Traditional copper pans can be extremely expensive, but these under-$100 options use a slim copper core to achieve the same effect - here's why we recommend them

• Copper is a great cooking material because it heats up quickly and evenly, but it's usually pretty expensive.
• Online kitchen brand Material has launched new stainless steel cookware that contains a copper core. This construction lets you take advantage of copper's powerful heat conduction properties without having to pay for the price or maintenance of copper.
• We tried the two pans, the Classic Pan ($95-$105) and the Coated Pan ($95), and loved them for their durability, efficiency, and ease of use.

Copper cookware, while beautiful, can be expensive (a 10-inch pan from Mauviel, for example, retails for $250). However, the benefits of copper - namely, quick and even heat conduction - have many home cooks eyeing the powerful material for their pots and pans.

If you don't care much about the glossy orange look of copper but do want to take advantage of its cooking ability, you can get around the gulp-inducing price by looking for a pan with a copper core.

These are exactly the types of pans that Material chose to launch its cookware collection with. The online kitchen brand, which also sells cooking tools, knives, and countertop accessories, comes from an ideology of high-quality construction and thoughtful design. The new cookware expansion, called the 29 Collection (a reference to copper's atomic number), consists of two pans that replicate these qualities to great success.

The pans are the type you'd use every day, the prerequisites of a thriving kitchen set-up.

The Classic Pan ($95-$105) comes in 10.5-inch and 12-inch sizes and has a copper core, which is surrounded by five-ply stainless steel, and a curved lip to allow for smooth pouring. It's oven-safe up to 500° F and dishwasher-safe.

The Coated Pan ($95) comes in a 10.5-inch size and has the same above characteristics. The only difference is that it also has a fume-free, Teflon-free nonstick coating that Material tested to be 37 times more durable than ceramic.

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We tested The Classic Pan and The Coated Pan in our own kitchens - here's how they performed

The Classic Pan: I tried the company's Classic Pan and was thoroughly impressed. I have attempted to cook for myself in the past, but I have a tendency to burn food that winds up sticking to the pan. I cooked a variety of dishes from shrimp and grits to meatball sliders in the Classic Pan and managed not to burn anything (I'm sure the copper core helped with heat retention and distribution and was a big part of the reason why my food was edible).

This stainless steel pan withstood me stirring my food with a fork and, while it did get a bit scraped up, it doesn't look terrible. I'm really good at burning both food and myself, but any time I touched the handle of this pan, it was relatively cool. At the end of the day, I realized that I actually enjoy cooking, so much so that I'm actually excited to cook for myself now and can do so successfully because of this pan. -Ciannah Gin, editorial fellow

The Coated Pan: The most satisfying feelings in the world include inserting a USB the correct way the first time, coasting down a road without hitting a single red light for blocks, and lifting eggs off a slick pan. Every time I use Material's pan, I enjoy the singular satisfaction of a quick, smooth, and effortless cooking experience.

Because of its copper core, the pan heated up noticeably faster, and it distributed this heat evenly, too. I made corn cakes and even though they were spread out throughout the pan, the ones on the sides crisped as well and evenly as the ones closest to the burner. Since the rest of the pan is made from thick and durable stainless steel, it can be banged up a bit and should last you many years.

I have to commend Material for its expansion from accessories and tools like spatulas to everyday workhorses like pans. While I keep my kitchen stocked with a large variety of brands, I could easily see myself becoming a Material loyalist because of its well-rounded repertoire of products. -Connie Chen, reporter

The bottom line

Material's new cookware is the solution for anyone who wants to cook with copper but strives for practicality and cost efficiency. We found the pans were well-made and effective, especially for any meal that had to be made quickly and precisely. Get these pans and you'll find yourself eagerly waiting for Material's next new cookware drop.

Shop the Classic Pan for $95-$105 at Material

Shop the Coated Pan for $95 at Material