Here's Why Your Baking Sheets Are Warping

Those who love placing several kinds of vegetables and a piece of protein on a baking sheet to be popped in the oven for a quick and easy meal might have stumbled upon one unusual quirk to this cooking method. Sometimes, when you open the oven and pull out the baking sheet, you find that it has actually warped and won't sit flat on the oven rack or the stovetop. And if this is unnerving to you, you probably want to know just why this happens and how you can fix it.

According to Checkered Chef, baking sheets tend to wrap because of sudden changes in temperature. For instance, placing a cold baking sheet in a hot oven or rinsing a hot baking sheet under cold water. Other things like overheating the baking sheet or not evenly distributing the food on the sheet can also cause warping as well. However, with a few adjustments to how you cook with your baking sheets (and treat them after they're out of the oven), you can avoid these vexing situations.

While you can make some adjustments to avoid, or at least lessen, the amount of warping that happens, some baking sheets simply cannot be stopped from bending. According to Prudent Reviews, cheaper baking sheets tend to be poorly made and will always warp to some degree. But you can look for several key indicators to pick better baking sheets the next time you are shopping for them.

Checkered Chef suggests looking for baking sheets that have a rolled edge around the perimeter and that are made from thicker cuts of metal. These qualities will help support the baking sheet and prevent it from warping so easily. Furthermore, aluminum is the best material to choose. When shopping, be sure to actually pick up the baking sheets you are deciding between and test which feels the sturdiest.

Whatever you do, you should invest in a quality baking sheet, as those with minimal warping can help you avoid uneven baking and cooking.