How To Choose The Best Baking Mats?
Table of Contents
Top Best Baking Mats Based on Reviews and Price
How to Choose a Baking Mat?
Earlier, to bake cookies in an oven or pan, users had to use a lot of oil, ghee or butter for greasing to make sure that the cookie dough does not stick to the surface of the baking pan in the baking process.
Thanks to the baking mats! They are great innovations that help people to bake cookies without using unhealthy greasing substances. Above all, they come in different materials and colors along with size variants to help users in many ways.
Baking mats are designed for creating a non-stick and an even surface on standard baking sheets. They help users with making cookies that are not burnt at bottoms and do not stick to the pan.
Most users feel that these mats stay long if they are hand-washed as against dishwasher washing. Also, some suggest not to cut cookies directly on the mat.
The reason is that the knife used for cutting will destroy the non-stick surface of the baking mat. As against lining the sheet pan with foil, cooks can use the baking mat for cooking savory foods like chicken breasts and baked salmon.
5 Benefits of Baking Mats
- They can be used again and again several times.
- Baking mats can do almost any work done by a parchment
- They can improve the taste and flavor of your cookies as against traditional baking sheets
- They will help with keep your workstation organized
- Many mats come with measure marking or template that will help first-timers to learn.
Now, you know that your decision of buying a baking mat is good. But, you will be interested in understanding the points to consider in shopping for these mats. Here are the top points of considerations:
8 Factors to Consider When Choosing Baking Mats
1. Size
As mentioned earlier, baking mats come in different sizes. To decide on the right size to buy, you should consider the type of baking pan you use frequently. You should make sure that you shop for the one that fits as snug as possible to the baking pan or to your cookie sheet. Ensure that the size of the mat is such that it does not either curl up or go beyond the tip of the baking pan.
Even, you will come across some mats that are specially designed for the users to customize the size as per their pan size by cutting the mat. You can go for such a mat if you cannot decide on the right size.
However, some mats should not be cut like the ones with a woven pattern that contains fiberglass. The reason is that if cut, the bits of fiberglass can fuse into the foods that you bake.
If you use more than one pan for baking, you can consider two baking mats to fit those baking pans.
If you have a standard home oven, the size of the baking mat ideal for your oven will be 13″ x 18″. The other options you will come across are medium size and small size at 9″ x 13″ and 6.5″ x 9″ respectively.
2. Consider the Material
Also, when you compare baking mats, you will come across models made out of different materials. You will come across mats made out of aluminum, steel, and the other alternative when it comes to the material is silicone.
Here, aluminum baking mats are undoubtedly an excellent material for baking. The reason is that it is a good conductor of heat. It means that it will help with even baking. Also, it will not rust and it is durable as well. However, you should remember that the shiny surface of the aluminum baking mat can prevent proper browning.
Not just aluminum, steel is also an ultimate conductor of heat and will help with even baking. Further, steel baking mats will be aesthetically appealing. Above all, the high strength and sustainability feature of this material makes it one of the best innovations.
Nowadays, most users feel that silicon baking mats are beneficial to others. The reason is that they are easy to clean and they are good for kneading dough on. Also, the chances of browning and burning are very less in these mats when compared to metal-based sheets. Even baking of foods will happen when you use silicone baking mats. It means that all parts of the dish will be equally cooked in this alternative as against others.
When comparing the above-mentioned three materials, most users these days go for silicon mats as they are newer entrants and they are efficiently created as compared to conventional variants that are being used for long.
3. Essential Features
You might think that all baking mats are similar and they do not differ. But, certain features can make some baking sheets better than the other. For instance, you can consider the sheets with the following features:
- Non-stick: To ease your job, non-stick baking mats can be the best choice than a sheet without this feature.
- Dishwasher safe: As mentioned earlier, people feel that stay long when they are hand-washed. The reason is that they might be using a mat that is not dishwasher-friendly. Nowadays, you can find dishwasher-friendly variants that will ensure that you can easily wash the mat after every use or as per the product instructions.
- PFOA Free: PFOA denotes Acid. It is a chemical used in making PTFE. The most-known example is Teflon. Just to make sure that the mat remains non-stick, some manufacturers use Teflon coating. But, when you go for a mat with PFOA-free coating, you can make sure that it will safe for your health.
- PTFE Free: This is yet another chemical used for the creation of non-stick coatings and as polytetrafluoroethylene. When you find that a product is PTFE-free, it means that it is produced without the use of PFOA.
- Set: When you go for mats that come as sets, you can save on the shopping. For instance, when you buy the mats in the set, you can continue to use the one when you have added another sheet to the dishwasher for washing. So, units coming in a set can be a feature to consider.
- Lid-included: Some sheets come with a lid. It means that you will have the base pan, along with the sheet over which you can place the lid that comes along for even baking.
Considering the features listed above, do not forget to consider the mats with better customer ratings. Even, the mats come in different colors and if you are particular about the attractiveness of the baking mats, you can consider colored variants.
4. How Flexible is the Mat?
When you find the mat is rigid, it will be hard to handle. So, before you shop for any mat check whether it is flexible enough. This type of flexibility will also help with easy storage after use and even it will help with easy washing of the baking mat.
5. Consider the Level of Heat Resistance
Some baking mats are designed to withstand higher heat, while some are designed to withstand just a certain degree of heat. The more heat-resistance a product has, the better you can stay confident that there will not be any harm to the mat just in case the heat increases suddenly due to one reason or another.
6. Oven, Freezer and Microwave Safety
Of course, you know that the baking mat should be oven safe. But, you should not forget to check whether the manufacturer has specified the mat to be freezer and microwave safe.
Sometimes, rather than the regular oven, you might be baking in a microwave and at these instances, this feature will help. Further, some baked items should be kept in the freezer for a few hours to come to the form. Every time, you cannot remove the baked food from the mat before placing it on the freezer. In these situations, the freezer safety of the mat will help.
7. Consider the Weight
You might think that baking mats generally weigh low. But, to make sure that it is actually low do not forget to look at the product specification for weight details. Even, the specification page will show you details about the dimension of the mat so that you can make an informed decision in shopping for the right baking mat.
8. Life and Durability
As compared to traditional parchment papers, silicone baking mats are known for better durability and life. However, before you choose any mat, it would be wise to give appropriate attention to the life expectancy of the mat. Ensure that the mat will be safe to use and the manufacturer has assured a better lifespan.
Wrapping It Up
Baking is part of many of our lives. So, if you are looking for healthy and easy baking, you can consider buying the right baking mat. The considerations discussed above will help you with the right selection.
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