What’s That Pan Made Of?

A view beyond the marketing clutter.

We’ve all seen them…..  

The cookware infomercials that mesmerize.

The pans that seem too good to be true.  Eggs just sliding off pans. Roasts turning out perfectly in half the time.   Burnt food washing right off.

Pans that promise to raise the novice home cook (aka you and me) to gourmet chef status (Gordon Ramsay anyone?).

And best (worst) of all, all these pans are endorsed by some celebrity chef or other.

What are these wonder pans made of?  What’s the material and more importantly, what’s the non-stick coating?

Let’s break through the  marketing clutter and find out!

The Product: Red Copper

The Claim: Revolutionary non-stick ceramic cookware made of ultra-tough Copper!

Red Copper 12 inch Ceramic Copper Infused Non-Stick Fry Pan

Here’s what we found:

After scouring their website and FAQ’s for a while, I could find no answer to the actual material that makes up the Red Copper pan.  They claim it’s made of ultra-tough copper. But with a pan retailing at $19.99, I highly doubt that.

Copper by itself is expensive and copper pans are considered the Rolls Royce of cookware.   So you can see why that price point is my first red flag.

After combing through literature and product listings online I found that the ceramic nonstick coating is bonded to an  aluminum pan. So the pans are basically aluminum pans with a ceramic coating. Not copper.

They go on to say that the coating is a Copper-Infused Ceramic.  That means there’s copper in the coating?

Hmmm… I’m not sure I want copper touching my food since it reacts with food.  See my complete guide to Copper Cookware here.

I was confused so I called their Customer Service number.  I asked the rep to clarify what the pans are made of.

He confirmed that the pans are made of aluminum.

“So where’s the copper?”, I asked.

He read out a blurb from the product literature which says its a copper-infused ceramic non-stick coating.

I voiced my concern about copper touching the food and how that isn’t safe.

He put me on hold to go and search for the answer and came back with this explanation:

“The layer of copper is in the middle, between the layer of ceramic and the aluminum pan.”

Further hmmmm…..

It must be a very thin layer of copper for the pan to be so light… and cheap.   And since no copper is supposedly touching the food, the top surface must be just copper colored ceramic non-stick coating.

Is the Red Copper pan safer than a Teflon (ptfe coated) pan?

No more and no less.  It has a ceramic based non-stick coating vs ptfe based non-stick coating and at normal cooking temperatures, both pans are equally safe.  If I take their Customer Reps assurance at face value, then the copper is not coming in contact with the food and is somewhere between the ceramic and aluminum.

What Others Are Saying

Red Copper get an average rating by users : some good, some not too good.  General consensus is that these are affordably priced, average quality pans.  As with most ceramic coated pans, many users found that the non-stick quality did not last too long.  

The Cookware Advisor Verdict.

If you’re in the market for a ceramic coated pan, by all means, buy it.  As a ceramic coated pan, Red Copper is as good (or not!) as any other ceramic coated pan. But as long as you are aware that this is an aluminum pan with a copper colored ceramic non-stick coating.  There is little to no copper here.

I would also advise that if you DO buy it, don’t use metal utensils or egg beaters in the pan as they show in the ads.  That’s definitely marketing gimmicks and no nonstick can withstand that kind of abuse.

But as The Cookware Advisor, I also want to caution you that ceramic coated cookware generally has a much lower non-stick lifespan than ptfe (teflon) coated. Teflon coated pans (in my humble opinion) are quite safe as long as they are used as they are meant i.e. don’t use on high heat and never heat an empty pan.  If that appeals to you, consider a basic T-fal nonstick pan or a more high end (and more durable) Scanpan.  

If you still feel you want to avoid teflon (and I get it, it’s a personal choice), consider 100% ceramic cookware like Xtrema instead of ceramic coated cookware (yes there’s a difference).  This cookware is pure ceramic with no metal and no chemicals and there is therefore no chance of any metal leaching into your food.  

The Product: Copper Chef

The Claim: America’s #1 selling Copper cookware brand.  Copper on the inside and copper on the outside.

Copper Chef Round Pan- 10 and 12 Inch 2 Pack

Here’s what we found:

One of the infomercials for Copper Chef claims that they’ve managed to infuse copper to the exterior of the pan, on top of their ‘proprietary’ core to take advantage of the excellent heat conduction of copper.  

But here’s the thing.  Copper Chef is not copper cookware. While there is no mention on their USA based website about the material of the pans, the FAQs on their Canadian site mention that it is aluminum with copper colored Cerami Tech™ Non-Stick Coating, and a stainless steel induction plate.

So basically an induction friendly copper colored aluminum pan with a ceramic coating.  Not a copper pan.

What Others Are Saying

Reviews online are  mixed.  A lot of users report that it starts off great but quickly falls short of expectations. As with other ceramic coated non-stick pans, the non-stick coating doesn’t seem to last too long.

The Cookware Advisor Verdict

Personally, I’d pass on this cookware.

This is a set of light aluminum pans trying very hard to make consumers believe that it is copper. Copper, if you don’t know, is super expensive and is quite heavy. This is misleading and I feel you can do much better with your money.   There’s no copper in this cookware.

If you really want copper cookware, your most affordable option is a set with a copper core or a triply cookware with copper as one of the plys i.e. layers. Here are some options:

If all you wanted was a ceramic coated non-stick pan, then Copper Chef is as good or bad as any other ceramic coated pan.  Go ahead and buy it. Just don’t think you’re buying copper cookware.

Or you could consider some other options like GreenPan or Ozeri.  Just be aware that the non-stick properties of even the best ceramic coated cookware lasts 6 times less than a ptfe/teflon coated pan.   You might be better of with a good quality ptfe based non-stick pan:

Budget option: T-fal
High end option: Made in Cookware Nonstick pan

The Product: Gotham Steel

The Claim: The Newest Non-stick Cookware Made With Ceramic And Titanium.  Ti-Cerama non-stick technology. Everything slides right off.

Gotham Steel 9.5” Nonstick Copper Frying Pans with Durable Ceramic Coating,

Here’s what we found out:

Contrary to what the name suggests, these pans are not made of Stainless Steel but are aluminum with a stainless steel handle.   Gotham Steel is just the name of the company.

The nonstick coating is a ceramic non-stick that is reinforced with titanium (hence the trademarked name Ti-Cerama non-stick technology). Titanium has been used for years to strengthen non-stick coatings, making the cooking surface scratch resistant and more durable.

Is the non-stick coating on Gotham Steel pans safe?

The Gotham Steel Ti-Cerama coating is as safe as any other ceramic or teflon based coating at normal cooking temperatures.  Read my complete review of ceramic coated nonstick cookware

What Others Are Saying:

When the pans are new, the non-stick works great, which explains some of the glowing reviews.  But the overall consensus is that the non-stick stops working after a few uses and after that everything sticks.   This is generally true of most ceramic coated non-stick pans anyway. The longevity of the non-stick is a fraction of that of a good teflon pan.    

The Cookware Advisor Verdict

Buy with caution.  There are better products out there for your money.  

If all you wanted was a good non-stick pan, stick to a teflon type pan e.g. T-fal or Made in Cookware nonstick pans.  I honestly don’t think anything comes close to the non-stick ability of a good quality ptfe (teflon) coated pan.  And if handled with care, you can get quite a few years out of that pan.

If teflon is an issue for you, consider 100% ceramic cookware (no metal) like Xtrema.  Yes, it’s much more pricey than the $19.99 for the Gotham Steel pan but you get what you pay for and in this case you get a pan that I would call the safest pan in the market.  

Is there any other as seen on TV cookware  that has you baffled?  Let us know in the comments and we will do our best to research and add to this list.

Other Pages You Might Like:

When and How To Use a Casserole Dish
Caraway Cookware – Ceramic Coated “Cookware Without The Chemicals” (New- Jan 2020)
How to Choose the Best Cookware – 7 guidelines


Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.