Product Review: Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pans

I cook. I cook a lot. I enjoy cooking and baking and experimenting with new recipes. And as such, it is hard for me to pass a sale on an interesting piece of bakeware when I see a large percentage markdown. At the very least I will examine the item to see if it is worth the cost of trying out.

A few weeks ago I saw a good sale on some Baker's Secret Precisionware. My eyes were drawn to Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pans. This was a sale I couldn't pass up when I saw the baking pan looked so sturdy.

The Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pans have cookie targets and fill line portions, which are designed to help you evenly drip your cookies on to the pan or create a uniform sized cookie based on the various circle sizes. I don't like targets and patterns, however I could see this feature being beneficial for children who bake or adults who like to be shown exactly where to place the cookies.

The Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pans were of a professional weight and felt sturdy. I was particularly drawn to the wide edges of the pan, which meant they could be grabbed easily with oven mitts, without having to touch the inside of the pan where the cookies were baked. That was a plus in the design.

The Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pans also were non-stick and the package said it provided even cooking results and effortless cleanup. Naturally I was drawn to that. It also said it was dishwasher safe and that a metal spatula could be used safely. I was drawn to the statement of "Metal Spatula Safe non-stick coating", because generally metal spatulas can damage the non-stick coating of pans, but metal spatulas work so much better at removing cookies without breaking them, than nylon spatulas.

So, the style, the description and the price were right. I bought 2 pans because if I am going to bake a batch of cookies then I will likely need 2 pans and I would like them to be of equal size and type to go in the oven at the same time.

These medium sized Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pans measured 15 by 10 inches. I loved the size.

I put the pans to the test. The first time I used them to bake cookies, were worked great, performing how they should. The cookies slid off easily with a metal spatula and they cooked evenly. The pans were really easy to grab with my oven mitts and I really liked the weight and feel of them.

I washed the pans by hand. I was disappointed that they would not come perfectly clean. They were discolored in some spots and it was clear I was not going to get those spots out, even using an abrasive sponge. This was not a good sign. I used the pans again a few days later, and this time I wanted to try washing one in the dishwasher. I normally don't use the dishwasher, but I wanted to test the dishwasher safe claim. After removing the Precisionware Cookie Pan from the dishwasher and hand drying it, I put it away in my oven drawer. Two days later when I went in my oven drawer, I saw this pan what appeared to be a few small rust spots. I was surprised and very disappointed. There was scratching and discoloration both on the top and bottom surfaces. The other pan, which I purposefully stored in a different location so I could see the difference, did not have any rust spots. It did however, still have the discolored residue that I could not hand wash off the first time. It also was scratched. It is obvious the nonstick coating is not holding up after just a couple of uses.

I will probably not be buying Baker's Secret Precisionware again. Baker's Secret makes other pans that are not in their Precisionware line, but I have no idea how they perform, so I might try one of those in the future if the price was right.

In summary:

Baker's Secret Precisionware Cookie Pan, is sized right, priced right, easy to handle, and the cookie targets could make baking fun for kids. However, I would not recommend buying these pans because they do not clean easily even after using only one or 2 times. And if they rust this fast and easily after one dishwashing, then I would imagine they would be horrible after several uses. I would imagine the non-stick coating is not lasting. I followed the wash and care directions and it is ineffective. My good deal, turned out to not be such a good deal after all.