I had 2 old Revere copper-bottomed pans (saucepans with lids) that were given to me by MIL years ago. They were good pans and I used them often but I prefer All-Clads. The Revere pans don't have the heaviness that I prefer and the handles aren't as sturdily attached as All-Clad. I didn't use them in the oven because quite frankly I didn't know if they could be (some kind of black material, don't know what it's made of) so that was a downer. I just like All-Clad and next to that I love my Le Creuset set and after that I have a Belgian SS set that I've had for years that is very good, too. I don't know the last time I've seen Revere Ware for sale anywhere. After looking at my thought-to-be Revere pans I just realized and edited this post. I did use to have them and my reviews are still as above and low and behold, I just Googled them online and they are still for sale everywhere. What I have been using and forgot that I have it is Faberware. My Revere Ware went bye-bye years ago and I got them confused. I still have the Faberware and the review is basically the same as above for the Revere Ware. Sorry, this is one of those days, I need to fire up my French Press I guess.

This post was edited by ritaweeda on Thu, Jan 15, 15 at 14:42

The old RevereWare pans are thin stainless steel with a copper coating that I've always considered largely cosmetic. They get hot spots which could be bad if you're burning sauces, or good if you're browning a tortilla.

The pan does seem to be thin, which is probably why I never used it for anything other than heating tortillas, and it does a great job for that. Since I heat a lot of tortillas, it is worth keeping for that. I think I tried making Chicken Cacciatore, and that it was not great for that, due to the hot spots that you mention. I do think that the new All-Clad pan that I bought will be good for Cacciatore, and I will have to try it for that, which I have not made recently.

Lars

People also don't like having to polish the copper. :)

I have one piece of Revere, a small skillet with cover, and my college Farberware, but only use the stock pot now, and that only when I need an extra big pot. The rest is stashed on a high shelf. I don't like the heat distribution or retention. The first Le Creuset soup pot, which I bought on sale on a whim, converted me. :) I've used it on coil, gas and induction, with differences in the shape per task I've chosen, but still loving it just as much on any heat source. I used the Revere and Farber on both coil and gas, and it was fine, just not excellent.

Your plan sounds good. Why not keep it when it does your task so well? People have omelette pans and woks and fish baskets. It's okay to have a tortilla pan! Perhaps that bowed middle is what makes it so good for tortillas?

When I remodeled my kitchen 10 years ago I had to pack away my Revere copper bottom pans, they fell off the grates of my new gas cooktop. Just not heavy enough and the bottoms were no longer flat.

I replaced them with Calphalon copper pots and pans. Very sturdy, very stable, good flat bottoms and MUCH cheaper than All-Clad.

I put the Calphalon in the DW, almost daily, and the copper still looks good.

I still use my Farberware, they have stayed flat and are stable enough on the cooktop I got the Revere and Farberware as wedding gifts in 1971. Don't have the husband any more.

Momj47, I got a few pieces of RevereWare for a wedding gift in 1974, and one piece yearly for my birthday another for Christmas. In a handful of years, I had a full set.

They were actually pretty good back "in the day", but I always preferred my cheap cast iron, which I also got as a wedding gift.

Don't have that husband anymore either, thank goodness.
Annie

The All-Clad could perhaps use a bit more preheating. I would suspect a minute or two. Without the hot spot in the center, you might want a slightly hotter pan as well.

As you probably know, copper as a material has the best thermal conductance of any material used in cookware. It will heat up quickly but also cool down quickly when the heat is reduced. Aluminum is a little slower to release the heat, which may be why you are not seeking the same results. The thick aluminum, clad with the relatively poorly conductive stainless steel, is going to take a bit longer.

A bunch of manufacturers make copper clad cookware now, but you really don't get all the properties of copper. Some have only a band, some just the bottom, some clad the entire outside. Most only have the thinnest layer of copper, mainly for cosmetic reasons. To really get the full benefits of copper, you actually need a thicker (2mm+) true copper pan.

One alternative is to get a thick copper base (2mm) clad with stainless. I have a few pans with this combination and the heat response is superior, but not as good as the tin-lined pure copper. For stainless frying pans, though, I prefer my Demeyere Prolines.

I do my tortilla grilling on a thick aluminum AC griddle accessory that spans two burners on my gas range. I can do two large quesadillas at once and the thick aluminum makes for a very even result (no hot spots but nice overall "brown spots").

Ed. to delete duplicate.

This post was edited by kitchendetective on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 9:11

Well, gooster nailed it. Demeyere proline. You could also look into Sitram. I got some of these at Costco perhaps 10 years ago for the one of the kids' first apartment and I used them when I visited a couple of weeks ago. They are very nice and have a thick, flat, sandwiched copper bottom. I seared swordfish on it and it did quite well. I would think it would do well with tortillas, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sitram

The Sitram looks interesting, and I might have bought that instead of All-Clad if I had known about it before, but considering how little I use the pan, it is not worth buying another one. The Demeyere appears to be heavier than I would want. I like the All-Clad because it is not that heavy. If I wanted a heavy pan, I probably would have bought Tramontina. The rivets that hold the handle onto the pan do not bother me, and so having a welded handle is not a plus for me. If I used it more, it would be worth getting a more expensive pan, but the All-Clad seemed to be expensive enough.

I have a large cast iron griddle that covers two burners - I think it is about 14" x 23" - but I do not like using it for burritos, although it would be good for quesadillas. Since it is iron instead of aluminum, it does have hot spots, however, and I use it mostly for making pancakes so that I can cook four at once. I wish I had known about aluminum griddles before I got it! I guess I could buy another griddle, but then I would have to store it.

Lars

I have some All Clad pans & some Cuisinart pans with copper. For all quick things and browning I like the Cuisinart. It does cook hotter. For anything I want to slow cook the All Clad wins.

@publickman: I had a cast iron griddle and it did a poor job because the inherent unevenness issue with cast iron is magnified on a griddle.

I should note that the Sitram line with the copper disk bottom is Sitram Catering line. I have a new braisier that I'm taking through its paces. It is relatively light as the copper weight is restricted to the bottom disk. It does sear very well.

Some people are quite happy with the Anolon Nouvelle Copper line, which has a much lower price than any of the alternatives we mentioned and has a hybrid copper/aluminum base.

Use your induction hob, Lars. Hoping your new ac toy works.

Revere Ware made prior to 1968 has a much thicker coating of copper on the bottom as opposed to the those made after 68. They look the same so unless you collect you probably do not know, unless made in Riverside Ca, as that plant closed and did not make the cheaper stuff. In 1959 Revere Ware also introduced the first Copper Core Cookware Designers 6000 Line. It looked different, more modern and cost a bit more but did not go over well for some reason. It cooked as well as copper core today. We all now know that copper core is the best, which is what All Clad is along with many other costly brands.