When it comes to buying new sheet pans for the kitchen, it can get confusing with all the options out there. However, focusing on just three key aspects makes it much simpler to select durable pans that fit your cooking needs – material composition, dimensions, and any special features.
Everyone loves a good sheet pan: they’re typically an easy cleanup and can help you get a ton of food on the table in no time. With all of the options out there, it can be difficult to tell which one to buy. Here are three things to consider when purchasing a sheet pan:
Read on as we unpack the details, helping you invest in hardworking sheet pans that will revitalize recipe successes for years to come.
What Exactly is a Sheet Pan?
Sheet pans provide sturdy backing for prolific baking and oven-roasting. Their thin rectangular shapes transfer heat quickly and evenly across delicacies like cookies, vegetables, or roasted meats. These proper pans provide support through high-temperature recipes and conveniently catch any oozing juices or crumbs. While called sheet pans, you may also hear them referred to as cookie sheets or baking sheets interchangeably when shopping around.
Key Considerations When Purchasing
Beyond just grabbing whichever sheet pans sit on store shelves, a little forethought ensures properly outfitting your kitchen with models offering the best returns on enjoyment and value. Specifically, consider these three facets:
The Material Composition
Today’s sheet pans are commonly constructed from metals like aluminum and stainless steel for durability and non-stick purposes, occasionally with ceramic coatings. However, specialty silicone or glass options also exist for unique applications. Matching material to expected usage prevents unwanted warping or damage down the line.
Size Dimensions
When buying a sheet pan, it is essential to consider the size of the pan. The standard size for a sheet pan is 13″ x 18″. If you are planning on making only one or two portions of food, this may be a good size. However, consider looking at larger sizes if you often create large quantities of food and want to bake them together in the oven. The largest size available on Amazon is 26″ x 16″! This will allow you to fit many more ingredients on the sheet pan while still allowing each piece to cook evenly and thoroughly.
The most versatile sheet pan sizes include half-sheet and quarter-sheet proportions, accommodating everything from family-sized batches of roasted vegetables to keeping cookies uniformly spaced. Measure your current oven racks, ensuring adequate clearance exists for whichever dimensions are selected.
Special Features
Sometimes, basic sheet pans provide all the functionality your preparations demand. However, particular features like nested designs aiding storage efficiency or raised pan rims containing saucy splatters and crumbs contribute to added convenience for specific techniques. Identify extras complementing your culinary repertoire.
Best Materials For Sheet Pans
Delving deeper into construction materials differentiation, what performs best sustaining years of honored baking duty on your stovetop? We outline a few standard varieties and specialty options below:
Aluminum Sheet Pans
- Tough metal distributes oven heat quickly for consistent baking
- Cost-effective and lightweight
- They can develop sharp ridges if bumped, while thin gauge dents easily
Stainless Steel Sheet Pans
- Extra thick steel withstands high heat without warping
- More stain resistant than aluminium
- It costs more and requires longer preheating
Ceramic Coated Pans
- Non-stick ceramic over metal eases the release of baked goods
- Improved cleanup with less residue sticking
- Chip-prone coatings eventually lose effectiveness
Silicone Sheet Pans
- Naturally non-stick flexible material convenient for sweets
- Withstands wide temperature ranges
- Less sturdy with limited load-bearing capacity
Popular Sheet Pan Sizes
With so many sheet pans scaled for everything from industrial bakeries to toaster ovens, picking the size best fitting your home oven and average recipes prevents unpleasant surprises later.
1. Half Sheet Pans
The half sheet pan measuring roughly 18×13 inches serves as multipurpose MVP for most average ovens baking hearty casserole dishes or sheet pan meals feeding families.
2. Quarter Sheet Pans
For smaller stovetops and meal prep, quarter sheet pans around 9X13 inches conveniently roast single poultry breasts or pan-fry stacked cookie dough rounds.
3. Jellyroll Pans
Ideal for airy angel food cakes, these super-wide jellyroll pans give exposed surface area needed for delicate dessert bread to rise fully on thin sheets.
Special Features to Look For
Once you determine the optimal metal, measurements, and quantity, consider bonus attributes that lend added functionality:
1. Nested Design
Allows stacking similar pans together when cabinets run short on storage space. Just ensure the nested pan set shares uniform dimensions.
2. Raised Edges
Rimmed edges contain juices, oils, and marinades from dribbling over to prevent stovetop spills and messes in the oven.
3. Non-Stick Coatings
Teflon or ceramic spray finishes easily release sticky baked goods with less residue clinging behind them.
4. Double-Sided Use
Pans with identical tops and bottoms multiply your working surface for particularly bountiful holiday cookfests.
5. Shape
There are four main shapes of sheet pans: square, rectangular, round, and oval. Here’s a breakdown of each to help you determine what type of sheet pan is right for your needs.
The most common shape on the market is a rectangular sheet pan. These are half-sheet pans that have been cut in half lengthwise and sold separately.
Rim or No Rim: Food closer to the heat source cooks faster. For a pan without a rim, you need to increase the cooking time by around 10 percent.
Tips For Putting New Sheet Pans to Use
A few words of wisdom help you enjoy sparkling new pans for many special meals ahead:
1. Always Follow Recipe Sizing Guidance
Pick pans aligning with the indicated cake, cookie, or pastry dimensions to allow adequate airflow circulation for uniform rising and baking.
2. Allow Proper Preheat Time
Remember, thicker materials like stainless steel require longer oven preheating than thin aluminum or silicone pans.
3. Avoid Metal Utensil Scratching
Use wood, plastic, or silicone accessories when working in pans to prevent surface mars or scratches from sticking over time.
Whether whipping up grandma’s secret shortbread or experimenting with a vibrant roasted rainbow salad, properly sized sturdy sheet pans built for purpose make all the difference. They ensure Beautiful finished results and simplified cleanup you’ll appreciate down the line.
So, approach any baking aisle with a little more guidance. Understand ideal materials capable of standing up to tough oven environments, along with smart sizing that provides the best fit for specialized recipes in your home kitchen. Confidently select equipment that amplifies success.
