Copper cookware incorporates a large range of cooking accessories and utensils, and its products boast advanced heat conductivity properties to enable consistent cooking at high temperatures. Its technology has benefited from several innovations in recent times, as in its early incarnation it was deemed to be a limited and restrictive concept, due to the nature of the tin-lining. It properties would not allow it to be preheated for certain types of high heat, intense cooking tasks, and it would need repair or restoration after several uses.

In the seventies, copper cookware was the subject of a significant innovation through western Europe, where stainless steel lining replaced the traditionally copper lining to provide a permanent and resilient cooking surface. This increased the types of process that copper cookware could endure and meant the addition of several products to the existing range.

Copper Cookware Sets and Types

Most manufacturers and retailers sell cooper cookware as sets made up of a combination of kitchen tools. This creates a uniform look for the kitchen, whilst enabling the consumer to purchase all their accessories in a single store or online visit. The most popular are five or ten piece copper cookware sets, which traditionally include saucepans, stock pots, 8 to 12 inch skillets (for frying and pan frying) and saute equipment and accessories. Another benefit or purchasing a set as opposed to individual items is its cost-effectiveness, as the bulk price will offer discounts and reductions on the aggregate cost.

Copper cookware is available in different finishes. Polished cookware boast a smooth, reflective sheen that best suits linear, straight lines in minimalist kitchens, and can be hand or machine manufactured. Another popular aesthetic is hammered cooper cookware, which is only effectively manufactured by hand. The specific products surface is beaten with a soft hammer to create a rutted, hollowed finish that gives a more rustic appearance. Due to the nature of the design, the surface does not show scratches or marks as well as polished items, which is appealing for everyday and continued use. There is a reducing amount of hammered copper on the market however, as the process is time consuming and complex and not suitable for mass design.

Copper Cookware Care

Whatever the finish of copper cookware, it is relatively easy to maintain and clean. Whilst not conducive to machine washing, it can be effectively hand washed with hot, soapy water. After washing, it is important to towel dry the piece of equipment immediately, as residual dampness or the gradual process of air-drying can create small blemishes on the surface that are increasingly difficult to remove. In terms of maintaining its appearance during use, using wooden or malleable utensils will not scratch the rim or the cooking surface, and actually help to ensure food safety and hygiene.

Copper is recognized as the premier material for cookware, due its heat conductivity properties that adapt quickly to amendments in heat sources. Despite this, copper cookware reviews of the latest product types are mixed, as many purists (especially those based throughout Europe) still favor the copper lined items for intensive cooking processes. Stainless steel lined products, whilst mildly less conductive in their modern forms, are far more durable and widely accepted by modern manufacturers and users as the most effective type of copper cookware available.