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See why.Roasting Pans with Racks
We went looking for a model that we’d want to use all the time, not just twice a year.
Last Updated Aug. 27, 2021. Appears in Cook's Country December/January 2014, America's Test Kitchen TV Season 21: Autumn Supper
It had been a while since we last reviewed roasting pans with racks, and since the winner of the original review had been discontinued, we decided to test a few new models. We liked both the new pans we tested, but the best option for home cooks is our former Best Buy, the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless 16” Roasting Pan with Rack. It is now our winner.
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See Everything We Tested
What You Need To Know
A handsome, heavy-duty roasting pan bearing a big holiday roast—what could be more iconic? But twice-a-year employment for an item that can cost $300 (or more) never made any sense to us, which is why we were glad to find our previous winner. This sturdy, roomy workhorse impressed us with even browning and an ability to withstand high-heat searing on the stovetop. Luckily, the manufacturer of our previously winning roasting pan hasn’t changed a thing about the pan since we discovered it in 2006, not even the price.
So why are we fixing what ain’t broke? Cookware companies are constantly coming out with new roasting pans. Our search turned up six other contenders, costing $18 and up, including a $200 model that we tested to see if spending more meant better performance. Materials ranged from all aluminum to enamel-coated steel, plain stainless steel, a tri-ply construction of stainless steel sandwiching a core of aluminum. All models were at least 12 inches wide and 16 inches long and came with racks.
We started by roasting 2 pounds of potatoes coated in olive oil in each pan to see which materials browned evenly. Plain stainless steel was the worst, leaving spuds at the center pale while those at the edges overbrowned. Thin, enamel-coated steel pans weren’t much better. Pans of stainless steel plus aluminum distributed the heat more evenly across their surfaces; most browned well. As for the all-aluminum pan, its dark surface browned evenly but very quickly: Its contents were deeply golden brown (the potatoes were perfect) in half of the time that the other pans took.
These results were repeated when we seared pork loins in the pans over a medium-high flame on the stovetop: The thin stainless-steel model buckled and burned, blackening the pan surface. We tried again over lower heat, but that didn’t get a very nice sear on the meat. One enamel-coated steel pan fared even worse, blackening and making a popping noise as its enamel cracked and a few pieces of enamel fell off. (We got a second copy of this pan and lowered the flame, which helped.) And after their interiors blackened, these two pans were impossible to get completely clean; the rest cleaned up easily. Though tri-ply pans were heavier to maneuver, they heated steadily on the stovetop, never warping or buckling, leaving golden-brown crusts on the pork—ditto the all-aluminum pan.
Moving the pans was about more than weight. Large, easy to grip handles made a difference, as did pan shape. One sizable, boxy pan was awkward and heavy—not fun when we had to pour out hot drippings. The enamel-coated steel pans were lightweight, but their handles, also enameled, were slipper...
Everything We Tested
Recommended
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 2.5 stars out of 3.
This pan seared pork loin nicely without buckling or burning and put an even, golden-brown crust on potatoes. It held a 19-pound turkey easily and its flat bottom aided deglazing. The rack fit snugly, but its handles line up with the pan’s, making it tricky for unloading—our sole quibble.
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 2.5 stars out of 3.
Made from tri-ply stainless steel, this handsome, durable roasting pan made beautifully browned, evenly cooked turkey and pork loin. The pan is roomy enough to fit a 20-pound bird, and its bottom is flat, aiding deglazing. Just two small quibbles: It’s on the heavier side, and its rack is a bit small, so it sometimes slides around in the pan during use.
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 2 stars out of 3.
This roasting pan is large enough to accommodate a 20-pound turkey and performed well, browning foods nicely and cooking them evenly. And while it’s made from a single layer of stainless steel—not tri-ply—its construction was substantial enough to resist buckling when heated on the stovetop. A few minor issues: It’s heavy; a recessed gravy trough around the bottom of the pan limits the space available for searing or browning foods; and the rack doesn’t fit quite as snugly in the pan as we’d like, occasionally shifting during use.
Recommended with reservations
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 1 stars out of 3.
Though it browned evenly and made great fond, this pricey pan was big, heavy, and boxy, making it awkward and tricky for pouring off drippings. Its rack slid in every direction as we moved the pan—scary when laden with hot drippings and a 19-pound turkey. For athletic cooks only.
Not Recommended
- Performance: 1 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 1.5 stars out of 3.
This all-steel pan was hotter on the edges and cooler in the middle, browning potatoes unevenly and rendering little fond from roasting turkey. It was roomy but so flimsy that we could twist it with our hands, and it blackened on the stovetop in no time flat.
- Performance: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 1 stars out of 3.
Potatoes came out striped from the bottom’s raised grooves and overbrowned around the pan’s edges. The grooves got in the way when we deglazed. The pan withstood stovetop use only if we kept the flame at medium-low. Its handles were small and slippery, and its too-small V-shaped rack slid. A 19-pound turkey would not fit.
- Performance: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 1 stars out of 3.
This thin, lightweight pan buckled on the stove, and enamel pieces sheared off. (A replacement pan held up better.) Channels on the bottom impeded gravy making and left stripes on potatoes. The pan’s low enamel handles were impossible to grab—testers dropped the pan twice. Potatoes roasted unevenly, and fond from turkey was too dark.
DISCONTINUED
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 3 stars out of 3.
This reasonably priced pan wins again. The tri-ply construction made it sturdy and reliable for stovetop searing and delivered even, consistent browning. The handles were roomy and secure, even with potholders. The U-shaped rack was slightly loose in the pan—a minor drawback.
- Performance: 2.5 stars out of 3.
- Design and Handling: 2.5 stars out of 3.
A great choice at about half of the price of our winner. This anodized aluminum pan browned potatoes quickly and made dark fond (so we had to watch it closely). It withstood stovetop heat without buckling, and its completely flat bottom was great for deglazing. The only drawback: Its handles flare inward and got in the way when we flipped the turkey (our method for ensuring even roasting).
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
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