The 7 Best Baking Sheets of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Final Verdict

Overall, we recommend the Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet for its ability to make evenly baked cookies and potatoes during our testing. Our food also did not stick to its aluminum surface nor did the pan warp. Plus, it was a breeze to clean. If you're seeking a more affordable option,

Our Testing Process

We tested 23 baking sheets in our lab and assessed them on durability, performance, ease of cleaning, and value. Our first test involved making chocolate chip cookies on the baking sheets. We put as many cookies as we could fit on the baking sheets, so long as they were spaced between two and three inches apart. We recorded that amount and then proceeded to bake them at 350 degrees for 12-13 minutes, flipping them halfway through baking. Once the cookies cooled down, we observed how dark and crispy the bottoms were and if they were easy to remove from our baking sheet.

Our second test involved roasting potato wedges. We flipped the potatoes halfway through cooking to test for stickiness in addition to observing how easy it was to release the potatoes from the baking sheet once they were done. We also noted if the pan warped and how easy it was to clean after it cooled down completely. We then conducted a separate warping test by putting our baking sheets in the oven for 20 minutes with the broiler on (475 degrees). We took them out and recorded if there was any warping, and if there was, if they went back to their original shape once cooled down. In the end, we recorded how easy it was to use each baking sheet, noting what factors made it easy to use. We took all this information to come up with the best baking sheets. 

How to Shop for Baking Sheets Like a Pro

Material

All of the experts we spoke to favor baking sheets made from a combination of steel and aluminum. Kou has found stainless steel to be the most durable material for baking sheets. She told us that stainless steel is not only able to withstand high oven temperatures, but also yields an even bake. Chonody champions stainless steel too, but tells us that a baking sheet made of steel alone will not get the job done. “Steel or stainless steel on its own is not a great heat conductor, which is why you often see it clad with other materials—aluminum and copper, for example,” she says. 

Aluminum is such a great conductor of heat that you will also find baking sheets that are made of aluminum only. These types of pans are thin so they’re able to heat up and cool down quickly—and because they don't hold on to heat after being taken out of the oven, your food won’t continue to cook. One drawback with aluminum though, according to Chonody, is that it reacts to acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus. McKenney, whose favorite pan is the Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet (our Best Overall Baking Sheet), prevents this by lining her baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, which prevents discoloration in the pan.

Coating

By coating, we mean whether or not your baking sheet is nonstick. Nonstick baking sheets are great for people who want supremely easy cleanup. During testing, we found this to be true. However, if you simply put a piece of parchment paper over your baking sheet, you’ll get very similar anti-sticking results on other baking sheets.

One downside to nonstick cookware in general is that it isn’t able to handle high heat. Both Kou and Chonody tell us that nonstick baking sheets should not be put in ovens that are 500 degrees or higher. “The finish will start degrading and lead to peeling and flaking,” says Chonody. Be sure to read your instruction manual to confirm the temperatures that your nonstick baking sheet can handle.

Color

You've probably heard that wearing darker colors on a hot day makes you warmer, and it turns out that the same rule applies to baking sheets. “Light-colored [baking sheets] will reflect heat, while a darker pan will absorb the heat,” says Kou. Because darker pans absorb heat, they also hold on to heat longer. This heat can result in crispier roasted veggies or baked goods with browned bottoms. For this reason, both McKenney and Becerra use lighter-colored pans when baking.

Kou tells us that she owns both dark and light-colored pans and recommends choosing which to use based on what you’re cooking as well as your personal preferences. “I prefer to bake on darker colored pans, because I want [the cookies] to be lightly brown and have that crispy edge. If you're baking white sugar cookies and don't want the browned color, then I would recommend using a light-colored sheet,” she says. “For example, I would make focaccia bread on a light-colored pan, because I don't want the edges to get hard and crisp, since that bread is meant to be more light and fluffy.” She also recommends not using darker-colored pans for cakes, as this could result in a deep and/or thick crust around the edges. 

More Baking Sheets to Consider

King Arthur Cookie Sheet: This everyday baking sheet is durable, versatile, and easy to clean, but we didn’t love the unique angled design, which resulted in uneven cooking.

Nordic Ware Naturals Baker’s Big Sheet Baking Pan: People with families or those who like making big batches of dinner and dessert will like this extra-large baking sheet. We were able to fit the most cookies on this pan (24 total) out of all the other baking sheets we tested.

Questions You Might Ask

What is the difference between a baking sheet, sheet pan, and cookie sheet?

Baking sheets and sheet pans are the same thing, but cookie sheets are a little bit different. “Baking sheets have rolled edges while cookie sheets are flat with one side that has a lip to it,” says Kou. “Cookie sheets don't have edges, which allows the heat to circulate freely around to bake the cookies evenly around the edges.” This lip is primarily there for easier gripping, according to Chonody. 

You can still bake cookies on a baking sheet, but you shouldn’t bake other recipes on a cookie sheet. The reason for this is that without the rolled edges present on baking sheets, food liquids of any kind, whether from a sweet or savory recipe, could leak out of the sides of the pan and get into your oven, causing a mess.

Why do baking sheets warp in the oven?

Warping generally happens when a piece of cookware is exposed to a sudden temperature change. Your baking sheets are susceptible to warping when your baking sheets are either at room temperature or are housing cooler food that needs to be heated up. There could also be uneven heat distribution between the bottom of your pan and its rimmed edges. All of this could result in the warping of your pan. Warping isn’t always a bad thing though, so long as the baking sheet gets back to its original shape once it's cooled down. If it doesn’t, that’s a different story. 

To lessen the likelihood of your baking pan warping, Chonody recommends getting a baking sheet that is made of both stainless steel and aluminum. She tells us that the strength and durability of these two materials prevent warping. According to Becerra, another way to prevent warping is to let the sheets cool down completely before washing. Putting a hot baking sheet in cold water could cause irreversible warping.

How do I keep my baking sheets clean over time?

Anyone who has ever owned a baking sheet knows that even if you wash your baking sheet with soap and water thoroughly after every use, it can still have set-in grease stains or charred areas that feel impossible to get out. We discovered through some research and testing that you can get those stubborn baking sheet stains out with a little extra elbow grease and a few household ingredients.

First, sprinkle baking soda liberally over the stains. Pour hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and spray that over the areas covered in baking soda. Repeat the previous two steps and let that mixture sit for four hours or up to overnight. Use a sponge to remove the mixture, and if the stains are still present, scrub them away. If the stains are still there after that step, use a steel wool pad to scrub whatever is left away. Keep in mind this method is not compatible with nonstick pans. As always, read your instruction manual before you proceed with any type of cleaning method.

Take Our Word for It

This article was written by Rachel Center, a product reviews home writer for Real Simple, and updated by Jamie Fischer, a commerce writer for Real Simple. We researched the best baking sheets and tested 23 of the most popular in our Birmingham lab, evaluating them on durability, performance, ease of cleaning, and value. She also sought the advice of Christina Chonody, the Culinary Marketing Director at Hestan Culinary; Alicia Becerra, a winner of Food Network’s Cake Wars; Wendy Kou, author of Colossal Cookies; and Sally McKenney, author of Sally’s Baking Addiction.

What Is Real Simple Selects?

Next to each product on this list, you may have noticed a Real Simple Selects seal of approval. Any product appearing alongside that seal has been vetted by our team—put through tests and graded on its performance to earn a spot on our list. Although we buy most of the products we test, sometimes we do get samples from companies if purchasing a product ourselves isn’t an option. All products go through the same rigorous process, whether they are purchased or sent by the company.

Love our recommendations? Check out more products that have earned the Real Simple Selects, from humidifiers to cordless vacuums.