The 6 Best Roasting Pans, Tested and Reviewed
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Our top picks make cooking holiday birds, Sunday roasts, and more a breeze.
Food & Wine / Russell Kilgore
Many of us are gearing up for the holiday season, buying the things we need for the two-month period where we will cook with gusto for large groups of people happy to be together again. A roasting pan is fundamental to these celebrations, whether roasting turkey, lamb, or crown roast.
But even if you aren’t hosting a holiday feast and are instead looking to maximize an inflation-era grocery budget by roasting a chicken at home, it may be time to stop MacGyver-ing your way around investing in a roasting pan. A roasting pan can make big meals like these a breeze if you make a smart purchase that considers your needs, budget, and how much you’re willing to trade the care and keeping of your roasting pan for its longevity.
To find the best roasting pans on the market, we roasted whole chickens and potatoes and made countless batches of gravy. We assessed each model on attributes like design, performance, and ease of cleaning. Read on to get roasting.
Best Overall: Cooks Standard 14 by 12 Stainless Steel Roaster
Pros
Fairly priced and built of sturdy materials at a utilitarian size, the Cooks Standard is our top pick.
Cons
Some may wish for a bigger roaster.
Our test kitchen couldn’t get over the sturdy feel and stylish design of the Cooks Standard 14-inch by 12-inch Stainless Steel Roaster. The smaller size makes it easy to handle, and the heft provided by its perfectly mirror-shiny stainless steel construction doesn’t leave anything to be desired.
In performance, this roaster couldn’t be more perfect for a family dinner or even dessert. In our potato roasting test, our tubers browned perfectly and came away from the roasting pan with little to no effort. It was effortless to clean, partly in onus to its convenient size, making it less challenging to handle. This goes a long way when considering storage options as well.
Going quickly from stovetop to oven, this roasting pan can’t be beat, especially if you have gravy to make. It performed flawlessly in our tests, often significantly better than roasting pans at much higher price points. For seasoned cooks or those looking for the perfect beginner pan for this year’s turkey dinner, this roasting pan has our test kitchen’s seal of approval.
Price at time of publish: $51
Dimensions: 15.75 x 12 x 5.5 inches
Material: Stainless steel
Stovetop safe: Yes
Includes rack: Yes
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Best Value: Farberware Nonstick Steel Roaster with Flat Rack
Pros
Priced at a value, this is an excellent starter roasting pan — or a second roasting pan for when your guest list has grown overnight.
Cons
You can’t move this roaster to the stovetop to make gravy.
Buying a roasting pan can be a massive ordeal. There’s so much to consider, especially if this is already out of your range of cooking know-how, and they can be super expensive in some cases. But it doesn’t have to be that way at all. We did the heavy lifting of finding the absolute best value roasting pan that a modest amount of money can buy — the Farberware Bakeware Nonstick Steel Roaster with Flat Rack.
We recommend this roasting pan for making easy work of traditional roasting. The rack creates enough room in the bottom of the pan to allow for cooking other vegetables below your protein. The chicken and potatoes we made were tender like we wanted and crispy in the right places. The pan is as nonstick as it claims; while it may be difficult to create fond (due to its slick surface), hand washing this pan is a breeze.
It looks unassuming and cannot be used on the stovetop, but at a $30 price point, its other abilities outweigh the shortcomings. It’s large enough to roast any reasonably sized bird, so perfect for anyone trying to take on the most challenging parts of holiday dinner for the first time.
Price at time of publish: $22
Dimensions: 16 x 11.25 x 2.5 inches
Material: Grey alloy steel
Stovetop safe: No
Includes rack: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Best Carbon Steel: Made In Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan With Rack
Pros
Made to the specifications of chef Tom Colicchio, this pan can endure temps of up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit and can be used on an induction stovetop.
Cons
It requires very specific handling; the manufacturer even recommends seasoning it.
When it comes to cookware, carbon steel can be stronger and more durable when compared to more traditional metals like stainless steel. It also handles exceptionally high temperatures, making for versatile kitchen tools. However, this material requires some special handling because it can be corroded by rust over time. When looking for a good carbon steel roasting pan, we want something that feels like it won’t wear quickly.
The Made In Roasting Pan hit all of the marks for our tests. Seasoning the pan before use is necessary, which the instruction manual explains in helpful steps. We weren’t worried about the pan deteriorating with minimal use due to its durable feeling and these preventative steps. The inside is ultimately nonstick, which adds some cooking time but makes for easy cleanup. We felt it had a streamlined, intuitive design, and when finished cooking, they found the potatoes had a nice crispy texture with a pillowy soft inside.
This pan is best for someone looking specifically for a carbon steel roasting pan. These can be pricier, so while we feel this is a great value, it’s less of an option for a more casual home cook. The simplistic design of this roasting pan makes it easy to use. It’s also functional on an induction stove and at temperatures up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it the perfect pan for more adventurous cooks looking for a pan to fit these specific needs.
Price at time of publish: $139
Dimensions: 18 x 10 x 4.25 inches
Material: Blue carbon steel
Stovetop safe: Yes
Includes rack: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Related: The 6 Best Cookie Sheets of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
Best Dual Height: Rachael Ray 16" x 13" Roaster with Dual-Height Rack
Pros
Rachel Ray’s simple roaster has an adjustable rack and is one of the best values on our list.
Cons
This roaster wasn’t built to last a lifetime, and metal utensils may quicken the wear and tear.
Functionality is key here: A dual-height rack is designed to make using a roasting pan work for you and whatever you want to cook with minimal effort. The changeable nature of a reversible rack, like on the Rachael Ray Roaster with Dual-Height Rack, makes it as simple as possible to make a wide range of dishes, all in the same roasting pan. The options are essentially limitless with a roasting rack like this, and the handles make for easy lifting. Removing this pan from the oven is easy, even if you’re cooking a whole bird.
It’s not dishwasher safe, so washing by hand is required. The good news is that the reversible rack is nonstick in addition to the pan itself, which is relatively painless. We recommend staying away from metal utensils when cooking in this pan.
At $40, this pan is a very high value for an affordable price. It was one of the best performers across all our tests and one of the simplest pans to use. This is a perfect fit for cooks of any experience level looking for a highly versatile roasting pan.
Price at time of publish: $40
Dimensions: 18.48 x 13.78 x 5.47 inches
Material: Grey carbon steel
Stovetop safe: No
Includes rack: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Best Oven-to-Table: Le Creuset Stainless Steel Roasting Pan With Nonstick Rack
Pros
Besides its good looks and v-shaped rack, the classic Le Creuset will last a lifetime if well cared for.
Cons
For new cooks, it may be too early to invest in a roasting pan of this caliber.
Le Creuset products are classically beautiful and built to last — so much so that this roasting pan could be passed on to the next generation of turkey dinners (just like your favorite Le Creuset Dutch oven) with proper care. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Le Creuset Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Nonstick Rack is perfect for any oven because of its durability and ease of use. Its v-shaped roasting rack makes basting a bird a cinch. Withstanding up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and being stovetop ready, this roasting pan will make quick work of any chicken, salmon, or ham — plus all the fixings. We appreciated its grooves to catch juices and loved how the potatoes effortlessly came off the pan. When it was time to clean, all we needed was a standard household sponge and mild dish soap.
One of the beautiful things about Le Creuset is the additional lifetime warranty offer. At the same time, this roasting pan is built to last (they claim it will not warp and can handle metal utensils); worry not. Its pristine stainless-steel design flaunts clean lines and easy handling, making it the perfect pan for divvying up an impressive roast at the dinner table.
Price at time of publish: $165
Dimensions: 19.1 x 14.2 x 5.3 inches
Material: Stainless steel
Stovetop safe: Yes
Includes rack: Yes
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Best Large: Nordic Ware Copper Turkey Roaster with Rack
Pros
Size is a consideration for folks feeding large families, and this roasting pan is one of the biggest on our list.
Cons
Its nonstick nature limits temperature maximums.
Owning a large roasting pan can be perfect for various reasons: You might be looking to accomplish all of dinner in one pan or hosting the whole family for a special occasion. Maybe you want to roast off every root vegetable from your farmer’s market haul before pureeing them into a comforting soup. Regardless, the surface area is the name of the game.
The Nordic Ware Copper Roaster XL Large boasts a rack wide enough to fit a 25-pound turkey but is in no way difficult to maneuver, partly due to its large handles. At only $85, this roasting pan is worth its price based on performance. We were very pleased with the golden sheen added to our roasted chicken and potatoes — and recommend it to both cooks looking for a long-term roaster and anyone looking for a pan specifically to hold their holiday dinner roast. The additional rack is functional, and the nonstick coating makes washing up as simple as can be.
Price at time of publish: $85
Dimensions: 13.8 x 21.3 x 3.5 inches
Material: Aluminized steel
Stovetop safe: Yes
Includes rack: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Our Favorite
The Cooks Standard 14-inch by 12-inch Stainless Steel Roaster won our hearts for its clean design and versatility. Exceptionally capable and very easy to clean, this sparkling stainless steel roasting pan is our top pick. For an even better steal, we recommend the Farberware Nonstick Steel Roaster with Flat Rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big should a roasting pan be for a home kitchen?
According to Eury Santana, a New York-based professional chef who has worked both privately and in restaurants, roasting pans in commercial kitchens start at around 20 inches in length. They are rectangular with medium to high sides. The ample capacity is perfect for high-volume cooking. “For a home kitchen, I recommend pans that range from 10 to 18 inches in length since most home ovens can't accommodate anything more significant,” he says. “I also recommend getting a pan that can hold a roasting rack to allow air to circulate freely.” A rack is not always necessary if you use vegetables/aromatics to have whatever you're roasting. Still, it can be especially helpful with larger pieces of meat or when you want crispy skin on poultry.
What is the purpose of a roasting pan?
A roasting pan allows a home cook to roast tender, moist, and evenly cooked foods on all sides, says Santana. Ideally, roasted items will have eye appeal and deep flavors through the process of caramelization. Roasting is a simple way to cook and a method passed on by generations giving us soul-satisfying results.
What is the best material for a roasting pan to be made of?
Roasting pans come in many materials, including aluminum, copper, stainless steel, anodized non-stick, porcelain enamel-coated cast iron (think dutch oven), cast iron, and carbon steel. “If I had to choose the best one, I would go with carbon steel. Carbon steel has become very popular because it can tolerate high cooking temperatures, gives you even cooking with excellent browning, and is naturally non-stick,” Santana recommends. One thing you must be aware of when purchasing carbon steel cooking tools is that they must be washed, dried, and oiled after each use to protect the steel from rusting. That said, choose a material that best suits your needs, including one that you feel comfortable caring for.
What is the difference between a baking pan and a roasting pan?
According to Santana, compared to tasting pans, baking pans are usually lighter, smaller, and can be made of many materials, including glass or stoneware. Baking pans are intended to cook foods at a lower temperature.
Can home cooks use roasting pans for anything besides a big cut of meat?
Yes! A big hunk of meat is not the only thing you can use a roasting pan for. According to Santana, roasting pans are great for vegetables, whole or spatchcocked chicken, dressed or stuffed fish, and even lobster tails and crab legs.
Factors to Consider
Size
How big you need your roasting pan to be is a question of the size of your oven and your family. Roasting pans come in many sizes and depths, so choosing one that fits inside your oven and is the most versatile is essential.
Materials
Materials matter when it comes to kitchen equipment that will be used to conduct heat. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the baseline material options and their pros and cons when purchasing stovetop or ovenware. Anodized aluminum is nonstick and great for browning, but aluminum is also lightweight (which is excellent for cookie sheets but maybe less so for roasting pans). Stainless steel is easy to clean and can look good for a long time, but it can be pricey and harder to clean. Carbon steel is increasingly popular but requires a regimen of drying and seasoning that many home cooks are unaccustomed to. Whatever material you choose, research it enough to adjust for it.
Other Roasting Pans We Tested
Strong Contenders
All-Clad E751S264 Stainless Steel Dishwasher Safe Large Nonstick Roaster with Rack ($150 at Amazon)
Hestan Provisions Stainless Steel Classic Roaster with Rack ($158 at Amazon)
GreenPan Padova Reserve Ceramic Nonstick Roasting Pan ($150 at Amazon)
What Didn't Make the List
Circulon Nonstick Roasting Pan ($35 at Amazon)
Anolon Advanced Home Hard Anodized Nonstick Roaster/Roasting Pan with Utensils ($100 at Amazon)
Five Two Essential Roasting Pan and Rack ($99 at Food52)
All-Clad Stainless-Steel Flared Roasting Pan ($230 at Williams Sonoma)
The Pioneer Woman Timeless Nonstick Roaster with Wire Rack Insert ($25 at Walmart)
Viking Culinary 3-Play Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Nonstick Rack ($180 at Amazon)
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless 16-Inch Roasting Pan ($65 at Amazon)
Tramontina 80203/006DS Gourmet Deep Rectangular Roasting Pan ($79 at Amazon)
About Our Tests
Our team tested 17 roasting pans by cooking chicken and potatoes, running the pans through rigorous cleaning tests, and measuring browning and sticking. We assessed each roasting pan’s browning ability, sticking tendencies, and maneuverability. During our gravy test, we looked at how well the fond released from the pan and observed scratch resistance. Finally, we determined how easy it is to clean the pan and rack when following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Our Expertise
Christa Glennie has been a freelance writer and food editor for nearly 20 years. She is also the author of two cookbooks and specializes in food and drink trends, agriculture, the regional foodways of Western New York, and the restaurant business. Her respect for simplicity and uncluttered counters in the kitchen ultimately fuels a desire to find and own well-designed, multi-purpose, best-in-class kitchen tools.
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