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Best Copper Chef Sets

Updated March 2024
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Copper Chef Black Diamond 10 Piece Aluminum Non-Stick Cookware Set
Copper Chef
Black Diamond 10-Piece Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

If you’re in need of a complete nonstick cooking set, this stackable collection should be top of your list.

Pros

Comprehensive 10-piece set including saucepan and casserole pan. Great for first-time homeowners or grads on their own. Nonstick material is PFOA-free for health and dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup. Can stack neatly, including glass lids.

Cons

Dishwasher water can penetrate handles, causing mess. Handles can get hot.

Best Bang for the Buck
Copper Chef 3-Piece Non-Stick Fry Pan
Copper Chef
3-Piece Nonstick Fry Pan
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Popular Pick
Bottom Line

A 3-piece set of frying pans in a variety of sizes that don’t require extra oils or fats to keep food from sticking.

Pros

Features nonstick material free of PFOA and PTFE. Includes 8-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch fry pans and can be used on multiple cooktop surfaces, including in the oven. Handles are comfortable and easy to hold. The induction plate delivers efficient heat and cooking results.

Cons

Several reviews mentioned the nonstick material wearing off.

Copper Chef Aluminum Non-Stick 10'' Frying Pan Set
Copper Chef
Aluminum Nonstick 10'' Frying Pan Set
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Essential Pans
Bottom Line

An essential set of two nonstick round frying pans for all your frying and sautéing needs.

Pros

Features two pans, including a 10-inch skillet. Features raised diamond pattern to drain oil and fat. PFOA-free nonstick coating. Six-ply metal core helps heat distribution. Dishwasher-safe. Oven safe to 800 degrees F.

Cons

Pair doesn’t come with lids. Handles can get hot.

Copper Chef Non-Stick Square Fry Pan 5-Piece Set
Copper Chef
Nonstick Square Fry Pan 5-Piece Set
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Square Set
Bottom Line

For frying, sautéing, and braising, these large square skillets with lids come in handy.

Pros

Includes 8-inch pan, 9.5-inch pan, and 11-inch ridged grill pan. Ridges create appetizing grill marks indoors with minimal oil. Square shape fits more food in the same width. Comes with two glass lids. Oven-safe to 850 degrees F.

Cons

Nonstick properties seem to fade over time.

Copper Chef 12-Piece Set Nonstick Oven Bakeware
Copper Chef
12-Piece Set Nonstick Oven Bakeware
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Great for Baked Goods
Bottom Line

This copper bakeware set comes with several pans and dishes, as well as ramekins for stylishly serving food.

Pros

Includes a cookie sheet, 12-cup muffin pan, loaf pan, and a square pan. Made with nonstick material and designed to get the food out or off with sticking or crumbling. Also comes with four square ramekins with lids.

Cons

Some of the customers experienced the pans warping.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Models
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Consumers
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Buying guide for Best copper chef sets

A proper kitchen requires a variety of pots, pans, and utensils. Fortunately, companies like Copper Chef offer sets of kitchenware to cover all your cooking and baking needs.

As the name suggests, Copper Chef features quality kitchenware products made with copper coating. These pots and pans make a durable, efficient, and gorgeous addition to your kitchen collection. The products are nonstick, which precludes you from having to add chemical sprays or oils to your food. What’s more, they are easy to clean and keep pristine. Copper Chef’s stovetop items feature a stainless steel induction plate for quick and even heating. These items can also be used in the oven, offering more versatility.

Copper Chef sets combine old-world charm with modern cooking. Notably, many items can perform more than one function. The following guide will help you determine what you need in your kitchen and how to use Copper Chef products to make your food prep efficient and your dinner delicious.

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Copper utensils should not be used with Copper Chef cookware. However, there are many colorful, compatible options readily available to add more aesthetic intrigue to your kitchen.

Why copper?

Copper, stainless steel, and cast iron are among the most popular materials from which cookware is made. Each material offers some unique advantages and disadvantages. When opting for copper, it’s important to understand its benefits — and what you must do to maintain your copper cookware.

Copper cookware avoids hotspots.

Most notably, copper cookware avoids hotspots and heats evenly throughout when on a stovetop. Copper heats and cools more quickly than other materials, allowing you to reuse your copper pieces in short order. Because copper reacts quickly to temperature changes, you have more control over the heat while cooking, and you do not need to preheat any pans.

Copper cookware is relatively lightweight.

If you’re debating between copper and cast iron, it’s important to realize that copper is the lighter choice. Therefore, the cookware is easier to handle when full, which helps when you’re moving items from stove to oven to table.

Copper cookware is gorgeous.

While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, most would agree that copper pops in the kitchen. Copper Chef cookware has a gorgeous shimmer that outshines stainless steel and cast iron. Copper Chef pieces complement other copper items nicely, too, such as a bar set or utensils.

Expert tip
Copper Chef sets are beautiful. Consider displaying them on a hanging-pot rack or open shelving for all to admire.
BestReviews Cooking and Baking Expert

Considerations

The copper learning curve

If you’re used to cooking with stainless steel or cast iron, you may have to adjust some of your habits when switching to copper. Because copper heats quickly and evenly, you have less time to prepare and add items to the pot or pan. Ready your food before you turn on the stove.

With copper products on a stovetop, high heat will rarely need to be used. The oil and butter that might otherwise be used to keep items from sticking are not only unnecessary, they are discouraged. If you use a lot of oil or butter in your cooking, it is recommended that you alter your cooking methods or opt for a different style of kitchenware.

Items in a Copper Chef set

Before buying a set of Copper Chef cookware, it’s important to know what you’re getting and the purpose of each piece.

  • Frypan: Also called a skillet, a frypan is a shallow stovetop pan with sloped sides that is best for frying and sautéing. A wok is a more of a bowl-shaped frypan with smaller center.

  • Saucepan: These are high-walled stovetop pans ideal for boiling and simmering. A saucepan has one large handle; a saucepot is similar, but it has a pair of small handles on opposite sides.

  • Crisper: A crisper is a wire basket that allows you to fry items in the oven evenly. It works as a replacement for an air fryer and does not require oil or butter to fry your food. A sheet underneath helps catch excess ingredients.

  • Steamer rack: Similar in design to a crisper, a steamer rack allows items to be steamed evenly while sitting in a pot or pan of boiling water.

  • Baking dish and roasting pan: While these can be separate items, one for the oven and one for the stovetop, Copper Chef’s products are oven safe, meaning a deep dish pan can serve several purposes, including that of a baking dish and a roasting pan.
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Caution
Copper Chef handles are ergonomically designed and stay cool on the stovetop. However, inside the oven, they will get just as hot as everything else, so use oven mitts.
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Features

Cerami-Tech

Copper Chef products feature patented Cerami-Tech technology. Pots and pans are coated in aluminum with a copper Cerami-Tech outer layer. As such, the items do not need to be polished like traditional copper products. They are also nonstick.

Square pans

Most burners are circular. Thus, most pans and pots are circular to allow maximum even heating. However, because copper in general — and Copper Chef products in particular —  heat more effectively, square pans maintain heat throughout while maximizing space. Opting for square pans offers more room for food without sacrificing even heating.

Accessories

If you’re new to cooking with copperware and unfamiliar with its benefits, a specific Copper Chef cookbook may be worthwhile. We like the colorful Copper Chef cookbook by Eric Theiss, which includes over 100 tasty recipes and is subtitled, “It’s hip to cook square.”

For all that food you’ll be making, you’re going to need to some drinks, too. A copper bar set is a perfect aesthetic and functional complement to your new kitchenware. Godinger makes a beautiful nine-piece set that, though pricey, is often on sale for a lower price.

Expert tip
Avoid stacking your copper pots, or if you do, place a paper towel between the pans to avoid scratching.
BestReviews Cooking and Baking Expert

Copper Chef set prices

Copper Chef sets tends to be in line with the pricing of high-end stainless steel sets. In general, copper is more expensive than cast iron and stainless steel. The price of Copper Chef sets varies depending on how many items are included.

Inexpensive

For under $30, you can buy a set of Copper Chef utensils, including knives or baking sheets and trays. At this price range, you may find a single pot or pan, but you won’t find a full set of Copper Chef pans for a price this low.

Mid-range

For between $30 and $70, you can choose a range of sets that include saucepans, frypans, and matching lids.

Expensive

For over $70, more elaborate and versatile Copper Chef sets are available. These may come with utensils and cookbooks and will also feature larger items, such as a deep square pan. If you’re outfitting a new kitchen and want the most flexibility possible in your cooking, it pays to shop in this higher price range.

Tips

  • Do not preheat Copper Chef pans. These products heat rapidly and don’t require preheating. More importantly, leaving an empty pan on a hot burner can ruin both the pan and the burner.

  • Monitor the flame on a gas stove. Because copper conducts heat more effectively, you don’t need as high a flame on a gas stove. What’s more, a higher flame may burn and ruin the edges of the copper pan.

  • Avoid the use of oil and butter. Copper Chef sets are made to avoid sticking, so sprays and oils are not needed. Extra virgin olive oil, in particular, cannot withstand high heat well, and it can leave a coating on the pans.

  • Use non-metal utensils. Steel and other metals can scratch or mar the surface of the pans, rendering them ineffective or even dangerous. Wood, bamboo, plastic, or silicone utensils are the way to go.

  • Embrace versatility. Some Copper Chef products can perform double or triple duty. Larger frypans may make a wok superfluous, and a square saucepan can replace a baking dish or roasting pan.
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Save your proof of purchase. Most Copper Chef products come with a 60-day warranty, although it does not cover natural wear and tear.

FAQ

Q. How should I clean my Copper Chef set?

A. Copper Chef sets are easy to clean by hand using a sponge or soft cloth and dish soap with warm water. Submerging a hot pan in cold water could lead to warping. Avoid using steel wool or any other metal pads, as this may scratch. Once clean, dry immediately with a soft towel; do not leave a pan to dry by itself.

Copper Chef sets are also dishwasher safe. Just make sure that other items are clear of debris and nothing could accidentally hit the pans during the wash.

Expert tip
To preserve your Copper Chef pots, don’t let them sit in the sink after use. Instead, wash and dry them within a few hours of use.
BestReviews Cooking and Baking Expert

Q. How should I store my Copper Chef set?

A. If you invest in a Copper Chef set, you’ll want to take care of the pieces so they last a long time. Avoid stacking unless you’re doing so with extra care and caution. Avoid putting anything with edges in a pot in order to keep from scratching the pan. Ideally, you’ll want to hang your Copper Chef products or nest them gently.

Q. Can I cook over an open flame with Copper Chef?

A. Copper Chef products are meant to be used in the kitchen. While cooking over an open flame may work without issue, there is always a chance that you could ruin the item — and likely the food as well. What’s more, this could void the warranty if a defect emerges.

Q. Do I need to polish my Copper Chef set?

A. While some copper products require polishing to maintain a shimmer, Copper Chef products do not. They should be dried immediately after washing, but they will not oxidize or tarnish after use.