The Vintage Kitchenware Pieces That Add Warmth And Timeless Style To Your Cooking Space

When it comes to kitchenware, you can prioritize functionality or looks, but some vintage pieces offer the luxury of both. Many pieces of kitchenware have charm, like your trusty cast-iron pan, but not all are truly beautiful, the kind of thing you'd hang on the wall even if you never use it. That's a shame because while functionality should be the number one priority, the nature of finding space for your cooking equipment means some of these things are going to be sitting on shelves or hanging on racks for the world to see. So if you find your kitchen in need of a touch of character that will also sear a mean steak, consider finding some vintage copper pans.

Copper pans are one of the oldest forms of cookware out there because copper is one of the oldest metals human beings ever worked with. However, while copper pots and pans are still popular with some professional chefs, the heavy, expensive cooking material has fallen out of favor compared to more practical kitchenware materials like stainless steel. Copper is still excellent for cooking, and no other material has the kind of lustrous beauty copper can offer, whether it's the mottled sheen of a well-worn pan, or the warmth of a freshly polished one. Copper baking pans especially are pretty enough to use as display items, and if you are worried about the cost, vintage is the way to go.

Brand new copper kitchenware can run north of $500, but its old-school popularity means you can find it at thrift stores, flea markets, and vintage fairs for a better deal. Because the resale market for copper kitchenware is so robust, there are also lots of options available online through marketplaces like Etsy and eBay. Some of these will be more heavily used copper pans in need of restoring or refinishing, but some pans and sets are less than $100 if you don't mind the work. Copper pans last a lifetime with proper maintenance, so you don't have to worry about used pans losing quality.

One important factor to note: Most vintage copper pans are tin lined. The lining wears down over time, and exposed copper is not safe to cook on, as it can leech into your food — so older copper pans may need to be re-tinned by a professional, usually about once a decade.

That extra maintenance may be troublesome, but copper will pay you back with both its beauty and the cooking attributes that make it popular with professional chefs. Compared to other cooking materials, copper is a top-notch conductor of heat but does not retain heat long. This makes it great for recipes where you need to adjust the heat quickly. Tin-lined copper pans are also naturally non-stick. There aren't many display pieces you can buy that can also match that kind of performance.