How We Test Bakeware at Homes & Gardens – The Expert Criteria Behind Our Recommendations

There’s a videotape somewhere of me at four years old, climbing into my mom’s baking cabinet and insisting on making a cake. It’s safe to say my love of sweet treats hasn’t changed much since.

More than 20 years later, my baking skills have improved, along with my understanding of what makes good bakeware. Now, as Appliances and Cookware Editor at Homes & Gardens, I’m on a mission to help you find the best non-toxic bakeware and cookware, so you can create delicious treats with confidence.

I’ve put our top bakeware picks through their paces in my own kitchen, testing each piece against tried-and-tested recipes, from classic Victoria sponge cakes to indulgent brownies. Here’s the process I follow to ensure every piece gets a fair assessment, and the qualities I look for when identifying the very best.

Research

As with all the products we test at Homes & Gardens, the process begins with research. As I am prioritizing making kitchens less toxic, I only want to test non-toxic bakeware that eliminates the use of PFAS. This means sourcing tins and pans made with ceramic, cast iron, or stainless steel (more on this below).

I am also looking to test different types of bakeware, covering everything from muffins to layer cakes to homemade bread. I choose complete sets to help outfit a budding baker's kitchen as well as hand-select individual investments to upgrade a veteran's arsenal.

Design & Materials

The material your bakeware is made from makes a big difference to how your final bake will turn out.

Metal is the most efficient heat conductor and is the most common for bakeware. It heats up quickly and evenly for an even rise, crisp edges, and reliable browning. This makes metal a great choice for things such as cakes, cookies, and brownies. These items can be coated in a non-stick finish to make removing the bake easy without breaking. When I am testing bakeware, I choose items with non-toxic, non-stick coatings, such as ceramic, to limit PFAS exposure in my cooking.

It is important to note that 'non-toxic' is not a regulated term, so we have put together a guide to cookware labels to break down marketing jargon and find cookware that is more mindful of your long-term health.

Cast iron bakeware is ideal for bread, getting very hot for crisp crusts and even browning. Cast iron bread ovens can be enameled, as with Le Creuset's Oval Bread Oven for low maintenance, or seasoned, such as Lodge's Round Bread Oven for a more authentic finish.

Then there is glass and ceramic. These are best for longer bakes such as pies and fruit crisps, where you want the dish to stay warmer for longer.

Once the bakeware arrives in my kitchen, I am looking for a quality piece that doesn't feel flimsy or like it might chip or shatter. Some weight is great, but it needs to not be so heavy that it is difficult to lift in and out of my oven. I will also check to see how easy it is to manoeuvre the bakeware while wearing oven gloves. It needs to be easy to hold when hot to avoid accidents.

Finally, I step back and assess the aesthetics – a beautiful piece of cookware can also make a design statement on your stove, and inspire you to cook.

Baking Performance

This is my favorite part of how we test bakeware, and arguably the most important.

For cake tins, I make a classic Victoria sponge. This light, fluffy cake needs to rise evenly and have a pale golden-brown exterior. I am also looking for a tin that releases the cake easily without tearing for perfect presentation.

For square tins, brownies are my go-to. In an ideal test, the brownie should have crisp edges and a fudgy center. Again, I want an easy release to make slicing and serving simple.

Muffin tins are self-explanatory. I make a batch of chocolate chip muffins to see how the material heats. The muffins should have a tall, domed top and release easily from the tray. I will test both with and without cake cases to see how the muffins release.

Baking trays are made for cookies. My chocolate chip cookies are nice and chewy, so I am looking for a baking tray that delivers on a crisp golden base and edges, with an easy release that doesn't leave me scraping up scraps.

Larger, deeper baking tins are reviewed with a tray of my extra-large cinnamon rolls. Again, I am looking for an even rise with golden dough. A good, easy release is especially important here, especially with sticky cinnamon filling and cream cheese frosting.

Finally, bread ovens are tested with a loaf of basic Dutch oven bread. The base needs to be crisp, the lid needs to trap moisture for a fluffy interior, and the bread needs to release quickly and easily to cool as it leaves the oven. A tap on the base should sound hollow, and the crust should crack under my fingertips.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Cleaning cookware and bakeware is one of the worst parts about baking at home, so the best bakeware needs to be easy to maintain to have a shot at topping the list.

This will usually come down to the material. Ceramic-coated pieces tend to be advertised as non-stick, so cleaning should be simple, requiring little elbow grease and some gentle soap. Stainless steel pieces should be easy to wash with a sponge, or be dishwasher-safe where appropriate.

Cast iron bakeware, on the other hand, needs regular seasoning to maintain its natural non-stick layer.

Whatever the material, I always handwash dishes with a gentle sponge and non-toxic dish soap to assess how easy it really is. I will also look at the edges of trays to check for areas where water might collect when drying. There is nothing worse than turning over what you think is a dry pan only for water to drip from hidden crevices.

Because storing bakeware can be a pain, I am pleased when a set comes with an organizer. Where they do not, I work out which pieces can be stacked and whether you will need to invest in stackers to protect any coatings.

Durability and Value for Money

Longevity is one of the most important criteria when testing bakeware, especially for expensive pieces. Over the years, I’ve used countless types of bakeware, and I know firsthand that a piece can look perfect straight out of the box but quickly lose its shine, start sticking, or become misshapen over years of use. While I can't wait years to write one review, I will test the item a few times when I can before writing up my thoughts.

I will always come back to edit a review if we find that a piece of bakeware that started off promising has deteriorated over a longer time frame, too.

The Final Verdict

At the end of testing, I'll write up my bakeware review and score the piece with a rating out of five. I'll summarize my final verdict, listing all the pros and cons, and explain which type of baker it will suit best.

Five-star ratings are rare; a perfect piece of bakeware has to tick all the boxes: manageable weight, brilliant performance, ease of cleaning, and, crucially, value for money.

Shop Baking Essentials

As I put the finishing touches on my bakeware reviews, I’ve rounded up a selection of my tried-and-tested baking essentials for you to shop in the meantime.

Al prices were correct at the time of publication.

We don't just focus our efforts on bakeware. We also have complete guides on how we test cookware and how we test coffee makers to help you build a robust kitchen.

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