Healthy Eating 101 Ask the Test Kitchen The Best Roasting Pans, According to Our Test Kitchen From roasted vegetables to a whole turkey, these roasting pans will get the job done. By Alex Loh Alex Loh Alex is assistant digital editor for EatingWell. When she's not thinking about food, you can find her reading, watching TV or on a quest to find the best sandwich. Alex is a graduate of Dickinson College where she earned a degree in English. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 12, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Photo: Courtesy of the Merchants Whether you're making a turkey for Thanksgiving or a roasted chicken for a weeknight dinner, a roasting pan is a handy piece of cookware on any day of the year. Not only can you make a whole bird, but roasting pans can also be used for vegetables (and poultry and veggies can often be cooked at the same time for an easy one-pan meal!). To help you find the right roasting pan for your kitchen, we've pulled together this list of the best roasting pans. The Best Sheet Pans, According to Our Test Kitchen Things to Consider When Buying a Roasting Pan Material As with any piece of cookware, it's important to consider the material. For this guide, we tested nonstick and stainless-steel roasting pans (we skipped copper roasting pans because beautiful copper cookware tends to be extremely expensive). Both types of materials performed well, but there are a few differences to keep in mind. For instance, a nonstick roasting pan is typically darker than a stainless-steel roasting pan and will conduct heat faster, so you may need to adjust recipe times accordingly. Another thing to consider is cleanup, as a nonstick roasting pan is designed to be, well, nonstick, while a stainless-steel roasting pan may require more effort when cleaning. Most roasting pans also come with a rack, which helps promote air circulation and even cooking on all sides of your roast. While some of the products on this list feature a roasting pan and rack made from the same material, others are a combination with a nonstick roasting pan and a stainless-steel rack or vice versa, so keep that in mind. Shape and Size In addition to the material, you'll also want to consider the shape and size of your roasting pan. Most of the roasting pans on this list are rectangular, but a roasting pan can also be oval. Roasting pans also come in a variety of sizes, so you'll want to make sure you have one that can fit everything you're interested in cooking (for example, if you're cooking a 20-pound turkey, you'll want a larger roasting pan). Another thing to keep in mind is the rack (if the roasting pan comes with one). Some racks feature upright handles, which add to the overall height of the pan. While you shouldn't have any issue fitting the roasting pan and rack in a standard-sized oven, you may need to adjust the height of your oven racks so everything fits without hitting your oven's broiler (an issue that came up during our testing). It's best to test the fit before you preheat the oven as it's safer to move oven racks when they are cool. The Best Saucepans, According to Our Test Kitchen Best Roasting Pans This is our list of the best roasting pans. Each roasting pan (and rack, if it was included) was tested by cooking bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, potatoes and onions together. We tested the chicken thighs on top of the rack with the vegetables underneath as you would if you were roasting a whole bird. Best Overall Roasting Pan: Circulon Best Pan for Roasting Vegetables: Calphalon Best Affordable Roasting Pan: Farberware Best Roasting Pan with a Lid: Granite Ware Best Stainless-Steel Roasting Pan with a Rack: Williams Sonoma Best Overall Roasting Pan Circulon Nonstick Roaster Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now Whether you're roasting a turkey or chicken, potatoes or carrots, the Circulon will be able to handle it all as the best roasting pan. With a nonstick coating, this roasting pan produced evenly colored chicken, potatoes and onions. Our favorite part of this rectangular roasting pan is the stainless-steel rack, which has two key features. First, the rack has handles, which makes it easy to remove it from the roasting pan and transfer your food to cool. Second, the rack features grips on the top, which cling to the sides of the pan and ensure a stable surface (this comes in handy if you're basting a turkey, as the rack won't slide around the pan as you poke and prod it). This roasting pan is also budget-friendly, oven-safe up to 450℉ and dishwasher-safe, although hand-washing is recommended (don't worry, the nonstick coating works really well, so hand-washing during our test was quick and easy). With all of these helpful features, the Circulon roasting pan would be a fantastic addition to any kitchen. Buy it: Circulon, $40 You might also consider: Anolon Advanced Home 13" x 16" Roaster Set Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now We're big fans of Anolon's Advanced Home series (their frying pan was our top choice in our guide for the best nonstick frying pans), and the nonstick roasting pan is another winning piece of cookware. Aside from the oval-shaped roasting pan, this set includes a nonstick rack with upright handles, which worked well at circulating air as the chicken was cooked evenly during our test. Although the pan and rack need to be hand-washed, the nonstick coating means there's barely anything to scrub when you do so. The set also features a bulb baster and injector, so nothing dries out while cooking, and two lifting forks, so you can move from the roasting pan to the cutting board in one easy, swift motion. The roasting pan is oven-safe up to 400℉, comes in two sleek color options and can be used with metal utensils. Buy it: Anolon, $100 Best Pan for Roasting Vegetables Calphalon Premier Nonstick 16" Roaster with Rack Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now With the Calphalon roaster in your kitchen, you'll have the best pan for roasting vegetables and proteins simultaneously (because who doesn't want a tasty, one-pan meal?). The nonstick rack is designed to be slightly smaller than the nonstick pan, so there's plenty of room to add vegetables both underneath and alongside the rack. Plus, with the extra space, you don't have to worry about chopping your vegetables to a specific size to ensure they'll fit with the rack (which wasn't the case with all of the roasting pans we tested). This large roasting pan is oven-safe up to 450℉, dishwasher- and metal-utensil-safe and can be used for oven and stovetop cooking (although it's only suitable for gas and electric stoves, not induction). Buy it: Williams Sonoma, $100 Best Affordable Roasting Pan Farberware 11" x 15" Roaster with Flat Rack Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now If you're looking for function and affordability in one pan, the Farberware roaster is the best budget-friendly roasting pan. At just $25, this rectangular roasting pan performed on par with the other pans tested and produced evenly colored chicken, potatoes and onions. Featuring a nonstick pan and a stainless-steel rack, this duo is oven-safe up to 450℉ and is dishwasher-safe (although hand-washing is recommended). While these features are great, one minor issue we ran into during testing was with the handles of the roasting pan. The handles lie flat, so it was a little tricky to lift and grab the handles while wearing bulky oven mitts. Despite this small issue, the flat handles are great from a storage perspective as upright handles can get in the way when stacking items. Buy it: Farberware, $25 Best Roasting Pan with a Lid Granite Ware Covered Oval Roaster Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now This oval-shaped pan from Granite Ware is the best roasting pan with a lid. Made from carbon steel and featuring a nonstick, porcelain surface, both the roasting pan and lid are lightweight, making the pan comfortable and easy to remove from the oven. The lid is designed with bumps on the interior surface, which help retain moisture when you're cooking (as evidenced by the juicy chicken we tested). Plus, the darker color of the pan retains heat well, so you can cut down on cooking times (because we all know how limited oven space is on Thanksgiving). The Granite Ware roaster is also dishwasher-safe and can be used with metal utensils. Buy it: Amazon, $27 Best Stainless-Steel Roasting Pan with a Rack Williams Sonoma Thermo-Clad Stainless-Steel Flared Roasting Pan with Rack Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now From its shiny exterior to its flared rim, the Williams Sonoma roasting pan is the best stainless-steel roasting pan with a stainless-steel rack for a few reasons. First, the roasting pan features a flared rim, so you won't have any spills when you pour the roasting pan drippings into a pan to make a gravy. Available in two handy sizes, the versatile roasting pan is also oven- and broiler-safe up to 500℉ and can be used on all stovetops, including induction. And once you're done cooking, the roasting pan is dishwasher-friendly, so you can have a stress-free cleanup. With this sleek roasting pan in your kitchen, you'll be able to tackle any recipe, from Crispy Roast Chicken to Perfect Prime Rib. Buy it: Williams Sonoma, $200-$230 depending on size You might also consider: Cuisinart 15" Stainless-Steel Roaster with Nonstick Rack Courtesy of the Merchant Buy Now If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Cuisinart roasting pan is a great choice. Thanks to the nonstick rack, the chicken was evenly colored as the air circulated well in the pan. One downside to the stainless-steel pan was that the potatoes and onions weren't as well-browned as with the nonstick pans we tested (as nonstick pans tend to conduct heat more quickly). One feature we did love, though, was the upright handles on the rack, which make it easy to pick up the rack from the roasting pan. While the roasting pan is oven-safe to 500℉, the rack is only safe up to 400℉, so keep that in mind when cooking. Luckily, both are dishwasher-safe, so cleaning up will be quick. Buy it: Target, $55 Food52 Five Two Essential Roasting Pan & Rack Food52 / Rocky Luten Buy Now Similar to the Williams Sonoma pan, the Food52 roasting pan features a stainless-steel roasting pan and a stainless-steel rack. Thanks to its grid-like design, the rack can be used both in the pan and outside of the pan. For example, if you're baking Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, you can use the rack to cool the cookies and they'll sit atop it nicely (compared to some of the other racks, which have big gaps). In addition to the multipurpose rack, the pan also features a pouring rim, so you can easily save any pan drippings. Plus, the pan is oven-safe up to 600℉, can be used on the stove or grill and is dishwasher-safe. Buy it: Food52, $149 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit