Copper-lined stainless steel vs pure copper skillet
I want to invest in a copper skillet, the heating characteristics intrigue me.
When searching, I found a copper-lined stainless steel skillet, which has the bonus of being induction-compatible. I had no idea these existed. This wasn't one of my original criteria, but I do have an induction cooktop, so it would be a nice added bonus.
My question is: Does the stainless steel affect the heat characteristics of the copper surface at all? Could I still expect the even heating of a copper skillet on a gas range even with the steel base? Or am I wasting my money on something that sort of behaves half-way between copper and iron/steel?
Best Answer
As a general rule, a solid copper pan and a "copper-lined" (either plated, or possibly a thicker layer bonded in some way) are likely to be quite different in terms of heat distribution, since stainless steel is a very poor conductor of heat and copper is a very good one.
So, when heated "unevenly" a copper pan of a given thickness will conduct heat to even out the heat the food sees, while a stainless steel pan will be much more prone to hot and cold spots. A blend or sandwich of the two will be somewhere in between, and exactly where in between is it will depend on how much of the sandwich is copper, .vs. how much is stainless steel. Copper is (at present, and for quite some time) far more expensive than stainless steel, so there's a strong economic incentive for it to be thin, at the manufacturing point.
A stainless pan that was lined with the same thickness (or nearly the same thickness) of copper as the copper pan alone was would be pretty similar to the copper pan, but I don't know if anyone makes something like that. The whole pan would be thicker, in that case.
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Is a copper skillet better than stainless steel?
Bottom line \u2014 copper cookware heats up quicker and gives you significantly more control than stainless steel cookware. The downside of copper is that you have to pay close attention when cooking with it. It's not very forgiving, and you can quickly burn your food if the heat is too high.Why are copper pans lined with stainless steel?
These days, though, the most common lining in copper pans is stainless steel. Lining copper with stainless steel is a much newer invention, since it's a heck of a lot more difficult to bond those two metals. The advantage that stainless steel offers is durability, just like any other stainless steel pan.Should copper pans be lined?
Copper is unbeatable for cooking because it conducts heat so evenly. Tin-lined pans are wonderful, but the lining may be harmed by temperatures higher than 405 degrees F, or by long use. You should have your pans retinned because exposed copper can be toxic. The cost of retinning is about half the cost of a new pan.Is copper better than stainless steel for cooking?
With copper, the cookware heats quickly and evenly and you avoid hotspots that generally cause food to stick. However, heat retention is the real issue. Copper loses heat just as quickly as it gains it, making it better suited to cooking more delicate proteins, as well as savory sauces.Should you buy copper cookware?
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