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See why.The Best Wire Racks
A rack elevates food so air can circulate underneath for even cooking and cooling. Which brand is the best bang for your buck?
We continually monitor the items we review and recommend. Recently, we noticed that the quality of our favorite wire rack, from Libertyware, had become inconsistent. We now recommend the Checkered Chef Cooling Rack, which had originally come in second place. The rankings have been adjusted to reflect the change.
We also recommend the smaller version of this wire rack, which pairs perfectly with a small rimmed baking sheet (also known as a quarter-sheet pan).
Top Picks
See Everything We TestedWhat You Need To Know
A wire rack isn’t just for cooling cakes and cookies. The combination of a wire rack and a rimmed baking sheet is our top choice for roasting or broiling meats, holding breaded foods before and after frying, and neatly glazing all manner of confections. The rack lifts up foods so air can circulate underneath for even cooking and cooling, and the baking sheet below contains any mess.
When we discovered that our favorite wire rack was no longer available, we set out to find a new winner. We zeroed in on racks measuring roughly 16½ by 12 inches because they fit inside standard-size rimmed baking sheets—a basic requirement that eliminated many contenders. We also nixed nonstick models because their slick coatings aren’t broiler-safe. Finally, we dismissed models with parallel bars (instead of small grids) because thin cuts of meat and other small foods can fall through the gaps. To our surprise, we were left with just three nationally available models, priced from $7.99 to $12.95.
We used each rack to cool fragile sugar cookies and to roast and then broil sticky barbecued pork. Then we piled each with 15 pounds (the equivalent of a midsize turkey) of canned goods, checking to see if any of them sagged or bent under the weight. Finally, we washed each rack 10 times to see if it warped, chipped, or rusted.
The racks were all made of plain or chrome-coated stainless steel and had support bars underneath with small V-shaped feet to elevate the rack about ¾ inch. Though the sizes of the grids differed, all of the racks performed well. They were high enough for air to circulate underneath, so cookies cooled quickly and evenly and the roasted pork was crisp and evenly browned. Both metal and plastic spatulas slid across them without sticking or snagging. Scrubbing off broiled-on barbecue sauce required some elbow grease, but each rack cleaned up completely.
Given their solid performance, our ratings came down to a few slight differences. One rack had a touch of wiggle room inside standard baking sheets, while others had none at all. Another rack was not dishwasher-safe. In the end, our new winner is the Libertyware Half Size Sheet Pan Cooling Rack ($15.99 for a set of two). Used alone or with our favorite rimmed baking sheet from Nordic Ware ($14.97), it’s a piece of equipment no kitchen should be without.
UPDATE: Since publishing this review, we have changed our recommendation. Please refer to the update at the top of the page for more information.
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Strength and Stability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Baking Sheet Compatibility: 2.5 stars out of 3.
Although the grid pattern on this rack is slightly larger than on the other two models, it’s reinforced with an extra support bar that runs perpendicular to the three main bars. It had a touch more wiggle room in the baking sheets, but it kept pace with the other racks during recipe and durability testing.
Recommended
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Strength and Stability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Baking Sheet Compatibility: 3 stars out of 3.
This affordable rack performed well throughout testing. Although it has the fewest support bars, it was strong and sturdy and fit well in all baking sheets. Our one criticism: It’s not dishwasher-safe.
Not Recommended
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Strength and Stability: 3 stars out of 3.
- Baking Sheet Compatibility: 3 stars out of 3.
Testers gave top marks to this rack, which has six feet on three support bars for extra stability. Cookies cooled evenly on this rack, and pork emerged from the oven with crisp, browned surfaces. It fit perfectly in our favorite rimmed baking sheet (and other standard-size baking sheets) and is safe to wash in the dishwasher. It’s sold in packs of two, making it the best value in the lineup. Update October 2018: Since publishing this review, the quality of this rack has become inconsistent. We now recommend the Checkered Chef Cooling Rack, which had earned a Highly Recommended rating and come in a close second place in our original review.
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.
Kate Shannon
Kate is a deputy editor for ATK Reviews. She's a culinary school graduate and former line cook and cheesemonger.