Best metal baking pans are...

[ExPirateShopGirl]

A few things...

One gal mentioned the Wearever jelly roll pan. These are awesome. I have 2! When my dearly departed Grandma passed away, my cousins chose the jewelry... I chose all the 'worthless kitchen items', most of which you haven't been able to buy for 20 some-odd years...

Second.. call me a wimp but I really dislike the heft of the pampered chef stoneware. It seems every time I use PC my arms get sore from maneuvering it from oven, table, sink, cupboard, etc. I run 5 miles a day, but that cookware beats me up...

Another great thing to try for baking is a Silpat cookie sheet liner. It can really make a difference in the bottoms of your cookies if you are using an older baking sheet where the surface has seen some wear and tear. Works a lot like parchment paper but you can reuse it as you like.

I also agree that different pans for different uses is a great idea, as long as they are easily stacked and take up little or no more storage room than having just one pan.

Williams-Sonoma does have great bakeware, especially the cake and cupcake pans. Heavy duty. The baking trays are a bit heavy, but do provide great results.

Good luck!

 

[grlpwrd]

I use my Pampered Chef baking stones.

Sorry, but I am a health nut and I have to mention it. I don't use nonstick because of their toxicity as they contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or "C-8." The EPA has labeled it as a carcinogen and is working with Teflon/nonstick manufacturers to eliminate PFOAs by 2015.

I hear silicone pans are good, but I am concerned about their toxicity, too.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I use my Pampered Chef baking stones.

Sorry, but I am a health nut and I have to mention it. I don't use nonstick because of their toxicity as they contain perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) or "C-8." The EPA has labeled it as a carcinogen and is working with Teflon/nonstick manufacturers to eliminate PFOAs by 2015.

I hear silicone pans are good, but I am concerned about their toxicity, too.

Another warning for nonstick is if you have a pet bird - do NOT let anything nonstick heat up without something in it (like heating up a skillet) anywhere near the bird. The fumes coming from the pan or pot will kill the bird.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I was under the impression that you never put these in the dishwasher!! It says not to immerse them so I never put them in the washer.

that's probably why mine don't last! They made it 2-3 years, then the little feet pegs fall out and water gets in between the layers and that's the end of that pan. I did like how they worked, but get the same results with the restaurant supply pans and those go through the dishwasher. They are discolored from it, but I don't care about that.

 

[ilovepcot]

Wow...helpful *and* educational info here. Thanks you guys!

There's no way I can "play favorites" here so I'll just have to buy everything suggested!

 

[Imzadi]

Do you have a professinal chefs store near you that sells to restaurants. They have the best baking sheets and they last forever. I get a lot of my supplies at our local restaurant supply store, the prices can't be beat for the quality!
Happy Baking

Yes, the professional sheet pans are so much thicker. They heat more evenly & are made to last.

My cousin owns a catering/special events company. All the chefs lay down a layer of parchment over ALL the pans. It doesn't matter if they are roasting vegetables & meats or baking cookies. I think they spray the parchment before putting on cookies.

The sheets just slide off at the end of the evening when they are cleaning up. So much easier to clean. No scraping.