot more heat, making it possible to sear and grill in the pan.
Unfortunately, stainless steel and copper are combined via cladding, which is a mechanical rather than chemical process. In other words, they don’t bond well with tin frying pans.
Copper Core and Copper-Infused Ceramic
As the name suggests, a copper core is usually a sheet of copper that is sandwiched between two stainless steel or aluminum sheets.
These products are the most readily available and also the most affordable, costing as little as a fraction of the price of a premium all-copper frying pan, making them quite common in today’s market.
There are plenty of technologies used today to benefit from the heat distribution qualities of copper while maintaining the convenience of aluminum and stainless steel.
These modern designs allow the frying pans to be induction friendly. Also, this makes the pan much easier to clean, all the while protecting the copper from oxidation or dullness.
Appearance
Of course, copper is an attractive metal with a unique color that gives your kitchen a statement in addition to giving you superior control of the cooking process.
However, the appearance of the frying pan has much more benefits than that! For example, hammered copper frying pans aren’t only good looking but they’re typically more durable than regular copper as well.
Also, a square shaped pan usually holds more food than a round one. So, if you’re thinking about getting a compact frying pan that can hold more food, you should go for a square shaped one.
Induction Cooking Compatibility
Induction cooking works by heating the cooking utensil through magnetic field induction rather than using a flame or an electrical heating element. For that reason, you need a magnetized material to be able to cook in induction stovetops.
Unfortunately, copper doesn’t have the electromagnetic properties needed to make it an induction-friendly material. This means that a copper pan won’t typically work with induction stoves.
However, there are plenty of workarounds to make copper pans induction ready. For instance, some brands will add a thin layer of stainless steel at the bottom of the pan to activate it.
Other companies would also incorporate a magnetic plate into the copper pan that will make it work on an induction stovetop.
Although there are some speculations that applying a sheet of stainless steel at the underside would defeat the purpose of using copper frying pans, it was found with trials that these few solutions shouldn’t drastically reduce the pan’s performance.
Lid and Handles
Some frying pans come with a lid, which is mostly made of tempered glass, and some aren’t. Having a lid allows food to cook much faster and also doubles as a splash guard when the food is left to cook unsupervised, so it’s always a nice bonus to have a fitting lid with the pans.
As for the handles, unless you want to use the frying pans in the oven, you should typically look for bakelite and plastic handles that are cool to touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are copper frying pans so expensive?
There are a plethora of reasons why copper frying pans are more expensive than other types. For instance, copper itself is a more valuable metal that’s worth more than stainless steel.
Another reason is that copper is less commonly used in the cookware industry nowadays. And since some of these artisan pans are hand-crafted, their prices would typically go up.
With that said, you should know that not all copper frying pans are expensive, as this depends on the amount of copper used in the process.
For example, aluminum and stainless steel pans with the copper infused ceramic coating will cost much less than a tin or stainless steel lined copper pan.
Is copper frying pans worth it?
Copper offers an unmatched level of thermal conduction when compared to other commonly used materials like stainless steel and aluminum.
As a result, professionals and expert chefs will commonly use copper frying pans when cooking sensitive foods that require a high level of even heat distribution, such as sautéed side dishes.
How do you clean copper frying pans?
You should know that copper often darkens and develops a patina over time. However, since pure copper frying pans are highly prized and sought after, some people consider this patina desirable because it’s a sign of a well-conditioned pan.
This is quite different from the greenish copper oxidation, which you should avoid by regularly cleaning the frying pans after every use.
Although bare copper pans might look like a suitable candidate for quick no-hassle cleanup in the dishwasher, it’s heavily prone to damage unless you wash them by hand.
To clean one, you only need some gentle dish soap with warm water. If you want to retain the pan’s luster, you’ll need to do an acid chip or use copper cleaners.
There are plenty of effective options on the market, such as Wright’s Copper and Brass Cream Cleaner. This one does a pretty good job at keeping your pans brand new, but make sure that you wash them thoroughly after.
Alternatively, you can polish the pans by rubbing them with a cloth soaked with salty lemon juice and let them sit for a while. After that, wash them with warm soapy water and dry them off using paper towels.
What should you not cook in a copper frying pan?
This depends on the type of material used for lining the pan. For example, if the pan has a copper core but is lined with stainless steel, you can typically use them just like any regular stainless steel pan.
However, while cooking with tin-lined copper pans, you should keep the following point in mind:
– Never cook any food in them when they’re blackened from the inside. Always clean them first with soapy water.
– Avoid searing or grilling food at super high temperatures (above 450 degrees) because it may end up melting the tin-lining, which can get into your food.
Apart from that, your copper frying pan should be treated like any regular stainless steel frying pan.
Can I use copper frying pans in the oven?
Stainless steel-lined copper frying pans are great for baking and cooking in the oven because copper and stainless steel can tolerate the temperature of ovens.
However, make sure that the frying pan is marketed as oven-ready before trying that out, and also check that it has riveted stainless steel handles rather than plastic ones that would melt in an oven.
Wrap Up
As you can see, copper frying pans are pretty much the best cookware option if you’re looking for excellent heat conductivity and heat distribution.
They might be quite expensive, especially the professional tin-lined copper ones. Yet, with regular care, you’d be making a smart investment in an excellent frying pan that would last for a lifetime.
Also, there are plenty of affordable options that incorporate copper in the core to offer decent performance for a much more reasonable price.
Ideally, the Artaste 56587 Rain Tri-Ply Copper Clad Induction Ready Fry Pan Set is my recommendation for the overall best copper frying pans.
However, if you’re on a budget and you don’t mind a small compromise in heat control for a huge price cut, you should go for the LavoHome 2 Piece Non-Stick Frying Pan Set.
Related Posts
