By Tab Olsen
February is one of my favorite baking months. Probably because of all the chocolate! 🙂 Hey, the best way to say “I love you” is with dessert, right? Well, if you really want to make the day special, get rid of all your rusty old bakeware and buy some shiny new stainless steel baking pans. I mean, who wants to eat something that was baked in a metal tray that looks like it’s been sitting outside in the rain for years?
The metal baking pans in our house were all 30 years old and really showing their age. So we’ve been gradually replacing them with shiny new stainless steel bakeware whenever an occasion comes up like a birthday or Christmas. Right now we have a rectangular cake pan, 2 loaf pans, 2 muffin pans, 3 square brownie pans, and 2 extra large cookie sheets. Now I guess all we need are the round cake pans.
Actually, we already had one restaurant-quality stainless steel lasagna pan from Great Grandma. It’s super heavy duty and still shiny after many years. But for something of similar quality without the high price, we’ve had good luck with the P&P Chef brand of stainless steel bakeware. I recommend them and here’s why…
PROS
- GOOD VALUE – Stainless steel is a generic term for a variety of metal alloys composed mainly of iron and chromium, with some other metallic elements. P&P Chef uses 18/0 stainless steel, which is the perfect choice for people looking to save money but still wanting a quality product. The first number, 18, refers to the amount of chromium present, and the second represents the amount of nickel. 18/0 stainless steel is less expensive because it does not contain nickel.
- HEALTHY – These pans are healthy for daily use because they’re made of pure stainless steel, with no toxic coatings that can chip off or chemicals that can leach into your food. Stainless steel is a great replacement for aluminum and non-stick pans. A light spritz of non-stick cooking spray or greasing the pan with butter is all you need to help your baked goods slide right off.
- MULTIPURPOSE – Sturdy and durable stainless steel pans are good for many kitchen uses, not just baking. We also use them to make Jello, soak French toast, steam food, wash fruit, store leftovers, transport food, etc. Oven and freezer safe.
- ONE-PIECE MOLDING – P&P Chef pans have straight but smooth sides all around with no sharp edges, making it easy to clean and spread heat evenly. No warping and no layers for water to get in between. They also nest neatly together to save space.
- MAGNETIC – Maybe not too important but interesting! There are two different grades of stainless steel commonly found in kitchens. Ferritic stainless steel (type 430) is the most magnetic as it contains a lot of iron. Austenitic steel (type 304) is non-magnetic as it has more nickel and other metals than iron. 18/0 stainless steel is the same as type 430 and, thus, is magnetic. A fun thing to do is go around your kitchen with a magnet to determine the type of stainless steel used in various things like pots, pans, utensils, and appliances. Knives are often made of type 430 stainless steel, which is why they can be stored on a magnetic knife strip. And you know how some stainless steel refrigerators won’t hold a fridge magnet? That’s because they are made of type 304 stainless steel.
- DISHWASHER SAFE – Stainless steel is dishwasher safe. The chromium content is what keeps it from corroding in damp environments. These pans are also easy to clean by hand because they have rounded edges and no dead corners. The polished mirror finish stays shiny as new after washing.
- PLASTIC COVERS – Some P&P Chef pans come with airtight see-through lids for keeping your baked goods fresh without having to mess with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. I love this feature! The lids are high enough to accommodate thick frosting and other toppings. Just don’t put them in the oven with the plastic lid on.
CONS
- Don’t expect the mirrored surface to stay perfect forever. Despite the designation “stainless,” even though it won’t rust it can still get water spots, stains, scratches, and pits. You might not like these blemishes but they are harmless.
- The plastic lids fit so tightly that they can be hard to get off. But at least you know the contents will stay fresh and you don’t have to worry about them falling off!
- The P&P Chef brand only seems to be available online at Amazon. But if you have Amazon Prime (sign up for a free trial), you can get FREE 2-day shipping.
As you can see, the cons are insignificant compared to all the pros. Now is the time to get some shiny new stainless steel baking pans and give your old rusty pans to dad for using in the workshop or garage. 🙂
With the P&P Chef brand of stainless steel cake pans, brownie pans, muffin pans, cookie sheets and more, it’s easy to make the perfect Valentine’s Day brownies, cupcakes, and cookies that really… well, take the cake.
Stainless steel bakeware is also a practical gift for a birthday, housewarming, wedding, or Christmas present for your family and friends.
P.S. The baking pans that we bought came in a nice giftable box printed with the image above. But ours had the mailing label stuck right over top of the pretty picture! This would spoil its appearance if it’s a gift; and it wouldn’t be good if the person you’re giving it to lives in the same house, since they might see it on the front porch! So if you plan to give it as a gift, be sure to specify “this is a gift / ship in Amazon packaging” at checkout and they will put the colorful product box inside a plain cardboard box.Â
Please note: The above product was NOT provided for free or at a discount in exchange for a review. This item was purchased by a homeschooling family at their own expense.
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