The Best Baking Pans and Bakeware Sets, According to In-Depth Testing (2024)

This Circulon baking pan set earned perfect scores in our performance and ease-of-use tests. Cake and cookies came out evenly browned and had a fine texture with few air pockets, and broccoli roasted up nicely with consistently crisp results. The pans are a breeze to clean, and the wide rims mean you'll be able to keep a steady grip on them.

We like that the set comes with two round cakes pans for making a tiered cake, a cover for the rectangular baking pan so goodies can be stored or transported and a rack that can be used for cooling, roasting or as a trivet. Our only wish is that lids were included for all the pans.

The Chicago Metallic six-piece baking set is not only a great price, but it also had high scores in our performance tests. The sharp corners and straight sides produce professional-looking cakes, brownies and bars. Not to mention, it just missed a near perfect ease of use score due to lack of handles, and we wish the set included more than just one round cake pan.

We also tested the Chicago Metallic Professional Non-Stick 8-Piece Bakeware Set, which ranked just a smidge below this commercial set. In terms of performance, the one difference was that the cookies took a little longer to bake than the manufacturer's instructions. But the Professional set includes eight pieces instead of six, and comes with two half-sheet trays, two round cake pans and a rack, instead of a square baking pan.

Mostly known for its cast iron skillets, Lodge also offers seasoned cast iron bakeware. An advantage of cast iron is that it provides even heating and optimal temperature retention, which is great for making quiche or casseroles that benefit from gentle cooking to nail a perfectly browned crust with a fluffy (not overcooked) interior. The downside is that cast iron is heavy, but our tester appreciated the set's large handles to help carry the hefty pan. Best of all, if you season cast iron and maintain it properly, it can develop a nonstick surface over time.

The set also comes with a pair of removable silicone grips that you can use interchangeably on any of the pans. The pie pan produced an evenly golden pie in testing, and our tester noted that it was easy to clean post-baking. The casserole baked bread pudding nicely and cooked down apples and onions beautifully, but it was heavy and hard to clean.

Each cast iron pan in this set comes seasoned but you will have to re-season after multiple uses. Cleaning cast iron can also be tricky, as you'll have to wash with dish soap and a bristle dish brush and then thoroughly dry on a burner or in the oven until the water evaporates. From there, rub a few drops of vegetable oil on the inner surface with a paper towel and place a paper plate on top to absorb moisture.

When we tested these uncoated round baking pans in the Lab, our cakes came out uniformly light golden brown on top and bottom and with a light, fluffy texture. The anodized aluminum construction ensures even baking and resists rust, according to the manufacturer. You can bake the multilayer cake of your dreams with these pans, and level up with the four-piece set that includes 6-, 8-, 10- and 12-inch round baking pans.

Since these pans are uncoated, Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou says it's best to grease and flour the pans and to use parchment paper to ensure the cakes release effortlessly. While this step may already be part of your baking routine, it's an especially helpful tip for preventing your cake from sticking to an uncoated pan. Wilton is a reliable brand for bakeware and these pans have a durable construction so you can bake with them for years to come.

Handstand Kitchen's premium baking set is perfect for aspiring young bakers since it has a good assortment of essentials to whip up their favorite treats. The set includes a loaf pan, six silicone baking cups, six fun cookie cutters and frosting tips with reusable bags. The kit also comes with a large apron so they can feel like a professional baker and help keep their clothes clean.

It's important to note that this set doesn't come with a baking sheet or cake pan, so you'll need to buy those separately. However, with 44 pieces, including measuring cups, spoons, rolling pin, mixing bowl and more, there's plenty of options to get your little baker started in the kitchen.

We gave Greenpan's Premiere Nonstick Ceramic 4-Piece Set a Good Housekeeping Kitchen Gear Award, thanks to its sturdy, long-lasting construction and nonstick ceramic coating. The 5-piece version includes a half-sheet pan, quarter-sheet pan, rectangular and square baking pans, plus a 1-pound loaf pan to make your favorite bread.

These pans browned foods faster than other sets we tested in our Lab, which makes them ideal for roasting. You may have to turn your food more often, which was the case when we roasted potatoes, and you should keep an eye on cookies until you see how the pans work in your oven.

While ceramic pans can be on the pricier side, we're fans of the sleek, seamless design and how foods easily release from the surface. We also appreciate that the pans have rims and handles, but one of our testers did find the handles to be a bit too small.

The Nordic Ware Naturals sheet pans are among the most frequently used sheet pans in both the Kitchen Appliances Lab and Test Kitchen. Like the bakeware pieces in this set, they're made of aluminum, which means they heat quickly and evenly.

Be sure to grease or line the pans with parchment before use since they are not coated with a nonstick material. Most pro cooks prefer an uncoated sheet pan because it lasts longer and promotes better browning. Overall, the pans are lightweight yet sturdy and will last you a long time, especially if you skip the dishwasher, which causes aluminum to discolor.

We like that several of the pans in this set come with matching lids so you can securely cover baked goods for storage or transport. We also appreciate the broad assortment of sizes and the addition of a cooling rack, which is always useful for baking cookies.

This set delivers on all the basics for new bakers, including three nylon utensils that help prevent scratching. The pieces are nonstick with oversized handles that are easy to grasp — the 9" x 13" cake pan even comes with a latched lid that has a top handle for easier toting to parties or bake sales. The accompanying lids and utensils are nice extras, but note this set doesn't include a loaf or square pan.

In our tests, Wilton came out on top for its nonstick capability as well as its effectiveness at producing evenly browned results. The set is dishwasher safe, but we recommend hand-washing (as we do for all nonstick cookware and bakeware) for the longest-lasting results.

For minimalists or those with small kitchens, Anolon's Advanced Nonstick Bakeware set has the most useful assortment of pans you'll need, including two round cake pans and a square pan for cake or brownies. With its large surface area and shallow edges, the half-sheet tray resembles a cookie sheet, but is still rimmed, which makes it good for roasting juicy foods. The cooling rack is an added bonus that can be used to cool cookies or serve as a trivet or roasting rack.

All of the pans are notably sturdy and performed well in our tests. They earned the highest marks for ease of use, thanks to their rubber handles. While we appreciate the wide rims, this feature makes the pans on the bulkier side.

These All-Clad Pro-Release pans, made of heavy-gauge aluminum, are solid and sturdy. The cookie sheet has a wide, comfortable handle and pairs well with the rack for cooling (it's also oven-safe for roasting). The set performed very well across baking and roasting tests, but be warned that broccoli caused some staining and the pan required some elbow grease to clean.

We like the assortment of pans, including the bonus of a quarter-sheet pan, which is useful in most kitchens for heating up small portions. We also appreciate sets with two round cake pans for tiered cakes.

When shopping for baking sets, you may have run into the dilemma of finding the perfect baking set — except for one of two pieces you know you'll never use. With the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro bakeware line, the combinations of baking sets seem endless.

You can choose from a small 4-piece baking set to a whopping 25-piece set, and just about everything in between. Plus, you can buy single baking pieces to get exactly what you need. There are also specialty baking sets such as tart pan sets. With so many options, you’ll be sure to create your dream baking set.

This bakeware line is made with aluminized steel to distribute heat quickly and evenly. It features a nonstick coating and, according to the brand, it has 70% better food release. When we tested this set at home, the cookie sheet and cake pan released baked goods easily. One thing to note is when we used the cookie sheet at 450˚F, the highest stated oven-safe temperature, it "popped" in the oven and warped while cooking, but returned to its original shape after cooling, so it's best for those who are going to use them at a lower temperature.

We also ran some pieces through the dishwasher and they came out clean with no signs of damage. Even though these are dishwasher-safe, it’s recommended to hand wash them for longevity.

We made over 200 cookies and roasted 20 pounds of broccoli to ensure pans provided even cooking results in the oven with zero warping. We looked for sets that turned out evenly browned, level cakes and cupcakes with a fine texture.

We considered sets that were dishwasher-safe, had rims on all four sides, and included use and care instructions. Then we further whittled down the offerings to baking pan sets that can handle repeated washings and can withstand high heat.

✔️ Material: Many baking pans are made of aluminum or aluminized steel, which is valued for being lightweight, conducting heat evenly and working with many different types of food. Thicker ones are usually more expensive, as they perform well and generally last a long time. Ceramic is common for pie pans due to its gentle heating and retention properties, and, as a coating on baking sheets, can lead to richer browning. Cast iron is the most durable choice, though it requires the regular upkeep of seasoning.

✔️ Shapes: Look for a baking set that has pan shapes that suit the foods you cook and bake most often. For the most part, we leaned toward sets that include at least two round cake pans so you can make a layered cake and one or more half-sheet pans for cookies and roasting. We also like 9-inch square pans for brownies and a 9" x 13" pan for sheet cakes and savory foods.

✔️ Coated vs. uncoated: Baking pans treated with a nonstick coating don't require greasing but often lose their effectiveness over time. Pans that aren't nonstick will last longer but require greasing and/or lining with parchment for the best results. In general, the browning in nonstick pans is not as robust as with uncoated pans, which can be a good thing for desserts but less desirable for savory foods. In our tests, many of the nonstick baking sheets were still able to brown broccoli well. One caveat: Nonstick pans often can't handle high oven temperatures, so they're not recommended for broiling.

✔️ Handles: Some baking pan sets are designed with handles for easy maneuvering in and out of the oven. Handles allow you to get a good grip when rotating your cake, tray of vegetables or pie pan. Oversized handles like the ones on the Wilton Non-Stick Diamond-Infused pans make it easy to grab the cake pan when the timer goes off, but they can make the pan bulkier. Removable silicone grips like the ones included in the Lodge Baker's Favorite Set protect your hands when handling pans that have a high heat retention (such as cast iron). Important note: These grips only offer protection if they aren't also put in the oven with the pan. In general, oven mitts provide better protection from heat as they are bigger in size.

Cookware, such as nonstick skillets, pots and pans, is used to prepare food on your stovetop. Bakeware is designed for baking or roasting food inside your oven. Examples include 9" x 13" rectangular pans, cookie sheets, cake pans, cupcake tins and loaf pans. Cookware is not always oven-safe; bakeware is not always safe for use on your stovetop.

There are certain items that can act as both cookware and bakeware: Cast iron skillets (or any oven-safe skillet), for example, can be transferred from the stovetop to the oven as needed.

Baking sets include different types of bakeware, and you'll want to choose a set that matches your needs. Here are the most common pans professional chefs say you'll want in your kitchen:

✔️ 8- or 9-inch cake pans, so you can make a multilayer cake. Most sets include two round pans of the same size but you can also purchase a variety pack for extravagant cakes with more tiers.

✔️ 9" x 13" rectangular pan for sheet cakes and casseroles. Bonus points if the set includes a lid for this pan so you can bring your creation to a dinner party without having to cover it with foil or plastic wrap.

✔️ 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" square pan for brownies and bars. Included lids can also make toting blondies to a work event or the classroom less of a hassle.

✔️ Half-sheet tray that can tolerate high oven temperatures for roasting chicken and veggies. This tray will have rimmed edges and sometimes handles for easy rotating.

✔️ Cookie sheet for making dozens of cookies. Unlike a half-sheet tray, this sheet has only one handle and doesn't have rimmed edges so air can circulate around the food better. Nonstick can be a good choice, but it might not be as long-lasting as uncoated aluminum, which you can line with parchment as needed.

✔️ 6- or 12-cup cupcake pan for muffins and cupcakes. If the pan is uncoated, you'll want to prep each cavity with cupcake liners or grease so the baked goods will pop out easily.

✔️ Loaf pan for banana bread or even a two-person lasagna. Most sets on this list include loaf pans that make one-pound breads or measure 5" x 9".

This guide was originally written by Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou, based on testing conducted by Nancy Kochan, a trained cook and contributing analyst. Nicole, an experienced product tester and recipe creator, continues to oversee our baking set testing and recommendations, as well as all of GH’s kitchen gear content.

In the past year, this guide was refreshed by Samantha MacAvoy, an assistant food editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen. She worked with Nicole to refresh our advice and top picks, according to recent testing data. Samantha has also written about coffee mugs, iced tea makers and latte machines for GH.

This article was most recently updated by Jamie Kim Ueda. She is a consumer products expert with over 17 years of experience in areas of product development and manufacturing. At the Good Housekeeping Institute, she has tested products and written reviews across dozens of categories. She has also tested and written about espresso machines, hand mixers, coupe glasses and many more kitchen products.