Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet Review

We purchased the Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Half sheet pans are a kitchen essential. This small but mighty pan can cook up sheet-pan dinners, cookies, roasted chickens, and much more. When I unboxed the Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet, it brought me back to my days in the professional kitchen. It’s a classic half sheet pan with brushed aluminum and rolled edges—nothing fancy.

Ready to get going, I chopped up some vegetables and made some cookie dough to test the tray's roasting and baking performance. I tested some batches lined with parchment paper, others with a silicone mat, and, of course, directly on the sheet trays themselves.

Read on as I break down the pros and cons of Nordic Ware’s traditional aluminum pans.

Design: Classic and versatile

If you’re looking for classic sheet pans, these fit the bill. They are the standard half-sheet size (18 x 13 x 1 inch) with flat surfaces. The edges are slightly sloped to make transferring food off the sheets easier. These smooth rolled edges make the baking sheets easy to transfer in and out of the oven. They also stack well and, as a result, are easy to store in cabinets or under the oven. 

The only thing I didn’t like about the design was the stamped logo on the top of the tray. This makes it difficult to clean and leaves imprints on more delicate foods like cookies, cakes, or croissants. Because of this, you will most likely want to use parchment paper or silicone mats when baking with these sheet trays.

Material: Commercial-grade aluminum

Made with professional-grade pure aluminum, the Nordicware baking sheets are extra durable. The pans also have reinforced encapsulated steel rims to add additional strength and help prevent warping. While being so heavy-duty, it’s not especially heavy—especially when compared to other materials such as stainless steel.

The uncoated, natural aluminum comes with pros and cons. In their favor, they are generally nonstick and have fewer chemicals. Both vegetables and cookies easily came off the sheet tray when baked directly on without any parchment paper or a silicone mat. On the flip side, aluminum is a reactive metal and can scratch more easily than other metals, like stainless steel. With that in mind, these pans are not suitable for acidic foods (like vinegar or tomatoes) and need to be used with non-metal utensils (wood, plastic, or silicone). 

Cooking Performance: A job well done

As expected, the Nordic Ware baking sheets performed like most other aluminum sheet trays I had used before. Its real benefit lies in its durability and design. The baking sheets conducted heat evenly and well but weren’t as fast at heating up compared to the OXO pans I own (which conduct heat exceptionally well). While many online reviewers reported warping, I didn’t experience this—even at extreme temperatures.

Despite not having a nonstick coating, the sheets released food easily. However, a lot of residue would stick when baking directly on the pans. This didn’t impact the quality of the food nor was it difficult to clean off. However, I wouldn’t recommend this for avid bakers, especially if making something as delicate as macarons. When the tray is unlined, the stamped logo sticks to softer foods like baked goods. Given the logo is a few inches wide, that would be about two or so cookies worth of space you’d be losing. However, if you don’t bake often, you shouldn’t have a problem with other foods, like meats or vegetables. 

If adding the Nordic Ware baking sheets to your kitchen, you may also want to consider having another set of sheet trays as well. Since aluminum is a reactive metal, these sheets shouldn’t be your choice for roasting tomatoes or cooking lemon-marinated chicken thighs.

Cleaning: Easy but beware of the logo

One of the biggest downsides of the Nordic Ware baking sheet is its embossed logo, which can typically fill with residue. But I only found this happened when baking or if using stickier ingredients. With everyday cooking, like roasting vegetables, it’s not hard to clean out the nooks and crannies in the logo. As long as you use parchment paper or another type of liner, the logo really shouldn’t be an issue. 

While I typically hand wash all of my baking sheets (they take up too much real estate in my tiny apartment dishwasher), you may want to choose a different set if you are keen on using the dishwasher. Per the maker’s website, these baking sheets can become discolored from the cleaning agents in automatic dishwasher detergent. While the discoloration won’t affect the baking properties or safety of the pan, it can look unsightly.

Price: Expensive but worth it

The Nordic Ware baking sheets usually retail for around $30 for two pans. This is a little more expensive than some other brands, but the Nordic Ware’s durability and sturdiness justify the price. 

Competition: You've got options

TeamFar Baking Sheet: Generally, I'd reach for the Nordic Ware over the TeamFar sheet except on days where I'm feeling extra lazy or working with acidic foods. The TeamFar baking sheets are made with nonreactive stainless steel (vs. aluminum) and are dishwasher-safe.

OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Half Sheet Pan: Although more expensive, the OXO sheet pan outperforms the Nordic Ware with all its bells and whistles. While it may have more advanced technology, the OXO tray is much heavier than Nordic Ware’s classic aluminum style.