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©2020 Margaret Schindel, all rights reserved |
Since I had a lot of pans to replace (my husband and I both cook a lot!), I research the newest generation of nonstick coating options and cookware. I tried a T-Fal skillet and, later, an OXO Good Grips nonstick frying pan, both recommended by Cook's Illustrated at the time, as well as a highly-rated set of two skillets from Sur La Table, but I found they scratched too easily for my household's needs (my husband tends to be a bit hard on pans!).
Original Copper Chef Nonstick Cookware
A few years ago, my mother-in-law bought us a set of the original Copper Chef pans, after she had bought herself some and loved them. Admittedly, I was skeptical about the quality of "As Seen on TV" nonstick cookware purchased from an infomercial, and I didn't immediately understand the appeal of a square skillet or pot. But I soon discovered how much better and more durable the ceramic nonstick cooking surface was, compared to the others I had tried.The set John's mother gifted us came with a square 9.5" fry pan, a square deep 9.5" pan, a square basket insert for deep frying or draining (e.g., pasta), a steamer insert, a slightly domed, square tempered glass lid that fits both pans, and a cookbook. Since the exact set she got us is no longer available, I've provided a link to a newer version, identical to ours except for the added set of 4 nonstick-safe cooking utensils. You can learn more about one of the original Copper Chef pans from my fellow Review This Reviews contributor Cynthia (Sylvestermouse), in her review of the original Copper Chef square fry pan.
After six or so months of heavy use, my husband and I were pleasantly surprised at how well the two pans his mother had given us were holding up, so we decided to start slowly investing in more Copper Chef cookware. We were using the shallow fry pan the most, so we bought the Copper Chef Square Fry Pan 5 Piece Set, which includes an 9.5-inch square griddle pan with a glass lid (that also fits the two pans we received as gifts), a larger 11" square griddle pan with a glass lid, and an 8" ridged grill pan.
Copper Chef Black Diamond Nonstick Cookware — Even Better Than the Original!
A year or so later, we had enough experience with the durability of the CeramiTech coating and the excellent heat conductivity of the built-in stainless steel induction plates on our glass stovetop to confidently expand our collection further. This time, when I looked on Amazon to see what other sizes and types were available, I discovered there was a new, improved line: Copper Chef Black Diamond nonstick cookware.![]() |
My first Copper Chef Black Diamond 5-piece stacking non-stick cookware set ©2020 Margaret Schindel, all rights reserved |
We chose the Copper Chef Stackable Black Diamond 5-piece Non-Stick Fry Pan Set, which comes with a 9.5" square grill pan (with grilling ridges), a 9.5" square griddle pan with the raised diamond pattern interior bottom, a 4.5-quart, 9.5" deep square pan with the same raised texture on the inside bottom, two 9.5" tempered glass square lids (which fit all three pans, as well as most of our other Copper Chef pans), and a recipe book.
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Diamond Reinforced Ceramic Coating + 3D Textured Interior Bottom = Even Less Sticking
Not only are these pans extremely attractive, with their copper-colored exteriors and black interiors, they also are more durable, because the CeramiTech nonstick coating is reinforced with thousands of tiny diamond particles. In addition, the inside bottoms of the Copper Chef Black Diamond pans (except the ridged grill pans, which don't need it) have a raised, diamond pattern surface, rather than the original, totally flat surface, which enhances their nonstick performance.Oven-Safe Coating
The deep square pan also works well as a casserole, since the pans are oven safe. The CeramiTech diamond-reinforced ceramic nonstick coating on the inside, and the regular CeramiTech coating (the same as on the original CC pans) is temperature-resistant up to 850° F. The tempered glass lids, however, are only temperature-resistant up to 350° F, so make sure not to exceed that temperature (or let the glass lids get too close to the heating elements), or just cover your casserole with aluminum foil.Quick and Easy Cleanup After Cooking
After cooking, just let the pans cool to room temperature before washing. They clean up quickly and easily with just a sponge, mild liquid dish soap and hot water. Alternatively, you can fill them with hot, soapy water and let them sit until you're ready to do the dishes after you've finished your meal.Space-Saving, Stackable Design For Convenient Storage, Even in Small Kitchens
All three pans can be stacked, a space-saving feature we love and took advantage of until my husband finally built us a wall-mounted bar of hanging hooks for storing our growing collection of nonstick pots, pans and lids in our very small galley kitchen.
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The pans stack compactly in this space saving cookware design ©2020 Margaret Schindel, all rights reserved |
When the two frying pans (flat bottom and grill pan) and the deep pan (more like a saucepan or pot) are stacked, the collective dimensions, including the long handles, are 19.5" X 10 X 7.75" — not a lot of space for two frying pans and a pot, each with 25% more cooking area than round equivalents!
Not All Brands of Copper Ceramic Coated Nonstick Cookware Perform Well!
As we expanded our collection, we tried pans with copper ceramic nonstick coating from a few other brands and discovered that, while they may all look similar (and, in some cases, nearly identical), the quality of some brands isn't on a par with that of Copper Chef. For example, we bought an 11" square griddle pan for my husband, who wanted it to make French toast, that looked like it matched our collection. However, it didn't have the built-in stainless steel induction plate, so it didn't heat up as quickly or evenly as our Copper Chef pans.We love the SHINEURI 5 piece nonstick copper cookware set we purchased on Amazon |
I was delighted with both the quality and the appearance of the 5-piece set by SHINEURI that we purchased, which has the reverse color scheme of our Copper Chef Black Diamond pans and looks terrific with them. The 1.5 quart and 2.5 quart saucepans with glass lids and the open 8" sauté pan look as though they were designed and manufactured by the same designer and factory as the original Copper Chef pans. Even the slightly domed lids and hollow stainless steel handles look exactly like the original CC pans, and they also perform just as well as those, although not as well as the Black Diamond pans.
Fortunately, the Copper Chef Black Diamond line has since expanded and now includes round pots and pans.
Another high performer we purchased from a competing brand was the Home Hero 8" round nonstick skillet with glass lid, which also had the built-in stainless steel induction plate and has performed as well as our original Copper Chef pans, although it doesn't look quite as nice, in my opinion, and doesn't have the textured interior bottom or diamond-reinforced nonstick coating of the Black Diamond pans.
Copper Chef Black Diamond Nonstick Cookware Makes a Great Gift
We loved our 5-piece set of square Black Diamond pans so much that we bought two more sets as Christmas gifts, one for my in-laws and one for my brother. They agree with us that these are by far the best nonstick pans we've ever owned.You can buy this gorgeous set of copper metal and black silicone cooking utensils on Amazon |
For an even more special gift, consider adding this set of beautiful set of copper cooking utensils with black silicone tips. I think they would look absolutely stunning with Copper Chef Black Diamond or original CC pans, or even similar pans from competing brands.
I admit that I'm really tempted to put these on my holiday wish list, even though I already own plenty of perfectly functional utensils suitable for nonstick pans. But they're so freakin' pretty. And they look as though they were custom designed to go with the Black Diamond pans, don't they?
If you prefer round pans to square ones, this Copper Chef Black Diamond 10-piece set is another excellent choice. It comes with 8-inch and 10-inch round skillets with curved sides (to make stirring foods and sliding or flipping omelets easier), a 2-quart sauce pan, a 4.5-quart casserole pan, three metal-rimmed tempered glass lids that can be mixed and matched to fit all four pans, plus a roasting rack and a nonstick-compatible serving spoon and slotted spatula. My husband and I both think we'd get a lot of use out of this set, which would complement our existing pieces nicely, and we hope to be able to add these pots and pans to our collection eventually.
Either set would be a wonderful gift for someone special — including yourself!
Care and Cleaning Tips
The manufacturer says these pans are dishwasher safe. However, I strongly recommend hand washing these (which is a breeze, using just a regular or silicone sponge and hot, soapy water as soon as the pan cools, or after soaking if you don't want to wash soon after using). Dishwasher detergent is abrasive, which is why glasses that are washed in the dishwasher frequently will become cloudy over time. The cloudiness is actually a result of the detergent gradually etching the surface of the glass!Similarly, if you want the CeramiTech coating on your pans to retain its nonstick properties as long as possible, I recommend using only plastic or silicone cooking utensils designed for non-stick cookware with these pans, something Tristar, which manufactures Copper Chef and other cookware brands, also advises.
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©2020 Margaret Schindel, all rights reserved Close-up shot of the ridged interior bottom of the nonstick grill pan |
As you can see from this close-up of our grill pan, our Copper Chef Black Diamond pans — which have been in heavy, daily use for a long time now — not only still perform beautifully but also hold up remarkably well, as long as you care for them properly!
The Inexpensive, DIY Pot and Lid Storage Rack My Husband Built for Our Copper Ceramic Nonstick Cookware
When our collection of copper ceramic nonstick coated pans continued to expand, my husband — my very own MacGyver — put together an inexpensive, space-saving pot rack next to our stove, using just leftover wood strips and some coat hooks. Sadly, the beautiful, half-round, French-looking wrought iron pot rack I had purchased long ago for my Manhattan apartment doesn't work in our ranch-style home now. (Not only do we have many more pots and pans to store, but we also have only a short, narrow "mini hallway" between the stove and the side entrance to our house, which opens into our kitchen. So, our pot rack needs to be fairly flush to the wall to allow the door to open.)One of the things I really like about his design it that, because each coat hook has an upper and a lower hook, the lids to our collection of nonstick pots and pans now have a convenient "home" for storage when they're not in use, since the glass lids can't be stacked. As you can see, it even holds our two large stainless steel mesh spatter shields!
It was meant for functionality rather than looks, but you could easily stain and varnish the wood, and even use a router to shape a scalloped edge, if you like.
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©2020 Margaret Schindel, all rights reserved My clever husband's inexpensive DIY pot rack for our nonstick pans, lids and spatter screens |
Happy nonstick cooking!
Copper Chef Black Diamond Nonstick Cookware reviewed by
Margaret Schindel
You'll find a wide range of other reliable product reviews from our Review This Reviews contributors at ReviewThisProductReviews.com.
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I have often wondered about this line of cookware. Very helpful to learn the benefits of the Copper Chef nonstick cookware. In fact, my daughter and I just this week had a lengthy conversation on the phone about our respective pots and pans which need replacing. I will tell her about these by sharing your review.
ReplyDeleteLove the clever pot rack your hubby built for you to store your Copper Chef cookware, Margaret.
So glad this was helpful, Elf! The Copper Chef Black Diamond really is superior to the original/regular Copper Chef cookware. I hope your daughter is able to get some - she'll love it! The pot rack my husband put together has been a lifesaver. :)
DeleteI've been pleased with our Copper Chef skillet and wouldn't hesitate to buy the set based on our own experience with the one skillet. Right now, I don't need to replace my everyday pots and pans (for which I am grateful, but I will definitely keep your recommendation in mind when I do have to start replacing them. I had not seen the newer version with the coated, textured interior bottom.
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot to say that the pot rack design is ingenious! You had me looking at my kitchen walls and wondering if there was a way to put one in my own kitchen.
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DeleteSylvestermouse, I really like our original Copper Chef pans, too. The Black Diamond pans make a good product even better! Glad you like Johns clever cookware storage solution, too! Inexpensive and easy to put together with just screws, coat hooks and scrap wood. :)
DeleteI've wondered if these copper chef pans were worth the investment. You have convinced me that they might be just what I need to replace some of my old pans. Thank you for the great review!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, Bev! So glad you found this review helpful. I think you'll love this cookware line!
DeleteI have had a hard time lately finding durable non-stick pans. These sound like just the ticket to replace my pathetic pots and pans. Thanks for the recommendation. I always trust your product choices. Excellent review!
ReplyDeleteDiana, thanks for that wonderful compliment! I'm so glad my review was helpful. After my first few replacements for my nonstick pans - Cook's Illustrated recommendations, no less - lost their nonstick properties after just a few months, I despaired of finding something satisfactory. Thanks to my mother-in-law, I discovered Copper Chef, and through that, the Copper Chef Black Diamond line, which truly is superior nonstick cookware! I hope you love it as much as I do.
DeleteMargaret, this is another fantastic review. Love getting reviews on pots and pans because it's difficult to choose the right ones. I'll remember your reference when we're in the market again - which could be soon - it's reasonably priced as well - and I can see the benefits to the square pans as well! I love that it can go in the oven too!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Barbara! I'm delighted that my detailed review was helpful to you. The Copper Chef Black Diamond pans now come in stackable round shapes as well as square ones (see the link to my second recommended set under the gifts section of this review), so you can have whichever shape you like. I'll probably add that round set to our collection eventually, too! :)
DeleteA good set of cooking pots and pans are a necessity in everyone's home. Good knives, good pots and then anything is possible. I love the pots that you featured and I especially love the pot hangers that are in your kitchen. Galley kitchens have to make the most of the space they offer and this is wonderful. Bonus too that the pots stack so nicely if a pot hanger is not an option. Thanks Margaret for a great review.
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome, Olivia! Yes, galley kitchens certainly are challenging in terms of storage, and a small galley kitchen like mine makes it even harder to fit my extensive kitchenware collection, accumulated over decades, lol! I'm starting to cull out anything that hasn't been "earning its keep" in my kitchen, or that doesn't perform well enough to make food preparation and cooking more joyful. These terrific nonstick pans have allowed me to get rid of a lot of old ones that I should have tossed a long time ago. If only they could be recycled or donated! But I wouldn't want to give anyone an pan with an old, scratched, no longer nonstick coating manufactured before there were safer ceramic coatings like the ones on the CC pans. The stacking feature is really nice, especially if you don't have a nifty pot rack like the one John put together for us!
DeleteI will have to see if these pans are available in Australia as we are on the lookout for a good non-stick skillet pan (my husband is very tough on these as well!).
ReplyDeleteI hope you're able to get them there, Lou! These truly are the best performing and most durable nonstick skillets I've owned (and I've been cooking in nonstick pans for quite a few decades, lol).
ReplyDelete