Which one is to pick—the historical French artisans Mauviel, Ruffoni, de Buyer or newcomers?
By Editor Team | June 17, 2023
COPPER COOKWARE IS something special. This one of the oldest types of cookware mightn’t be your daily workhorses like stainless-steel or nonstick pots and pans. But, when you’re about to create your best meals or perfect your family banquets, it shines. Moreover, the warm, glowing metallic tone looks remarkably appealing, bringing the vibe of a romantic, luxurious French cottage to your kitchen and dining table.
Besides the aesthetic lure, it’s also highly appreciated in the upper-level cooking realm for precise temperature control and evenly cooking. It’s extremely fast to heat up and cool down, which make it ideal for areas where specific consistency is required—searing, sautéing, delicate sauces, sweets and jams. That’s why many patisseries and fine restaurant chefs love it.
Copper cookware is more like a supercar—powerful, stunning and expensive. Still, it’s well worth to invest if you need this stellar capability that can be handed down to the next generation.
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Image: Mauviel
Best All-Around
When going for copper cooking, perhaps there’s nothing better than French cookware. With a long expertise since 1830, Mauviel is the undisputed “OG” of this market for quality and effectiveness. Unfortunately, our flagship M’Heritage M250 (the 2.5mm collection) was discontinued, so we turn to second rate: the M200 with 2mm bimetal, which you can still enjoy the real copper cooking experience in less weight and less pay.
It's heat very quickly and retains heat well across the entire surface, giving beautifully brown sears, fast and even boils and caramel sauces without temperature crashing, even for thick cold ingredients.
The pots and pans are neat and practical in shape. The handles are a bit narrow but are easy to control, without dangerous angle. We personally prefer cast-iron handles over brass as are sturdier and cooler to touch. A real gain, its iconic look exemplifies a grace beauty.
Construction: 2mm bimetal copper (∼1.9mm copper & 0.1mm lining)
Lining: 18/10 stainless-steel
Oven-Safe: Up to 500°F
Induction Compatible: No
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Image: Made-In
Best Practicality
Made In—a direct-to-consumer brand—brings a perfect blend of cooking efficiency, refined quality, practicality and modern appearance, at an attractive price. Don’t underrate this newcomer: with a French-made, solid 2-mm thick build lined with stainless-steel, the performance is fantastic—nearly comparable to the Mauviel M200 with slightly less heft. It can withstand very high heat, up to 800°F, though you won’t need it this far.
Besides its impressive contemporary look, what make it outshine more is its “friendlier designs” that should appeal to home cooks. It has the rolled rims for drip-free pouring and the wide stainless-steel handles that are snugger to hold and cooler to touch. A drawback: limited pieces availability—only a saucepan, a rondeau and a big saucier available. But these are go-to essentials for those new to copper cooking.
Construction: 2mm bimetal copper (∼1.9mm copper & 0.1mm lining)
Lining: 18/10 stainless-steel
Oven-Safe: Up to 800°F
Induction Compatible: No
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Image: All-Clad
Best Versatile
If you’re want a more “everyday workhorse” that doesn’t need to be pampered, the Copper Core is to be had. Made of a dependable 5-ply build with reasonably thick conductive layers (an almost 1mm copper sandwiched by aluminum layers), it’s a solid performer for evenly heat spread and responsiveness, exceling at sauteing, browning and caramelizing—not as extremely swift as those thicker comrades but still at a pleasing level. Versatility-besting, unlike the bimetal cookware, it’s comparatively lightweight, can cook on every stovetop, induction hobs, broilers and ovens and requires a minimum maintenance.
Another highpoint, the All-Clad’s commendable design isn’t just a rumor. We love its ideal shape and capacity, rolled rims and staying-cool handles with helper grips, though its hallow-flat design is a bit sore. It might lack some ornate attractiveness, but you’ll get lighter, more practical staple for multi-purposes.
Construction: 5-ply 18/10 stainless-steel, ∼1.8mm thick (∼0.9mm copper)
Lining: -
Oven-Safe: Up to 600°F
Induction Compatible: Yes
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Image: Lagostina
Budget Bargain
At under $500*, Lagostina Martellata meets the desires of those who dream of cooking with exquisite copper pots and pans. With a thick 2.5mm 3-ply build: a stainless-steel inner, an aluminum core and a relatively thin copper outside, it clearly won’t give you the real capability of copper cooking—or even reaching the same point of the All-Clad Copper Core. Yet, you’ll get a reasonably decent and solid cookware for smoothly handling your everyday basis, which can produce quick boils, satisfying browned steaks and steady simmers.
For such a small budget, the design is surprisingly attractive. The rims are slightly flared for easy pouring. The stainless-steel lids and handles are durable, and ergonomic. The weight in hand is nice and well-balanced. An adorable bonus, the hammered exterior feels like a classy piece of artisans.
Construction: 3-ply with copper exterior, ∼2.5mm thick
Lining: 18/10 stainless-steel
Oven-Safe: Up to 500°F
Induction Compatible: No
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Image: Hestan
Best Thoughtful Design
Hestan CopperBond presents a nifty way to cook with copper—easy to use, more versatile to use and gorgeously look. This 5-ply cookware contains a pure 1mm copper core, two aluminum layers with stainless-steel interior. As sharing the main characteristics of the All-Clad Copper Core, the performance and weight are quite equivalent—both are very impressive for home cooking. It also allows for cooking on every stovetop, including induction hobs.
The big difference between the two is the design—more elegant and user-friendlier. Hestan offers more comfortable handles and flush rivets for easier cleaning, though the luxe copper finish will need you hand-wash only. Another perk, its skillets provide 20% wider cooking surfaces than others in the lineup—the 11” skillet is as roomy as the All-Clad’s 12” one. If you don't mind for spending an extra, this stunning Italian handcraft is worth considering.
Construction: 5-ply 18/10 stainless-steel (∼1mm copper)
Lining: -
Oven-Safe: Up to 600°F
Induction Compatible: Yes
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Image: de Buyer
Best for Induction
It’s truly hard to find the thick copper cookware—containing 1.5mm thicker copper —that can work with induction hobs, but de Buyer Prima Matera can push this restraint. The 2mm build (1.8mm copper layer), lined with stainless-steel, with a magnetic disk bottom makes it the most heat responsive cookware that is induction-friendly available on the market. The craftmanship is neat and quality. The thermal control is very precise, for producing beautiful browned sears, rich sauces and luscious chocolates.
The appearance looks modernly sleek and professional. The stainless-steel handles are cool and comfy to grip. There’s also a cast-iron handle (CI) edition if you’re after a vintage style, but we prefer stainless-steel ones for ease of use and care. Say, this French cookware is expensive but deserves it if you need this special feature.
Construction: 2mm bimetal copper (∼1.9mm copper & 0.1mm lining)
Lining: 18/10 stainless-steel
Oven-Safe: Up to 450°F
Induction Compatible: Yes
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Image: Matfer
Best Professional
If ultimate temperature control is your utmost priority, Matfer Bourgeat is unbeatable, endorsed by 200 years of French expertise. Made of a thick 2.3mm of pure red copper lined with stainless-steel, this legacy professional-leveled cookware is one of the finest copper cookware here—offering qualified thick copper and thinnest lining layer. The heat responsiveness outperforms the equivalents—slightly better than the Falk and the Mauviel M250 (discontinued). It can produce professional outcomes—adept for fast and subtle temperature change. This delivers consistent brown, caramelized sugar, complicated sauces, and vivid jams.
The craftmanship is very quality, sturdy and simply elegant, with a traditional style and cast-iron handles. But with a thick body, some cooks can feel it too hefty and unwieldy to maneuver—an empty 7.9” saucier weights about 4 pounds. The price is high, but you’ll get what you pay for.
Construction: 2.5mm bimetal copper (∼2.3mm copper & 0.1mm lining)
Lining: 18/10 stainless-steel
Oven-Safe: Up to 450°F
Induction Compatible: No
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Image: Ruffoni
Best Classy
If you’re fascinated by the beauty of copper, Ruffoni Historia truly lets you “cooking with art” with a touch of pure vintage luxury. Don't let its unparalleled grace fool you. This hammered copper handcraft with tin liner is also functional—decent heat efficiency, natural low-sticking and non-hydrophilic. As containing around 1mm copper thick, it can’t reach the same peak of thicker models—harder to control temperature—but still be sufficed for light duties, though you can’t go over 450°F.
The shiniest part is its stunning, elegant design. Ruffoni is renowned for quality and ornate, detailed artwork wherever it’s used, either for cooking, displaying or serving at family banquets—that’s why our favorites are roasters, saucepans and pieces that are ready to serve. A downside, the decorative handles feel slightly hard to grip and get hot during cooking.
Construction: ∼1.0-1.5mm Hand-hammered bimetal copper
Lining: Tin
Oven-Safe: Up to 430°F
Induction Compatible: No
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Image: Demeyere
Best Consistency
Demeyere Atlantis combines copper horsepower with modern, high-quality and practical perks. This top-notch Belgium cookware is wisely constructed: 18/10 stainless-steel bonded the entire bottom with high conductive layers—a thick copper disc sandwiched by layers of silver and aluminum. As such, the cooking performance is exceptional. It heats much slower than bimetal copper models but then delivers unbeatably consistent outcomes entire the cooking surface and retains heat very well. Workability-good, it works well on all cooktops—with 30% more efficient on induction than rivals—and is dishwasher-safe.
It’s built very neat, extra-solid and high quality, with some thoughtful designs. There’re the flared rims, rivet-less interior, very comfortable handles and patented “Silvinox surface” treatment, which makes its silvery stainless-steel finish more scratch-resistant and easier to clean. If the hefty price and weight of cast iron aren’t your issue, you won’t regret for this investment.
Construction: Commercial-quality 18/10 stainless-steel with 7-ply bottom (∼2mm copper thick disc)
Lining: -
Oven-Safe: Up to 500°F
Induction Compatible: Yes
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Image: Brooklyn
The Thickest Handcraft
If you want to touch the area that Julia Child experienced, Brooklyn Copper is probably the closest one here. Thanks to Mac Kohler’s resolute efforts, this upcomer sets a top flight—all US-made, finest quality and handmade craftmanship. With about 3mm 99.93% copper lined with almost mirrored, electroplated tin, it’s the thickest copper commercially available in the market now. It delivers unparallel thermal conductivity and evenness, giving real browning effect, good sautés and elevated cooking outcomes.
The design is besting. While expressing with a eye-catching traditional look, it lets you cook better. The unique Stork cast-iron handle is robust and secure to grip with a mitt. The long handle is staying cool and lower-angled, offering more room for other dishes when cooking in the oven. Any drawback? It’s a heaviest one here and only sold on their website and some specific retails.
Construction: 3mm bimetal copper
Lining: Tin
Oven-Safe: Up to 450°F
Induction Compatible: No
Not only for cooking, the gleam of copper cookware is indeed attractive. Just in the same way of Ferrari does: it’s never cheap, either for appearance, specific thermal character and price tag—and, we’ve talked about the long-term maintenance yet. So, to make it a pleasing investment (rather than a splurge), these are what you should consider before buying.
Less than 2mm — Light duty/decorative pieces
Copper thinner than 2mm (particularly < 1.5mm) doesn’t have enough mass to maintain thermal consistency on modern home stovetops. This cause fluctuating heat control—prone to overheat, food burn and risk to bubbling the tin lining. So, it’s rather used for light duties and getting a touch of copper. However, there’re some exceptions for fish poachers, braisers or pieces that are “liquid cooking” since heat can absorb and spread in water more effectively.
2 to 3mm — Efficient performer
To utilize to power of copper cooking, stick with 2 to 3mm bimetal as keeping a perfect balance of performance, weight and value. Our suggestion: 2 - 2.5mm for home needs and 2.5 - 3mm is for professional cooking.
More than 3mm — Affective cooking/collectibles
Extra thick copper—mostly found vintage pieces—doesn’t add much functional benefit for home cooking, especially with tin lining. While its massive build gives fierier thermal ability, tin lining can melt over 400 - 450°F—not enough for making effective searing. Moreover, it’s hugely heavy and expensive. However, it gives elevated outcomes for braising, simmering and making delicate sauces and sweets.