Switching from gas to electric cooking just got much simpler, thanks to a new battery-equipped kitchen range developed by the startup Copper, founded by MIT alumnus Sam Calisch.
The innovative stove can plug directly into a standard wall outlet, making the transition to clean electric cooking possible without the costly rewiring or renovations that have long discouraged homeowners and apartment dwellers alike.
“Going electric used to mean tearing out drywall, upgrading your electrical panel, and spending thousands on installation,” Calisch says.
“We’re making it as easy as swapping one appliance for another.”
The key to Copper’s range is a built-in lithium iron phosphate battery that stores power when electricity is cheapest and cleanest, then delivers it when you’re ready to cook.
Because it runs on a regular 120-volt outlet, most households already have the infrastructure needed—especially since most gas stoves already have an outlet for features like the clock or igniter.
That simplicity is especially valuable for apartment buildings. “In multi-unit buildings, rewiring is so expensive that it rarely happens,” Calisch explains. “With our range, property owners can switch to electric without touching the walls or the wiring.”
Copper has already shipped about 1,000 of its stoves, primarily to large apartment developers. The company also has a deal with the New York City Housing Authority to install at least 10,000 units, marking one of the largest clean-cooking initiatives in the U.S.
But Copper’s impact goes beyond cooking. Once installed, each range becomes part of a distributed energy network.
When the grid is under heavy demand, the stoves’ batteries can send stored energy back to the grid—helping stabilize power supplies and reduce the need for gas-fired plants. Copper has already tested this concept in California, where its stoves provided cheap, clean power during peak usage hours.
“After these appliances are installed, they become a grid asset,” Calisch says. “We can manage the fleet of batteries to support clean energy delivery and use that revenue to make electrification even more affordable.”
Calisch’s passion for climate technology began at Otherlab, a clean-tech incubator founded by another MIT graduate, Saul Griffith.
He later joined MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, where he earned both his master’s and Ph.D., working on ways to make manufacturing more efficient. After completing his doctorate, he co-founded Rewiring America, a nonprofit advocating for home electrification and helping shape the Inflation Reduction Act.
Copper’s 30-inch induction range is powerful and practical—it heats faster and more precisely than gas and includes a 5-kilowatt-hour battery, allowing it to keep working even during power outages. “Batteries have become ten times cheaper and now improve quality of life,” Calisch says. “Electrification doesn’t have to mean sacrifice—it can mean better performance and convenience.”
The company recently raised $28 million to ramp up production and plans to license its technology to other appliance makers to speed up the transition to electric homes. Calisch sees this as part of a broader effort to modernize the energy grid.
“In the same way the internet expanded by storing data locally rather than just adding more wires, we’re doing the same for the electric grid—adding local energy storage to make it stronger and more resilient,” he says.
For Calisch, his years at MIT shaped not just his technical skills but also his vision for the future.
“MIT taught me to see infrastructure differently,” he says. “It’s not just about power lines—it’s about homes and appliances becoming active participants in a cleaner, smarter energy system.”
