• High-quality copper cookware responds quickly to heat, enhances your kitchen’s decor, and accommodates culinary masterpieces as well as simple dishes.
  • Copper cookware can be an expensive yet rewarding investment, so when researching different sets for your kitchen, you’ll want to consider a variety of criteria.
  • Our top pick is the Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set because it regulates and distributes heat well with its stainless-steel interior, aluminum core, and copper exterior.

Copper cookware brings a gorgeous glamour and sense of warmth to any kitchen. But such beauty comes with a price: copper cookware can be high-maintenance.

It’s not dishwasher safe, so you need to wash all pieces by hand and dry them off right after washing in order to prevent spotting or discoloration from water drops. And, in order to maintain copper cookware’s lovely sheen, you need to polish it regularly to stave off corrosion.

Copper cookware is also expensive. Nonetheless, the high price tag begets excellent thermal conductivity and provides unmatched benefits that include:

  • Efficiency in heating up: Copper heats up faster than stainless steel and aluminum, enabling you to warm up ingredients in a hurry, as well as save time and energy (no need to crank up the flame!).
  • Uniform heat distribution across the vessel’s surface: This quality minimizes unequal temperatures and hot spots that lead to uneven cooking and burned/stuck-on food.
  • Rapid response to temperature changes: This serves you well when cooking fish, seafood, sauces, caramel, and chocolate.
  • Precision in control over cooking temperatures: This is especially useful when handling delicate ingredients and using an electric stove.

Here are the best copper cookware sets:

Updated on 8/21/2020 to edit titles, prices, links, and remove our best luxury pick, which was out of stock, as well as third-party ratings and reviews, because we’ve found them to be unreliable in the past.

The best overall

The Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set has a well-made, triple-metal construction that heats up quickly and evenly while adding beauty to your kitchen.

You can cook up many different culinary delights with the Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set, which includes an 8-inch skillet, a 10-inch skillet, a 2-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart deep saute pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid.

Constructed of a stainless steel interior, an aluminum core, and a copper exterior, each cladded piece consistently regulates temperature and distributes heat evenly to warm up and cool down rapidly. This reasonably priced and sturdy copper cookware set is compatible with gas, electric, and ceramic stoves and is both oven- and broiler-safe.

The Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set boasts a gorgeous look - but then again, what copper set doesn't? Its rustic hammered appearance and natural rainbow hues resulting from heat and oxidation enhance and blend into a busy kitchen setting. Polished stainless-steel lids (a bit lighter in weight than the pots and pans themselves) and riveted-on smooth stainless-steel handles contrast with the copper bodies.

Another convenient feature is the shape of each piece's rim. The flared rim of the pots and pans should make it easier to pour without dripping. This rolled edge is a continuation of the stainless-steel interior lining, making sure food doesn't come in contact with the aluminum core of the pan and copper exterior.

As with all copper cookware, the Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set requires hand-washing and polishing. Nonetheless, much user feedback indicates that this set is easy to clean and maintain.

Pros: Beautiful hammered copper finish, great heat regulation and distribution, sturdy, easy to clean

Cons: Lightweight lids, exterior layer of copper seems very thin and sometimes comes off

The best investment

Foto: Source: Amazon

Crafted in France, the top-of-the-line Matfer Bourgeat 8-Piece Bourgeat Copper Cookware Set is elegant yet sturdy and elevates the cooking experience.

The 8-Piece Bourgeat Copper Cookware Set is an elegant investment and includes a 9 1/2-inch casserole with lid, a 7 1/8-inch saucepan with lid, a 9 1/2-inch flared sauté pan with lid, and an 11-inch heavy sauté pan with lid. Longtime users (including a few who've owned this set for more than a decade) recommend this line over other high-end brands, praising it for its simple, beautiful design and fine craftsmanship.

Each piece is constructed of an interior layer of .1-millimeter-thick 18/10 polished stainless steel fused to an exterior layer of smooth 2.5-millimeter-thick copper. Although strong and sturdy, the pieces can be a little heavy. Nonetheless, rivet-attached cast iron handles counterbalance the bodies' weight.

Conducting thermal energy quickly and evenly, the Bourgeat 8-Piece Copper Cookware Set is like a set of professional cooking tools that seemingly improve your culinary skills and experience in your home kitchen. Each piece has a smooth interior surface that heats quickly without hot spots or sticking or burning. Also, each piece's rim is straight with an overturn edge - like an extra lip - to contain sauces and liquids as well as prevent drips and spills.

The set is easy to wash. Polish the smooth red copper exterior with a soft cloth to maintain its elegant appearance. You want to display this major investment while showing off your culinary skill on any type of stove (except induction) or hanging these pieces up for decor.

Pros: Simple yet elegant design, superb performance, excellent response to changes in temperature, similarity to professional culinary tools

Cons: Expensive but worth it, heavy for some

The best mid-range price

Foto: Source: Amazon

Not too expensive, yet definitely not cheap, the reasonably priced Calphalon Tri-Ply Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set is perfect for home cooks who don't want to splurge on copper cookware, yet still desire quality.

You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to purchase better-than-budget and high-quality copper cookware. Try the Calphalon Tri-Ply Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set. It comes with an 8-inch omelet pan, 10-inch omelet pan, 1.5-quart saucepan with lid, 2.5-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saute pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid.

Each piece has a brushed copper exterior, a heavy-gauge aluminum core, and a fine-satin stainless-steel interior. The copper-and-aluminum combination produces excellent thermal conduction and precise cooking control. The tri-ply cladding is accommodating to foods that require strong temperature control and the brushed stainless-steel lining won't react with foods and provides sturdiness.

Oven- and broiler-safe, the Calphalon Tri-Ply Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set is compatible with all types of stoves: gas, electric, halogen, and even induction models. The pieces' stainless-steel handles stay cool and are double-riveted for stability, yet lightweight. The rims are also flared for near and efficient pouring.

Although some owners put this set in the dishwasher, it is not recommended by the manufacturer - hand-washing is. Cleaning was easy for some, okay for others, and difficult for some who complained of sticky food on the interiors and spots and discoloration on the exteriors after washing.

Pros: Rapid and even heat distribution, precise temperature control, stay-cool handles

Cons: Difficult to clean in some cases (sticky food on interior) and prone to external spotting and discoloration

The best on a budget

Foto: Source: Amazon

Enjoy the culinary benefits of copper without breaking the bank with the T-fal Ultimate Stainless Steel Copper Bottom 13-Piece Cookware Set.

You'll get more for your money with the T-fal Ultimate Stainless Steel Copper Bottom 13-Piece Cookware Set. Inexpensive, practical, and versatile, it's convenient for everyday cooking with an 8-inch frying pan, a 10.5-inch frying pan, a 12-inch covered frying pan with lid, three saucepans (1-inch, 2-inch, 3-inch) with matching lids, a 5-quart stew pot with lid, and a stainless-steel steamer basket.

The body of each piece (except the steam basket) is made of a thick-gauge aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. On the bottom is a copper disc (a solid copper circle in the center) with five copper lines radiating out like points of a star. This combination of metals is efficient and effective: the aluminum and copper layers conduct heat well and warm up quickly and evenly while the stainless steel layer provides stability and durability.

The lids are made out of glass, so you can check on ingredients without opening them and losing heat, and each has a vent hole to let steam escape and keep liquids from boiling over. The riveted stainless steel handles are sturdy but get hot quickly, so be careful. Unlike other copper cookware, this oven-safe set is compatible with all stoves, even induction stoves.

With all of these benefits and savings, however, come some compromise. The copper is only present on the bottom and not up the sides, which is what allows this set to be affordable while still imparting some heat-conducting properties of copper.

Also, the copper may discolor or fade more quickly than other premium counterparts and dishwashers are not recommended for the PFOA-free T-fal Ultimate Stainless Steel Copper Bottom 13-Piece Cookware Set.

Pros: Good price, rapid and even heating, vented glass lids

Cons: No lids for frying pans, copper discolors or comes off easily, surfaces stain but can be cleaned

Tips for buying and using copper cookware

Foto: Source: Amazon

Copper cookware can be an expensive yet rewarding investment, so when researching different sets for your kitchen, consider the following criteria:

  • Construction: Types of lined copper cookware include copper core (a thick layer of copper sandwiched between different metals), clad (bonded metal layers, e.g., an aluminum-stainless steel-copper composition), and copper bottom (with non-copper metals for the pieces' side and bottom interior surfaces and then copper for the bottom's exterior surface).
  • Thickness: Look for copper cookware between 2.5 and 3 millimeters in thickness. Choosing something as thin as 2 millimeters is okay, but anything lower will not perform well in the kitchen. A thickness greater than 3 millimeters makes the copper less responsive to heat and temperature changes. Heavy-gauge copper with a thickness of 1/16 inch to 1/8 inch holds up best over time.
  • Durability: You want pieces that stand up to repeat use and washes. Luckily, most pieces we selected carry a lifetime warranty.
  • Finish: In addition to a lustrous (shiny) vs. brushed (matte) surface, you can choose between a smooth finish and a hammered finished for decorative purposes.
  • Number of pieces: You may want to stick with what you need, just the basics. On the other hand, numerous different pieces accommodate a greater variety of recipes to make, either one at a time or simultaneously.
  • Price: If a price seems high, just be aware of how many pieces the copper cookware set contains (and if that makes it worth it). And don't forget the potential savings in energy and time copper cookware offers. If the price seems low, question how much copper is actually used in or the quality of the pieces.

Before using your copper cookware, follow these tips to extend their lifespan:

  1. Before you start cooking, prepare everything (ingredients and tools) you need. Since copper cookware heats so quickly, you won't have much time to search for ingredients and utensils.
  2. Use wooden, nylon, or silicone utensils to avoid scratching the pan or pot's interior.
  3. Don't preheat an empty copper pot or pan. Because it heats up so quickly, you don't need to preheat and want to avoid melting or burning it. At the very least, pour cooking oil, a liquid, or a fat into the pot or pan before putting it on a hot stove.
  4. Due to copper's efficiency, you need to use only about half the heat level you'd use for a comparable pot or pan made of stainless steel or another metal.
  5. Don't use badly scratched and, if possible, uncoated copper pots and pans to cook or store food. This is because copper reacts chemically with acidic ingredients (tomato sauce, lemon juice, wine, vinegar) and alkaline (whole fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts), dissolves, and then leaches into whatever food is being cooked, resulting in copper toxicity; symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Therefore, stick to copper cookware lined with an unscratched, nonreactive metal (like aluminum or stainless steel but not tin or nickel).

How to clean and care for your copper cookware

Foto: Source: Amazon

Take care of your copper cookware, and you'll reap years of culinary dexterity and aesthetic beauty. To maintain your copper cookware's shiny and burnished appearance, manually wash and dry it carefully. Don't put it in the dishwasher or use detergents with bleach, which can corrode copper. Copper is soft and scratches easily, so avoid any abrasive tools (like steel wool or a copper scouring pad) or cleaners. Stick with softer material, like a sponge or a soft cloth.

In order to clean the piece's lined interior, apply gentle soap with a soft rag or sponge, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Clean the copper exterior with a commercial copper cleaner or any of these four home methods:

  • Apply a mixture of vinegar and salt with a soft rag or sponge, leave the mixture on for about 10 minutes, rinse, and then dry the piece thoroughly; or
  • Cut a lemon in half, sprinkle it with a little table salt, rub the lemon half against the copper (especially discolored spots), rinse, and dry; or
  • Mix equal parts baking soda and lemon juice (or vinegar) into a paste, rub with a soft cloth, then rinse, and dry; or
  • Spread on a medium layer of ketchup, leave it on for 10 minutes (the ketchup's acidity attacks tarnish), scrub off with soft sponge or pad, then wash with warm water and dishwashing liquid, rinse, and dry. This process sounds a bit implausible and gross, but it works!

To prevent tarnishing, regularly polish and shine your copper cookware with a lightly acidic solution (e.g., vinegar or lemon juice) or a commercial copper cleaner cream. Or if you want to let your copper cookware age naturally, just skip all the polishing. In fact, a copper surface that develops a patina actually becomes harder and more efficient thermally.

Finally, don't throw away your old copper pots and pans. Recycle the copper for scrap metal, repurpose them as decoration, or reshape them into something else like a candy dish, bird feeder, or planter.

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