We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Shopping Kitchen Products The 4 Best Roasting Pans We Tested for Turkey, Chicken, and More — Starting at $30 These pans aren't just for big holiday meals By Lizzy Briskin Lizzy Briskin Lizzy Briskin is a contributing writer and product reviewer for PEOPLE. She's the former food editor at Real Simple and Food Network Magazines and has a culinary arts degree from Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. She's been a food, travel and lifestyle writer for nearly a decade and her work has appeared in Wirecutter, Bon Appetit, Insider, Women's Health, SELF, and other publications. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 5, 2024 09:15AM EDT In This Article View All In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews Others We Tried What to Know Behind the Scenes Why Trust PEOPLE? What Is PEOPLE Tested? Photo: People / Russell Kilgore You might think a roasting pan is a once-a-year tool that you drag out from the bottom of a stack of pots and pans teetering over the refrigerator, but like a great Dutch oven, a roasting pan is a useful kitchen item. We think it’s time to make roasting pans and their trusty racks as ubiquitous as sheet pans. The system of a hot, high-sided baking dish with a metal rack is the perfect environment for crisping up golden-brown root veggies while you cook a stunning protein — whether it’s a whole chicken, pork tenderloins, or chops. That means fewer dishes and a guaranteed-to-be-impressive dinner every time. We tested 18 of the most popular pans on the market to find the best for roasting chicken, potatoes, and more. Read on for our four favorite roasting pans — you’ll especially love our winner, which is a cool $30. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Farberware Nonstick Steel Roaster at Amazon $30 Jump to Review Best Dual-Height: Rachael Ray 16 x 13 Inch Roaster at Amazon $40 Jump to Review Best Large Capacity: Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Roasting Pan at Amazon $170 Jump to Review Best Compact: SALE Cooks Standard 14" by 12" Stainless Steel Roaster at Amazon $70 $44 Jump to Review Best Overall Farberware Nonstick Steel Roaster PHOTO: Amazon $30 at Amazon $30 $20 at Target $42 at Walmart Star Qualities Produced super crisp potatoes Easy to clean Streamlined, intuitive design Good value Red Flags Cannot be used on the stove Slightly longer cooking time We love how this pan looks and how well it works. The medium-sized roasting pan has high 2.4-inch walls to prevent spills and insulate your ingredients. It comes with a sturdy flat metal roasting rack that leaves plenty of room underneath to roast veggies alongside a protein. The slides of the pan come about halfway up a standard whole chicken. During testing, this pan produced some of our favorite roasted potatoes, with crispy skins and soft, pillowy centers. The nonstick coating made the cooking time slightly longer (an hour and five minutes), but the results were worth it. It is also worth noting that this pan can't be used on the stove. The pan and rack are relatively easy to clean by hand (which is what the manufacturer recommends) because they’re flat and the pan is nonstick, but wire racks will always be a bit tricky. Testers Say "At $30, this is an incredibly good deal. While the roaster isn't the largest one I've ever seen, it should get the job done for almost every reasonably sized bird, and with good execution." Dimensions: 16 x 11.3 x 2.4 inches | Weight: 3 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Oven-Safe Temperature: 450 degrees PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore The 6 Best Deep Fryers We Tested on French Fries, Chicken Tenders, and Yes, Even Whole Turkeys Best Dual-Height Rachael Ray 16 x 13 Inch Roaster PHOTO: Target $40 at Amazon $40 at Target $30 at Walmart Star Qualities Nonstick coating is easy to clean Reversible rack Wide and comfortable handles Red Flags Should not be used with metal utensils Difficult to pour liquids from straight sides This is a highly versatile roasting pan. The reversible rack can be used for shorter and taller positions, depending on whether you want more space under your protein for veggies and aromatics or need the room on top. The flat rack has wider openings than others we tested, and both the rack and pan have a nonstick coating for quick and easy cleanup. Remember, you shouldn't use metal utensils as they could scratch the coating, so stick to wooden or silicone utensils. The potatoes started to caramelize in the pan after just 15 minutes, and our chicken came out juicy and evenly cooked on the higher rack position. Our gravy was uniform and didn’t have that acrid flavor of burnt flour. The straight sides made pouring liquids out of the pan difficult, but that wasn't a dealbreaker. At $40, this roasting pan is an incredible value that a cook of any level will appreciate. Testers Say "It's only $40 and is one of the better-performing roasting pans. The ability to change the rack height and the nonstick, easy-to-clean inside has made this one of the easiest-to-use roasting pans. You can't get much better for this price." Dimensions: 16.5 x 13.5 inches | Weight: 3.5 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Oven-Safe Temperature: 500 degrees PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore You Only Need 3 Kitchen Knives — These Are the Best Chef's, Paring, and Santoku Knives We Tested Best Large Capacity Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Roasting Pan PHOTO: Target $170 at Amazon $94 at Target $128 at Wayfair Star Qualities Stovetop-safe on medium heat Easy to clean Curved rack for more surface area under protein High-quality materials Red Flags Cannot be used with metal utensils Involved cleaning process This is an efficiently designed roasting pan with tons of space for veggies, potatoes, and more under the protein. The rack is U-shaped, with gently curved sides and a flat bottom for your roast or bird to sit. It would be a great choice for a centerpiece-worthy standing rib roast for the holidays, with plenty of crispy veggies to go around. Just don't forget the meat thermometer — and avoid using metal utensils to keep the surface scratch-free. We cooked a juicy, delicious chicken and deeply browned potatoes that slid right out of the pan without sticking. There wasn’t as much fond — the ultra-flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the pot — as we would have liked, but we still found the lighter gravy tasty and evenly cooked. Though almost nothing stuck to the pan during our tests, the care instructions from Cuisinart are a little involved. The brand says to fill the pan with water while it’s still hot and let the water cool before cleaning it with a sponge and dish soap. Testers Say "Quite frankly, I think this is everything you want out of a roasting pan. I expected it to be at least $200 — if not $300 — when I looked it up. This feels professional-grade in terms of construction and performance." Dimensions: 20.75 x 6.25 x 13.25 inches | Weight: 1 pound | Material: Stainless steel | Oven-Safe Temperature: 500 degrees People / Russell Kilgore The 7 Best Stainless Steel Frying Pans of 2024, Tested with Salmon, Veggies, Rice, and More Best Compact Cooks Standard 14" by 12" Stainless Steel Roaster PHOTO: Amazon $70 $44 at Amazon $10 at Walmart $60 at Wayfair Star Qualities High oven-safe temperature Stovetop-safe to medium-high heat Easy to clean Very even heat distribution Red Flags Heavy Smaller size This roasting pan is smaller than others we tested but feels durable and high quality. The pan is hefty, and the handles are wide and comfortable. The thicker stainless steel seems to insulate the potatoes so they cook through and turn golden brown without burning. Likewise, our fond was golden, not burnt, and produced a stunning gravy. Speaking of gravy, we could comfortably whisk it up in the roasting pan, which can fit over a single stovetop burner. This pan would be a great choice for an apartment because it can accommodate a meal for up to four and is easier to store. Despite its smaller size, the pan is on the heavier side at 6.2 pounds — a testament to its durable materials — but if you’re wary of lifting the pan with a roast inside, it may not be the best choice. Testers Say "There's something about this pan that insulates the potatoes from burning while cooking them just enough to brown without sticking. It also produced a fond that’s brown but not a burnt bit — just what you want in your gravy." Dimensions: 14 x 12 x 3 inches | Weight: 6.2 pounds | Material: Stainless steel | Oven-Safe Temperature: 550 degrees PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore PHOTO: People / Russell Kilgore Other Roasting Pans We Tried All-Clad Nonstick Roaster with Rack: This roaster was easy to clean and produced tender potatoes and chicken but cooked unevenly. We would have liked crispier skin on the chicken, and at $200, we think you can find a great pan for a fraction of the cost. Hestan Stainless Steel Classic Roaster with Rack: In this roaster, our chicken cooked in just under an hour but was unevenly browned. The potatoes were nicely caramelized, and our gravy was smooth and full of delicious fond. However, this pan was more difficult to clean. At the higher price, we’d only recommend it on sale. GreenPan Reserve Ceramic Nonstick Roasting Pan: This pan produced a beautiful chicken in an hour (though it was pretty blonde on the bottom), but sadly, our potatoes were dark, crunchy, and overdone. The nonstick surface was effective and easy to clean, but at $150, this is a pricy pan for not-perfect results. People / Russell Kilgore What to Know About Roasting Pans Types of Roasting Pans Dual-height: This refers to a pan with a reversible rack to accommodate different-sized proteins. The rack in the Rachael Ray Roasting Pan, for example, can be flipped to sit lower or higher in the pan. A lower rack has more space for chicken and other large proteins on top, while a higher rack offers more room for your veggies and aromatics underneath. Nonstick: This refers to roasting pans coated in a nonstick material, which can make cleanup quick and easy, as food won’t bake onto the surface of your pan. However, you should not use metal utensils with nonstick cookware, as it can scratch. Flared: The outer lip of a flared roasting pan is angled slightly outwards like a pouring spout. This may help increase air circulation in the oven for more even results. It also makes it easier to pour off liquids, such as the juices from roasting. Stovetop Compatibility While all of our roasting pans can go into the oven (that’s what they’re designed for, after all) not all are safe to use on the stovetop. It’s handy to have a stovetop-safe roasting pan, like the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro, so you can whisk up gravy directly in the pan while your roast rests. If this is important to you and you have an induction stove, be sure to check that the pan is also induction-compatible. Design We found that the easiest pans to clean were nonstick, but this didn’t always produce the crispiest and most evenly-cooked potatoes or chicken. Our stainless steel roasting pans also tended to not have sticking issues and generally produced beautiful golden potatoes without many hot or dark spots. Another design choice to look out for is the pan’s handles. Since your roasting pan is likely to be in a hot oven for a long time, it’s important to have sturdy handles that aren’t so close to the sides of the pan that you risk burning yourself, and you need plenty of space to have a firm grip while wearing oven mitts. Other nice-to-have features include sloped sides or a spout for pouring off liquids and a dual-height rack for added versatility. Price Range We tested roasting pans that cost up to $300, but our favorite was the cheapest we tried. The Farberware Nonstick Steel Roaster costs just $30. For a few extra bucks, the Rachael Ray Roaster has a reversible rack, and even the priciest of our favorite pans, the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro, costs less than $100. People / Russell Kilgore Behind the Scenes To find the best roasting pans with racks, we tested 18 models from a variety of brands and price points. Design: We considered the overall design, including shape, size, materials, and handles, as well as additional items like lids and reversible racks.Performance: We then tested the pans in a real kitchen by roasting a whole chicken with potatoes. We noted how long things took to cook and how evenly and quickly they browned. When our birds were done, we tested how easily the fond (those tasty browned bits) released from the bottom of the pans by making gravy. For stovetop-safe products, we also seared pork tenderloins in the pans and considered how nicely they browned and whether they stuck.Ease of Cleaning: Finally, we did the dishes and assessed how easily these pans and racks were cleaned. The inexpensive Farberware Nonstick Steel Roaster was not only the highest value item we tested, but it also performed the best in our tests. People / Russell Kilgore Why Trust PEOPLE? Lizzy Briskin is a contributing shopping writer for PEOPLE and a trained chef and recipe developer. She has a culinary degree from Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and was formally the food editor at Real Simple and Food Network magazines. She now contributes recipes and food content to outlets including Wirecutter, Delish, The Kitchen, and SELF. She believes that everyone needs a great roasting pan, and they should use it more often than for a once-a-year turkey — what’s better than roasting crispy veggies and juicy chicken thighs at the same time? What Is PEOPLE Tested? We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs. But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square. In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.