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Every pan is a trade-off between how fast metal moves heat, how much it holds, and how much care it needs. Pick materials to compare.
Select up to three materials.
Thermal conductivity (W/m·K, approx.)
The fastest, most responsive heat spreader. In clad pans, a copper core gives quick, even response under a durable stainless surface.
A poor conductor on its own, which is why good stainless pans are clad around an aluminum or copper core. It is a durable, non-reactive cooking surface.
Values are approximate room-temperature textbook figures for the base metals; specific alloys and cookware vary.
No single metal does everything. Copper and aluminum spread heat brilliantly but react with acidic food. Stainless is tough and non-reactive but conducts poorly. Bonding them together, called cladding, gives you a conductive core inside a durable cooking surface.
See it in motion in the Heat Lab, or read All-Clad D3 vs D5 to see how layer count changes the feel.
About this tool
The Material Lab compares five cookware materials (copper, aluminum, cast iron, carbon steel and stainless steel) on thermal conductivity, density (a proxy for weight), reactivity with food, induction compatibility and care. Select materials to compare them side by side.
Conductivity and density figures are approximate room-temperature textbook values for the pure or typical metal. Real cookware alloys vary, so treat the numbers as relative, not exact. Reactivity, induction and care notes reflect well-established material behavior: aluminum and copper are reactive when bare, stainless is non-reactive, and only magnetic metals work on induction.
| Material | Conductivity | What it means in a pan |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | ≈ 390 | Fastest spread and response |
| Aluminum | ≈ 220 | Light and very conductive; the core of most clad pans |
| Cast iron | ≈ 50 | Slow to spread, but stores lots of heat |
| Carbon steel | ≈ 50 | Like cast iron, thinner and lighter |
| Stainless steel | ≈ 16 | Poor conductor alone; excellent cooking surface |
High conductivity isn't automatically "better": it means faster response. Heavy, low-conductivity materials like cast iron hold heat for searing once preheated. Clad cookware combines a conductive core with a durable stainless surface to get the best of both. See D3 vs D5 vs Copper Core and the cookware glossary.
Copper, followed by aluminum. Stainless steel conducts poorly on its own.
To combine a conductive aluminum or copper core with a durable, non-reactive stainless surface.
Magnetic ones: cast iron, carbon steel and magnetic stainless. Aluminum and copper need a magnetic layer.
Bare aluminum can react with acidic foods; anodized or clad aluminum seals it.
No. They're approximate textbook values for comparison; real alloys vary.
Its mass stores a lot of heat, so it stays hot when cold food is added.
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<a href="https://theskilletlab.com/material-lab">Material Lab: Cookware Materials Compared</a> via <a href="https://theskilletlab.com/">The Skillet Lab</a>Free to link and quote with attribution. Last updated October 16, 2026.