Copper Heat Diffuser/Defroster Plate...Any Opinions?

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Has anyone used one of these copper heat diffusers?

I've been caught a few times in the last month defrosting food quicker than I like to, and I have heard some good reports on using these copper sheets as defroster plates. Usually I will just upend a heavy duty pan and use that, but with the copper, it has better anti-microbial properties, it is a better conductor so I imagine it will defrost quicker, and I can also use it as a heat diffuser for more even heat when needed.

Just wondering.

k
 
I have an aluminum version of this that came with my cooktop, about 8" across and about 1/4" thick...it does a pretty darn good job tempering the heat from the burners.

Hard to imagine the copper version would perform on on par with the price difference though.
 
I have an aluminum version of this that came with my cooktop, about 8" across and about 1/4" thick...it does a pretty darn good job tempering the heat from the burners.

Hard to imagine the copper version would perform on on par with the price difference though.

copper is a much better thermal conductor than aluminum. the copper plates work as advertised. i don't personally have any, but i wouldn't mind having a big copper plate to turn my range into a French top. i use a copper sauté pan for defrosting, and it works great.
 
yep.

copper absorbs heat and cold longer but holds onto it longer than it absorbs it, aluminum will absorb heat and cold faster but release it just about as fast.
 
I don't pretend to understand the units involved in this chart:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html

It shows that copper (401) has about 2X the thermal conductivity of aluminum (205). Taking the average of a couple of different sites the cost is around 3X higher for copper.

The size of each of those gaps surprised me, I thought the thermal performance was closer and the cost differential was bigger. 50% higher cost for 2X performance is a pretty good deal, actually...2:1 payoff on the investment.

Thanks for making me check my assumptions. That's twice in as many days here on KKF :)
 
Cool link. Thanks.

But back to your original question Drinky, anyone with personal experience ?

-AJ
 
Looks cool, love copper, but I just use my cast griddle. May not work as well, but it works.
 
I leave my cast griddle (2 burner) on my electric range all the time, and it seems to help when using my non cast pans and pots. Not to hijack, but would the copper diffusers work on electric as well?
 
...would the copper diffusers work on electric as well?

The website says it works on electric stoves as well as glass and ceramic too.

And btw they claim that you can defrost two chicken breasts in 40 minutes on it. Though I can't say that a frozen chicken breast has ever been in my house, I do always have frozen duck breast in the freezer.

k.
 
I've never used an aluminum or copper diffuser. I wasn't aware you could defrost food quickly with these methods. As for using it for cooking modernist cuisine did something on using them a while back, they were big fans of thick steel ones I think.
 
imho, steel is a better alternative to aluminum as it holds on to heat longer. takes a while to heat up though. just about as much as copper.

i kinda know this stuff coz i've played around with overclocking computers a few years back. still am a computer enthusiast. so i played around with heatsinks, watercooling, radiators and the like.
 
Which would make steel slower to defrost on, and less responsive to heat changes when cooking, so IMO not as useful.
I use thick aluminium trays to defrost on, no experience with Copper
 
I bought a cheap copper diffuser which was so thin and thus flimsy. IT left a dark coating which peeled off. technically I suppose copper has the best conductivity as compared to other metals.

Next, I tried Bella Copper a small one. ( http://bellacopper.stores.yahoo.net/ ) thicker, didnt peel. Pleased with it. I suppose no point polishing it as it will darken with each usage.

Looking to buy a bigger one which will span across the width of a new range cooker as on each side there is a single burner with one in a center. Wld prefer 4 tops With this I hope to be able to put 2 small pots on either side of the range cooker. That is my purpose adn not granular heat control for sauces. I suppose even heat across the bottom of teh pot or pan should contribute to better results in cooking

have fun..

rgds
d
 

Thanks for the video. That was interesting.

...I tried Bella Copper a small one. ( http://bellacopper.stores.yahoo.net/ ) thicker, didnt peel. Pleased with it. I suppose no point polishing it as it will darken with each usage.

Cool d, you've actually tried it out. I was hoping someone had. I think I might try out a copper one and then look around for some place where I can buy some thick aluminum to size once I know what other size would be perfect for my stove. If anything, it will be interesting to see how they compare.

k.
 
my wife and I bought a 5 ply set from lagostina years ago, still going strong. http://www.lagostina.ca/html/product.asp?idstore=&idcat=26&idsubcat=32

uses SS, aluminum, copper, aluminum, then SS again. Seems to be quite even in terms of its heat, esp since the 5 ply construction runs all the way to the top of the pot/pan, so the heat transfer is even brought up to the top fairly well.

Not a cheap set mind you, but would allow for better overall heat transfer when you factor in the heat is brought up the layers as well, something a plate can't do. I do set the appeal tho of getting one of these for when I wanna use my crap thin frying pans, since they have lots of hot spots
 
the more i think about it, the more i want a single one of these, I can see us using it a lot, esp for defrosting
 
imho, steel is a better alternative to aluminum as it holds on to heat longer. takes a while to heat up though. just about as much as copper.

i kinda know this stuff coz i've played around with overclocking computers a few years back. still am a computer enthusiast. so i played around with heatsinks, watercooling, radiators and the like.

the situation on a stove is totally different. copper over a flame comes to full heat extremely quickly. thick aluminum does as well. steel is going to take longer than either, and won't be as even. i kinda know this stuff coz i have copper, aluminum and steel cookware, in various thicknesses, all used over flames.
 
Well, I will know soon enough how these things perform. I ordered the 10x10 inch bella copper heat diffuser and then had a 3/4 inch thick larger aluminum plate cut to size for my cooktop.

I also just got a pressure cooker for xmas, and I have been reading that heat diffusers are useful for them to better control heat.

k.
 
cool! Looking forward to a practical comparison.
 
Well, I will know soon enough how these things perform. I ordered the 10x10 inch bella copper heat diffuser and then had a 3/4 inch thick larger aluminum plate cut to size for my cooktop.

I also just got a pressure cooker for xmas, and I have been reading that heat diffusers are useful for them to better control heat.

k.

Who did you get the aluminium plate from?
 
I got it from onlinemetals.com. Here is the link. After picking thickness, you can choose a standard size or plug in a custom size at the bottom.

k.

I am finding the 12x24 sheet of copper there somewhat tempting. I would like to get something I could spread over two burners and this could fit that bill. Hmmm.
 
I am finding the 12x24 sheet of copper there somewhat tempting. I would like to get something I could spread over two burners and this could fit that bill. Hmmm.

Yeah, I was initially going to get that same two-burner thing (actually 12x20 to fit my stovetop), but I thought I would try the smaller ones out first. That copper gets expensive.

k.
 
That was the Hmmm part. It was hard enough getting the blessing for two knives for this year but I think it would be a good buy overall. Question too is how thick should a person go on these? I know the Benna is 1/8" but for something with some indirect heat, should it be a little thicker? Then the weight comes into play too.
 
That Chow/Modernist Cuisine video up thread said .5 inch to 1.5 inch for aluminum. Not sure how that translates to copper though. My feeling was that I would test the thinner copper out agains the aluminum and then get a two-burner diffuser in aluminum if it is better and (if not) save up for a two burner copper one.

k.
 
2.5mm is typically considered about perfect for copper cookware, but a diffusor and cookware have different missions... i'd probably try the 1/8 inch.
 
My aluminum version varies in thickness. in some places about 1/2" in others about 3/8" (eyeballing). been pleased with it...but only use it as a diffuser for stuff likely to scorch at the minimum flame my stove can produce....not for defrosting/etc.
 
So if you were to use a diffuser plate, would preheating take longer? I'm curious to see what others think of thick aluminum vs. thin copper, since the video I sent out would definitely recommend thick over thin.
 

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