Cuisinart Copper Classic 3-1/2-Quart Saut Pan with Lid and Helper Handle

Aluminum is several times more heat conductive than stainless. Copper is about twice as conductive as aluminum. At some theoretical level, the All Clad "copper in the middle" construction might have an advantage, but I have yet to be convinced. My comparison between a tall sided All Clad "copper between stainless" pot and a similar sized Cuisinart "copper, aluminum, stainless" pot showed nearly identical temperature distribution at low to medium heat, with the edge to the Cuisinart pan at higher settings. Time to temperature was a little better for the Cuisinart as well (both up and down) which indicated a little better control. Both were more uniform than with 3 ply stainless/aluminum/stainless pots, especially when raising, or lowering the cooking heat. I took the measurements with a Universal Tech brand electronic thermometer using a point source thermocouple (which is to say that it was an accurate measurement). Back to reality. Since copper and aluminum both conduct heat so much better than stainless steel, any combination of the two should be at least as good at presenting a stainless cooking surface with uniform heat as the "stainless/copper/stainless" construction All Clad offers. If anything, the copper outside seems to do a little better under high flame conditions on a gas stove (that's where I took the measurements). My last point is that nothing looks as good as copper in the kitchen, and it really isn't hard to keep looking it's best. These pots are an heirloom at a bargain price, and cook as good as they look.


Expensive indulgence   April 8, 2001
16 out of 19 found this review helpful

Having owned several different quality levels of cookware from the top flight but expensive All-Clad to dime store variety pots, I think I have seen and used a variety of quality levels. I really enjoy the look and the cooking qualities of cooper. This particular product looks fabulous and does an excellent job like other high quality cookware. Two things you need to keep in mind before you buy this product. 1. The core is aluminum not copper so you lose much of the advantage of the copper material. 2. The copper will need to be periodically polished to maintain its shine. Bottom line is that if you are interested in value this product doesn't have it. You can save a lot of money and hassle by buying a product such as Farberware Millennium instead. If you are interested in the highest level of performance, opt for the All-Clad w/copper core instead which has the copper where it counts. This is a beautiful piece of cookware and I love it but I realize there are better values out there. If you don't mind paying extra for beauty this is a great product to buy.