11 Best Bakeware Sets of 2023

This Circulon baking pan set scored 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, meanwhile broccoli came out nice and consistently crisp, too. The pans are a breeze to clean, and the wide rims mean you'll be able to keep a steady grip on them. In add ition to the basic pans, we like that the set also 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.

This Chicago Metallic set is an all-around solid choice at a super-affordable price. It rated high in our performance tests and was just shy of a perfect score for ease of use due to a lack of handles. Another downside is that it includes just one round cake pan. But we love that the sharp corners and straight sides produce professional-looking cakes, brownies and bars.

We also tested the Chicago Metallic Professional Non-Stick 8-Piece Bakeware Set, which ranked just a smidge below the featured Commercial set. In terms of performance, the one difference was that the cookies took a little longer to bake than the manufacturer's instructions. 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 cast iron skillets, Lodge also offers seasoned cast iron bakeware. While heavy, cast iron provides even heating and optimal temperature retention, which comes in handy for making casseroles or quiche that benefit from gentle cooking to nail a perfectly golden crust with a fluffy (not overcooked) interior. Best of all, if you build up the coating and maintain it properly, cast iron can become a nonstick surface.

Our tester appreciated the large handles which are particularly useful for such hefty pans. 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 cooked bread pudding nicely and cooked down apples and onions, but 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 place on a burner and turn on the stove 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.

This popular, uncoated baking duo by Wilton has over 37k reviews on Amazon, racking up a strong 4.7 rating. When we tested these 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 4-piece set that includes a 6", 8", 10" and 12" round baking pan.

Since these pans are uncoated, Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou says it's best to flour the pans and 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 recently released this premium baking set for kids that includes a good assortment of essentials for their first baking experience. From six stainless steel cookie cutters in fun shapes to three frosting tips with reusable bags plus a loaf pan and six silicone baking cups (or cupcake liners), the young baker(s) in your life won't run out of new ideas for cookies, cupcakes, and breads (and decorating them!). The kit also comes with a kid-sized apron with a large front pocket—perfect for keeping a spatula, whisk or rolling pin close at hand—and several recipes to get them started.

Although this kid-friendly baking set includes 44 pieces, it's important to note that there is only one baking pan, so if your child wants to make cookies or a cake, you'll need to spring for a separate baking sheet or pan. That said, the cupcake liners, measuring cups and mixing bowl still provide a lot of fun possibilities in the kitchen.

We gave the Premiere Nonstick Ceramic 4-Piece Set a Good Housekeeping Kitchen Gear award in 2022, thanks to its sturdy, long-lasting construction and nonstick ceramic coating. The 5-piece version includes the same pans plus a 1-pound loaf pan, perfect for your favorite zucchini bread recipe. The large tray has enough surface area for one-sheet dinners and the quarter tray is great for sides. Not to mention, these pans live up to their nonstick name with one expert tester noting that the burnt bits slide right off the pan making clean-up super easy.

These pans seemed to get hotter than other sets we tested in our Lab, which makes them ideal for roasting. That means you may have to turn your food more often, which was the case when we roasted potatoes.

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 found the handles to be a bit too small.

The Nordic Ware Naturals sheet pans are amongst the most common sheet pans we use in both the Kitchen Appliances Lab and Test Kitchen for testing. Like the bakeware pieces in this set, they're made of aluminum, which means they heat quickly and evenly. They also allow the ingredients to brown well. Be sure to grease or line the pans with parchment before use since they are not coated with a nonstick material—which is the method most pro cooks prefer but it's an added step some may want to avoid. 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.

A detail that will appeal to a lot of folks is that the pans come with matching lids so you can securely cover baked goods for storage or transport. You'll 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 carrying 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 their nonstick capability as well as their 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, and 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 are solid and sturdy, made of heavy-gauge aluminum. 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 that will surely be put to good use in most kitchens for heating up small portions or frozen foods.

Wilton is known for baking, so it's no surprise that its eight-piece Texturra set was one of the top performers in our tests. The pans feature a wavy, textured pattern, which, according to the brand, allows for more airflow and even baking. When we tested out this set in our Lab, the resulting cake baked very well — although the left side was slightly higher (less than 1/4 inch). The unique design and the stunning sky blue shade means these pans can seamlessly go from oven-to-table much more so than the other contenders on this list. The one drawback is that the pattern becomes imprinted on the bottom of your cakes. So if you'd like to avoid that, we recommend lining the pans with parchment first.

In our tests, we were impressed with the nonstick coating that caused the cookies to practically slide off the pan – in a good way! The set includes a loaf tin for breads and quick breads as well as a rectangular pan for focaccia and snacking cakes, which means unlimited options at your next bake sale. We're also fans of the handles, which make rotating and transporting easy.