----- Original Message -----
From: "Dee Randall" >

>
> Ed, curious about your post and future purchase, I decided to read a
> little about copper pans.
>
> Fantes (www.fantes.com) says this about tinned lined copper pans.
>
> "Our tin lined pans are lined by hand, and will display some brush strokes
> as a result. Lining by hand insures thicker coats of tin, that will last
> much, much, much longer than pans that are electroplated."
>
> Fantes must be referring to "Mauviel" copper pans, as that is the only
> brand I see they cover.
> So, if you decide on tinned vs. ss, Mauviel might be the answer for you.
>
> However, since I am unknowledgeable regarding this, maybe most good copper
> pans are all 'lined by hand." ??
>
> Dee Dee
>

Doing some research, copper cookware goes back a very long time. In the
past it was all tin lined and the technology or bonding unlike metal was not
available. According to the Ruffoni web page, the tin lining goes back 3500
years.

It seems the better cookware is at leas 2.5 mm thick. In the case of
Ruffoni, they have three lines. The Opera is the op and the ware is hammed
to shape by hand, then tinned. The Protagonista line is machine formed and
also tin lined. The Modern line is bonded SS to the copper.

Mauviel has similar lines. The Cupretam Hammered is hand made and tinned.
An 11" sauté pan is $300 The lid is $125. The Cuprinox line has the SS
lining. The same sized sauté pan with SS is $425. plus lid.
A few of the brands I've been looking at:
http://www.ruffoniusa.com/
http://www.falkculinair.com/
http://www.buycoppercookware.com/cat...FQOfxgodZDnwbg
http://www.factorydirect2you.com/maco1.html

Prices seem comparable among brands and from the web pages, so does the
quality. There are no stores near me that carry this stuff so I've yet to
get a hands on look at it.

My goal is to buy four new pieces of cookware over the next few months. Two
are easy, a cast iron grill pan, a cast iron enameled Dutch oven (about 3
quart), an 11" (or so) skillet and a 3 qt sauté pan. The last piece will be
copper. The fry pan will either be copper or a CIA brand with copper
lining.
http://www.metrokitchen.com/category...ction-cookware

Tin lined pans do wear and must be re-tinned, about a $50 job once in a
while. With care and for home use, I'm guessing that is 5 to 10 years. I'm
hoping someone will respond with that information.

Since we bought an Italian made gas range a few months back (Bertazzoni) I
figure it would only be proper to have Italian made cookware to use on it,
thus the Ruffoni line. I also like the idea of using traditional materials
and methods, but there is a practical limit.

To answer the question Why Copper? look at the heat conduction chart on the
Falk web page. The difference is huge. SS is about 15, cast iron about 18,
aluminum is 50, but copper is 90.

Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/





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