Cook and Bake ware buying recs?

I need to replace my 2 old 9x13 cake pans - they rust unless carefully dried, and have some old non-stick coating that may be flaking into my food.

While I do bake cakes in them, I use them more as sheet pans, roasting meats and veggies. I don't think I would get enough benefit from the slightly lower sides of a sheet pan to get those instead, but am willing to entertain that as a suggestion. I toss the veggies vigorously, and would hate to lose them over the edge of the pan in my exuberance. Having 2 pans I can use for multiple things seems better than having 3 pans with specialized functions.

I'm seeing both aluminum and aluminized steel as options, as well as ones with a textured bottom for "easy release".

Advice? Thanks!

hi leek, i suggest you go to home goods, marshalls or tjmaxx and start with those stores and look for the dark gray 9 x 13 pans made by chicago metallic. they have squared off corners and are my go-to pans for bars and roasting as well. i don't care for non stick pans and suggest you stay away from them. aside from issues about the surface wearing off, my big concern is that you can't cut up brownies, for example, right in the pan. i almost always see them when i check out kitchen stuff at home goods....make sure they are very dark gray...hope this helps.

Hi Joan -

Why the dark ones?

When I look on Chicago Metallic's site it looks like the uncoated ones are light colored and the dark ones are coated with "armor glide"

Do you have any thoughts on aluminum vs aluminized steel pans?

Lee

i've been on their website, too. if you scroll past the light ones, the non stick ones, there is a pan that is halfway between the light ones and the non stick ones in color (see link below). and it's aluminized steel, which i guess answers your question about which i prefer. i do like the weight of it, and the bottom never seems to burn. i think this must be the one i own by the dozen. i can't say there's anything wrong with the light colored baking pans they sell. i've never used them, but chicago metallic is a solid choice whichever pan you like, and i do see them all over, in many different sizes, always at a discount.


http://www.chicagometallicbakeware.com/ ... t-pan.html

justjoan wrote:...you can't cut up brownies, for example, right in the pan.

When my wife makes her awesome brownies from a Martha Stewart recipe, I am tasked with cutting and buttering parchment paper to line the bottom. I cut it long to overlap two ends of the 9 x9 pan which then forms handles. The brownies lift right out after gently running an icing spatula along the edges after they cool down a bit.

I think her brownie pans are Chicago Metallic but we've had for many, many years.

rick, i also use a parchment sling for most of my baking. but i still don't like non-stick pans- i see no need for them and in spite of claims that they're safe, i prefer to avoid them....

Hi,

My workhorse pans are 18x13 half sheet pans made of aluminum. They are used to roast turkeys and rib roasts to vegetables. They are also used to bake cakes, cookies, pizzas and pies.

I have glass and aluminum 9x13 pans, too, but the 18x13 are used the most. I own five, which I faithfully rotate to even out their wear. They were purchased in the USSR with their priced stamped on the bottom. I believe they were 1 Rouble 50 kopeks each or perhaps $2.50 each.

Full and Half sheet pans seem to be a world standard from comparing my pans to those available here.

Regards,
Cathy2