Kitchen gear · Updated October 2026
The Best Baking Sheet Costs About $23 and Comes From Nordic Ware
Baking sheets are a category where the plain, boring option wins. America's Test Kitchen's top-rated rimmed sheet is a bare aluminum Nordic Ware half sheet that Walmart currently lists at $22.75, and nothing in its tests justified a bigger bill.
Bare aluminum browns evenly and weighs about as much as a hardcover. A steel rod wrapped into the rim keeps it from folding in a hot oven. It also dulls and stains within a few months, which is a cosmetic problem and not a performance one. Line it with parchment and stop worrying about it.
Prices below are ballpark street prices from retailer listings this month, and they move. Size is the one thing to check before you buy: a standard half sheet runs about 18 by 13 inches outside, and your wire rack and sheet liners are built around that.
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Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet ~$23-35 (Walmart lists $22.75; ATK cited $35)
ATK's best overall rimmed baking sheet, and Saveur's best-value pick. Everything ATK cooked on it came out evenly done, and the galvanized steel rim is the reason it doesn't oil-can in a 450°F oven. It will look scuffed by spring. That's the finish, not the pan.
Why it wins
- Rated oven-safe to 500°F with a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer
- Encapsulated steel rim resists warping; the sheet weighs about 1.6 lbs
- Made in the USA, and at ~$23 you can own two without feeling it
Know before you buy
- Hand wash only. The dishwasher leaves a chalky gray film on bare aluminum
- Bare aluminum reacts with acidic food like tomatoes and citrus, so line it
- The finish scratches and dulls with regular use
Vollrath Wear-Ever 5314 Half Size Sheet Pan (13 gauge) ~$27 (restaurant-supply retailers; ATK cited $36)
Restaurant-kitchen metal, and it feels it. ATK called it the budget alternative to the Nordic Ware and it baked cookies and cakes flawlessly with minimal warping. It runs about 1.9 lbs against the Nordic Ware's 1.6, which you will notice carrying a full tray of roasted vegetables out of a hot oven. The flat open-bead rim has no steel wire to trap grease.
Why it wins
- Thicker 13-gauge aluminum, with ATK reporting minimal warping
- Open-bead rim is easy to wipe clean
- Tapered sides stack neatly in a cabinet
Know before you buy
- Costs more than the Nordic Ware at most retailers, for a pan that performs about the same
- No lifetime warranty; it's sold as commercial equipment
- Same bare aluminum, same dulling, same hand-wash rule
Williams Sonoma Thermo-Clad Stainless-Steel Half Sheet with Cooling Rack ~$130
ATK's best stainless-steel sheet, and it comes with a rack. Stainless doesn't react with acidic food and it won't turn gray in the dishwasher. Aluminum-core tri-ply browns a little faster than bare aluminum, which is good for roasting and means you watch cookies more closely. At 4.3 lbs it's nearly three Nordic Wares. $130 buys durability and looks; it does not buy better cookies.
Why it wins
- Doesn't react with tomatoes, citrus or vinegar-based marinades
- Dishwasher safe after the first hand wash
- Cooling rack included, which saves a separate purchase
Know before you buy
- $130 is about five Nordic Ware pans
- 4.3 lbs is heavy to pull out of the oven one-handed
- Browns faster, so cookie bottoms can darken before the tops set
Frequently askedFAQ
What size is a standard half sheet pan?
About 18 by 13 inches on the outside, with an interior closer to 17 by 12. ATK lists the usable interior at 16.5 by 11.5 inches. Check the interior measurement before buying a cooling rack, since odd-sized pans leave racks that wobble or don't fit.
Can you put an aluminum baking sheet in the dishwasher?
You can, but you shouldn't. Nordic Ware says dishwasher use can discolor the natural aluminum finish, and its pans are rated for hand washing. The damage is cosmetic, so a gray, chalky sheet still bakes fine. A parchment liner keeps the pan cleaner and cuts the washing.
Why does my baking sheet warp in the oven?
Thin metal heats unevenly, so one area expands faster than the rest and the pan bends. ATK found both aluminum and stainless sheets can warp when preheated empty at high temperatures, and that it usually reverses as the pan cools. A reinforced rim like Nordic Ware's steel-wrapped edge is what limits it.