The 10 Best Baking Dishes
Special Honors
Williams Sonoma Essential Baker Ultimate Set This set is made in Portugal, where artisan-crafted ceramics have been a tradition since the 1200s. The three pans are constructed of heat-retaining stoneware for even cooking and an attractive presentation of baked pasta to side dishes to desserts. They’re exceptionally durable and hold up well to repeated use and dishwasher cleaning. Thanks to their stoneware construction, they’ll keep foods warm for serving once they’re removed from the oven. The 13-by-9-inch dish comes with a lid that circulates heat and moisture to help give you tender, savory braises. The other pans come in 10-by-7-inch and 9-inch-square sizes. williams-sonoma.com
Anthropologie Home Aurora Stoneware Pie Dish Making a pie from scratch is easier with this sturdy stoneware plate, which features a 9-3/4-inch top diameter and 8-inch bottom diameter. It comes with an attractive, smooth white glaze and makes for a great hostess gift when you bring along a homemade pie in it. nordstrom.com
Editor's Notes
May 12, 2020:
Whether you’re looking for a single dish or a slightly larger bakeware set, our list has something for you. Today we added in the Anchor Hocking 3-Quart, a dish made of glass that’s tempered for durability and won’t warp, stain, retain smells, or leach chemicals into food. It’s safe for the microwave, a preheated oven, the refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher. It comes with a patented, easy-open lid that seals in freshness and enables easy storage and transportation. This selection is made in the United States and backed by a generous 5-year warranty. If you’re looking for something just as durable, but in a larger set, check out the Anchor Hocking Oven Basics, which are also made of the same tempered glass, but which include one round and two rectangular dishes, a pie plate, a mixing bowl, a loaf pan, four custard cups with lids, and a measuring cup.
In this update, the Pyrex Easy Grab 6-Piece replaces an older Pyrex set, and this one comes with a rectangular glass baking pan along with two storage containers in 3- and 6-cup capacities. Each of these three pieces comes with a blue, plastic lid and is suitable for the dishwasher and the microwave. Their nonporous material won’t absorb stains or odors. Staying in the number one spot is the Emile Henry Modern Classics, which is made of durable Burgundy clay that heats evenly and keeps your food warm once it comes out of the oven, so you’ll have some time to set the table and get the rest of dinner ready. It’s available in five attractive colors, so it’s easy to find one to match your kitchen’s decor.
If you’re a collector of Le Creuset pieces, look to the Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware, which is quite an investment, but is nonetheless great for the serious baker and will serve you well over the years. Its stoneware construction is safe for the oven, freezer, and microwave, and it resists odors, chipping, cracking, and staining. Like the Emile Henry pan, it’s available in a wide variety of colors to match any kitchen.
Leaving the list today is the Komax Casserole, the lid of which can be rather difficult to click down. No matter which baking dish or set you choose, be sure to follow the directions carefully as to whether it's safe for placement under the broiler, or in the the microwave, the freezer, and the dishwasher.