Material kitchen takes on All-Clad copper pans as the DTC kitchenware wars heat up
The direct-to-consumer kitchen wars are heating up. Over the last few years, brands like Made In, Milo, and Misen have launched to create high-quality kitchenware—from pans to knives to cast iron pots—that are more affordable than the established brands on the market.
One of those brands, Material, launched with a set of kitchen tools that were designed to be durable as well as more beautiful than the average air whisks and slotted spoons in the market. This week, it’s ramping up its product line to include copper-core pans that are a fraction of the cost of All-Clad, the best-known copper pan maker on the market. Material’s coated pan, which is nonstick, costs $95, while the classic pan comes in two sizes at $95 and $105 each. Similar All-Clad pieces are about double the price.
Material calls these “forever pans.” They are made with copper, which is known for its ability to retain and distribute heat evenly. The core is then surrounded with layers of stainless steel, which makes them durable. For the coated pan, Material used a nonstick coating that the brand says will ensure that it lasts 37 times longer than ceramic, which is what many brands use to coat their pans.
This new wave of kitchen startups is still relatively small compared to the industry leaders, but together, they’re giving young digitally native consumers an alternative to the mainstream brands that have dominated the kitchenware landscape for decades.
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