A good copper preserving pan is the one that does what you want it to do, many pans are great for one persons needs but totally unsuitable or lacking for another’s needs.
So, the best thing to do before you embark on a marathon search for the perfect Jam pan, is make a list of what you would like to do with it, how often and how much volume you envisage making.
Jam pans like this are used for making:
1. Preserving Fruits, Jellies, Jams, Fridge jams
2. Chutneys, Pickles (Branston Types)
3. Toffee, Fudges, Nougat, Sweet Making and Sugar Craft
They all traditionally use plain copper pans without any lining.
How often will you be using it? Commercially, domestically or very occasionally – just when the strawberries are just right or Seville oranges are in the greengrocers?
Then you can decide how heavy, wide and thick you would like it to be.
Generally, the heavier the pan the better the pan, the more use it will get the heavier and thicker it needs to be. Thin copper can burn easily if left unattended, where as thick copper will give you a good even distribution of heat throughout the base.
If you are making a few jars of jam a year then a small thin gauge pan will do nicely. Although if you want a heavy, professional pan that looks fabulous hanging up then go for it!
There is one sure way of working out if a pan is right for you. The weight. That will give you a good idea of the thickness of the copper and how robust and hard wearing it will be. (and how much you really should be paying for these too!) Also, how many rivets are holding on the handle and what are they made of?
For a domestic thin walled, affordable pan they will be steel and only two, they copper will flex – this is normal.
For a good professional pan they will be good lumps of copper with three holding each robust handle, these sorts of pans do not flex!
For a 36cm pan about 14 inches holding 7 litres about 6-7 quarts, there are the everyday copper pans like the ones Baumalu, from eastern France sells today. They weigh in at a lightweight 1.25 kilos just under 3 pounds. Lovely pan, thin walled, great for any sort of jam making on an occasional domestic level. They usually have just two stainless steel rivets.
Personally I would not pay any more than $80 all in for a pan of this calibre.
On the other hand a Mauviel, from Villedieu les Poeles, pan made today 36cm about 14 inches weighs over 3 kilos over 6 1/2 pounds. This could be used on a professional, daily basis with no problems.
Same width – different quality.
There are many good vintage jam pans on the market, here is my rough guide to their cost and their use.
Regular Domestic Thin Walled 1.25 -1.50 kilos or +- 3 pounds $80 or about 70€
Regular Domestic Thicker Walled 1.75-2.00 kilos or +- 4 pounds $115 or about 105€
Advanced Domestic Thick Walled 2.25-3.00 kilos or +- 6 pounds $165 or about 140€
Professional Thick Walled 4.00 kilos plus or +- 9 pounds $200 or about 180€
So in conclusion – it’s horses for courses, whatever you want to do in the preserving business there is a jam pan for your needs. Shop around for the ideal preserving pan for you!
…………There is one thing I forgot to mention – if you want a really good pan, a robust beautiful, generous, fabulous looking confiture or preserving pan – go for vintage or even antique, like the ones at Normandy Kitchen Copper!
©Fidelma Cox Normandy Kitchen Copper 2019
All prices correct at time of publication
©Fidelma COX 2019
Normandy Kitchen Copper 
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