I guess you can say I’m a bit of an “Infomercial Bitch.” Even though I’ve cut the cord, I adore everything about late-night infomercials. Why? Because even though they’re corny, there’s plenty of charm behind the smarmy selling of products that, surprisingly, are pretty good (more often than not, anyway). I still use my GT Express Platinum every week. My Emeril Lagasse Pasta and Beyond still hasn’t left my countertop. And my latest dive into As Seen on TV world, the Copper Chef Titan pan, is now a full-blown love affair. Find out just why in my in-depth Copper Chef Titan Pan review.
Copper Chef Titan Pan specifications
The six-piece offering came with a 9.5 inch deep fry pan with lid, an 8 inch round fry pan, a steaming and crisping basket,a santoku knife, and a book of recipes by celebrated author and chef Jet Tila. If that name sounds familiar, you’ve likely read his celebrated cookbook 101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die. The title is a little foreboding, but it’s a seriously handy tome, especially if you’re into anything wok-fried.
Jet Tila also hosted the infomercial for the Copper Chef Titan Pan, which was rife with all the same infomercial tropes that makes this bitch slap his fat hands together like a beached seal that’s discovered a Filet O’Fish wrapper that still has a little cheese left on it during low tide. The exaggerated reactions from the audience. Jet, and his wife Tila hamming it up for the cameras. And more photographable food than a brunch at Ina Garten’s Hamptons compound. It’s a fun watch, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Copper Chef Titan Pan features
Unlike just about every other non-stick pan on the market, the Copper Chef Titan Pan sort of splits the difference between traditional non-stick and stainless steel pans. Here are some of its features.
- Durable cooking surface: Unlike other non-stick pans, using a metal utensil like a spatula or even an electric whisk won’t do long-lasting damage to your pan.
- Tri-Ply Design: The base of the pan is three layers of bonded aluminum, so it heats up quickly, and more importantly, evenly.
- Diamond-reinforced non-stick: No PFOAs in sight. Instead the pan has a laser-etched hex surface so it releases food cleanly.
- Stainless Steel: Go ahead and put the pan over high heat. It’s the first non-stick pan that not only lets you sear, but encourages it.
Copper Chef Titan Pan Review: Is the Copper Chef Titan Pan any good?
Yes. Emphatic yes. I figured I’d answer the question quickly before I take you down a meandering story on how I came upon the Copper Chef Titan Pan. In mid 2020, when everyone was stuck inside making sourdough bread, I instead decided to toss out all my non-stick pans and replace them with cast iron and carbon steel pans. Initially, this lapse in judgment was fine. But as righteous as these pans are at conducting heat, taking care of them properly requires ancient knowledge and the patience of a saint.
You can’t get them wet. Forget about putting them in the dishwasher. Don’t cook anything too acidic in them, either. Only use them when the moon is in gibbous. Store them in a place where light doesn’t touch, where love doesn’t exist. Wipe them down with whale oil once a month. I’m exaggerating of course, but I can barely take care of myself, so how the heck am I supposed to care for a pan?
The Copper Chef Titan Pan requires no special maintenance. The upkeep on it is just like any old non-stick pan. After the pan cools down, you can wipe them down with soapy water or run them through the dishwasher. Aside from that, you can totally put these pans through the wringer. I did!
These pans are classified as “semi-nonstick” pans. Yes, you could feasibly cook in them without any fat. But one, that’s just a sad way to live. You don’t need that much fat to cook in! And many fats like olive oil are a healthy part of any diet. Plus, you only need a tiny amount of fat to take full advantage of the pan’s non-stick capabilities. Not to mention, all the other benefits that come from trading in non-stick chemicals for the diamond reinforced hex surface. Let’s touch on those.
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Stuff I made with the pan
I used both the 9.5 inch and the 8 inch Copper Chef Titan pan for two straight weeks. I made standard non-stick stuff. Fried eggs, pancakes, breakfast sausage, bacon, crepes: a lot of breakfast stuff. And unsurprisingly, it cooked all of these things exceedingly well.
But that’s just the beginning. I decided to cook some seriously sticky stuff to truly test just how non-stick these pans are. Pictures are in order left to right, top to bottom.
- Fennel pork tagliatelle: Because these pans are oven safe, they’re perfect for braising. After cooking some pork shoulder slow in a creamy fennel sauce, I was able to shred the meat in the pan, add some cooked pasta, and call it a night.
- Oyster mushroom French omelette: Fried eggs don’t stick. Neither do scrambled eggs. But the French style omelette is the true yardstick that any good non-stick pan should be judged by. After all, it doesn’t just gauge the non-stick coating, it also requires even heat transfer if you’re going to make an omelette that’s creamy in the middle with zero browning on the outside. There’s always some re-learning that goes into making these in new pans, but my first attempt is close to perfect.
- Fry roast chicken: speaking of useful heat transfer, the wide skillet is perfect for stir frys. I made my favorite and got better and more consistent browning than I ever got in my carbon steel wok. It works equally well when it comes to steaming and stir frying veggies like bok choy and kale.
- Steak au Poivre: This was the feature I was most eager to try: browning. Not only did the rib-eye steaks brown, they left a good amount of fond. You know, that grimy mess you can turn into sauce. It wasn’t just one of the best steaks I’ve made in a while, it was one of the easiest.
- Churros: The funny thing about churros is that you have to make a cooked dough, ideally in a non-stick pan. Not only did I cook the dough, I was able to whisk the eggs directly in the pan. Once the dough was made, I even fried the dough in the same pan. It’s the first batch of churros I ever made with little to no cleanup.
The Final Verdict
Cast iron is a righteous conductor. Carbon steel is shiny and a good way to show the world how fancy you are. 18/10 stainless steel is as serious and as expensive as cookware gets. And while I own pans made from all these materials, more often than not, I reach for my Copper Chef Titan pans come dinnertime.
Typical non-stick pans are full of harmful chemicals, and can’t harness heat the way stainless steel does. The Copper Chef Titan pan splits the difference between the two, making a pan that’s perfect for cooking everything under the sun. It’s like a culinary Swiss Army knife.
Am I going to toss out all of my other pans? No, at least not yet. But for the time being, they’ll all be playing second fiddle to my newest favorite. The Copper Chef Titan pan 10-piece set is available on Amazon for $149.99.
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