Solid Copper Mixing Bowls (ex: 5qt = $30)

[Jaepheth]

Groupon has some solid copper bowls on sale:
https://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-solid-copper-beating-bowl-1

I got a 5qt for ~ $35 shipped.


I've never tried them, but supposedly egg whites whip up much easier in copper bowls.


Edit:
I don't know how Groupon is running their site, but this link lists the 5qt bowl for $2 less, but shows the 3 pack as sold out?
https://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-old-dutch-solid-copper-beating-bowls

 

[gorcorps]

Not to crap on the deal, but are egg whites the only reason to have copper mixing bowls? They'll oxidize and scratch easier than stainless, so it seems like it could be quite the pain in the long run for little gain. I guess if you're using them above a steam bath to melt stuff these would work a lot better, but it still seems odd.

Just wondering what the benefits are.

 

[Mike64]

supposedly egg whites whip up much easier in copper bowls

Copper does indeed make egg whites beat up more quickly - there's a factual chemical explanation for it, and fwiw, I can vouch for it from personal experience. (And if you'd rather not buy/deal with a copper bowl, I can also say from experience that the pinch of cream of tartar also works quite well.) But due to the shape, on the one hand, and the reactivity/potential toxicity of the material on the other, they're basically limited to hand-beating, and pretty much define the word "unitask," so might not be worth the cost/storage space unless you have a fairly frequent use for them. I guess you could use the largest bowl for cooking small amounts of sugar/candy, but the shape would make that problematic on a home stove. (It should go without saying that you wouldn't want to have to hold the bowl by hand while cooking sugar to temps significantly above 212F.)

And while that is a good price even for the Old Dutch brand, do be aware that they're pretty thin (compared to the much more expensive "big" copper brands), so get banged up pretty easily, but that's only a matter of appearance of course, not functionality. Lastly, Home Depot (of all places) happens to have the 4.5qt bowl available online for $32.95, with their usual free shipping to store, if anyone would rather deal with them than Groupon. (The 5qt bowl and and 3 piece set aren't discounted there though, so are outrageously overpriced for the quality.)

are egg whites the only reason to have copper mixing bowls?

Yeah, more or less. Copper is highly reactive, which will/can affect the color and flavor of many foods - particularly acidic ones and dairy products - and for that matter is also potentially toxic in the chronic/long-term sense, so aside from its physical characteristics, its use in the kitchen is rather limited. Pretty much the only traditional uses for unlined copper are beating egg whites and cooking sugar (for caramel) or candymaking (like fudge, taffy, etc.) As you'll also see from the Groupon listing, (equally unitasking) zabaglione pots have also traditionally been made of unlined copper. And of course a round bowl is a PITA for mixing anything heavy when you'd want to be able to set it on a surface to support the weight. (For egg whites, one generally just holds it one hand and the whisk in the other.)

 

[Jaepheth]

Yeah, it's a pretty specialized bit of equipment. I wanted to experience them for myself since I make pies and other confections that require whipped egg whites, and this seemed like a pretty good entry-level price.
If I don't like it I'll probably be cutting it up to make copper jewelry.

 

[Mike64]

It is a good price. Mine (no brand name at all, had to trust my judgment at the time of purchase that they were in fact solid copper) were truly dirt-cheap at an odd-lots discounter quite a few years ago, but it's rare to come across anything like that even for a dedicated clearance-section scourer...

PS: The rings aren't just good for hanging the bowls up. Much better than trying to hold it all steady (while not dropping it) with a thumb over the rim, you can stick a thumb through one of the rings to support the bowl's weight (not much, even with the egg whites) and then sort of cradle the side of bowl with your palm to steady it while you whisk.

As an aside, it occurs to me to wonder why no one's ever thought of making a copper whisk instead of bowl. (A quick Google search showed nothing in the first few pages of results.) I guess the tines(?) might tend to get deformed more easily than SS, but hardened copper isn't that soft, and it would certainly be easier to make space for it, and should be less expensive, too... (OTOH, maybe someone did, and it just didn't work very well. Oh, and upon further reflection, I imagine such a thing would be a bitch to keep even reasonably tarnish-free.)

 

[Matt L]

I have a copper bowl insert for my Kitchenaid mixer, only use it for egg whites, and it does a very good job. copper is worth it if you beat a lot of egg whites, not so much if you don't.