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  • Copper Chef Square Pan
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  • Last modified: September 11, 2017

Review Summary:

After using this pan for a month, I upped my rating from 3 to 4 stars. My wife loves it. It has been performing well. Smaller than expected. Not as heavy as expected. Positives are it can go in the oven as well as on top of the stove. So far nothing has stuck to it. How long it will last is a question mark. The bottom does not heat evenly and is slightly warped with a higher center. Nothing is sticking to it (so far). I upped this from 4 stars to 5 stars after using it for over 1 1/2 years. It is holding up well, no scratches. Great pan.

Copper Chef Pan

 

UPDATE 9/11/2017: We still love this pan. It is my wife’s “go to” pan for many meals. She just commented yesterday that she loves the Copper Chef pan and the high sides because the high sides keep grease and other splatters to a minimum. Also, the pan is so easy to clean – just wipe out with a paper towel. She also uses soap and water – doesn’t like the idea of just wiping it out. Our pan still looks like new. No scratches except a few on the bottom from rubbing on the grates. The original price I paid was $75. Saw the 4 piece set for $60 today – the price may change by the time you read this. Here is the link to see the current 4 piece price. Upped rating from 4 to 5 stars due to the pan holding up and still performing so well.

I just saw on Amazon that the 5 piece set is on sale for $65 (as of this writing). Here is the link to check it out – Check price here. Great deal!

UPDATE 9/4/2016: As pointed out in user comments below, the Copper Chef Square Pan is copper-colored aluminum. I don’t know if the ceramic coating on the inside will prevent any harmful effects of the aluminum. Just wanted to point this out. Tristar does claim “100% Safe: PFOA, PTFE, and PFOS-Free.”

UPDATE 7/22/2016 – upped rating from 3 to 4 stars
I am liking this pan more and more. My wife loves it and more often than not grabs it for whatever she is cooking for dinner. Very easy clean-up. I made popcorn in it last night to test it out – to see if it popped the corn like in the commercial with no butter or oil. It worked! I preheated the pan on the burner on med-high for about 30 seconds, put 1/3rd cup of popcorn kernels in the pan (1/3rd cup only made enough for one person – next time I will use 1/2 cup or more). They tended to roll off to the sides since the middle is slightly higher. Within two minutes the popcorn started to pop and after three minutes I had fresh, popped popcorn. No oil or butter. I did add salt so it wasn’t totally a healthy snack! I’ll post a video of making the popcorn soon. Easy clean-up, just wiped with paper towel. I upped my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars.

My Experience with the Copper Chef Square Pan


I’m a sucker for “As Seen on TV” infomercials. They make the product look irresistible. The Tristar Products Copper Chef Pan is no exception. On the commercial, eggs slide around, even melted cheese doesn’t stick. It is a frying pan and a pan you can bake in. Square with high sides so you can do a lot with this pan.

I bought the Copper Chef Square Pan for my wife as a birthday present. We both were wowed by the TV commercial. She was out of town this weekend so I took it for a test drive. First, I cooked tilapia fish & broccoli. Then this morning I made a Monte Cristo sandwich – a ham & swiss cheese on french toast – normally deep fried. Instead of ham, I used thinly sliced turkey. Instead of deep fried, I cooked in the Copper Chef pan.

We got the 4 piece set which includes the Square Pan, glass top, steamer insert, fryer basket and a recipe book with a dozen or so recipes. The cost was $75. The next package up also included a Square Fry Pan for $105. Ours did not come with the utensils shown in some ads.

  • Ceramic-tech non-stick coating allows for easy clean up. Cook without butter and oil
  • The Stainless Steel Induction Plate means no hot spots. Allowing for fast, even cooking
  • Heat Resistant Up To 800 Degree, Dishwasher Safe
  • 4 Piece Set includes Pan size- 9 1/2 inches- 4.5 Quarts, Glass Lid, Fry Basket, Steam Rack, Recipe Book
  • 100% Safe: PFOA, PTFE, and PFOS-Free

See my first impression videos below for cooking fish and cooking a Monte Cristo sandwich. (Sorry for the quality – I was holding my small video camera with one hand while trying to cook.  🙂 )

First Impressions

When the Copper Chef Pan arrived from Amazon, we were a little disappointed. It seemed smaller than it looked on TV. Also, it is lightweight, which can be good – but it feels like copper colored aluminum. Quality didn’t feel like a $75 pan.

Cooking my first meal, tilapia fish & frozen broccoli, I was fairly impressed. Nothing stuck to the pan, everything cooked evenly. Cleanup was a breeze. So far so good.

Cooking the Monte Cristo french toast sandwich also was a positive experience overall. When cooking the extra egg batter to make scrambled eggs omelet style, I was disappointed that the eggs did not slide around on the pan like in the commercial. They didn’t stick to the bottom, they just didn’t slide.

The heat was not evenly distributed on the Copper Chef pan like the advertising claims. It was hotter in the middle which cooked the eggs faster there and left the eggs runny along the edges.

The center of the pan bottom is slightly higher which caused the egg batter and the melted butter used the night before with the fish, run toward the outer edges of the pan.

Cleanup was easy. Everything wiped off with a paper towel. Then I washed with soap and water to complete the cleanup.

My cooking videos

Cooking tilapia fish

Cooking a Monte Cristo Sandwich in the Copper Chef Square Pan

 

Bottom Line

My initial impression of the Tristar Copper Chef Square Pan is it is OK. Not a “WOW!” factor. Probably not worth $75. I have used nice T-Fall pans that food did not stick to that cost much less. The square design with high sides is nice – makes it more versatile. Plus the fact you can put it in the oven and bake in it is nice. Time will tell if it holds up or loses it’s luster just in time for the next As Seen on TV next best thing comes on!

Should you buy it? Maybe. Read more reviews on Amazon (click here) and decide for yourself. As of this writing, the Tristar Copper Chef Pan gets a 4.5 star rating by over 450 reviews. To me, it is not a 4.5-star product. 3-stars mean it is OK, not so bad that you shouldn’t get one, just don’t have too high of expectations. [see Update at top of post – I raised from 3-stars to 4-stars.] We will probably keep it. If it was $40 it would be a good buy. Let me know your experience with the Copper Chef pans – this square one and the others.

NOTE: Just upped it another star to 5 star. Price has dropped and the pan has held up very well. (See updates at the top of this review)

More to Come

I will update this review in the near future once I have used the pan more. I will also share my wife’s take on the pan; she’s the chef around here! I wanted to get this review up asap since infomercials are running and you may be like me and want an honest review of how the Copper Chef pan is and if it is worth the investment. Too early to weigh in on both of those. For now, this has been my initial impression.

 


38 Comments
  1. I’m on my second frying pan, like the first the second one sticks on the sides and in the middle, no matter if I use oil or butter or even by itself, does the so called magic surface wear off ?, It was good at first but now not so good, please reply to my message, thank you

    • Gary, I’m not experiencing any problems with sticking or surface wearing off. I don’t use this particular pan very often, so not a good comparison to you. I do use a Copper Chef 9″ fry pan all the time. Great for omelets, fried or scrambled eggs, and other things – grilling onions, mushrooms, hashbrowns, etc.. No problems with the pan. I usually use butter when cooking (like the flavor it adds). For the high sided pan reviewed here, I do not use enough to comment on wear and tear. Mine is still like new. The Copper Chef 9″ frying pan (not reviewed here) shows no wear or tear and does not stick after over 3 yrs of moderate use.

  2. Cooked with mine twice on the induction cooktop.
    Used the medium heat setting and the bottom is already
    domed(rounded) making the liquids run to all sides.
    Has hot spots. Made two grilled cheese sandwich s
    And had to spin them to cook bread evenly. Infomercials really suck you in with their BS. Even if it’s a defect you have to pay to ship it back. Buyer beware !!

  3. Good for searing meat (better with a touch of oil) Scrambled eggs always come out ‘curdled’. I’m 73 and have been making scrambled eggs for 63 years so don’t tell me I do it wrong. They are always light and fluffy and omelets always perfect. Definitely a limited use pan. Forget eggs unless you like them like rubber or curdled.

  4. I just got my Copper Chef pan from the Walmart website over the weekend ($60, reduced to $50 + tax with a gift card I used, plus when you buy it from Walmart, a 3-piece set of knives is also included); I haven’t used it yet, though (most of the included recipes make too much for the 3 of us — maybe can try it when my oldest comes home next month?). I think maybe the difference between the Copper Chef and the Red Copper/Gotham Steel/etc. versions of this deep-dish square pan is that the Copper Chef version is induction-safe. I personally don’t have issues with aluminum cookware (most of my top-of-stove pots & pans are hard-anodized aluminum, which at least is nonstick while avoiding the chemicals used in Teflon), so Copper Chef being a mostly-aluminum pan is not a problem for me. (I used to have an Orgreenic skillet, and had seasoned it per the manufacturer’s instructions, but found that I almost never used it, so put it in a free box for last weekend’s local garage-sale shoppers.)
    For frying, I usually prefer my TFal “everyday pan” (a chicken-fryer-size deep skillet, but with 2 loop handles instead of 1 long handle), which fits in my double-bowl kitchen sink for cleaning much more easily than a traditional frying pan. If I were to start buying additional Copper Chef pieces, I think the next step for me would be both sizes (or at least the 11″ square XL size) of their “casserole” pan, which seems like a deeper version of the “everyday pans” I love.

  5. The pan had a high round center so the fried egg yoke went to third base and the white went to second and home plate. The grease from the bacon stayed around the edges. The bottom/sides scratched very easily from contact with other pans in the drawer. One MUST have very clean hands (no oil) and dry hands (no water) or the pan can slip from the highly polished metal handle.

    BACK TO BB&B for a refund.

  6. I gave this a 5 star because I got it for less than $50 with a coupon at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and I have an induction cooktop so a pan that cooks on that for less than $50 works for me – those that say theirs sticks becuase they used olive oil – the directions clearly state do not use olive oil – use a high heat oil – it does not have the even heating but I can deal with that as long as it keeps being nonstick – have had it for a couple of weeks now – will see how it is doing in a few months 🙂

    • Thanks for commenting, Kay! My Copper Chef Pan is holding up fine, still non-stick. I’ve had it nearly a year now. The bottom (outside) has some scratches where the grates on our range scraped some of the copper color off. Other than that, it is like new. I recently steamed some shrimp using the steamer that comes with the kit. I was disappointed that the steamer didn’t fit tighter and allowed enough space for some shrimp to slide off into the water. Also, it does not have a center stem to assist in lift the steamer out of the pan. I will post a video and more detail on my steaming experience shortly. Thanks for commenting and happy cooking with your new Copper Chef Pan!!

  7. sucks. burnt broccoli. stains will not come off.

  8. i burnt aspearagus with olive oil. cannot get stain out and everything sticks to pan now. junk.

  9. At first it worked great. Suddenly EVERYTHING stuck to the bottom. Forget getting off the pan…no matter how long you soak it in hot, soapy water. FALSE ADVERTISING; DONT BOTHER!

    • same thing with me! it was awesome for about the first week or two. I can’t even use it now everything sticks so bad, much worse than a normal pan.

      • Thanks for sharing your experience, Rachel. So far, after nearly a year, our pan is still working like new, no stick. We may not use it as often as you… so knock on wood that it stays good. I’ve read in other posts that if you use oils and high temps on the stovetop that could cause problems. We rarely go much above Med setting.

        Again, thanks for commenting and sorry the pan started sticking. If you return it (I think warranty covers that??) – let us know your return experience. Thanks.

  10. Be careful!!! If you are the type of person that likes to soak your pots and pans after using them be careful with this set. I bought the six piece set. I am happy with it. However, after one of my uses with the pan my wife put it in the sink and soaked it with the dishes. She came back in a while later and washed the dishes. A while later I grabbed the pan and put it on the stove to make an omelet. When I grabbed the handle I could not believe how hot it was. After I was done with my omelet I let the pan cool down and went to see why the handle was so extremely hot. It turned out that while the pan was in the sink soaking the handle had filled up with water from a small opening at the end of the handle where the rivets attach it to the pan. The pan was placed in the sink drain where the handle was lower than the rest of the pan and the water stayed in the handle. When the pan was then placed on the stove the water in the handle got extremely hot. I was able to drain the water by placing the pan in a position to where the handle was up high enough for the water to drain. The pan is still fine to use but we, obviously, do not soak it in the sink any more. We do not have children at home any more but, for people who do, make sure to use the back burner!!!

  11. I love my pan, the only issue I have is that the batter breading used on fish sticks to the basket and tears everything apart. Is there any way to prevent it?

  12. I almost bought one of these pans in WalMart. Then I saw it was ‘made in China’. NO THANKS !
    And…a ‘copper-infused’ pan is NOT copper. Not worth the money!

  13. Can you use sesame oil in the copper chief pan

  14. Can I use sesame oil in my copper chief pan?

  15. Horrible, home video that seems to never end. Is this a Monte Cristo ad or a Cooper Chef ad? Read reviews, it’s easier. Glad to know this guy is married..he makes a huge production out of a simple sandwich. I gotta go take a nap!

    • Judy, thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m sorry the video ran long. I figured viewers could skip ahead to make it shorter. I wanted to test the pan the way I might use it, not just give a generic review video (the fish video is shorter). I was going to make French Toast, but then decided to make it into a sandwich. In the video, I wanted to see how well the pan heated (if heat was even), if the pan was flat, if food stuck, and if it was easy to clean.

      I realize the video may be boring and long, especially if you are looking for a “quick” review. That is why I also do a quick summary review at the top of my reviews for those that want something quick. Then I elaborate in the full written review for those that want more details, and then I also try to add a video for those that want to see the product in action. I also try to update my reviews after using a product for awhile.

      Thanks for looking at the review and taking the time to comment. Sorry the review did not meet your expectations.

  16. Bought this at Walmart. I haven’t made an egg without breaking. Also cheese sticks. I never used any steel on it.

    • Your heat is too high..it really takes heat transfer…9 oclock is high enough for an egg…put the pan on and allow heat up…if it still sticks gow progressively lower till you find the sweet spot for your stove top

  17. I have had a similar experience to Mark. The pans worked well until I put some spicy chicken wings in the pan and into the oven to keep warm awaiting my friends to watch the football game. The seasonings stuck to the bottom of the pan and more or less “blackened” it. I have not been able to get this off. I would really like some sort of guidance on exactly what substances cause this. Now SALMON sticks to this pan and its a FATTY fish.

  18. Has anyone used this pan for an extended period of time? How is it holding up? I purchased a similar “nonstick” pan about a year ago. It’worked flawlessly until I had something burn in it. From that point is was a downhill experience. Even the finest microscratches caused more and more food to stick and finally became impossible to use. $75 is not a lot for a good pan. But even that is a waste of money if it becomes useless in a year. Thanks

    • Love it! If you use it just like they said it works great. I just bought the new 11″ from QVC $79.00 free shipping, much cheaper than the 9.5 I got from the actual company. That lets you know how much I love it, to buy another one. I even cooked rice in it, and other pans my rice always sticks but not in this one. I also do not use it without butter or oil, I do not like dry food. My husband does his eggs on medium heat and they slide and makes no mess or sticks.

      • I meant to add always cook on medium heat, the pan gets really hot and food will stick like any pan if you use high heat. It even cooks well on my number five setting. I start off at eight or seven setting and turn down if I need to. Great pan! I will order the frying pans as well.

        • Problem I am experiencing is cleaning under the rim of the lid to the square pan. Looking through the glass I could see food under the rim. I have to use a paper towel with a knife blade to clean between glass and metal.

          • Angela, I have not had that problem (yet). My wife uses the pan more than I do and we still love it. She uses it for hamburgers, mac & cheese, and other smaller meals. She prefers this pan because the high sides help control the splatter – and the easy clean-up. We have not cooked larger meals where food comes in contact with the lid. Maybe other readers can comment on their experience with cleaning the lid.

            Thanks for commenting.

          • The lid cleaning is my only complaint. I love the skillet and pan! Use it everyday.

          • How do I clean under lid rim?

  19. If you look on Amazon at the details on the Gotham Steel titanium infused copper ceramic pans, you’ll see, they’re aluminum also.

  20. I love my copper chef pan that I received in July 2016. I have told all my friends that it cooks great. I am very careful with it and never use metal of any kind.

    Now I am seeing some pock marks in the finish and the last 2 times more marks. I think I need to return this to BedBathBeyond??

  21. I was sold until I read it was made from aluminum. I don’t want to eat anything that’s been cooked in aluminum for health reasons.

    Thanks for the honest review????????

    • Thanks for commenting, Val. I understand where you are coming from. I was surprised when I read it was copper colored aluminum. I think Gotham Steel‘s version of this pan is made from a different metal. I think they advertise Titanium infused? May be worth looking into Gotham Steel brand. Here is a link to Gotham Steel’s pan on Amazon – Click here – it is less expensive, too!

      • Never mind… just read the specs and Gothic Steel’s “Titanium Ceramic” is also aluminum. 🙁

        SPECS:
        Aluminum
        Induction Base
        Oven safe up to 500 degree
        Dishwasher Safe
        100% Safe: PFOA, PTFE, and PFOS-Free
        Including Deep Square Pan, Lid, Fry Basket and Steam Rack

  22. LOVE it. Easy to use and clean. All my meals are now easier. Recipes are great to try, easy. Clean up is no time. Also got the fry pan, just as good. Worth the money.

  23. “… but it feels like copper colored aluminum.” – That’s because that is exactly what it is. The website’s FAQ says it: it is an aluminium pan with a copper-coloured coating.

    https://www.copperchef.com/faq.php
    “The pan is copper colored, coated aluminum with a steel induction plate. “

    • Thanks, Jan! I didn’t know that. I don’t know if being ceramic coated helps protect against the negative effects of aluminum. But something to consider if purchasing the Copper Chef Pan. Thanks for commenting and including the link to the source!

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