As a professional chef, I have the opportunity to use some of the best cookware available. My experience gives me an intuitive baseline on what to expect in terms of quality and performance from any cookware brand. 

In this guide, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about Gotham Steel Cookware so you can make an informed decision on whether or not it’s a good fit for you in your life.

What Is Gotham Steel Cookware?

Gotham Steel Cookware is an “As Seen On TV” brand known for their nonstick ceramic cookware. They also make kitchenware, bakeware, and electric grills and fryers.

Gotham Steel looks a lot like the popular brand Red Copper, but they have no affiliation. There is a lot of debate online as to which is better, but it appears that they are the same in performance and quality. The only real difference is the material; Gotham Steel is made with titanium, and Red Copper is made with copper. Both use ceramic.

Gotham Steel is endorsed by a few professional chefs, the most notable of these is Daniel Green. He is the main chef in their late-night infomercials, demonstrating the cookware’s performance. He’s a cookbook author, tv celebrity chef, and cooking show host.

What Does Gotham Steel Offer?

Gotham Steel offers a wide range of kitchen-related products; cookware, bakeware, grills and fryers, and kitchenware. All of the products have a consistent style, so buying from them would ensure that all of your kitchen tools match, giving your kitchen a cohesive look.

Gotham Sets

The Gotham Sets come in many options and should be able to cover what any home cook needs. You could get a two-piece matching frying pan set if you need to bulk out what you have, or you could buy one of two 20 piece sets. 

Pots And Pans

As the category is named, these are all of their pots and pans. This is what Gotham Steel is known for, and most come with a tempered glass lid. All cookware is made from titanium and ceramic with an aluminum base. Even the stock/pasta pots have a nonstick surface, so you can saute the veggies for soup with little to no oil or butter.

Bakeware

Gotham Steel offers bakeware basics, which isn’t a surprise since these feel like an add-on. You’ll be able to buy a cookie sheet, a loaf pan, a round pan, and a baking pan. They do offer a brownie pan which looks interesting too since it pre-portions the brownies. All the bakeware pieces are nonstick, so clean-up should be effortless—no baked-on mess.

Grills And Fryers

The electric grills are the only appliances made by Gotham Steel. They also offer grills and griddles in pan form. They don’t actually provide any fryers, but they do offer a fry basket and some deep pans for frying, but no electric fryers. 

There’s also a crisper tray, which will elevate your food off of the baking sheet allowing air to circulate around your food, so the food has a fried consistency. They also offer grill and baking mats. The mats would be great at preventing flare-ups on the grill and prolonging a cookie sheet’s life when baking.

Kitchenware

The kitchenware collection is pretty limited. It offers some knives, a handful of cooking utensils, like spatulas and ladles, a pan organizer, which would look dreadful in any kitchen, and a recipe book. 

Unless you need these tools badly and are on a budget, I would wait and invest in something that will last you longer and perform better than discount kitchenware. The knives will go dull quickly, and the spatula set looks like an afterthought.

What Is Gotham Steel Cookware Made Of?

The core and base of Gotham Steel Cookware are made from aluminum, while the cooking surface is made from, what they call, Ti-Ceramic. A combination of ceramic and titanium.

The handle is dual riveted and made from stainless steel.

Are Gotham Steel Pans Toxic?

Gotham Steel Cookware pans are non-toxic, which means they are PTFE and PFOA free. Since all the cookware is made with titanium and ceramic, there is no chance for harmful chemicals to be present, unlike other nonstick brands that are non-ceramic and may contain Teflon-like cooking surfaces.

What Are Gotham Steel Cookware’s Claims And How Do They Perform?

Gotham Steel Cookware’s claim to fame is their assertion that you can use metal utensils on the cooking surface, and it won’t damage the pan. 

Saying that you can’t scratch the surface of a nonstick pan, even if it’s ceramic, is a very bold statement. During the demonstration of a late-night infomercial, I’m sure that beating a couple of eggs with a fork won’t do much damage, but repeated use with metal utensils will drastically reduce the life of your cookware.

As of yet, there is no nonstick pan that will last forever like stainless steel and cast iron. It’s inevitable that the nonstick coating will wear off. 

However, there are ways to prolong the life of your nonstick cookware. 

Tips To Prolong The Life Of NonStick Cookware

Always hand wash your pans with a soft cloth, don’t put it in the dishwasher. Even though they say it’s dishwasher safe, the extreme conditions inside a dishwashing machine will wear off the coating very quickly. In the ads, they just wipe it clean with a paper towel and put it away. So long as the pan is clean, I would follow this demonstration.

Don’t use high heat. Turn the heat on to medium and wait for the cookware to heat up, don’t put it on full blast. It’s easy to forget about, and it’ll be ripping hot within a few minutes. Cooking with high heat will leave scorch marks and discolor the cooking surface.

Use utensils made from wood, silicone, or bamboo. These materials won’t erode the nonstick coating as quickly as metal utensils.

Don’t use cooking sprays. The chemicals in the spray will build up on the cooking surface, making it difficult to remove, and it also degrades the nonstick coating.

If you follow these tips, then your nonstick cookware will last for years.

Is Gotham Steel Really Nonstick?

The nonstick performance is what you would expect from any middle-of-the-road cookware brand. Out of the box, it works great, but the nonstick properties become less and less apparent over time. 

There’s a lot of mixed reviews of how well they perform overall. The nonstick is excellent while it lasts, but its base is reportedly too thin, which means it’ll heat up fast, but it will also cool down quickly. The slim body profile also means that it won’t retain the heat necessary for even cooking. You’ll need to watch your food closely when cooking.

Gotham Steel says that you don’t need to use oil or butter because of its extraordinary nonstick capabilities. While this might be true, I do not recommend it. 

If you’re that worried about it for health reasons, just use a minimal amount of oil, and choose something healtlhy like avocado oil. The browning of food is what makes it taste so good, and you won’t get as good of a sear without the fat/oil to help it along. 

The Gotham Steel infomercial says that you won’t need oil or butter because the nonstick surface seals in the natural juices. This will happen regardless of oil or butter because the heat is what seals in the juices, not the lack of fats. Use fat or oil, and you’ll have a much better meal. 

Even though there are some issues with Gotham Steel Cookware’s performance, the price is hard to beat. It’s a great starting point for any budding home chef or a housewarming gift for a person needing their first cookware set. 

Learning how to cook amazing food with this cookware means you’ll make all your big mistakes with pots and pans that are easy to replace. As the saying goes, you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Once you’ve acquired the skills of a master chef, investing in high-end cookware will feel better since you earned it.

Why Does Everything Stick To My Gotham Steel Pan?

One of the guidelines for using Gotham Steel Cookware is not to use high heat. The cookware is oven safe up to 500 degrees, but that doesn’t mean it’ll perform well under those conditions.

Using high heat can cause food to stick to cooking surfaces, and Gotham Steel recommends that you don’t cook with more than medium heat. Follow the guidelines provided, and it’ll perform well. Some brands like to advertise impressive performance capabilities, but it tells a different story when looking at the fine print.

However, if you find yourself in a situation where your food is sticking to the pan, and you don’t want to destroy that piece of chicken or fish trying to get it off, just remove the pan from the heat and wait a few minutes.

As the pan cools, it’ll let go of whatever you are cooking. If you need to, remove the food from the pan, clean it (you don’t want to reheat and burn the tiny bits left on there), and try again, but on a lower heat.

What Is The Best Gotham Steel Cookware Set For You?

Gotham Steel Cookware offers a wide variety of budget-friendly cookware sets. These would make an excellent gift to newlyweds or new students headed off to college. There’s something for everyone, and you don’t need much else outside of these collections.

Gotham Steel 20 Piece Cookware and Bakeware Set

Everything you need in one set, or as they say, it’s a kitchen in a box. You’d be hard-pressed to find a meal you couldn’t cook with this 20 piece set. 

From muffins to french fries, you’ll be able to cook it all. I’m impressed with this set and would have loved it when I first moved out years ago. Even if you don’t use every piece, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

All pieces come with a ceramic and titanium cooking surface, are non-toxic, oven safe up to 500 degrees, and dishwasher safe. The base is made from aluminum and is compatible with all heat sources except induction burners.

Gotham Steel says it’s safe to use with metal spatulas, but that’s not a great idea if you want your cookware to last a long time.

A physical copy of the recipe book is not included, but a downloadable PDF is available.

“I was hesitant at first to purchase this product, given there were several negative reviews over the non-stick coating not lasting as expected. I went ahead and took the plunge in ordering this set, and I can tell you after almost 2 months I do not regret it! I have not used all the pieces, like the baking pans, but the ones I have used have been just fantastic!! The non-stick has been great, everything just slides right off and nothing sticks at all! Just make sure to use medium to low heat everytime you cook!! I have an electric stove, and I do not use above level 5 and they’ve stayed like brand new. I also thought I’d regret buying it as a lot of people suggested not to put in the dishwasher, as that could ruin the longevity of the non-stick coating, but with a set like this I don’t mind hand washing them at all! Truly a beautiful set, and I am so glad I purchased it. Just remember, NO high heat and even though it says metal utensils can be used, just cause you can doesn’t mean you should right? Absolutely no Pam, or other non-stick sprays as it doesn’t need it at all…but, a tiny bit of olive oil can be used if Absolutely necessary, over other types if stuff for non-stick purposes.

The only reason I am not giving this a 5 star rating is because I wish some of the skillets were bigger…I’ve kept only 1 pan of my old set, and it’s because it’s way bigger than any of the pans in this set.

Otherwise, I highly suggest purchasing this set!

Ohh and props to the lids! I’ve dropped 2 of them at least once or more and they didn’t shatter or Crack! And that’s a HUGE bonus in my book for durability!”  -Makalah Gardner, Amazon Customer

Gotham Steel 15 Piece Hammered Copper Cookware and Bakeware Collection

The Hammered Copper collection makes a beautiful addition to any kitchen. The look tells people that you take cooking seriously, but your wallet won’t take the hit that comes from buying high-end cookware. The copper inspired finish means the patena won’t change over time like traditional copper cookware.

The combination of cookware and bakeware means that you’ll have your bases covered in any cooking situation. 

The Hammered Copper collection is dishwasher safe, non-toxic, oven safe up to 500, compatible with all heat sources, including induction burners. The hammered copper is actually aluminum, while the cooking surface is titanium and ceramic. The handles are made from stainless steel.

“My wife wanted pans for her birthday. I found the most beautiful set I could find in a color that resembles her favorite color. Not only she, but “We” love this set, most of them are TRULY BEAUTIFUL. But, a few notes should be considered. The round baking pan came in a black baked finish on the outside, with the copper interior finish. The pans while they have a hammered texture, they appear to be a satin anodized aluminum in a copper color. While the hammered copper texture/color is beautiful, but they do not shine quite like the photos lead you to believe. They do shine, but not like a true copper.” -M.D., Amazon Customer

Gotham Steel 10 Piece Cookware Set

When all you need is the basics, this is a great set. These pots and pans are the workhorses of any kitchen. About 95% of the meals people make at home will be with some version of this set.

Saute, sear, fry, boil, and even steam since it comes with a steamer insert.  This set is excellent for people who have small kitchens and need to be very selective in filling the available space.

All pieces are nonstick, non-toxic, dishwasher safe, scratch-resistant, and oven safe up to 500 degrees. The base is made from aluminum, and the cooking surface is made from titanium and ceramic. The handles are stainless steel.

“The nonstick quality of this pan so far has been top of the line. Within the first week of getting these pans, my daughters wanted to make a home made mac & cheese. After cooking the cheese sauce they had poured it onto the noodles in a different pan, but they accidently left the stove on and the sauce that was in the bottom of the pan burned to a crisp. When we noticed the burner was still on we turned it off and took a rubber spatula and was able to get all of the burnt cheese off the bottom of the pan. No scrubbing, no cleaners, just the rubber spatula. That was increadibly impressive.

One issue that I do see with these pans so far is that the nonstick surface scratches really easy if you are not using a wooden or rubber cooking tool. Metal whisks/tools are not a great option to use with these pans. Hopefully these pans will stand the test of time, but for the value these pans are pretty amazing” -Adam Barry Smith, Amazon Customer

Alternatives If Gotham Steel Cookware Isn’t A Good Fit For You.

If Gotham Steel Cookware doesn’t feel like a good fit or you’re just not seeing anything that you like, check out the reviews we put together for similar brands. Investing in cookware is a big deal because they are tools you’ll use in your daily life, so getting it right is important.

The Complete Guide To T-Fal Cookware

T-Fal cookware has a similar price point to Gotham Steel but might come with a few more pieces per set. T-Fal has a much more straightforward look for those people who don’t want to showcase their cookware in the kitchen. While they might not look as sexy as Gotham Steel, not everyone wants their cookware to be showpieces.

Best Ceramic Cookware Sets

We made a round-up of all the best ceramic cookware sets. See which set speaks to you the most and make an informed decision on where to invest.

Best GreenPan Cookware Sets

GreenPan Cookware has made a name for itself as one of the best ceramic brands to use for healthy cooking. Come with us as we take a deep dive into their best sets and see which would best fulfill your healthy cooking needs.

 

 

Last update on 2021-05-29 / This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API