Which material makes a better base for the pan – aluminium or copper?
In terms of cooking performance, there is not a great deal of difference. Copper is heavier and more expensive than aluminium, so is usually used in a thinner layer than aluminium. A plain copper base is slightly concave to allow the pan to heat without distortion, so is not the best choice for flat ceramic or halogen hobs. In these cases, a thick aluminium base or a copper/aluminium sandwich base would be better.
