The $150 copper pan that taught me a lesson

Bought a fancy copper saute pan from a flea market in Portland last spring, thought I got a steal since it weighed a ton and looked vintage. Turns out it was copper plated over aluminum, and the plating started flaking into my bolognese after about six uses. Anyone else get burned by old restaurant supply finds that look great but fall apart fast?

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1 Comment

oscarcooper23h ago

Real copper pans are usually lined with tin or stainless steel on the inside, so if you saw bare copper where the food touches, that was your first red flag. Plated aluminum over copper is basically a decorative piece, not a cooking tool, and flea market finds like that are hit or miss for a reason. Sounds like you paid for a nice looking wall hanger, not a pan, which is a bummer but a cheap lesson compared to buying new.