We Tested 11 Nonstick Sheet Pans to Find the Best Ones

Though we usually recommend standard half sheet baking pans without nonstick coating, there are times when a nonstick baking pan is super useful. Maybe you’re baking cookies and you’ve run out of parchment paper, or maybe you don’t own a silicone baking mat. They’re also fantastic for making sheet pan dinners and roasted spatchcock chickens, when you don’t feel like messing with aluminum foil.

But not all nonstick sheet pans are good nonstick sheet pans; the best ones should be easy to clean, sturdy, and ideally have a light coating, since darker coatings can mess with the baking time of standard recipes. They should also live up to its nonstick attribute, obviously. 

Of the 11 popular nonstick sheet pans we tested, there were two that stood out as winners.

The Tests

• Chocolate Chip Cookie Test: We made homemade chocolate chip cookies, weighing out individual balls of dough (in grams) to make sure each cookie was exactly the same. We then baked six cookies directly on the pan (with the oven at 350°F), rotating the pan halfway through cooking. We let the cookies cool on the pan completely before removing them. 
• Sheet Cake Test: We baked up a box of yellow cake mix in each pan to see how evenly the cake baked, inverting the baked cake onto a cutting board to see if there were any hot spots in the pan and if the cake released cleanly. We then hand-washed each pan.
• Parmesan Crisp Test: We baked two large Parmesan crisps directly on the sheet pan to see if the crisp baked up evenly, and if they released easily when removed with a spatula after cooling.
• Warp Test: We preheated the oven to the maximum temperature recommended by the manufacturer for each nonstick sheet pan and then placed each empty pan in the hot oven for 20 minutes in the center rack to see if/how much they warped. We then removed the pan and let it cool to see if the pans snapped back into place.
• Usability Tests: We examined the pans to see how easy they were to place in an oven and take out of the oven (wearing oven mitts).

What We Learned

Darker Pans Cooked Food Faster (Which Can Be Problematic) 

Unlike standard half sheet baking pans, which often come in a range of light silver-gray to medium silver-gray, nonstick pans can come in an array of colors, from vibrant blue to dark gray/black to light gray/gold. These color variances aren’t just cosmetic; they actually make a difference in baking.

Imagine a hot summer day: you’re wearing a black shirt and your friend is wearing a white shirt. Your friend is probably more comfortable than you, as you swelter in your black clothing. Baking pans are no different. Most recipes are developed for more standard gray half sheet baking pans. A darker colored sheet pan actually bakes up faster, because dark colors absorb heat faster. 

In our testing, the sheet pans that were darker in color (like the Great Jones or the Good Cook pan) absorbed more heat. So while we baked the cookies and cakes for the same amount of time across the board, the results from the darker pans were more browned and dryer. The lighter-colored sheet pans produced cookies and cakes as expected per the recipe instructions.

Medium Weight Was Just Right

The best sheet pans hit the sweet spot of being heavy enough to not warp and to conduct heat properly, while not being so heavy that they’re difficult to lift and pull out of the oven. Lightweight nonstick sheet pans like the Good Cook and Wilton (one pound, 5.25 ounces and one pound 13.9 ounces, respectively) felt flimsy when we picked them up, and they tended to warp when placed in a hot oven. Very heavy pans like the Caraway sheet pan, which was a whopping 3 pounds, 12.6 ounces, were awkward to pick up when hot, even with the extra handles, and the heavy material retained heat, continuing to cook the food even after it was removed from the oven.

Our favorite sheet pans were somewhere in the middle. Both the Cuisinart and OXO pans were heavier (two pounds, 10.5 ounces, and two pounds, eight ounces, respectively), which kept them from warping and meant they were durable. But they also weren’t SO heavy as to make picking up or moving them from the hot oven difficult.

Traditional Nonstick Coating Was Best 

There is a surprising array of nonstick coatings on nonstick sheet pans, ranging from traditional (read: polytetrafluoroethylene, a.k.a PTFE) nonstick coatings that you find on nonstick skillets and pans, to ceramic nonstick coatings, and even silicon nonstick coatings. They all function the same, creating a slick surface that allows food to be easily released from the sheet pan. They are all also fairly easy to clean up. 

We preferred pans coated with PTFE, as they were reasonably priced and performed just as well as the other coatings. The ceramic-coated sheet pans were heavier than other sheet pans and cost nearly twice as much, and the USA Pan sheet pan, which was the one sheet pan with a silicon coating, worked well but stained easily. 

Standard Size and Shape Were Preferred

The sheet pans we tested were all at least 17 inches long, but some of the sheets were different widths and weights. The Good Cook and Wilton were both narrower (11.25 inches wide and 11.5 inches wide, compared to our winners, which were 12.25 inches wide) and had handles, making them a little more awkward to store. The two ceramic coated pans (the Great Jones and the Caraway) were larger and heavier, with the Caraway being the largest (at 13 inches wide) and its two stainless steel handles made it awkward to store. Instead of clunky handles, we preferred simple, rolled rims that were easy to grip and didn't take up additional space.

Beyond the sizing of the pans, we found some of the sheet pans had a different shape or texture to them. The Good Cook had an odd groove all the way around the bottom of the pan, which made the usable space in the center smaller. And the OXO and USA pans both had ridged bottoms, which imprinted the bottom of cookies and cakes. Food particles got trapped in the middle of some of the ridges, requiring a little more clean up effort—something that defeats the purpose of a nonstick pan. Worse, though, was the Great Jones pan, which had a large embossed logo in the middle of the pan. The logo imprinted on the middle of the sheet cake, disrupting the otherwise smooth golden crust of the cake.

Why Do Sheet Pans Warp?

When sheet pans are heated, the metal expands. The metal contracts as the pan cools. This is natural and happens with all types of sheet pans, including nonstick. But if additional stress is placed on the pan and the process happens too quickly, the pans can warp, or get bent out of shape. This happens if you rinse a hot pan with cool water, or when a thin, flimsy pan gets very hot too quickly. That's why we prefer heavier-gauge sheet pans, that can withstand being heated and cooled over and over again.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Nonstick Sheet Pan

Look for a nonstick sheet pan that is lighter in color, which will result in food baked and cooked within the time range suggested in most recipes. Avoid darker-colored sheet pans or novelty-colored sheet pans, which bake darker and might shift the required baking and cooking time for a recipe. We also recommend choosing a nonstick sheet pan that is heavy-gauge metal, but not so heavy or thick that it is awkward to pick up. Look for a pan that has rolled rims, which not only prevent warping of the pan but also make it easier to pick up with oven mitts. Finally, look for a reasonably priced pan. The more expensive pans we tested didn’t perform any better than their cheaper counterparts, and nonstick pans do have a limited lifespan, as the nonstick coating eventually wears off.

Our Favorite Nonstick Sheet Pans

The Best Nonstick Sheet Pan

Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Nonstick Baking Sheet

$20 at Amazon $20 at Target $20 at Sur La Table

What we liked: This nonstick sheet pan had a slightly taller rim that was angled more vertically upright. This meant it was ideal for making sheet pan dinners and roasting chickens, as the deeper pan caught splatters and drips better than other models. Cookies came out evenly golden brown and slid off with ease; cakes popped right out with no hot spots or sticking; and Parmesan crisps released easily. The rolled rim and heavy-gauge metal also prevented the pan from warping and made grabbing it easier.

What we didn’t like: The bottom of the pan was a darker color, which conducted heat faster, and cookies and cakes came out a smidge more golden brown than those baked on lighter colored pans. But, the baked goods were still within the acceptable range.

Key Specs

• Weight: 3 lbs, 3 ounces
• Materials: Aluminized Steel with nonstick coating
• Dimensions: 17 x 12 1/4 x 1 1/4 inches
• Broiler-safe: No
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing recommended to extend lifespan of the coating
• Maximum recommended temperature: 450°F

Another Great Nonstick Sheet Pan

OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Half Sheet Pan

$33 at Amazon $33 at Walmart $32 at Home Depot

What we liked: This pan baked up evenly golden cookies and cake, and both came off easily and without breaking. It was also quite durable and didn't get any scratches after testing. While it warped slightly during the high-heat test, it popped back into shape after cooling. We liked the rolled edges, which were easy to grip.

What we didn't like: The ridges on the bottom of the sheet pan imprinted on baked goods; they also got crumbs stuck in them, but after soaking in warm, soapy water, the pan cleaned up nicely.

Key Specs

• Weight: 2 lbs, 7 7/8 ounces
• Materials: Aluminized Steel with nonstick ceramic reinforced coating
• Dimensions: 17 1/4 x 12 3/8 x 1 1/8 inches
• Broiler-safe: NA
• Cleaning and care: Hand-wash
• Maximum recommended temperature: NA

The Competition

• Chicago Metallic Commercial II half sheet: We really liked this sheet pan, but it seems to be out of stock frequently. The nonstick coating was a lighter color, akin to a more traditional silver baking pan, which meant recipes didn’t need adjustments in timing. Cookies baked up golden brown and slid easily off the pan, and Parmesan cheese crisps and sheet cakes released with very little sticking. Clean-up was also fast—no scrubbing needed.
• Great Jones Holy Sheet: This ceramic-coated sheet pan looked pretty with its vibrant blue color, but cookies and cakes came out darker and baked faster because of it. The large, embossed logo in the middle of the pan was also rather aggressive branding, imprinting on sheet cake.
• Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Pro Nonstick No Warp Half Sheet: This golden, heavy sheet pan looked great, but when we baked and tried to release the sheet cake, half the cake broke and stuck to the pan.
• Good Cook 4022 Sheet Pan: This sheet pan was made of thin metal and had a dark nonstick coating. Cookies and cakes baked up quickly and too brown on it, and the odd ridge around the edge of the pan made the usable baking surface smaller.
• Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Large Cookie Sheet: This sheet pan also had a dark nonstick coating and was made of thin metal that made cookies and cakes bake up faster and darker. The thin metal warped and buckled slightly at high temperatures.
• Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum NonStick Baker's Half Sheet: The golden Nordic Ware sheet pan felt sturdy with its rolled rim, and the cookies and sheet cake baked up nicely. But, the Parmesan crisp stuck a little to the sheet pan. It also is only recommended to be used in an oven up to 400°F, while almost all the other pans we tested could go up to 450°F, making it less versatile. 
• USA Pan Bakeware Half Sheet Pan: This silicon-coated sheet pan felt great to hold, with a slick but grippy texture and sturdy, heavy-gauge material. But the ridged, fluted bottom left a slight texture on the bottom of cookies and cakes. The silicone coating did have dark spot stains we couldn’t wash out after baking it at the maximum recommended temperature of 450°F. Plus, the pan cost more than the other winning pans.
• Caraway Sheet Pan: This ceramic-coated pan was heavy and awkward to hold. The handles were also placed lower on the side of the pan, making them difficult to hold and awkward to store. The heavy material retained heat longer, continuing to bake the cake and cookies after the pan was removed from the oven.
• Made In Nonstick Sheet Pan: This sheet pan had a dark, nonstick coating which meant baked goods cooked faster than the recommended time. It was also almost twice as expensive than our favorite pans.

FAQs

Can you put nonstick sheet pans in the oven?

Yes, nonstick sheet pans are designed to be used in the oven. Most nonstick sheet pans are rated to go up to 450°F, but each sheet pan is different. Check the information that comes with your own pan to see what the hottest recommended temperature is. 

Also, keep in mind that most nonstick sheet pans are not recommended for broiler use.

Should I buy an uncoated or a nonstick sheet pan?

Uncoated sheet pans are more versatile and last longer than nonstick pans because they don’t have a coating that will eventually wear off. But, nonstick pans are great for easy clean up and for baking cookies and other items without parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. If you don't mind having to buy new pans when the coating wears off, nonstick might be right for you. But if you want a sheet pan that will stand the test of time, uncoated is a better choice.

How long will a nonstick baking sheet last?

Most nonstick sheet pans will stay in good shape for one to two years. That said, if you are not properly caring for the pan (e.g. using it at too high temperatures or frequently throwing it in the dishwasher) it could start to flake sooner.

Can you clean a nonstick baking sheet in the dishwasher?

While some nonstick baking sheets are listed as dishwasher-safe, we recommend hand-washing anything nonstick; the heat from the dishwasher can wear the nonstick coating, causing it to degrade faster.

Why We're the Experts

• Irvin Lin is a food blogger and a contributing writer to Serious Eats. His reviews include can openers, rasp-style graters, and stand mixers.
• He is also the author of the baking cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered.
• For this review, we tested 11 nonstick sheet pans, baking over 60 cookies and an entire sheet cake for each pan.