A Guide to Sheet Pans and the Best for Every Budget
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Sheet pans are one of the most versatile pieces of cookware you can have in your kitchen.
When it comes to kitchen basics, we all have our personal favorites. But regardless of whether you’re a professional chef or a keen homecook, sheet pans always make the cut.
What is a Sheet Pan?
A sheet pan is an affordable, versatile, and almost indestructible kitchen essential. It’s perfect for everything from baking and roasting to kitchen organization. Sheet pans simplify meal preparation, as an entire meal can be cooked on just one pan. Known for their convenience, affordability and versatility, you can find at least one sheet pan in any and every kind of kitchen.
What should you look for when purchasing a sheet pan? For starters, you’ll want to buy something which will serve you well – a pan that will last for years. Good-quality sheet pans should be able to cook your food predictably, without warping under intense heat.
Factors to Consider When Buying a Sheet Pan
Sheet Pan Material
As with all cookware, sheet pans are available in various forms and can be made from different kinds of material. Aluminum is the preferred choice due to its durability and affordability. What’s more, it’s a great heat conductor, which means the metal is excellent at absorbing heat and transferring it to the food. Aside from the stellar reviews, it’s important to remember one thing about aluminum pans – they react with acidic foods.
Aluminized steel baking sheets are steel sheets coated with an aluminum-silicon alloy. They are great for roasting and cooking with a low to moderate heat. However, these kinds of sheet pans are typically more expensive and also react with acidic food.
Poor-quality sheet pans made with inferior metals result in uneven cooking. Generally speaking, a thin baking sheet may warp in the oven. A good sheet pan should be around 18-gauge aluminum, and rimless cookie sheets are usually around 10 to 12-gauge. The higher the number is, the lower the thickness of the pan.
Sheet Pan Size Guide
Sheet pans come in a variety of sizes. The most common types sold in restaurant supply stores are full sheet, half sheet, and quarter sheet. Full sheet pans are primarily found and used in commercial kitchens. As you may have guessed from the name, a half sheet pan is about half the size of a full sheet pan. This kind of pan is more popular for home kitchens as it usually fits in a standard oven. Quarter sheet pans are great for small-batch cooking. Make sure to check for specific measurements before purchasing a sheet pan.
Jelly roll pans are another kind of sheet pan. They typically measure around 15.5 x 10 inches – between a half sheet and quarter sheet pan. Named after jelly rolls, also known as Swiss rolls, jelly roll pans function like any other kind of sheet pan.
Kinds of Sheet Pans
Textured sheet pans help promote airflow and are more resistant to warping. They are suitable for baking delicate baked goods such as pastries or cookies.
Nonstick baking sheets are coated with a thin layer of Teflon to help save on oiling your pan and using parchment paper. The downside is that nonstick sheet pans are more prone to heat warping and uneven cooking.
Cookie sheets are unrimmed sheet pans that sport flat edges with small lips on one or two sides – these act as handles and assist with maneuvering and gripping.
The Best Sheet Pans for All Budgets
Sheet pans are essential in every kitchen. However, choosing the best one can be a tad confusing because there are so many out there! Worry not – we’ve rounded up three of the best half sheet pans on the market to suit whatever budget you have.
Best Budget-Friendly Sheet Pan: Good Cook Steel Nonstick Bakeware
Price: $13.80 (Discounted to as low as $7.99)
Dimensions: 13” x 9”
Material: Alloy steel
Functions: The pan consists of durable steel that heats uniformly with no hot spots, meaning food bakes evenly with golden-brown results. It boasts a nonstick finish that requires no oil, cooking sprays, or expensive paper liners.
Our verdict: Good Cook Steel Nonstick Bakeware is great if you’re on a budget. It’s less than $15, which means you also have the option to buy more than one! Just remember that dark-colored pans brown more quickly and aggressively. Overall, this is an excellent budget-friendly pan that’s perfect for everyday use – and worth buying in bulk!
Click here to shop for Good Cook Steel Nonstick Bakeware.
Best mid-range sheet pan: Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum Baker’s Half Sheet
Price: $21.00 (Discounted to as low as $17.90)
Dimensions: 16.3” x 11.3”
Material: Aluminum
Functions: This pan does not warp due to the sheet’s reinforced encapsulated steel rim. Made in the USA, the sheet boasts aluminum superior heat conductivity, which perfectly distributes an even amount of heat across the pan, ensuring perfectly-cooked items with every bake.
Our verdict: The Nordic Ware Naturals Baker’s Half Sheet Pan is the ultimate crowd favorite given its superior performance and durability. On top of that, this sheet pan sits below $25, which is a steal given its versatility, making it worth every penny.
Click here to grab a Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum Baker’s Half Sheet.
Best Top-End Sheet Pan: Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick No Warp Half Sheet
Price: $39.95
Dimensions: 18” x 13”
Material: Commercial-grade aluminized steel with Goldtouch Pro nonstick coating
Functions: The Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick No Warp Sheet Pan can handle a variety of cooking tasks. This commercial-quality pan is crafted with aluminized steel for even heating and has reinforced sides that prevent warping with Goldtouch Pro nonstick coating – their most advanced nonstick finish.
Our verdict: This is one pretty pan that's great not just for cooking, but also for serving and entertaining. With a lustrous golden, nonstick coating, this pan makes an outstanding impression in the kitchen. Besides its beauty, the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick No Warp Sheet Pan is exceptionally sturdy, to the point where it's even dishwasher safe. It's significantly more expensive than regular sheet pans, but it's worth every penny.
Click here to get your hands on a Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick No Warp Half Sheet.
Want to know more about sheet pan cooking? Read up on how I fell in love with sheet pan cooking here.
