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Stainless steel is initially produced in slabs, which are then put through a conversion process using a Z mill, which converts the slab into coil prior to further rolling. These wide coils are typically made at around 1250mm (sometimes a little wider) and are known as ‘mill edge coils’.

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If you are forced to keep the number of kitchen utensils to a minimum, frying pans will help. I take my stuff out almost every day, often several times a day. I’ve been known to make a big batch of granola for breakfast during the week and crunch up some bacon on the weekends (much cleaner than frying it in a pan). For lunch, I’ll often quickly transform a handful of nuts or a can of chickpeas from raw to golden brown, the perfect addition to a salad. For dinner, I prepare a variety of ingredients – roasted or charred vegetables, fish fillets, pieces of meat. At least once a week, you’ll find me resorting to one-plate dinners in an attempt to cut down on the number of dishes, whether it’s a whole roast chicken on a bed of potatoes or a rectangular potato pizza. cheese. And, of course, dessert. Cookies are common, but pans make excellent containers for large cakes and also serve as drip trays for cake spills or cake juices. The point is, these are serious workhorses.
They are also made by different brands. So, how do you know that the product you buy will withstand the entire cooking process without staining, warping or scratching? To answer that question, I tested some of them myself and talked to 13 chefs and bakers about their favorite pans (and how they care for them).
Most frying pans on the market are made of aluminum or aluminized steel (basically carbon steel treated with an aluminum-silicon alloy (also known as a mixture)). If this sounds important, that’s because it is, but what you really need to know is that core material is not the deciding factor when choosing a good frying pan. While some say bare aluminum conducts heat best, in our research we found that both work well, and there are other factors to consider when choosing the pan that’s best for you.
Non-stick coating makes cleaning easy. But this makes long-term care somewhat difficult, as you must avoid using metal utensils that can damage the surface and follow maximum temperature recommendations.
If you are lucky enough to have a large oven and always feed four or more people or bake constantly (although this is of course the most suitable option on the list). Half sheets, usually around 11 by 16 inches, are the most versatile and are what you probably think of when you think of casserole dishes. However, if this is important to your oven or kitchen, be sure to pay attention to the exact measurements; they may differ by a few inches on either side. Finally, the pan is a quarter size smaller and is ideal for snacks and single-serving meals, as well as more targeted tasks like roasting nuts.
There are many specialized cookie cutters that have edges on only two or three sides instead of four. This should make it easier to transfer the cookies from the sheet to the cooling rack since they can be removed. You can always use a spatula, but I have a particularly well-designed baking sheet on my list if that’s what you’re looking for. Some trays have wider flat edges on both sides and more handles than those with rounded edges. But in my experience, they tend to be more fragile and are not recommended by any of our experts, which is why they are not on this list.
Nordic Ware makes the most durable pans. Taartwork owner Brittany Bennett says they “make you feel like a pro in your home kitchen,” says chef and TV personality Elena Besser. They’re “the closest thing to the commercial brand of pans” she uses in her kitchen at her favorite Brooklyn restaurant, Lilia. . For example, I’ve had two Nordic Ware half sheets and a quarter sheet for almost a decade now and haven’t had to replace them.
That’s because, as baker and cookbook author Claire Saffitz says, Scandinavian pans are “really vulnerable.” While the color of the surface can change over time, especially with acidic ingredients like vinegar and tomatoes (mine has definitely gotten darker and browner over the years), this has absolutely no effect on the actual cooking quality, which remains as even as ever. . Nordic Ware notes that although metal utensils may cause scratches, this is only a cosmetic effect. I can also attest to this because I use a fish spatula to scoop out fried vegetables very regularly without any negative effects.
While it’s not non-stick, if you’re making something that might need a little help to remove easily (like cookies), you can simply lay a silicone mat or parchment paper on the surface for an easy, cheap solution. Plus, a set of two pans is only $22, which means you won’t have a hard time replacing them if you want some shiny new silver after a while.
Although Great Jones’ Holy Sheet is a relatively new product (released November 2019), it is making a splash in the kitchens of professional chefs and food content creators thanks to its bright, bold colors that are easy to spot in countless photos on my Instagram feed. . But this is not all appearances. In my own testing, I was pleasantly surprised by the surface’s non-stick properties: I grilled vegetables and salmon fillets without using much olive oil, and both immediately slipped off. My biggest gripe with the pan tends to be how annoying it is to clean (anything that doesn’t contain parchment sticks to it, and it’s hard to find a good angle to wash in the sink), but the divine sheets require very little hard work. The soap is spongy and fairly light to the touch making it look like new.
Several of our experts said that the Sacred Page not only became their instant favorite, but has also stood the test of time. Erin Jeanne McDowell, a recipe developer and cookbook author who has owned this product for several years, says, “The taste is great even with heavy use. Good. Its beautiful appearance has not compromised its functionality in any way. It has no warping, scratching or no chipping.” Candy artist Maayan Silberman and chef and TV personality Molly Yeh say it’s very durable. At 2 pounds each, they’re a little heavier than the Nordic Ware half slices, but that makes them feel especially durable and can even serve as Yeh’s pizza stones.
However, aesthetics have their advantages. I’ve used mine as an appetizer plate several times and the deep blue color pops out amazingly underneath the crackers, cheese and fruit. Senior Strategist Editor Jen Trolio uses her blue serving tray as a grill tray and, in the summer, as a serving dish. Although she cooks with it at least once a week, she also says it’s clean and still looks beautiful four years later.
Oxo is a trusted brand when it comes to kitchenware (we’ve featured its products multiple times), so it’s no surprise that its non-stick frying pans are also a favorite. It’s recommended by Kristen Tomlan, founder and CEO of DŌ Cookie Dough Confections, who says it’s her favorite because “it’s durable and non-stick, which helps ensure the candy bakes evenly.” improves air flow. “The light color of the pan helps transfer heat slowly so the bottom of the dough doesn’t get too brown,” she says. This may be more noticeable with something like sugar cookies than with chocolate chip cookies, but generally speaking, the darker the pan, the faster the baked goods will darken.
Materials: Recycled steel and aluminum | Coating: non-stick | Size: half sheet or less | Rim: three-sided
This King Arthur tray is the only model on this list that has three sides, and this feature allows me to transfer roasted vegetables or buns to the plate in one fell swoop. It also makes it easier to access the edges – I can get to them right away with a spatula, which is especially useful when food is stuck together and needs a push to loosen it. It feels very durable, yet lightweight, and hasn’t warped or discolored in the months I’ve used it. Like the Oxo pan above, it has a textured bottom that promotes air circulation and even browning (especially good for baked goods that require even color).
Baker Lori Ellen Pellicano has a similar set of bakeware with a super black finish and a heavy, “light cast iron” feel. She bought it a few years ago (probably at a commercial pizza store, where she says she saw similar ones all the time) and uses it for a variety of things – pizza, and yes, photos of cereal and other breads, galettes and empanadas. and even charred vegetables. “The pans retain heat very well, and the surface browns the food much faster.” This makes them too intense for cookies or other delicate baked goods, but ideal for all of the above options where a dark bottom is key.
These pans from Chicago Metallic are designed similarly to Nordic Ware pans and will last a long time. They are definitely meant for Pellicano, who has used them all her life in both professional and home settings. Their locally made products (another advantage, according to Pellicano) are items that can be passed down from generation to generation, she said. “To me they are synonymous with incredible steel, quality and durability,” she said. “If I see Chicago metal, I know it will be strong, won’t warp, and will last longer than other metals.”
“I’ve bought a lot of fancy pans over the years, and honestly, none of them live up to the hype,” says Emily Petrick of Whisk and Whittle. Instead, she prefers to buy Winco trays at a restaurant supply store. “They’re durable, they’re easy to clean, they’re cheap and they’re easy to replace because, let’s be honest, disasters happen. The most important thing is that they do their job,” she said. They have “no bells and whistles” but are made from heavy aluminum so are less prone to warping. The only caveat is that they are not non-stick, so you will also need parchment paper.
For some reason, quarter-sheet pans are less common in home kitchens, but they can be more useful than half-sheet pans. Of course, they’re great for cooking small amounts of food, making them ideal if you’re only cooking for one person. But I think they come in handy if you need the oven to accommodate multiple ingredients in a large dish and don’t want to have to turn everything over. For example, you can toast nuts, fish and leeks at the same time, each on its own schedule, adding or removing them as needed. Not to mention, quarter sheets are easier to store and clean than half sheets. Emily Feiffer, co-owner of Botanica in Los Angeles, is a fan of these Scandinavian clay pans. Their other perks, she says, include baking cookies late at night (to make you look less sad) and using them as trays for carrying things in and out, which is especially useful if you’re grilling. Great Jones made a quarter sheet called Little Sheet.
Great Jones makes quarter sheets in sets of two. They’re built the same way as the half slices above, meaning they’re equally suitable for all your baking, roasting, and grilling needs. But the smaller size means they can be used as plates. Available in vibrant colors like royal blue, forest green and raspberry red, they’re a must-have on your dinner table, filled with appetizers like salad and dressing or cheese and crackers. There are even snacks like grilled chicken or barbecue. . Serve the whole fish with the sauce.
Nordic Ware, on the other hand, makes flat pans that are larger than a half-sheet, measuring 13.5 x 19.5 inches. Be sure to measure your oven if you’re interested in it, but if it fits, you can easily cook quite a lot of food at once. (For what it’s worth, this is the size that my mother, a keen and brilliant home cook, fed the four of us regularly when I was growing up). This is handy if you’re into baking, like former strategy writer Chloe Anello, who has this model. “I’m impatient and prefer to bake everything at once rather than in batches,” she says. “But gluten-free baked goods tend to spread better than flour-filled baked goods, so depending on what I’m making, the extra space will be helpful.”
If you need multiple sizes, Strategist senior editor Crystal Martin recommends this three-piece set. When she started baking last summer after using an old, warped nonstick pan for about eight years, she invested in this Nordic Ware Trio. Each of the previously mentioned sizes in this list comes in a set, which is $5 cheaper than buying them individually. Martin likes being able to have them all: the largest for batches of cookies, the medium for more even heat when baking brownies, and the smallest for individual batches of roasted vegetables and reheated tortillas. Although the sizes vary, they are easy to store. “I store them in a narrow 12-inch cabinet with a cooling rack and a muffin tin,” she says. “They don’t take up much space because they are located together.”
• Chloe Anello, former strategist writer • Brittany Bennett, founder of Taartwork • Elena Besser, chef and TV personality • Emily Feiffer, partner and chef at Botanica • Crystal Martin, senior editor at Strategist • Erin Jeanne McDowell, baker and cookbook author • Lori Ellen Pellicano, baker • Emily Petrick, founder of Whisk and Whittle • Claire Saffitz, baker and cookbook author • Kristen Tomlan, founder and CEO of DŌ Cookie Dough Confections • Jen Trolio, senior editor, strategist • Molly Yeh, chef and TV presenter • Maayan Zilberman, founder of Sweet Saba
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Each product is independently selected by (obsessed) editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.