Plenty of things are sold as "copper" that are really steel, iron or aluminum with a thin copper coating, or just a copper color. That matters, because a plated piece won't cook, age or last the way solid copper does. Here are five simple checks. None of them needs special tools, and none of them will harm the piece.
1. Try a magnet
Copper is not attracted to a magnet. Hold an ordinary fridge magnet against the body of the piece. If it grabs on firmly, there is steel or iron underneath, and the copper is only a coating.
Two cautions. First, test the body and not the handle, because many genuine copper pans have iron or steel handles and rivets. Second, a magnet that doesn't stick is a good sign but not proof. Brass and aluminum aren't magnetic either, so use the other checks too.
2. Look at the color
Clean copper is a warm reddish-orange, a bit like a new penny. Brass is yellower. As copper ages it turns a deeper brown, and outdoors or in damp places it can slowly go blue-green. A finish that looks perfectly even, bright and unchanged after years may be a lacquer or a copper-colored coating.
3. Check the wear spots
Look closely at the places that get rubbed the most: rims, edges, corners and the base. On a plated piece, the thin copper layer wears through there first, and you'll see a silvery or grey metal showing underneath. Solid copper is copper all the way through, so a worn spot is still copper colored.
4. Feel the weight
Copper is a dense, heavy metal, about three times as heavy as aluminum for the same size. If a "copper" pan feels surprisingly light, it is probably aluminum with a copper-colored finish. Weight can't tell copper from steel, though, since steel is nearly as heavy. That's what the magnet is for.
5. Read the markings and the description
Turn the piece over and look for a maker's stamp. When you're shopping, read the wording carefully. "Solid copper" means what it says. Phrases like "copper plated," "copper finish," "copper tone" or "copper colored" mean the piece is not solid copper. Many nonstick pans sold as "copper" are aluminum with a copper-colored coating, so check the product details.
"Copper clad" is different again: it usually means layers of copper bonded to another metal. We explain that in copper-clad vs. solid copper.
What not to do
Don't scratch or file a piece to see what's underneath, especially an old or valuable one. The checks above tell you most of what you need without leaving a mark. If a piece might be an antique, a dealer or appraiser can look at it properly.
Quick summary
- Magnet sticks firmly to the body: not solid copper.
- Silvery metal showing at worn edges: plated.
- Very light for its size: probably aluminum.
- No magnet pull, copper color at the wear spots, and a good weight: very likely the real thing.
Think you know your copper? Try our copper myth-or-fact quiz. And once you have the real thing, here's how to care for it.