The 4 best copper cookware sets of 2024

The Thermo-Clad set gives you the experience of the best copper cookware for a lower cost than some other sets on the market. The 1.2 mm gauge copper exterior is thick enough to impart the heat efficiency of copper without substantially increasing the weight. The stainless steel lids are dishwasher safe, but the pots and pans should be hand-washed with non-abrasive cleaners. 

While tin-lined copper is traditional and offers the best temperature control, stainless steel is a solid choice for the home cook. Stainless steel doesn't diminish the heating capacity of copper too much, and offers a durable and nonreactive cooking surface. 

The copper will develop a patina over time, which can be polished off or left alone as it does not negatively affect cooking performance. Williams Sonoma suggests using copper polish or a combination of lemon and salt to clean the copper.

For under $1,000, you can experience most of the benefits of copper cookware with this 7-piece set. It includes the necessities for a new kitchen or can add flair to the pieces you already own. This is still an expensive set because of the copper exterior, but it is a cheaper alternative to our other picks for the best copper cookware. 

While traditional copper cookware contains a copper exterior and tin lining, this set has a copper exterior, aluminum core, and stainless steel interior. This will provide a bit more durability, though may heat less evenly than other traditional copper pans. The heating qualities are likely to be much better than high-end, multi-ply sets without copper.

This set has a range of pieces so every meal can be made in a copper pan. The 2 mm gauge copper exterior gives the chef the full experience and benefits of copper, though it makes the pieces heavier than others in this guide. 

Lined with stainless steel, this cookware can be used with acidic foods that otherwise damage tin-lined copper pans. The lids are also made of copper, but have cast iron handles, just as the pans do. The handles give a sense of security when handling the weighty cookware.

Copper isn't for everyone; if you're unsure about taking the leap on the best copper cookware set, we recommend starting out with a single piece. According to the CMA, copper is great at frying and sauteing, so we recommend investing in a skillet as your first piece of copper cookware. The Ruffoni Historia pan's body is solid, hammered copper and lined with a traditional tin interior. This artisanal skillet gives you an authentic experience.

The tin lining prevents foods from reacting with copper, but can itself be scratched and discolored. Avoid cooking acidic foods and using metal utensils to keep the tin in new condition. All tin interiors eventually need to be relined, but this quality extends the life of the cookware, as opposed to nonstick cookware that is thrown away when the coating wears off.

We identified the best copper cookware sets based on extensive research and expert interviews with Fran Groesbeck, managing director at the Cookware Manufacturer Association, and Mac Kohler of Brooklyn Copper Cookware, as well as our own knowledge of cookware.

Construction: True copper cookware features a medium to heavy gauge copper exterior with an inert metal lining. This cookware will be listed as just copper, without any qualifiers such as core or base. Copper clad, core, and base pans are intended to provide the aesthetics of copper without increasing the cost and maintenance, but sacrificing performance. "In the case of both copper-clad and copper-base cookware, the thin copper foil is for all practical purposes aesthetic," said Kohler. "The speed of energy transfer is still determined by the much slower stainless steel layers."

Anything listed as copper-clad means a thin layer of copper foil is wrapped around the body of the cookware. While it looks pretty, there is no copper in the actual construction, so we don't recommend this cookware if you're looking for the heating qualities of copper. In copper core or base cookware, a layer of copper is surrounded by additional stainless steel or aluminum layers for structure and durability. 

The type of copper construction dictates the maintenance needed. For instance, cleaning copper core or base cookware depends on the exterior material.

According to the CMA, there are two common methods to keep exterior copper shiny: clean with a paste-like mixture of flour, salt, lemon juice, and ammonia or a mixture of vinegar and flour. Never use steel wool. Wash in sudsy water and rise before drying with a soft cloth. Kohler recommends ketchup and sea salt for a quick shine. 

However, polishing copper is largely for aesthetic purposes. The patina that develops over time does not negatively affect performance. "Copper is one of the rare kinds of cookware that can be maintained, as opposed to disposed of when it gets worn out," said Kohler.

Why is copper cookware special?

According to Mac Kohler of Brooklyn Copper Cookware, copper is valued in the world of cookware for two main reasons: its speed of heating and cooling (thermal efficiency) and its ability to heat evenly across the entire cooking surface (diffusivity). For the home cook, this means a copper pan needs half the amount of heat to the same temperature as stainless steel or aluminum cookware, and you will get more even browning and cooking in all areas of the pan.

Why are all copper pans lined?

All of the sets in this guide are lined with an inert metal, like stainless steel or, traditionally, tin. Not only can pure copper impart a taste to cooked foods, it can also react when it comes in contact with acids, and the byproducts of this reaction can be toxic, said Kohler.

Can copper cookware be used on induction stove tops?

This depends on the set and will be listed in the manufacturer's description of the product.

Can copper cookware go in the oven?

The answer is mostly yes, but you should consult the manufacturer's instructions to confirm the upper temperature limit. Additionally, you should never heat up an empty copper pan because physical differences between the materials of the pan and the lining can cause stress and damage to the metal, according to Kohler.