From time immemorial copper has been in used and probably dating back to 7000 BC.It has many physical properties and posses a beautiful color.Apart from its heat conducting properties it has an excellent malleability which may be the reason for its wide use in cookware. It could be very easily made into any shape .Its corrosion resistance properties adds value to the cookware and other industries. It has been found that copper surfaces also have antibacterial properties making it more food safe and hygienic.The Chemistry of Copper is interesting. Copper has two different forms cupric and cuprous. Copper is also the main component in Brass and Bronze. Brasses and Bronzes are widely used to make artifacts, cookware and tools to name a few.Copper cookware Australia is synonymous with the country’s copper mining industry which is one of the largest copper mining and producing industries.Copper as minerals are found in Australian rock formation which are several million years old.
Cookware made of copper was originally made by artisans by beating the copper lump into thin sheets. As the industry developed, several new methods of making copper sheets started.These sheets can be pressed and formed to the shape required.Cookware range in different shapes and sizes. These shapes and sizes range from simple circular to oval and square. There are many types of Australian cookware that is copper based. The types range from kitchen kettles, cooking pots, and eating balls. The price mayvary depending on the thickness of the copper sheetused, and the type of finish such as hammer finish or polished.
Why do chefs like to use cookware that has Copper in it? They have found that they could control the heat better so the meals they cook are near to perfection. When the energy crisis started and the world became more conscious of energy conservation copper was the preferredchoice of cooking pots. The reason was its ability to transfer heat from the electric oven, gas oven or any other source faster. You can certainly reduce your energy bill using copper.
When cookware is said to be made of copper, it not always made out of one hundred percent copper. Over the years many other material forms have been developed.Copper can be expensive and difficultto maintain if it is used purely in cookware. Cookware makers want to retain the great heat conductivity property of copper and mix it with other metals to form cookware such as Aluminum and stainless-steel. No other metal can outweigh copper’s superior property of heat conduction. Copper is now widely used in lining or cladding the bottom of cookware as well. Heavy copper bottoms are much preferred to lightweight cookware. Copper bottoms give stability apart from good heat conduction and its ability to control heat in cooking.Cookware with copper in them and those that have copper linings at the bottom are the top choice for professional chefs and home chefs alike. Those who care for energy saving must know that certain shapes even with copper or copper lined bottoms may not give your desired energy efficiency. For example the round bottom cookware may take more time to heat. This is because of the fact thatthe burner heat will not be evenly distributed to the pan.
What are the advantages of using Copper bottoms in cookware? There are many advantages to using cookwarewith copper bottoms. For example,meals get accurate heat and minimize the risk of burning or scorching food. Burning a nice meal you prepared and cooked can be the worst thing that can happen to a chef. Copper bottoms will conduct heat fast and also cools down fast. This is important for controlling the cooking process. Some companies, in order to cut down cost make stainless steel cookware and claim that they have copper bottoms; at times they apply a thin layer of copper using inferior technology. There is no guarantee whether it is in fact copper that they use. Suppliers are expected to be detailed about their cookware. As a consumer, you need to make sure and read the labels of your cookware. If copper is something you want in a cookware, then decide for yourself how much percentage of copper you want in them, prior to your actual purchase.