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Which one should you buy?

Plain, uncoated aluminum half sheets, and buy two. Bare aluminum browns beautifully, takes any oven heat and the broiler, and lasts for decades. Here's what I'd point you to:

If I could only keep one pan, it might well be this one. Roasted vegetables, sheet-pan dinners, cookies, toasted nuts, a tray of sausage rolls, reheating last night's pizza. It does the lot, and it's one of the cheapest pans you'll ever buy.

Buy two. Honestly. One for the veg and one for the chicken, or one in the oven and one cooling, and you'll wonder how you managed with one.

Why bare aluminum and why a rim

The rim is low, about an inch. That's enough to keep juices and oil on the pan and off your oven floor, but low enough to let hot air sweep across the food. That's what gives you golden, crispy roast potatoes instead of soft, steamed ones. A deep roasting tin traps the steam; a sheet pan lets it go.

Aluminum is brilliant at spreading heat, so food browns evenly from one end of the pan to the other. Left bare, with no coating, it can go in the hottest oven and under the broiler without a second thought. Nonstick coatings are a different story: they shouldn't go above about 450°F or under the broiler, which rules out a lot of what this pan is best at.

Bare aluminum does have two little quirks. It darkens with use, which is perfectly normal and doesn't hurt a thing. And it can react with acidic foods like tomatoes, vinegar or lemon, leaving a metallic taste and marking the pan. Line it with parchment for those and the problem goes away.

And if your pan pops and twists in a hot oven? Don't panic. A little warping in aluminum is usually temporary, and it settles back flat as it cools.

Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet at a glance

What to look for in a rimmed baking sheet

• Bare, light-coloured aluminum. It browns evenly and has no coating to wear out or limit your oven temperature.

• Half-sheet size. 18 x 13 inches fits a standard home oven, and racks and parchment are made to match. Measure first if you have a small or wall oven.

• Rolled rims. They stiffen the pan against warping and give you something to grip.

• Some heft. Heavier pans resist warping and hot spots. Flimsy ones buckle.

• A matching rack. A wire rack that fits inside turns it into a roasting pan.

• Two, not one. You'll use them both.

The Nordic Ware Naturals pans tick the boxes for most home cooks. If you cook every day and want something that'll outlive you, the heavier Vollrath is worth the extra.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

• You roast vegetables, make sheet-pan dinners or bake cookies

• You like a hot oven, 425°F and up, or use the broiler

• You want pans that last for years

Skip it if

• Everything you own has to go in the dishwasher; bare aluminum discolours in there

• Your oven is very small; look at a quarter-sheet pan instead

• You mostly bake delicate things at moderate heat and hate scrubbing; nonstick may suit you better

How to get the best from it

Crispy roasted vegetables

Don't crowd the pan. Leave space between the pieces, or use both pans. Crowded veg steams instead of browning. Dry everything well, toss in oil and salt, and get the oven properly hot: 425°F is a good place to start. Turn them once, halfway.

Sheet-pan dinners

Start the things that take longest first, like potatoes, and add quicker things, like sausages, fish or green veg, part way through. Everything finishes together. If you're cooking chicken, check it with a thermometer: it's done at 165°F in the thickest part.

Roasting on a rack

Set a wire cooling rack inside the pan for bacon, chicken thighs or meatballs. Air gets underneath, the fat drips away, and you don't need to flip them.

Cookies

Line with parchment for easy release and easy cleanup. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, and turn it round halfway for even browning.

Looking after it

• Hand wash only. Dishwasher detergent turns bare aluminum dull and chalky.

• Line it for acidic foods. Parchment keeps tomatoes and citrus off the metal.

• For baked-on bits, soak in hot soapy water, then scrub with a paste of baking soda and water.

• Don't chase the shine. A darkened, well-used pan works perfectly.

• Dry it straight away after washing.

The one rule

Give your food room. A crowded pan steams; a roomy pan roasts.

Questions people ask

What's the difference between a half sheet, a jelly roll pan and a cookie sheet?

A half sheet is about 18 x 13 inches with a low rim all the way round. A jelly roll pan is a smaller rimmed pan. A cookie sheet has one or two raised edges and open sides, so cookies slide off easily.

Should I buy nonstick or bare aluminum?

For everyday roasting and baking, bare aluminum. It handles high heat and the broiler. Nonstick is easier to clean but should stay under about 450°F and out from under the broiler.

Why does my sheet pan warp in the oven?

Uneven heating makes the metal expand unevenly. With aluminum it's usually temporary and it flattens out as it cools. Heavier pans warp less.

Can I put an aluminum baking sheet in the dishwasher?

Better not. It won't ruin how it cooks, but the detergent discolours bare aluminum. Hand wash it.

Will a half sheet fit my oven?

It fits most standard home ovens. Measure the inside of a small or wall oven first, and leave room around the pan for air to move.

Cook with it

Mum's Saturday Night Sausage Rolls, or roast the vegetables to go with my Chicken Bolognese.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.