Is it safe to use copper cutlery?

You love the warm, beautiful look of copper cutlery. It feels stylish and unique. But you've heard it might be unsafe, which makes you nervous about using it for your family's dinner.

Yes, copper cutlery can be safe, but with a very important condition: it must have a protective lining of another metal. Unlined copper can be risky, as it can leach into acidic foods. Always check if your copper cutlery is lined with stainless steel or tin.

This question is more common than you might think. While my factory specializes in stainless steel, I often get questions about other materials. A while ago, a restaurant owner named Maria called me. She wanted something special for her new Italian restaurant. She loved the look of copper because it felt rustic and warm. But she was worried about safety, especially since her menu was full of tomato-based sauces. I explained to her that while the look of copper is fantastic, safety must come first. We talked through the science behind it, and it became clear why the material a utensil is made from is one of the most important decisions you can make for your kitchen or business.

What is the best metal for cutlery?

You are shopping for new cutlery and see options in stainless steel, silver, and copper. It feels impossible to know which one is the safest, most durable, and best value for your money.

Stainless steel is the best all-around metal for cutlery. It is safe, durable, affordable, and very easy to maintain. Grades like 18/10 or 18/8 offer the best resistance to rust and corrosion, making them perfect for everyday use.

When you choose a metal for cutlery, you are balancing four things: safety, strength, looks, and cost. While exotic materials can be interesting, stainless steel wins for everyday use because it excels in the most important areas. It is an alloy, a mix of metals, primarily iron, chromium, and sometimes nickel. The chromium creates a passive, invisible layer on the surface that protects it from rust and stains. The nickel adds to this corrosion resistance and gives it a beautiful shine. This combination makes it non-reactive, meaning it will not affect the taste of your food or leach harmful chemicals. While pure silver is beautiful and copper has a unique warmth, neither can match the practical, worry-free performance of high-quality stainless steel. It is the workhorse of both home kitchens and professional restaurants for a good reason.

Comparing Cutlery Metals

Metal	Pros	Cons	Best For
Stainless Steel (18/10)	Very durable, rust-proof, dishwasher safe, no metallic taste.	Can be less decorative than other metals.	Everyday dining, restaurants, family use.
Silver (Sterling)	Beautiful, valuable, traditional.	Tarnishes easily, needs polishing, very soft, expensive.	Formal dining, special occasions, heirlooms.
Copper	Excellent heat conductor, unique warm look.	Unlined is unsafe with acid, tarnishes, scratches easily.	Decorative pieces or properly lined cookware.

What are the disadvantages of copper utensils?

You are drawn to the beautiful rosy glow of copper cutlery. It looks so elegant. But you have a nagging feeling that there must be a catch, some hidden downside you are not aware of.

The main disadvantages of copper utensils are health risks from leaching into acidic foods, a high level of maintenance to prevent tarnishing, and the metal's natural softness, which makes it very easy to scratch and dent.

Copper's beauty comes with some serious practical problems. First and foremost is the health concern. Copper is a reactive metal¹. When it touches acidic ingredients, a chemical reaction occurs that can dissolve small amounts of copper into your food. Ingesting too much copper can lead to nausea or an upset stomach. This is the biggest reason why most copper utensils and cookware are lined with a non-reactive metal like tin or stainless steel. The second issue is maintenance. Copper tarnishes when exposed to air, losing its bright shine and turning dull or even green. To keep it looking good, you have to polish it regularly, which is a lot of work. Finally, copper is a very soft metal compared to stainless steel. This means it scratches, scuffs, and even bends much more easily, so it may not stand up well to the rigors of daily use and cleaning.

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What should not be eaten in copper utensils?

You've just received a set of unlined copper mugs or bowls as a gift. You want to use them, but you are not sure which foods are safe and which could cause a problem.

You should never cook, serve, or store highly acidic or very salty foods in unlined copper utensils. This includes foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, vinegar-based dressings, wine, pickles, and anything with a lot of salt.

The key is to remember that acid is copper's enemy. Any food with a low pH (meaning it is acidic) will trigger the chemical reaction that causes copper to leach. Think about the ingredients in your pantry. A simple lemon vinaigrette for your salad is acidic. The tomato sauce for your pasta is acidic. Even a fruit salad with oranges and pineapples is acidic. Serving these in an unlined copper bowl is a bad idea. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specific guidelines that warn against using unlined copper in direct contact with foods that are not pH neutral. The same logic applies to very salty foods. Salt can also accelerate the corrosion of copper. For all these foods, you should always choose a non-reactive material like glass, ceramic, or high-quality stainless steel to be completely safe.

Food Category	Examples to Avoid in Unlined Copper	Why?
Fruits	Lemons, oranges, pineapples, berries	High in citric and other acids.
Vegetables	Tomatoes, rhubarb, pickles	High in acid and often prepared with vinegar.
Liquids	Wine, fruit juices, vinegar	These are all acidic liquids.
Sauces	Tomato sauce, salad dressings, ketchup	These are acidic and often salty.

Why avoid copper cookware?

You see professional chefs on TV using beautiful copper pots and pans. You think if it's good enough for them, it must be great for you, but you still hear warnings about its safety.

You should avoid unlined copper cookware because heat speeds up the chemical reaction between copper and food. Cooking acidic ingredients like tomato sauce in an unlined copper pot for a long time creates a high risk of copper leaching.

While copper cookware is prized by some chefs for one specific reason—it conducts heat incredibly well—this property also makes it riskier. Heat acts as a catalyst, making chemical reactions happen faster and more intensely. When you simmer a sauce for hours in an unlined copper pot, you are creating the perfect environment for copper to leach into your meal. This is why virtually all high-quality copper cookware sold today is lined. The most common linings are tin and stainless steel. Tin is the traditional choice, but it is very soft and can wear out over time, meaning the pan might need to be re-tinned. Stainless steel is a much more durable and modern lining. It does not wear out and provides a completely safe, non-reactive surface for your food to cook on. So, if you invest in copper cookware, you are really investing in the copper exterior for heat control and the stainless steel interior for safety. An unlined copper pot is best used only for decoration.

Conclusion

It is safe to use copper cutlery as long as it has a protective lining. For worry-free, everyday use, stainless steel is the superior choice for its safety, durability, and ease of care.