There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
Copper is expensive, though, and also reactive. There are copper pans that are lined with a non-reactive layer. If you want to save money while increasing durability and maintenance, you can get copper clad stainless steel cookware. The better stuff has three layers (steel-copper-steel) that go all the way up the sides to the top edge. There are less expensive pans where there is a copper disc layer only on the bottom. Depending on the type of pan and what it will be used for, this may be fine.
All my stainless steel has a copper layer. My most prized copper clad stainless steel cookware is a saucier. The even heat makes it easier for me to make a variety of sauces without any part of it overheating. Bechamel, for example, is no problem, and neither is a nacho cheese sauce.
How much better is copper? Going by numbers, copper has twice as much thermal conductivity than aluminum, and over 10 times as much as steel. Cast iron is on the bottom, too (but makes up for it with heat retention). The most thermally conductive metal? Silver, and copper is pretty close to it.
This was discovered by Harold McGee in 1984, the author of On Food and Cooking. However, the citation goes to Nature. It was later included in his book, which I highly recommend.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/308667a0
There is no “best” cookware type for all purposes just as there isn’t one type of control or responsiveness. Looking at commercial cooking ... which isn’t necessarily what you want to emulate at home ... shows some strong patterns, such as carbon steel pans for high-temp, fast and responsive cooking - but a commercial kitchen also uses high-BTU ranges, doesn’t have to consider heat retention as a result, and is prepared to clean up the resulting spatter and baked-on mess - for which they have flunkies (I’ve been one, and it isn’t fun). What is best at home depends on how and what you cook as well as what you cook it on.
Example: I use seasoned cast iron for searing. I do have to heat the skillet carefully and for longer than I would with another type of pan, but the heat retention once hot is terrific and makes up for my typically low household gas range output. Maintenance is dead simple, as searing actually helps maintain the seasoning. Could I use stainless? ABSOLUTELY! In fact, an All-Clad skillet would work nearly as well. But since I prefer to maintain my stainless cookware unseasoned, maintenance for this use is more of a chore. (You can season stainless just like you can cast iron or carbon steel, though no-one does for some reason.) Thick copper would be terrific, too, but I don’t want to maintain it ... inside AND out, no less. And any kind of thin pan, of whatever metal, wouldn’t stand up to the abuse for long. Every kind of cooking, every approach to technique, every circumstance, and even every dish (to stretch the point) carries its own considerations.
Yes, good copper is expensive. Thin lightweight copper is an aesthetic marketing gimmick IMHO.
A really thick aluminum (5mm+ everywhere in the pan) pan will perform similarly at a much lower price point and will have a pan weight that is much more reasonable for most people.
A 10# copper skillet or 20# cast iron dutch oven loaded with food is impractical for most home cooks.
Demeyere Atlantis brand stainless comes close to Mauviel Cuprinox levels of performance with none of the drawbacks maintaining the copper sheen or concerns for relining a classic piece of copper that was overheated. It's cost will come close to Mauviel Cuprinox.
While you don't need a professional stove to use thin carbon steel pans, a strong household burner is needed to really appreciate them IMHO. As you note, classic cast iron is a good solution for cost and performance in modest home kitchens with weaker stoves. Modern multi-ply thick stainless steel is a good solution for most home kitchens where the pans are just a utilitarian means to an end.