Gotham Steel’s cookware sets deliver a ceramic nonstick surface that can last through many years of meals to come if taken care of properly. Copper Chef also sells this 10-inch (25.4 cm) frying pan by itself. It also features the same aluminum core with ceramic non-stick cuisinart knife coating. We can’t tell if this is the same titanium ceramic nonstick coating as the copper-colored found on other lines. You will have to use oil or butter with most foods for best results–if you don’t, you’re likely to have issues with sticking food and messy cleanup.
But unless you’re using them side by side, you won’t know the difference. Nordic Ware backs this nonstick skillet with a limited 20-year warranty that covers workmanship defects. However, damage from metal utensils, scour pads, high heat, or the dishwasher voids the warranty. For what you get, the Tramontina Professional pan is a bargain.
Although it’s not made of copper, it has a copper-colored hue that’s slick and glossy. Of course, if the cookware was crafted with copper, it would be much more expensive. At first glance, you might think it’s copper with a heavy aluminum base, but when you lift it, you’ll find it’s surprisingly lightweight. The T-fal ProGrade Titanium Nonstick Fry Pan has flared sides that are great for tossing and flipping, and the surface is nice and slick. But we all agreed that the bulky handle was too big, especially with folded towels or hot pads. We had high hopes for the Farberware Restaurant Pro Nonstick Fry Pan.
For an inexpensive pan, this pan is actually very nice to use–of course it would be better if food didn’t stick to it , but the cookware is light, pretty, and feels good in your hand. They give it a 4 out of 5 points on everything except handle sturdiness–good release, good durability of the nonstick coating, even heating, and a 5 out of 5 for the stay-cool handle. These results are based on Consumer Reports testing, with no input from actual users (and they don’t discuss long term issues with the nonstick coating, which we think is a big miss). Gotham Steel is one of several popular, inexpensive brands of copper-colored nonstick ceramic cookware. Others include Copper Chef, Red Copper, Bulbhead, and Michelangelo, plus dozens more lesser-known brands.
Switch titanium with diamonds and you are basically back to Gotham Steel. Blue Diamond brand cookware falls into the same entry level or budget category as Gotham Steel. There are a lot of similarities when you look at the ceramic nonstick cookware that each brand makes. Teflon pans are generally more durable and nonstick than ceramic cookware. On the other hand they also contain chemicals that are potentially dangerous to our health and environment.
Gotham Steel is an “as seen on T.V.” brand and has gained some traction with the endorsement of Daniel Green, their celebrity chef spokesperson. Unless you need these tools badly and are on a budget, cuisinart knife I would wait and invest in something that will last you longer and perform better than discount kitchenware. The knives will go dull quickly, and the spatula set looks like an afterthought.
Copper Cast delivers fantastic cooking performance from the new nonstick cooking surface. If our top pick is sold out, or if you can find this pan for cheaper, we think the Nordic Ware Restaurant Cookware 10.5-Inch Nonstick Fry Pan is a solid second choice. It Cookware Sets has a similar shape and handle to the Tramontina Professional pan, with a slightly larger cooking surface (8 inches versus 7¾ inches). And the Nordic Ware pan has the added feature of nonstick-coated interior rivets, which some people find easier to clean.