As both these brands are advertised heavily on TV and have celebrity endorsements (Cathy Mitchell for Red Copper and Chef Tony for Gotham Steel) you might be wondering which is the best to go for between Gotham Steel and Red Copper Pans. If you want to skip the details and skip straight to which we think is best then you can click here to zoom to the end of the article.
Both these products have a heavy emphasis on being non-stick so let’s start by comparing the non stick surfaces.
Contents
Non Stick Surface
Gotham Steel:
Gotham uses an “Award-winning Ti-Cerama coating” for its nonstick surface. This is basically a fancy way of saying it is a ceramic treated to be non-stick.
Does it work? Well, yes at first it works fantastically well but as time goes by the nonstick starts to decrease in effectiveness and eventually it just doesn’t work at all. This is true of most nonstick surfaces and you can increase its lifespan by caring for it properly and using the correct utensils.
Gotham steel claims you can use metal utensils on these safely. Usually, metal utensils are a big no-no for nonstick surfaces as they can scratch it right off. In our opinion using metal utensils on these pans is going to shorten the lifespan considerably and the lifespan on Gotham Steel nonstick is already short enough. Many reviewers on Amazon complain that the nonstick surface begins to diminish almost straight away and after 6 months it’s completely gone. We can’t account for how they treated the pans but it’s not really good reading.
Red Copper:
Like Gotham Steel, Red Copper uses a ceramic nonstick surface. It uses a copper infused ceramic to create a “natural” nonstick surface.
Does it work? Again, it works great when you first get the pans. It works really well in fact, but again after some time has passed the performance begins to wane and is eventually no better than the next pan. The main problem with these is that they need seasoning, you need to take care of these pans more than a normal set of pans. If you don’t follow the seasoning instructions then you won’t get the desired performance. It’s just another job you really don’t need.
Are Red Copper and Gotham Steel Non Toxic?
Yes. Both brands have PFOA and PFTE free surfaces so you don’t need to worry about chemicals getting into your food.
Materials Used
Gotham Steel:
Considering the name you would expect me to say steel right? Well, there isn’t much steel in these really. The handle has steel I suppose. The pans are made with titanium, aluminum and ceramic.
They are hard wearing, well put together and easy to use. They are a nice weight in the hand, not heavy but with a good weight that lets you know they are durable.
Red Copper:
These are made with copper and ceramic. The handle again is stainless steel on most versions of this cookware. These are also a nice weight and feel sturdy and well made. We have no complaints about the durability of the pans in general.
Dishwasher Safe?
Gotham Steel claims to be dishwasher safe while Red Copper does not. In our opinion, if you buy either of these sets you should not put them in the dishwasher. It will shorten the lifespan of the nonstick surface considerably. Also as they are both nonstick they should be very easy to clean, no matter what you have been cooking with them.
Are They Oven Safe?
While it varies depending on the specific pan and/or set the answer is yes, for both Gotham Steel and Red Copper. Both are generally rated to 500 degrees F.
Can they be used on induction cooktops?
Gotham Steel:
It varies from model to model but yes there are versions of these pans that are induction compatible. You need to check before you buy your chosen set though as not all pans are induction ready.
Red Copper:
Again yes but you need to check before you buy as not all of them do. Red copper doesn’t advertise induction compatibility very well so it can be hard to check. We recommend asking a question on Amazon once you have picked a set to be sure or contacting the manufacturer for comment.
Price Comparison
Generally Red Copper is slightly cheaper than Gotham Steel across the board. However, they are quite competitively matched so there isn’t really a stand out winner here. Both brands are operating in the same space and have invested heavily in advertising. They are competing against each other so generally, the prices are very similar.
Which is best?
So this is what it boils down to at the end of the day. Which is best to use, which has the best nonstick surface and which should you buy.
Before I get too deep into my choice between these 2 products the first thing I will say is that if you are looking for great nonstick cookware then you should look beyond both of these brands. There are better cookware sets out there with better and more long-lasting nonstick surfaces. T-fal have a seriously good nonstick surface and you get a lot of quality for your money.
My overall winner is Gotham Steel.
The reason for this is that I felt the nonstick surface was just that bit better. There is no seasoning required either which you have to do with Red Copper. Both brands left a lot to be desired in the longevity of their nonstick but in our tests, we found that the Gotham Steel was the best performer after a few uses.
There’s also a little bit more choice in designs with Gotham Steel. We really liked the look and feel of these products when compared to Red Copper. They look modern, smart and feel great to use. The Red Copper was great to use as well but we weren’t huge fans of their aesthetics.
Should you buy either?
In our opinion, there are much much better cookware sets out there, by far. The nonstick surfaces of both these brands are definitely not the best available on the market and you can get far nicer and better looking cookware sets.
Check out sets by All Clad, if you want super high quality products. Yes, they are very pricey but worth the investment as it will last a lifetime. If you are looking for a great set at a more reasonable price then the T-fal sets are phenomenal value for money. If you want something that looks gorgeous then the Rachael Ray and Paula Deen sets cannot be overlooked for both a great experience and look.
If you are determined to get Red Copper or Gotham Steel though then we say go with the Gotham Steel.
