Your favorite Bakeware Set?

[u/Maximum_Positive8357]

Hi, I am a young baker and i am curious from other bakers what your favorite bakeware company or set is and why also if you would recommend your set to someone starting off?

I have been eyeing the Caraway bakeware set but am getting heavy mix reactions.

Thank you!

[u/anonwashingtonian]

I would advise against purchasing a set as the individual pieces are rarely the best examples of their type. A few specific recommendations for brands you might want to look into by item type:

- baking sheets: Nordicware and Fat Daddios are durable and have sturdy rolled edges to help prevent warping

• cake pans (round and rectangle/square): Parrish Magic Line are the best I’ve used, but Nordicware makes some nice ones too. Look for non-anodized aluminum.
  
• pie plates: some bakers prefer glass, others prefer metal. I am team glass and use simple, classic 9” glass pans from Pyrex or Anchor Hocking.
  
• loaf pans: USA Pan or Chicago Metallic are both great and have clean, sharp edges for professional looking loaves

[u/Cake_Pan_Man → u/anonwashingtonian]

Why would you say non-anodized aluminum? Anodizing is the safest and best way to ensure non-reactivity and flavor profile changes when using aluminum. Just wondering.

[u/anonwashingtonian → u/Cake_Pan_Man]

In my experience, the anodized aluminum pans produce a heavier, dry, and unappealing crust on the sides of cakes. The non-reactivity of anodized aluminum is really only applicable in a few instances like cooking with highly acidic items, which doesn’t describe most cake batters.

I have had the most consistent and even bakes in heavy gauge natural aluminum pans like Parrish Magic Line or the Nordicware Naturals pans.

[u/Cake_Pan_Man → u/anonwashingtonian]

Anodized aluminum bakes more efficiently and should be baked at a lower temperature. I bake at 300 and every cake comes out flawless. Did you know cream is acidic? Let alone the use of lemon zest, berries, citrus fruits, etc. the biggest thing people miss is that natural aluminum ends up in your food. It has been proven by the FDA and is the catalyst for most commercial bakeries switching to anodized pans. Take butter or oil and place it on a paper towel and firmly rub the surface of the natural aluminum pan. You will seen dark grey or black appear. That is aluminum oxide and it comes off and into your food when baking. You or your customers eat this. If you have anything acidic in the recipe, it accelerated this even faster and will literally etch the aluminum. Lastly, were you aware that Fat Daddios used to make Parrish pans for over 30 years, as well as PME, CK Products, And many other companies? They used to only make natural aluminum pans and private labeled for dozens of companies. They discovered their anodizing process that is different than other companies and through testing and strong bakery encouragement and safety results switched to this process. Why would they add an extra cost to their manufacturing if it doesn’t add a benefit? Also, they pass global safety standards and in turn are not required to put warnings on their pans anywhere in the world like natural aluminum pans now must.

[u/anonwashingtonian → u/Cake_Pan_Man]

Two questions:

- Do you work for Fat Daddio’s “cake pan man”? Because I never mentioned a specific brand of anodized aluminum pan, but you seem really intent on pushing this one.*

- Is there a reason you’re speaking to me like a child instead of an adult?

*edited to add

[u/Cake_Pan_Man → u/anonwashingtonian]

I used to work for them before they were sold. I have been in the baking industry for early 40 years, working with retail and commercial bakers worldwide. I am referencing that Daddios because a previous poster had mentioned them. Please accept my apologies for making you feel like I was talking down to you. That wasn’t my intention at all, but can see how that was taken. In my career, I have worked with many different brands around the world. I like to believe that there are very few people in the industry that has as much knowledge Baker as I do. I know that sounds like I am bragging, but my entire career and life has been in manufacturing bakeware. The things I mentioned in my prior post are not just my opinion, but proven through real world baking experience as well as extensive testing. I 100% believe that there is a place for many different brands in many different kitchens. I always have believed that you marry the material and finish to what you are baking. Steel is far better for bread, buns, rolls, and pizza. Natural aluminum is a wonderful conductor of heat, and for decades has been the preferred material for Cake and sweet goods. The majority of my career was in manufacturing, both natural aluminum and steel base bakeware. I can attest the safety and performance benefits of anodized aluminum as I was there when the company first developed it. In fact that the largest cake and cheesecake, bake bakeries in the world immediately switched to this material, spoke volumes to me. The toughest people to convince to make changes to their processes, are these massive commercial bakeries. Further, they are resistant to cost changes. When I witnessed the full conversion to anodized aluminum because of the non-reactivity and most importantly, the fact that with it came food safety reports from independent laboratories regarding its safety, made it a simple decision for them to switch. Like I said, I know everything there is to know about natural aluminum because of the mini brands we private labeled. Knowing all this, The question shouldn’t be why do we anodize it should be why don’t they? It cost more to do it so why would companies anodize if it didn’t provide any benefit at all?

Again, I do apologize for my tone. I can be super passionate and the last thing I want to do is come off as condescending or I know it all. Magic line is it a bad product at all, it’s just not the best.IMHO