If you’re looking for new cookware for your kitchen, you’ve probably heard of Red Copper and Gotham Steel.
Because they’re both advertised as high-quality cookware and having very similar characteristics, as well as price tags, you may be on the fence about which one to get.
If that’s the case, don’t worry!
In this article, we’ll talk about what makes each brand special, their similarities, what makes them difference and which one will fit your lifestyle better so you can make the right choice from the get-go.
Gotham Steel vs Red Copper: Let’s get started!
Gotham Steel vs Red Copper: Full Reviews
Gotham Steel Pan Reviews
Gotham steel pans are made with a sturdy combination of titanium and reinforced ceramic, two popular materials in the cooking word that are known for their quality.
The outside body of Gotham Steel pans is made with titanium. This material is known for being highly conductive and sturdy, making it a wonderful choice for kitchens that see a lot of action, as they react quickly to temperature changes and can take a lot of abuse.
The cooking surface of these pans is made with reinforced ceramic, a material often regarded as one of the best for cooking. Ceramic is non-reactive and very resistant to high temperatures, though it’s not the sturdiest material out there.
By combining both materials, Gotham Steel pans delivers high-quality cookware that can be used again and again with very little wear.
The 3 Best Gotham Steel Pans
#1: Gotham Steel Nonstick Copper Grill Pan
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If what you’re looking for is a large cooking surface that gives you the opportunity to grill both indoors and outdoors then rejoice, because we’re positive you’re going to love this one.
#2: Gotham Steel Pots and Pans 10 Piece Cookware Set
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A well-equipped set that’s perfect for people looking to replace most of their cookware or even as a starter kit, this cookware set has 10 pieces, including lids, and even some accessories.
#3: Gotham Steel Tastic Bundle 7 Piece Cookware Set
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With just the name, you can already imagine what’s in stores for you with this beautiful cookware set. We’re using the phrase “cookware set” a bit loosely here, as this is truly more a bundle than anything else but trust us when we say you won’t be needing anything else.
Red Copper Pan Review
Red copper pans are made with a combination of copper and ceramic, two popular materials for casual and professional chefs alike.
Copper is one of the most popular materials in the kitchen, thanks to its very high heat conductivity which allows it to react and reflect temperature changes almost immediately.
The ceramic coating gives these pans a non-reactive cooking surface that, when properly seasoned, will also act as a natural non-stick surface, giving you the option of cooking with very little oil without risking your family’s health with harmful chemicals.
The 3 Best Red Copper Pans
#1: Red Copper Double-Coated Square Dance Pan
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Made by Bulbhead, this square pan is one of the largest ones in this list, which makes it a perfect choice for people looking to cook for a large number of people.
#2: BulbHead 11198 Red Copper Square Pan
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If you liked the idea of a square cooking pan with a large cooking area, then this cookware set is perfect for you. One of the things we liked the most about this pan was the fact that the handles seem to be fused with the body, as opposed to simply bolted. This can give you extra security when handling it, but it makes the handle grow hot much faster.
#3: Red Copper Fry Pan Deluxe 12 Inch
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Perfectly described as “large and in charge” this frying pan is large enough to handle most types of food, though it’s a little too shallow for others. Thanks to its build, which uses reinforced ceramic for the cooking surface, you can use very little oil when cooking, making it an excellent choice for the health conscious out there.
Gotham Steel vs Red Copper: Detailed Comparison
Gotham Steel vs Red Copper: The Similarities
Thanks to the fact that both brands use a mixture of a metal with ceramic, Red Copper and Gotham Steel share certain similarities, such as:
- Non-Stick Ceramic Cooking Surface
Both brands use ceramic as a cooking surface, which means both need to be properly seasoned every few uses to keep their non-stick properties.
Since both brands use ceramic for a cooking surface, you should be careful when using and washing them, as the surface can scratch if you’re not careful.
To ensure the longevity of your pots and pans, regardless of the brand, you should avoid using metal utensils when cooking with them.
Both Red Copper and Gotham Steel are marked as dishwasher safe cookware, but it’s recommended to wash them by hand whenever possible, as this will make the cooking surface last longer.
- Reliable Heat Conductivity
Both copper and titanium are regarded as excellent for heat conductivity, though copper is considered the superior material in that respect.
Since both Gotham Steel and Red Copper cookware use these materials, both can heat up and cool down pretty-quickly.
- Special Characteristics
Because of the materials used, both Red Copper and Gotham Steel are oven safe up to 500 degrees and dishwasher safe, though it’s still recommended to wash by hand whenever possible.
It’s also important to know that we’re talking about the body. The lids have a different level of heat resistance, which means that sometimes it’s not safe to use them in the oven.
Gotham Steel vs Red Copper: The Differences
While the similarities between the pans may make them seem interchangeable, there are some key differences in their characteristics, albeit not in their function.
- Sturdiness
While both titanium and copper are good for cooking, titanium is more durable, as copper is known for being “softer” and more vulnerable to damage, both by accidents or daily use.
That said, we’re only talking about the outside body. Because both brands use ceramic as a cooking surface, they’re equally non-stick, equally scratch-resistant and equally capable of cracking and scratching if you aren’t careful when using them.
- Heat Conductivity
If there’s a downside to the durability of titanium is its thickness, which makes it less conductive than copper.
Both materials are still great at reacting to temperature changes, but copper is better, reacting almost immediately while titanium may take a couple of minutes to get to the temperature you want.
- Weight
As you can imagine, a thick and sturdy material will be heavy and that’s the case for titanium.
Both Gotham Steel and Red Copper pans can be on the heavy side, thanks to the ceramic coating, but copper is considerably lighter than titanium, which means Red Copper pans are easier to handle than Gotham Steel.
On the other hand, Gotham Steel pans have a sturdier feel to them and won’t accidentally be knocked over, which is always a plus for people who enjoy feeling the weight of cookware in their hands.
- Build
It comes as no surprise that two different brands have different ways of designing things, which means you’ll notice a clear difference between these two.
Red Copper pans are often wider with a larger cooking surface, but with handles that feel hollow and cheap.
Gotham Steel pans tend to be on the small size, but their handles are as sturdy as the rest of the pan, giving you security and a sense of control when cooking.
Both handles get hot to the touch, but Red Copper’s tend to stay cool for longer.
- Price
Because copper is considered a premium material when cooking, Red Copper pans tend to be more expensive than Gotham Steel, though the prices are still higher than regular cookware sets to keep that in mind.
Talking about cookware sets, Red Copper tends to have a wider variety of bundles and types of pans offered than Gotham Steel.
Gotham Steel vs Red Copper: Which Is Better?
Since both brands offer similar quality, it’s hard to choose a clear winner, particularly because “which one is better” depends entirely on your preferences.
As it is, there are certain situations where one is clearly better than the other.
If you’re interested in cooking a wide variety of dishes, including delicate recipes where temperature is key, Red Copper is the better choice, as the copper base allows it to react quickly.
If you’re the kind of person who uses their cookware constantly and enthusiastically, Gotham Steel is probably the brand for you, as their pots are a lot sturdier than Red Copper.
If you own an induction cooktop or glass-top stove, then you should purchase Red Copper pans, as Gotham Steel isn’t induction compatible, thanks not only to the materials used but also because its design.
If you’re looking for variety and well-equipped cookware bundles, Red Copper is your best choice, as Gotham Steel focuses more on individual pans, as opposed to cookware sets, tough it does have a couple of those.
We’ve come to the end of our short comparison, thank you for reading.
We hope this short guide was enough to cover your doubts and questions.
If you have any questions or just want to get in touch, leave a comment. We’d love to hear about your experiences with the brands and which one you think is overall better.
If you still can't find the best pan for your stove, check below for detailed comparison between: Red Copper vs Gotham Steel vs Copper Chef:
Talya Davis
Talya, like all members of the HomeDesignX team, is enamored by all things related to cooking and eating. She’s written cookware articles for numerous publications before working with her lifelong friend Jessica to create their very own website on cookware.
She's currently writing a book on induction cooktops, and enjoys making clean, vegan meals for her family.