Jan. 16, 2024, 8:21 PM UTC

By Lauren Dana Ellman

I love a good home-cooked dinner as much as the next person but putting it together — especially after a long workday — can feel overwhelming. That’s why I love a quality roasting pan or, even better, a sheet-pan supper. Not only are these meals easy to prep (for the most part), but they're quick to cook and make cleaning up a breeze since you only have to wash — you guessed it — one pan as opposed to three.

However, and I’m sure many people can relate, my husband is a picky eater, so if I dare to include a veggie or protein he doesn’t like, he’ll likely do one of the following: meticulously pick out the offensive food or avoid it altogether and pour himself a bowl of cereal, much to my dismay. (Honey, if you’re reading, I still love you!). The other option, of course, is to cook my beloved's meal in a separate pan, which, while definitely doable, ultimately leaves me with more work come clean-up time.

That’s why I was excited to try the GoodCook Divided Sheet Pan, which is specifically designed to separate different foods while evenly distributing heat at the same time.

GoodCook Divided Sheet Pan

Carbon Steel Divided Sheet Pan

$16.99

It lives up to its "nonstick" promise

One of the first things that piqued my interest was the brand's claim that the pan has a nonstick coating. As someone who has spent far too much time scrubbing residue off of supposed nonstick surfaces in the past, I usually take these claims with a grain of salt. That said, I still wanted to test out this function. So, in the name of research, I baked chicken cutlets in the two outer sections, one coated with a nonstick spray and the other without.

After 45 minutes in the oven, I was pleasantly surprised to find that, for the most part, the sheet pan actually was nonstick! There was minimal residue left on the sections I avoided spraying, though, admittedly, I did have to use a bit of elbow grease to scrub small patches clean afterward, but that really only took me an extra two minutes. I’ve used the pan a few times since then to cook separate proteins, and simply because I’m lazy and hate cleaning, I did spritz it with a little avocado oil. However, now that I know the pan is mostly nonstick, I won’t panic in the event that I run out of it and still need to cook a quick and easy dinner.

It distributes heat and cooks food evenly

I was also surprised by how lightweight the pan was — especially considering its durable carbon steel construction, which I'm delighted to know is designed to last for years (says the brand). What’s more, clocking in at just over 1.5 pounds, the pan was easy to lift in and out of the oven (with one hand, no less!).

The only caveat I feel inclined to mention is that the pan isn’t dishwasher safe. Sure, it’s quick to clean with dish soap and hot water, but it does require a bit of effort compared to just throwing it in the machine and cleaning it with the push of a button.

Finally, the pan is said to be scratch-resistant, and while I’ve only used it a handful of times, it does live up to its word — so far. Ultimately, I loved almost everything about this versatile sheet pan, but most especially its price tag. If you ask my husband, the mere $17 was well worth it!