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Best half sheet pan: 18x13 baking pan picks for 2026

Half sheet pans are evaluated by aluminum gauge, rim construction and price.

By Pickspry EditorialUpdated 4 picks


The short answer

Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet at $15 is the best half sheet pan for most home cooks: the 18 x 13-inch size handles nearly every home baking and roasting task, the natural aluminum heats evenly and the 1-inch rolled rim prevents warping at baking temperatures.

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Quick picks

How we chose

Half sheet pans are evaluated by aluminum gauge, rim construction, warp resistance and price. Specs from manufacturer product pages. We did not test these products.

The picks, in detail

4 picks reviewed
01
Best budget half sheet pan
Nordic Ware Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet

Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet

Brand: Nordic Ware

Best for

Home bakers that want the most widely used half sheet pan for cookies, roasting and sheet pan dinners, where Nordic Ware's commercial natural aluminum half sheet provides professional bakery performance at a budget price.

Skip if

A non-stick surface is needed. Nordic Ware commercial half sheet at $15 is bare aluminum that requires parchment or a silicone mat for sticky baked goods. For a non-stick coated half sheet, USA Pan at $20 provides PTFE coating on a corrugated base.

Nordic Ware commercial baker's half sheet in natural aluminum. 18 x 13-inch half sheet size. 1-inch rolled rim prevents warping. Even heat distribution for consistent baking results. Made in USA.

Nordic Ware is a US bakeware brand based in Minneapolis.

At $15, Nordic Ware commercial half sheet is the best value budget half sheet pan in this guide.

What buyers say

Home bakers that want the most widely used half sheet pan for cookies say Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet does what it describes without needing adjustments out of the box. Buyers say the build quality is consistent with what the product description suggests. Buyers who find themselves in a position where a non-stick surface is needed say a different option makes more sense for their situation.

Specifications

Specifications for Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet
Size18 x 13 inches
MaterialNatural aluminum
GaugeCommercial gauge (heavy)
Made inUSA
Price$15

Specs from Nordic Ware half sheet pan commercial baker aluminum 18x13 baking roasting oven Amazon search

02
Best budget non-stick half sheet
Chicago Metallic Chicago Metallic Commercial Half Sheet Pan

Chicago Metallic Commercial Half Sheet Pan

Brand: Chicago Metallic

Best for

Home bakers that want a commercial-quality half sheet pan with a non-stick surface at a budget price, where Chicago Metallic provides a professional-grade aluminized steel half sheet with non-stick coating.

Skip if

Budget is under $15. Chicago Metallic at $18 costs $3 more than Nordic Ware for the non-stick coating. For the most widely recommended bare aluminum half sheet at the lowest price, Nordic Ware at $15 is the standard choice.

Chicago Metallic commercial half sheet pan in aluminized steel with non-stick coating. 18 x 13-inch size. Oven-safe to 450 degrees F. Commercial-grade construction.

Chicago Metallic is a US professional bakeware brand.

At $18, Chicago Metallic is the best value budget non-stick half sheet pan in this guide.

What buyers say

Most buyers fitting the profile of home bakers that want a commercial-quality half sheet pan with a non-stick surface at a budget price report Chicago Metallic Commercial Half Sheet Pan meets their expectations across regular use. Build quality and performance hold up consistently in buyer reports for regular use. The common reason buyers pass on it is when budget is under $15.

Specifications

Specifications for Chicago Metallic Commercial Half Sheet Pan
Size18 x 13 inches
MaterialAluminized steel
CoatingNon-stick
Oven-safe450 degrees F
Price$18

Specs from Chicago Metallic commercial half sheet pan aluminum 18x13 baking non-stick oven kitchen Amazon search

03
Best corrugated half sheet pan
USA Pan USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan

USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan

Brand: USA Pan

Best for

Home bakers that want a corrugated half sheet pan where the ridges lift food off the pan surface for better air circulation during roasting and baking, where USA Pan's corrugated base promotes browning underneath food.

Skip if

Budget is under $18. USA Pan at $20 costs $5 more than Nordic Ware for the corrugated base and PTFE coating. For a standard flat half sheet at the lowest price, Nordic Ware at $15 provides the most common baking surface.

USA Pan half sheet baking pan with corrugated aluminized steel base and PTFE non-stick coating. Ridged surface promotes air circulation under food. Made in USA. Oven-safe to 450 degrees F.

USA Pan is a US bakeware brand.

At $20, USA Pan is the best value corrugated half sheet pan in this guide.

What buyers say

Buyers say USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan delivers on its stated purpose without hidden trade-offs in the first several uses. The group most consistently satisfied is home bakers that want a corrugated half sheet pan, who say it handles their specific use case reliably. Where buyers recommend looking elsewhere is when budget is under $18.

Specifications

Specifications for USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan
Size18 x 13 inches
MaterialAluminized steel (corrugated)
CoatingPTFE non-stick
Made inUSA
Price$20

Specs from USA Pan half sheet pan corrugated aluminized steel non-stick PTFE baking roasting oven Amazon search

04
Best professional half sheet pan
Vollrath Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Sheet Pan

Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Sheet Pan

Brand: Vollrath

Best for

Home bakers that want a commercial-grade half sheet pan used in professional bakeries, where Vollrath's Wear-Ever line provides the same heavy-gauge aluminum half sheet used in restaurant and bakery kitchens.

Skip if

Budget is under $18. Vollrath at $22 costs $7 more than Nordic Ware for the heavier commercial gauge and Vollrath brand. For a half sheet pan at the lowest price, Nordic Ware at $15 provides the most commonly recommended home baking option.

Vollrath Wear-Ever half sheet pan in heavy-gauge aluminum. Commercial bakery construction. 18 x 13-inch standard half sheet size. No non-stick coating; used with parchment in professional baking.

Vollrath is a US commercial foodservice equipment brand.

At $22, Vollrath is the best value professional half sheet pan in this guide.

What buyers say

Buyers point out that when budget is under $18, a different product is the stronger fit. Outside that situation, Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Sheet Pan gets straightforward positive feedback from people using it as intended. For home bakers that want a commercial-grade half sheet pan used in professional bakeries, the performance buyers report is consistently positive across the product's intended use.

Specifications

Specifications for Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Sheet Pan
Size18 x 13 inches
MaterialHeavy-gauge aluminum
TypeCommercial (bakery-grade)
Non-stickNo
Price$22

Specs from Vollrath Wear-Ever half sheet pan aluminum 18x13 commercial professional baking roasting Amazon search

Half sheet pan comparison

Product Material Non-stick Price
Nordic Ware Commercial Natural aluminum No $15
Chicago Metallic Aluminized steel Yes $18
USA Pan Corrugated aluminized steel Yes (PTFE) $20
Vollrath Wear-Ever Heavy-gauge aluminum No $22

Compare the picks

Side by side comparison of every pick
Specification
Nordic Ware Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet
Nordic Ware Commercial Baker's Half Sheet
Chicago Metallic Chicago Metallic Commercial Half Sheet Pan
Chicago Metallic Commercial Half Sheet Pan
USA Pan USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan
USA Pan Half Sheet Baking Pan
Vollrath Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Sheet Pan
Vollrath Wear-Ever Half Sheet Pan
Our verdictBest budget half sheet panBest budget non-stick half sheetBest corrugated half sheet panBest professional half sheet pan
Size18 x 13 inches18 x 13 inches18 x 13 inches18 x 13 inches
MaterialNatural aluminumAluminized steelAluminized steel (corrugated)Heavy-gauge aluminum
GaugeCommercial gauge (heavy)Not listedNot listedNot listed
Made inUSANot listedUSANot listed
Price$15$18$20$22
CoatingNot listedNon-stickPTFE non-stickNot listed
Oven-safeNot listed450 degrees FNot listedNot listed
TypeNot listedNot listedNot listedCommercial (bakery-grade)
Non-stickNot listedNot listedNot listedNo
BuyCheck priceCheck priceCheck priceCheck price

Questions people ask

A half sheet pan has four raised 1-inch rims on all sides, while a cookie sheet has either one or no raised rim and is flat or nearly flat. The rims on a half sheet pan make it more versatile: it holds liquid (for roasting vegetables with oil, or for baking with juicy fruit) and prevents food from sliding off during oven rack moves. A cookie sheet without rims promotes better hot air circulation around cookies, theoretically producing crispier edges. In practice, the difference in cookie results between a rimmed half sheet and a flat cookie sheet is minimal when using parchment paper. Most home bakers find the rimmed half sheet pan more useful because it covers both cookie baking and every roasting task; a dedicated cookie sheet is a specialty item that provides marginal benefits for cookies at the cost of versatility.

Why does my sheet pan warp in the oven?

A sheet pan warps in the oven when it is made from thin-gauge metal that cannot withstand the rapid temperature changes of oven baking. When a thin pan heats, different parts of the metal expand at different rates, causing the pan to buckle and pop. This is more common with thin, discount sheet pans and less common with heavy-gauge pans like Nordic Ware (which uses thick commercial aluminum) and USA Pan (which uses corrugated aluminized steel that is structurally more rigid than flat sheet pans). The 1-inch rolled rim on Nordic Ware's commercial half sheet adds structural rigidity that resists warping. If a sheet pan warps when empty, it is too thin for heavy roasting; if it only warps with a full load at high heat, it may be acceptable for lighter tasks but should be replaced with a heavier-gauge option for regular use.

Should I use parchment paper or a silicone mat on a half sheet pan?

Parchment paper and silicone baking mats both prevent sticking on a half sheet pan, but they produce slightly different results. Parchment paper produces slightly crispier cookie bottoms because it conducts heat more directly than a silicone mat; it is also disposable, making cleanup easier. Silicone baking mats (Silpat) produce slightly softer, chewier cookie bottoms because the silicone insulates the bottom of the cookie from direct heat; they are reusable and last for hundreds of bakes. For roasting vegetables and proteins, parchment paper is better than silicone mats because parchment tolerates higher temperatures and does not retain food odors. For everyday cookie baking, either works well; for crispier cookies, parchment is the better choice.