Copper pots can cost a fortune; but copper bowls, which aren't as thick, are more reasonably priced (a basic one is about $40) and will up your baking game, says Erin Byers Murray, author of
A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather's Iron Skillet: Today's Top Chefs on the Stories and Recipes Behind Their Most Treasured Kitchen Tools. She loves having one of these shiny containers in her arsenal, and not just because it looks terrific hanging from its thumb hook on her kitchen wall. A chemical reaction takes place when you beat egg whites in a copper bowl, resulting in fluffier, glossier whites that, in turn, create lighter cakes.
