Lagostina Martellata Copper Cookware Set Is Pretty But Pricey

We purchased the Lagostina Martellata 10-Piece Hammered Copper Cookware Set so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Some say copper is the new gold and Lagostina’s lovely 10-piece copper cookware set makes an excellent case for that argument. With an 8-inch skillet, a 10-inch skillet, a 2-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart deep saute pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid, you have everything you need to whip up a multi-course meal. Of course, with a jaw-dropping $800 price tag, the set has a lot to prove as far as performance goes. Keep reading to see how the set fared in our kitchen.  

Design: Beautiful and built to last 

This thoughtfully crafted set features high sides and flared edges for totally dripless pouring. The stainless steel handles are fully cast and riveted to the pans for added durability, while the stainless steel lids tightly seal to each pot and pan to lock in moisture and flavor. The ergonomic handles are curved and comfortable to hold while also staying relatively cool to the touch throughout the cooking process.

These pots and pans are loaded with rustic beauty and charm, and look equally striking in the kitchen and on the table. In fact, we love the style so much that we plan to put them on display in our kitchen on a wall-mounted rack.  

Material: A perfect mix of stainless steel and copper

This set features a tri-ply construction comprised of a stainless steel cooking surface, lids, and handles; an aluminum core; and a polished, hammered copper exterior. The cooking surface is 18/10 stainless steel, which means it contains 18 percent chromium and 10 percent nickel, materials that help prevent rust and retain polish. This also helps ensure that food won’t stick to the surface. 

The Lagostina set is PTFE- and PFOA-free, so you don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching into your meal, either. The set also features a meteorite ceramic surface that makes it safe to use with metal utensils. That said, Lagostina recommends that you don’t use sharp instruments like knives or appliances to cut, chop, or whip foods in the pots and pans, as they can damage the finish and void your lifetime warranty. 

Heating Capacity: Optimal heat distribution and retention 

Lagostina’s Martellata set can be used on gas, electric, and ceramic stoves and is both oven- and broiler-safe up to 500 degrees.  

We used the 8-inch skillet to make a sunny-side-up egg on medium heat and found that this pan heated up faster and cooked food more quickly than other pans we’ve used. It also distributes heat more evenly, not just on the bottoms, but also on the sides, and it had a slightly shorter cooldown time. 

While we give Lagostina the edge in those regards, we admit we sometimes longed for the no-fuss experience of cooking with a cheap nonstick pan. Since the Lagostina cookware doesn’t have any nonstick coating, the egg stuck to the skillet almost immediately, which led to a longer cleanup time. 

It must be noted that this cookware requires special care to achieve maximum performance and to keep its copper looking shiny and beautiful. After using the 8-inch skillet just once to make the sunny-side-up egg, we noticed that a lot of the copper on the bottom and a little on the sides of the pan had faded, leaving bluish silver splotches. We believe we may have caused this by overheating the pan. 

Since this cookware diffuses heat so well, a lower heat than usual is often needed. The instruction pamphlet warns that you should preheat your stovetop to low or moderate heat before using the cookware, noting that high heat should be used only for boiling and that overheating can cause brown or blue stains to appear. Lagostina also recommends using one to two teaspoons of oil or butter to maximize browning and minimize sticking, which probably would have come in handy with our egg. 

We followed the instructions more carefully when we used the 10-inch skillet to make caramelized onions, and the pan retained its copper color much better, although it still suffered a bit of fading. 

Cleanup: Requires special care

As with all copper cookware, this set requires hand-washing and polishing. We’re generally pretty hard on our cookware, but we really want to maintain the gorgeous look of this copper set so we took a little more care than usual when cleaning it. 

We followed Lagostina’s directions and immersed the cookware in warm water and formed a paste using a non-abrasive and non-chlorine cleanser. We then applied the paste with a soft cloth, rubbing in a circular motion from the center outwards. Finally, we washed the cookware in hot, soapy water and dried it immediately to prevent water spotting. 

All in all, it didn’t take too much extra time and effort and we think it’s worth it to preserve the cookware’s natural beauty. Busy home cooks may consider this special process a drawback, however. 

Price: Lots of bang for its buck

The Lagostina Martellata Set has an MSRP of $800, but you can often find it online for less than $500. It’s definitely a splurge at either price point, but we think the set offers a lot of bang for your buck considering how many pieces you get, how beautifully crafted each piece is, how well they perform, and the fact that they’re all guaranteed by a lifetime warranty. Needless to say, we think this is one of the best cookware sets you can buy.

Lagostina Martellata 10-Piece Hammered Copper Cookware Set vs. Copper Chef Round Pan Set 

 If you find copper cookware aesthetically pleasing but you just don’t have hundreds of dollars to throw at a set, check out Copper Chef’s Round Pan Set. The three-piece collection comes with 8-, 10-, and 12-inch nonstick skillets that are comprised of aluminum, but finished in a shiny copper color. The pans are easy to care for (they can even be thrown in the dishwasher) and literally nothing sticks to them. If you’re looking for a versatile but affordable set, they’ll get the job done.