The gleam of copper brings instant French style to any kitchen, but is copper cookware actually safe to use?
Is It Safe to Cook with Copper Pots and Pans?
Published on Apr. 25, 2025
If you’re browsing magazines for kitchen design ideas, you’ll definitely spot copper pots and pans. Hanging from a rack above a pro range, lined up along a shelf or gleaming in a window, few accessories are as classic and beautiful.
But is copper cookware safe to use, or is it strictly decorative?
Copper pans are easily the most expensive type of cookware. As avid (and practical) home cooks, we hate to invest in something we can’t use to sear a steak or boil a soup. Here’s what to know about cooking with copper, including special advice for vintage and antique pieces.
Is copper cookware safe to use?
The short answer is yes. Copper is one of the oldest known cookware materials, dating back as far as 10,000 years. The metal is an excellent heat conductor and responds quickly to temperature adjustments.
That said, copper has a weakness: The metal reacts with acids, meaning that copper will leach into foods like tomatoes or vinegar. For some foods, such as jams and jellies, this doesn’t matter. The high sugar content will prevent the acidic fruit from reacting. But you definitely don’t want copper leaching into most foods.
Luckily, there’s an easy fix. Copper cookware is typically lined with another metal, keeping the food inside the pot safe while exposing the conductive copper to the heat.
Lined vs. unlined copper cookware
Virtually all new copper cookware will be lined, generally with stainless steel. Stainless steel is durable and safe for cooking all foods, including acids.
Most vintage copper was lined with tin. Malleable, extremely nonstick and nonreactive, tin is safe to use for cooking. But it has one major caveat—it’is not very durable. Over time, tin can be worn away by scrubbing or using metal utensils. (Just like the nonstick coating on modern pans!) Copper pots lined with tin need regular relining.
How to Tell If Your Copper Cookware Isn’t Safe
New cookware is safe to use. (Preserving pots may still be sold unlined, so use them for jams and fruit preserves only.)
If you have vintage cookware, look closely at the interior of the pot. Tin darkens over time, so it’s fine if the interior is quite dark. If patches of copper are showing, however, it’s not safe to cook with.
Here’s another thing to watch for. In magazines, copper always looks bright and shiny and, well, copper-colored. In real life, copper discolors when exposed to heat. It may turn a range of hues, from shimmery green to yellow to purple. That can make it difficult to see patches of exposed copper on the bottom of a vintage pot, so look carefully.
The good news is that it’s easy to restore the signature color, so don’t be put off by discolored copper if you find a good deal. To polish copper, mix lemon juice and baking soda into a paste, then scrub the pot. Rinse well and admire the shine!
When should you replace your copper pots and pans?
If you nabbed a vintage pot that starts to look shiny inside, it’s time to decide whether you’ll reline the pot with tin or, if that’s too high-maintenance, try another type of cookware. After all, you can still hang that copper pot above the stove and enjoy a bit of French flair.
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