Compare Aluminum and Copper Core Clad Stainless Steel Cookware
 Photo Credits: All-Clad
There are three very of important factors to consider when buying a new cookware set:
1. Good Conductivity: This is the ability of the material(s) the cookware is made of to transmit the heat from the stove-top heat source to the cooking ingredients. Conductivity is what determines how fast your food will cook and how much energy (gas or electricity) will be spent to reach the desired result. The better conductivity is, the faster foods will cook and the less energy will be spent. Good conductivity also plays a key role in evenness of cooking. 2. Non-Reactivity: The material(s) certain cookware is made of can react with the cooking foods under high heat. This can adversely effect both our health and the taste of the cooked foods. It is important to choose cookware that does't react with foods when heated. 3. Ease of Maintenance: The easier the cookware is to clean, the less time you will spend in the kitchen! It is important to choose cookware that will not stain and corrode over time. The Best Cookware Solution When you consider all the various metals and alloys cookware is made of, with regard to good conductivity, aluminum and copper come on top (with copper being even more conductive than aluminium). Pots and pans made of either of these two metals perform extremely well. However, both metals are reactive and under high heat will react with the foods being cooked, yielding undesired results. In addition, both metals will stain over time and will require extensive cleaning to give them their original sparkling look. That's where stainless steel comes in! Stainless steel may not have the high conductivity of either aluminum or copper, but it is not a reactive, and foods that come in contact with stainless steel while cooking are not altered in any harmful way. In addition, stainless steel is extremely easy to clean. Even when food stick sometimes to stainless steel pans (due mainly to overcooking with no liquid or oil left in the pan), it can easily be cleaned by simply soaking it with water for a short while. The ideal solution for the perfect cookware would therefore require bringing together the good conductivity of copper and aluminum with the non-reactivity and ease of care of stainless steel. That is how the idea for clad stainless steel cookware originated. |
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Best Clad Stainless Steel Cookware
Cladding is a cookware fabrication technique that uses a layer of heat conducting material, such as aluminium or copper, surrounded by a non-reactive and easy to clean material, such as stainless steel. Cladding can be implemented in a number of ways. Some cookware has cladding only on the bottom. Basically a disk of aluminum is sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. Other cookware has the cladding on the bottom as well as along the whole height of the cookware. This is known as full cladding. Clearly, having it only on the bottom is not as efficient as full cladding, as full cladding spreads heat quickly and evenly across the bottom of the pot or pan and all the way up the sides. Indeed, the best high-end cookware available on the market today have full cladding. Since this article is about the best clad stainless steel cookware, we will focus here only on fully clad cookware configurations.
Most fully clad cookware produced by top brands have the following three configurations:
Other configurations exist, but the above three are the most common ones offered by top brands such as All-Clad or Cooks Standard.
Note that all these configurations provide a stainless cooking surface both on the inside of the cookware as well as on the outside where the bottom comes into contact with the heat source. This is essential for easy cleanup and maintenance.
The three configurations are shown in the pictures below:
Most fully clad cookware produced by top brands have the following three configurations:
- Configuration 1: A single aluminum layer sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel (see picture below). This is called 3-PLY clad configuration.
- Configuration 2: Two layers of aluminum sandwiched between three layers of stainless steel (see picture below). This is called 5-PLY clad configuration. Clearly, 5-PLY cookware is thicker than 3-PLY cookware which makes it more resistant to warping over time. In addition, the extra two layers of aluminum enhance rapidity and evenness of heat distribution. Note that sometimes the central layer of stainless steel is also replaced with a layer of aluminum alloy.
- Configuration 3: One central copper layer sandwiched between two layers of aluminum which are themselves sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel (see picture below). This is also a 5-PLY clad configuration. The combination of aluminum and copper cores further enhances rapidity and evenness of heat distribution.
Other configurations exist, but the above three are the most common ones offered by top brands such as All-Clad or Cooks Standard.
Note that all these configurations provide a stainless cooking surface both on the inside of the cookware as well as on the outside where the bottom comes into contact with the heat source. This is essential for easy cleanup and maintenance.
The three configurations are shown in the pictures below:
Photo Credits: All-Clad
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Photo credits: Photo Credits: All-Clad
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Photo Credits: All-Clad
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Product Recommendations for Each of the Three Clad Stainless Steel Configurations:
You will find below on Amazon, clad stainless steel cookware sets from each of the three configurations described above (both 3-PLY and 5-PLY).
Please click the Amazon US link image below for the cookware set of your choice to see exact price information or to purchase.
Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country.
Our top recommendation is All-Clad's 5-PLY copper & aluminum core cookware (configuration 3 above) which you will find below in the Amazon products section. Each pot (and pan) in this cookware contains a core of pure copper that spreads heat rapidly and evenly across the bottom of the pot and all the way up its sides. Two aluminum layers bond firmly the copper core to the stainless steel exteriors and interiors as described in the configuration-3 picture above. In addition, the cookware's appearance is enhanced by a stripe of the copper core that elegantly encircles the sparkling exterior. The highly polished interior is both stick and corrosion resistant. Rolled edges prevent drips when pouring and enables tightly fitting lids.
Other top brands of each of the three configurations described above are also recommended below:
Configuration1: 3-PLY Stainless Steel Clad (Aluminum Core)
Please click the Amazon US link image below for the cookware set of your choice to see exact price information or to purchase.
Please Note: For non-US customers, when you click the links below, you will be provided with the Amazon links for your country (such as Canada or UK), if the product is available in your country.
Our top recommendation is All-Clad's 5-PLY copper & aluminum core cookware (configuration 3 above) which you will find below in the Amazon products section. Each pot (and pan) in this cookware contains a core of pure copper that spreads heat rapidly and evenly across the bottom of the pot and all the way up its sides. Two aluminum layers bond firmly the copper core to the stainless steel exteriors and interiors as described in the configuration-3 picture above. In addition, the cookware's appearance is enhanced by a stripe of the copper core that elegantly encircles the sparkling exterior. The highly polished interior is both stick and corrosion resistant. Rolled edges prevent drips when pouring and enables tightly fitting lids.
Other top brands of each of the three configurations described above are also recommended below:
Configuration1: 3-PLY Stainless Steel Clad (Aluminum Core)
Cooks Standard
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Cuisinart
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All-Clad
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Configuration 2: 5-PLY Stainless Steel Clad (Aluminum and Stainless Steel Cores)
All-Clad
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Configuration 3: 5-PLY Stainless Steel Clad (Aluminum and Copper Cores)
All-Clad
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All-Clad
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All-Clad
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