The Great Copper Cookware Gallery

The Great Copper Cookware Gallery on Chowhound

SognSpatula | May 23, 201903:30 PM

It was recently mentioned in another thread that we should have a central gallery for copper cookware since so little real info is available online. This is that thread.

So post up your copper pots and pans here. Tell us a little about them: who made them, when they were made, how they’re lined, what you do with them, what you do or don’t like about them, etcetera.

Solo or comparative shots are welcome, just try to label what you’re posting clearly.

Thanks in advance for sharing your treasures with us.


I’ll start with a single workhorse of mine: a 24cm Matfer Bourgeat sauté. It was purchased in 2017, so the copper is 2.5mm bi-metal, the handle is cast iron, and the lining is stainless steel.

Cooking for two people, this pan does everything. It sautés veggies. It browns meat, deglazes nicely, and goes in the oven to finish.

Desert island pan? Maybe.

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SognSpatula May 23, 201903:46 PM

Here’s a comparison of two Bourgeat 20cm pots.

The one on the left with the stick handle was purchased in 2015, and it’s 2.5mm bi-metal with a cast iron handle.

The one on the right with the loop handles was purchased in 2018 and is identical in all respects aside from having loop handles instead of a single stick.

I originally bought the one with the loop handles for my wife, since she thought the pot was too heavy for the stick handle. Over time, I’ve come to appreciate the loop handles on a 20cm pot as well, and I rarely reach for the one with the stick handle anymore.

Perhaps worth noting is that the loop handles on this pot are sized to the pot, and they’re significantly smaller in all dimensions than the 24 and 28cm Bourgeat loop handles.


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At Chowhound, there was this fantastic posts on copperware as shown above, those who want to continue posting them here, please do so.

Copper cookware is an interesting topic. Great pictures above. I have bought copper in many places: retail, markets, yard sales and brocantes. Like many older people, I first bought copper without knowing much (when it was relatively cheap compared to today), and ended up with thin copper “display” pieces that did not cook well over a flame, mostly replaced now.

One of my favorites is a Le Cellier oval cocotte #24. It is only about 1.5 mm thick, but I use it for duck confit in the oven, and for that it is perfect (not pictured).

I don’t use my copper 100% of the time, and most of my frying is in mild steel fry pans, copper for lower heat things. I love my saucepans, and as far as I am concerned, the thicker the better. Mine are eclectic, and in variety of sizes. I view it as a collection over time that tells my, cooking story. Most of my everyday items are pictured, but larger ones don’t hang on the wall. I polish roughly twice a year, January and July

Some fabulous copper is being made today, and the decision of new vs vintage can be difficult. I bought what I needed as I needed it, but I would not like to think about buying a whole collection at once. If you buy it, love it and use it!

THANK YOU so much for starting a copper cookware gallery here!!! I have some “mystery” copper saucepans that I will be posting an inquiry about in a few days. I am not sure whether to post them in the gallery or in the cookware thread. Which would be the best place to post the photos? I am fairly new here, but spent a lot of time on the CH cookware threads.

Add images

Welcome! You can post here.

This is the little oval pot I mentioned above. The copper is thin, only about 1 mm, but fine for the oven. I use it mostly for duck confit. It is about 25x18x10 cm and only marked L Lecellier Villedieu Modele Depose and 24 on the lid. The vintage copper site suggests it dates from the 60s to 1993, when LeCellier apparently closed. It was a yard sale find.

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Beautiful pan and a great find! I especially like those “ear” handles.