Testing Nonstick Rimmed Baking Sheets

We gathered a total of six models, priced from about $16 to about $35. We included pans with smooth cooking surfaces as well as several with textured surfaces. The pans we tested also ranged in color from pale gold to dark silver, and we even included one that was bright blue. We used each pan to bake cookies, roast Parmesan cauliflower, and contain caramel popcorn as it cooled. We examined how evenly the cookies and cauliflower browned and how easily all the foods released from the pans.

It was difficult to tease out the differences in the pans’ nonstick coatings because all the companies use different terms to describe them. It was simplest to sort them into two categories: coatings that contain polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and those that don’t. PTFE is a chemical component used to make strong, slick, and flexible nonstick coatings, but it can release harmful fumes when exposed to high temperatures. We don’t recommend using cookware with coatings containing PTFE at temperatures above 450 degrees, and some cooks prefer to avoid PTFE altogether. We confirmed with the manufacturers that the coatings of five of the six pans in our lineup contained PTFE—including two that are ceramic nonstick, a type of cookware that typically doesn't contain PTFE. The manufacturers of the other pan confirmed that their coating do not contain PTFE.

Regardless of the type of coating, every pan we tested delivered on its promise to be nonstick. Cookies slid off the pans effortlessly, crispy Parmesan cauliflower was easy to remove, and the sticky caramel popcorn—the most challenging test—released with just a gentle nudge once it had hardened. We didn't have to chisel off food with a spatula or sacrifice some baked-on bits of cheese or cauliflower, as is sometimes the case when we use traditional rimmed baking sheets. Plus, with no stuck-on food to scrub off, cleaning these pans was fast and easy.

Although we didn’t see any substantial performance differences between the coatings, we noticed that some models produced especially even and beautiful browning on cookies and cauliflower. Wondering why, we decided to take a close look at the pans’ other design differences.

First, we looked at the size of the pans, which turned out to be an important variable. The flat cooking surface of a standard rimmed baking sheet measures 16½ inches by 11½ inches. Four of the pans in our lineup matched those measurements. However, two pans had slightly smaller cooking surfaces, up to ¼ inch shorter and 1 inch narrower.

Those differences were minor, but they mattered. When we baked cookies in the smaller rimmed baking sheets, the cookies ran together. While we could fit all the cauliflower florets in the pans, the pieces were crowded. The florets didn’t brown properly or get crisp. Instead, they steamed and turned out soft, pale, and bland. The four standard-size pans performed better, as they provided enough space for the cookies to spread without running into one another and for the cauliflower to brown rather than steam. Given that recipes from most sources are developed with standard-size baking sheets, using a smaller pan will affect your results.

Cookies baked on three of the rimmed baking sheets were especially beautiful and evenly browned, and these pans had something in common: Their cooking surfaces had raised, textured patterns. The cookies likely baked more evenly on these pans because there is less direct contact between the food and pan, thus allowing for slower, more even cooking. We also liked the foods produced by the standard-size pan with a more traditional flat surface, though the cookies weren’t quite as evenly baked as those baked on pans with a textured surface.

Three of the pans we tested exceeded our expectations with virtually identical top-notch performances. One of them—the USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan—had PTFE-free nonstick coating. The other two—the OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Half Sheet Pan and the Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Corrugated Nonstick Half Sheet Pan—are coated with a more traditional nonstick material that contains PTFE. The surfaces of all three pans were impressively slick and ensured that food practically jumped off them. At the time of testing, the prices of our three favorite nonstick baking sheets ranged from about $19 to about $30. We’ve listed them below in order of price, giving the edge to the least expensive model. Be aware that they might need to be replaced more frequently than traditional rimmed baking sheets since all nonstick coatings will eventually wear away. To get the most use out of them, we recommend taking some care with these pans: Hand-wash them, avoid using metal utensils and wire racks inside the pans, and don’t expose them to oven temperatures higher than 450 degrees (this includes broiling, too). These rimmed baking sheets are perfect for baking cookies and jelly roll cakes or when cooking anything particularly delicate or sticky. Nonstick rimmed baking sheets won’t replace traditional rimmed baking sheets in our kitchen, but if you value ease of use and cleanup, these might be a useful addition to your cookware collection.