All-Clad Copper Core: Is It Worth It?

Copper Core cookware is one of All-Clad's most popular lines. It's beautiful, durable, and performs well--but it's also expensive. Is it worth it?

In this Copper Core review, you'll find out:

• How Copper Core compares to other All-Clad lines,
• How Copper Core compares to other clad cookware, 
• How Copper Core compares to other copper cookware. 
• How to shop for clad cookware (the important features),
• Tips for buying cookware online and getting the best deal

and the best Copper Core buying options.

About All-Clad

All-Clad Cookware was founded in 1971 by John Ulam, the metallurgist who invented the cladding process. He discovered that bonding stainless steel to aluminum created durable cookware with excellent heating properties. One of his earliest designs was tri-ply cladding, officially called D3, the stainless-aluminum-stainless cookware for which All-Clad is best known.

Though Copper Core cookware has both aluminum and copper, the primary heat conductor is the copper. The aluminum layers are very thin--like paper--and are mainly there to help the metals bond securely. Copper bonds poorly to stainless steel and is notorious for bubbling and separating without the aluminum to help it stay put.

What to Know About Multi-Ply Cookware

Notice that in the All-Clad diagram above, there are no actual dimensions given for the layers. All-Clad doesn't share specifics. This is unfortunate, because you are paying for those internal layers--the more copper or aluminum, the better the cookware will perform. 

To know how cookware will perform, you have to know the thickness of the layers. Copper is only better than aluminum if the layer is thick enough to provide better heating. 

For people who want to comparison shop, it's frustrating that most clad stainless brands do not supply this information. This is not the case with copper cookware, which is actually priced by the millimeter--so you know exactly what you're paying for and what kind of performance you're going to get.

But clad stainless cookware is, by and large, not sold that way. We don't know why, because it's every bit as important to clad cookware's performance as it is for copper cookware. Perhaps it's the difference selling to professional chefs versus selling to home cooks: it's assumed that home cooks don't want or need this data.

But if you want to buy wisely, you do need it. 

Luckily, there are websites like ours that have this information. We actually cut the cookware open and measure the layers--so our readers can know exactly what they're paying for.

For details about Copper Core heating properties--and how it compares to other cookware--see the Copper Core Cookware Heating Properties section below.

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What to Look for in Clad Stainless Cookware (A Buying Guide)

Now that you know a little about cladding, you can look at the other properties that are important in clad cookware. These are what makes clad stainless cookware good, average, or awful.

Here are the things that matter:

• Stainless steel quality
• Heating properties, which are largely determined by thickness of internal metals used (as discussed above)
• Design and aesthetics: lids, handles, rims, etc. (and: is the cookware pretty?)

We'll look at each of these factors and find out how Copper Core cookware stacks up.

Stainless Steel Quality

While nearly all clad cookware is "18/10" or comparable stainless steel, this means very little, because 18/10 stainless is not all created equally.

Yes, 18/10 stainless steel has to be at least 18% chromium and 10% nickel.

But what about the other 72%? 

Or, in the case of 18/0 (magnetic) stainless steel, what about the other 82%?

Using inferior stainless steel is one way that manufacturers cut costs. Steel in overseas-made products tends to be inferior to steel used in the United States and Western Europe. Inferior stainless steel can contain impurities that make it less durable and corrosion resistant than higher quality stainless. 

You can read more about stainless steel in The Best Cookware for Every Budget.

Differences in steel quality can account for differences in pricing among brands of clad cookware. If you buy inexpensive clad stainless, you may get lucky and get decent pans that last and don't rust. You might also get unlucky and get pans that rust, pit, and corrode in a frustratingly short time. 

All-Clad cookware isn't the only option for good quality steel, but the easiest way to be sure you're getting good stainless steel is to buy a known brand. Any American or European brand is a safe bet, as well as a handful of Chinese brands. 

Heating Properties

The two most important heating properties are thermal conductivity--how fast and evenly a pan heats--and heat retention--how long a pan hangs onto heat (or, put another way, how responsive it is). Both aluminum and copper have high thermal conductivity, which means they heat quickly and evenly. Conversely, cast iron has high heat retention: it heats slowly and unevenly, but it hangs onto heat very well.

(This is partly due to its mass, as well: heat retention increases with mass, regardless of the material. For example, a 2mm layer of copper is going to have better heat retention than a 1mm layer of copper, even though both are copper.) 

If you need cookware responsive to temperature changes--such as for delicate sauces and heat-sensitive dishes--then copper is the best option, and aluminum is quite good, too. If you need extreme heat retention--such as for searing a steak or deep frying--then cast iron is the best option.

Clad stainless is great for everything in-between, and will work in a pinch for other tasks, as well. It's right in the middle of the pack, with quick, even heating and fairly good heat retention.

These properties, along with durability and stability (safety), make good quality clad stainless the best cookware you can buy. 

All-Clad Copper Core cookware, as you might guess, is more on the responsive end of the scale. But it's designed for all-around kitchen tasks, so like most good quality clad stainless cookware, it will work reasonably well for any cooking task.

How Much Aluminum and/or Copper Is Enough?

Now we start getting into specifics.

This goes back to the cladding discussion (above): To have good heating performance, clad cookware has to have a thick enough heating core (i.e., the aluminum and/or copper thickness). For example, a half-millimeter layer of aluminum isn't going to heat as evenly as a full millimeter layer.

Low-cost brands of clad cookware tend to have thin heating cores. The difference can be significant. Some pans have such a thin layer of aluminum that they barely conduct heat better than stainless alone. This is one of the big differences between a brand like All-Clad and an unknown brand that sells for much less.

These thinner pans--because they're thinner--are also more prone to warping.

Lids

The best cookware has stainless, not glass, lids. Stainless lids are more durable, easier to store, and can withstand higher oven temperatures. 

Copper Core, like all All-Clad clad cookware, has stainless lids.

Vented lids are gimmicky, and largely unnecessary for any cooking. A lid should fit snugly, yet lift off easily. The handle should be comfortable and easy to grasp. 

If you want a lid that "vacuum" seals, like those found on waterless cookware, you won't find that here. However, this, too is gimmicky, and you can achieve similar results with any snugly fitting lid.

Handles

Good cookware should have handles made of a durable material like stainless steel. Plastic and silicone handles are comfortable, but they wear out long before the pans themselves. So we recommend buying cookware with steel handles; all All-Clad cookware has stainless steel handles. 

Helper handles on the heavier pieces are nice, too:

Curved vs. straight rims may be a minor concern for most people, but a curved rim is nice for pouring because it helps to eliminate drips. All Copper Core cookware pieces have curved rims to facilitate pouring without drips. 

SEE ALL-CLAD COPPER core COOKWARE ON AMAZON

see all-clad copper core cookware at williams-sonoma

Sauce Pan Shape

The shape of a sauce pan is probably the most important factor in whether you love a pan or hate it, and if you find it easy to use or a huge pain.

Some sauce pans are narrower at the top than the bottom or have curved sides with flared tops. These designs can be pretty, but they're not practical. Pans with wider bottoms than tops are harder to scrape out and harder to wash.