✅ Gotham Steel Pan vs Red Copper Pan

In a Hurry? Editors choice: –> Granite Stone Frying Pan. This post is a part of the Gotham Steel Review. See also Gotham Steel Square Pans Review and Gotham Steel Pans Review

In the world of ceramic non-stick cookware, the two that most often wide up in head-to-head comparisons are the Red Copper Pans from BulbHead and the Gotham Steel Pans with their coppery appearance. While there are some similarities, there are significant differences to consider. We will explore those in this article “Gotham Steel Pan vs Red Copper Pan”.

Both pans claim to deliver excellent non-stick performance, and part of their approach for achieving this is the inclusion of ceramic materials in their coatings. In this way, they are very similar.

Both are oven and dishwasher safe as well, and in the oven, they are rated for heats up to 500° F.

They are also both free of harmful toxins like PFOS and PFTE but Red Copper pans exclude PFOS from the materials they avoid while Gotham Steel does list that as an excluded toxin.

These are the highlights. Let’s take a look at the details.

Comparison Gotham Steel Pan vs Red Copper Pan 2021

Gotham Steel Pan

Red Copper Pan

Materials

Gotham Steel is primarily a solid aluminum pan that is fused with Stainless Steel at the base. This is a highly durable combination that delivers even heating and strength that helps prevent bending and warping.

Red Copper pans are made from copper. It also provides even heating but this is merging aluminum cooking rings into the base of the pan. Copper is a naturally softer material and that means greater care must be taken with these pans.

Coatings

Gotham Steel uses a patented coating that blends titanium steel with a ceramic material to create a strong and durable finish. They call this Ti-cerama and they suggest that it is so durable that you can safely use metal utensils.
This coating may benefit from seasoning but it is not suggested by the manufacturer. However, many that use the pans argue that it helps extend the non-stick performance significantly.

Red Copper pans are also coated with a ceramic material that is infused with copper. They suggest that it is scratch-resistant and will not chip or flake but they do not claim how it will stand up to metal utensils.
BulbHead asks owners to regularly season their pans to keep them performing as non-stick cookware. They even provide instructions.

Handles

Gotham Steel makes its handle with forged stainless steel, and these are riveted to the pan. The design is meant to keep the handle cool to the touch in all cooktop applications. It will heat up when these pans are used in the oven.

BulbHead does not indicate how the handles on their Red Copper pans are fashioned or what materials are used. By appearance, it does look like these are also made from stainless steel, are riveted in place, and remain cool to the touch.

Compatibility

Gotham Steel offers a mix of pans, all of which work on gas, electric, and glass-ceramic cooktops. Some have an additional layer of stainless steel, in a three-ply design, that allows the pan to work with indication surfaces as well.
All Gotham Steel Pans are oven and dishwasher safe.

Red Copper pans work on gas, electric, and glass-ceramic cooktop and none of their pans are induction compatible since none have a magnetic metal component.
Red Copper pans are oven safe but they are not dishwasher safe. These must be washed by hand.

Appearance

The interior of Gotham Steel pans has a coppery finish that is deeply colored and looks like what the name suggests. However, there is no copper in this finish It is done using copper pigment that is mixed into the blend of titanium and ceramic material.

The finish on the Red Copper pan is infused with copper but oddly, our reviews tell us the impression is that there is none. Instead, the finish is light and creamy. It is a good looking finish but it isn’t true to its name.

Non-Stick Performance

The interior of Gotham Steel pans is highly resistant to sticking, no matter what food is being prepared. With the combination of titanium and ceramic, that surface is durable and reviews suggest it performs well over time. This surface requires no special care but may benefit from seasoning.

The finish on the Red Copper pan is also highly resistant to sticking, and again, it performs well no matter what is being prepared. It does require care to maintain that performance in the form of hand washing and regular seasoning. Reviews suggest the non-stick performance beings to fade after a year.

Surface Safety

Many non-stick surfaces that employ man-made materials, can have safety issues related to transference. This is the eventual breakdown of the surface and a release of harmful chemicals into your food. Gotham Steel Pans are 100% toxin-free since the surface uses only titanium and ceramics.

Red Copper pans also claim to be free of toxins but they list only two of the three toxins that are most worrying. What’s missing is PFOS from their list. It may still not be present but we can not say with complete certainty that this is true.

Alternatives

Two of the leading alternatives to Gotham Steel and Red copper are the pans from Copper Chef and Granite Stone.

Copper Chef Pan Review – Healthier Cooking

Starting with the Copper Chef pans, these have a great look coming out of the box and they feel great in the hand as well. It has a rich coppery color, both inside and out, and with the addition of a stainless steel base, these pans work well on every type of cooktop, including induction surfaces.

They are 100% toxin-free since the coating is made exclusively from ceramics. They come pre-seasoned and have to be regularly to maintain the non-stick surface.

Customer reviews are slightly less positive over the long term for these pans but not dramatically so. It most likely depends on how the pans are used and how well they are cared for.

There is less variety in this line of pans so you could still wind up with some pots and pans from other manufacturers to meet all of your kitchen needs.

Granite Stone Frying Pan Review – Healthy&Non-toxic

Moving on to Granite Stone pans, these are an interesting alternative since it does not depend on ceramics to create its non-stick surface. They have turned instead to granite stone that is infused with diamond flakes. This combination creates an extremely slippery and durable surface that the manufacture argues is far tougher than anything else on the market.

Based on reviews though, the non-stick performance of these pans is highly dependent on how they are cared for. Like cast iron, they need regular seasoning and very careful cleaning.

These pans are not designed for use on induction surfaces but they do work well on any other type of cooktop. They are also oven safe to the same 500° F as most every other pan in this category.

These pans are not dishwasher safe. Hand washing is recommended and again, based on the reviews, these pans do not hold up well when metal utensils are used. This is contrary to the manufacturers’ claims.

Overall customer satisfaction ratings for all four of these pans are about the same. With the percentage of 4 and 5-star ratings coming in at or above 80%. Of these four, Copper Chef, with a combined 88% positive rating takes the prize by 2 percentage points.

Buyer’s Guides

Final Remarks

No stick cookware, no matter who makes it or how well it’s cared for, eventually loses some of its best qualities. It’s just the physics of wear and tear that eventually thins out any non-stick coating to the point of failure. This means that none of these pots and pans will last a lifetime. However, well made non-stick cookware that is well cared for can easily last for years.

If you are happy to live with that reality then do make the shift to a healthier diet by going with a good quality non-stick set of pots and pans. If you’d prefer to get a set of pans that will truly last a lifetime then forget about non-stick cookware and choose cast iron or carbon steel, two of the most durable materials on the market today.

Cast iron especially has a reputation of needing lots of tender loving care but lasting for generations and carbon steel is the choice of many top chefs, especially around Asia where wok cooking with high heat is common and these pans are also passed down from one generation to the next.

Gotham Steel Pan vs Red Copper Pan