The Essential Copper Pots and Pans for a Well-Appointed Kitchen

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You ever dine at a restaurant that left you dreaming about every single thing you ordered for weeks on end? Odds are it's because your meal was cooked in copper cookware. While pots and pans made of the rose-gold-colored metal often get a bad rap for their hefty price tags and being high maintenance, believe it or not, they're actually mainstays in restaurants and many professional chefs' kitchens.

For starters, copper is highly more conducive than aluminum and stainless steel cookware. It reacts much faster to temperature changes and evenly distributes heat throughout the pot or pan, preventing certain areas of a dish your making from becoming hotter (or even worse, overcooked!) than others. Copper's quick responsiveness also makes it ideal for cooking more delicate dishes, such as sauces, fish, and chocolatey treats, which can easily stick to the surface and burn.

Another cool thing about cooking with copper is that it's naturally antimicrobial, so germs and bacteria can't survive on the surface. And of course, there's also no denying how visually pleasing they are to look at while in use or when hanging off kitchen ceilings.

When shopping for the best copper cookware, it's important to note that the pots and pans must be lined with stainless steel, aluminum, or tin since copper is reactive and acids like vinegar and tomatoes can leach into food. The other thing to keep in mind is that the thicker it is, the more effective and long-lasting it will be (and thus, the more expensive it will be). And while caring for them can be tricky, purchasing a special polisher can help keep copper sparkling and good as new.

If you're new to the copper cookware market, picking the best one for your cooking range can understandably be tricky. Fortunately, we did the research and found the best sets to up your kitchen game. With these picks, you'll be cooking like a culinary legend in no time!

Martellata Hammered Copper Cookware Set

Lagostina is one of the most popular—and affordable—purveyors of copper cookware. Featuring a three-ply construction of hammered copper, premium grade stainless steel, and an aluminum core, these high performers offer major bang for your buck whether you opt for individual pieces or a set like this one. The pots and pans in this collection are oven safe up to 500 degrees.

Included Cookware: 8” skillet, 10” skillet, 2 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 qt. deep sauté with lid, 6 qt. stockpot with lid

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 500 degrees

Materials: Stainless steel interior, aluminum core, and copper exterior

Viking Copper Clad 3-Ply Hammered Cookware

For products that are built to last, check out Viking, a company with a mission to bring professional-grade products to home chefs. This set, which is oven safe up to 500 degrees, comes with two skillets, two saucepans, one sauté pan and one stockpot, so you'll have a complete arsenal. The 3-ply model consists of a stainless steel interior, aluminum core, and copper exterior, and handles that stay cool to the touch. Plus, the items are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Included Cookware: 2 skillets, 2 saucepans, 1 sauté pan, 1 stockpot

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 500 degrees

Materials: Stainless steel interior, aluminum core, and copper exterior

Copper Cookware Set

Matfer Bourgeat is a French cookware brand that has catered to chefs since 1814. With that kind of legacy, you can imagine they've pretty much mastered this art form. They offer professional-grade sauce, sauté, and casserole pans that are sturdier than a lot of other copper cookware. Made with a copper exterior and stainless steel interior lining, plus hefty cast iron handles, these are oven-safe, and customers rave about their durability and non-stick bottoms.

Included Cookware: 2.625 qt. saucepan, 2.75 qt. sauté pan, 5.25 sauté pan, and 5.75 qt. casserole, and covers

Materials: Copper exterior, stainless steel interior, cast iron handles

Historia Hammered Copper Gratin Pan with Acorn Handles

High in the Italian Alps, there's a family-owned workshop where Ruffoni's expert craftsman line and hammer copper pots and pans by hand. Ruffoni is renowned for ornate, detailed pieces such as this pan with decorative bronze handles. Another advantage of Ruffoni's copper products is that they carry items lined with stainless steel (oven safe and compatible with induction stoves), and they also line some of their models with tin, which is more durable and less prone to sticking, making it the go-to choice for some chefs. A gratin pan such as this one is perfect for cooking dishes that require a crisped top, such as baked pastas, casseroles, or even cobblers.

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 450 degrees (or 430 degrees for tin-lined copper cookware)

Materials: Copper, tin, and cast-bronze

Thermo-Clad™ Copper Cookware Set

Perhaps you'd prefer a name you're already familiar with—one you know and love, such as Williams Sonoma. This best-selling line from the brand actually offers the best of both worlds. You see, the Williams Sonoma team actually collaborated with the experts and coppersmiths at Ruffoni (remember them?) to craft this exclusive Thermo-Clad Copper collection. Handmade at Ruffoni's Italian workshop, these models blend the nuance of copper with the practicality of stainless steel and feature handles that stay cool to the touch.

Included Cookware: 10" and 12" fry pans, 1 1/2 qt. and 4 qt. saucepans with lids, 4 1/2 qt. sauté pan with lid, 8 qt. stock pot with lid

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 450 degrees

Materials: Stainless steel & copper

Induction Copper Essential Pan

Many of the options on the market are not compatible with induction cooktops, but Hestan's models were designed specifically with induction use in mind. Beyond this unique feature, Hestan cookware is loved by chefs and regular customers alike. Their CopperBond collection even won an award for its innovative design, which provides all the benefits of cooking with copper but with greater durability and less maintenance required. Sounds pretty good, no? With five layers of stainless steel and thick copper, these are durable, easy to clean, and oven and broiler safe up to 600 degrees. They're handcrafted in Italy and come with a lifetime warranty. As the name suggests, this versatile pan (available in two sizes) is essential to any kitchen.

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 600 degrees

Materials: Copper core & stainless steel base

Copper Core Cookware Set

We know what you're thinking. These don't look like copper. Only that thin line gives away the thick copper core these pieces are constructed around. While most pieces feature a copper exterior and a non-reactive interior (stainless steel being the most common), this collection inverts that. The copper core is surrounded by layers of aluminum and stainless steel. The result? You still get the precise conductivity of the copper, but you also get the ease of low-maintenance stainless steel. You won't have to worry about the exterior's wear and tear as you otherwise would. To further put you at ease, All-Clad is one of the best cookware brands. They're trusted for their high-performing and ultra-durable pieces.

Cookware Included: 8" and 10" fry pans, 2 and 3 qt. saucepans with lids, 3 qt. sauté pan with lid, and an 8 qt. stock pot with lid

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 600 degrees

Materials: Copper core, aluminum, stainless steel

Mauviel Copper 12-Piece Cookware Set

Regardless of whether you're only purchasing a single piece or splurging on a set, Mauviel simply can't be beat when it comes to reputation, history, or performance. Everything is handcrafted by artisans in a French village known as the "city of copper," due to its 800-year history of specializing in copper craftsmanship. Mauviel products come with a lifetime warranty, and they also sell copper care products such as their CopperBrill cleaning paste to help your cookware last longer.

Cookware Included: 10" fry pan, 12" fry pan, 2 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 1/2 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 qt. sauté pan with lid, 5 1/2 qt. stewpan with lid, 6 3/4 qt. oval cocotte with lid

Maximum Cooking Temperature: 450 degrees

Materials: Stainless steel interior, copper exterior

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