Which are the best baking sheets?
Shiny, matte, with or w/o rim, thickness,
material…?
I want to order from Amazon, but I really don´t
know how to choose; there are so many options…!
Thanks in advance,
Silvia

This is one of the best:

http://www.amazon.com/Vollrath-Natural-Finish-Aluminum-Cookie/dp/B000GX8B34/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355811078&sr=8-1&keywords=cookie+sheets+vollratha

But really, any thick aluminum sheet works well. The rims can be inconvenient when trying to slide cookies off onto cooling racks.

CharlesT - 18 December 2012 01:15 AM

The rims can be inconvenient when trying to slide cookies off onto cooling racks.

... or when using the sheet as a pizza peel

Charles, is aluminum better than stainless steel?
What about those fancy, non-stick, air-insulated,
dark sheets?
It´s hard for me to choose, there´s really an abundance
of baking sheets. The Vollrath’s seemsadequate if a bit pricey.
On the other hand, I prefer sure and safe over cheap.

Julie, I have used rimless sheets also when halving cakes,
to remove and handle the top layer.

Silvia - 20 December 2012 11:59 PM

Charles, is aluminum better than stainless steel? What about those fancy, non-stick, air-insulated, dark sheets?  It´s hard for me to choose, there´s really an abundance of baking sheets. The Vollrath’s seemsadequate if a bit pricey. On the other hand, I prefer sure and safe over cheap. Julie, I have used rimless sheets also when halving cakes, to remove and handle the top layer.

Aluminum is far, far better than stainless steel.  Stainless steel is a poor conductor and will bake unevenly, unless you have stainless surrounding an aluminum core. Some cookware is like that. The air insulated stuff is unnecessary.  I’ve had some in the past (uncoated aluminum, though) and they work fine, but they’re a bit flimsy and tend to collect water on the inside. In the past, they were expensive for the size.  What you need most is a thick sheet of aluminum, and you’ll never burn another cookie.  The dark, non-stick stuff tends to overbrown cookies, and the the thinner stuff will bake unevenly.  The Vollrath has a very smooth surface and is almost like non-stick.  Still, I always use parchment.

The Vollrath sheets are incredibly sturdy and will last a lifetime.  The aluminum is much thicker than any sheet pan.

What´s the difference between aluminum and har anodized aluminum?
I am looking for baking sheets at Amazon, and the uncoated, non-stick,
non air-insulated, aluminum ones don´t come inthe size I need.
It seems my oven is too small: 42 x 36 cm (about 17 x 15”),
which means that the sheets should bemaximum 41 cm (16”) long.
Only Wilton makes 16 x 14” coated, insulated, aluminum sheets.

mmm… I found one of my old aluminum, locally made, and it measures
40 x 35 cm. It fits just right in my oven,  perhaps our ovens are smaller?
I think the factory closed, unfortunately. The imported ones you find
are usually very flimsy ones.

I´have to look somewhere else.
Thanks for your help!

PS: I’ve just found a Villrath 17 x 14 aluminum sheet. Somehow, I missed it.
It would fit very tightly, if the size doesn’t include the rim. I guess,
I shouldn’t place cookies too close to the rims, right?

http://www.amazon.com/Vollrath-Natural-Finish-Aluminum-Cookie/dp/B000GX8B34/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1356121087&sr=1-7

Silvia - 21 December 2012 03:20 PM

I’ve just found a Villrath 17 x 14 aluminum sheet.

That’s the product I linked to in my post above.  You might also check Amazon for quarter sheet pans.  They’ll fit your oven no problem.

Charles, you´re right!