‘I’m halving my Christmas roast clean-up time with these futuristic baking trays’

I absolutely love cooking the Christmas roast. Whether I’m cheffing with my partner or my brother, we’ve got our favourite recipes, we time things with military precision and yes, we do all the trimmings. Not everyone feels the same, I’m sure, but I think there’s one thing we can all agree on: the clean-down is diabolical.

The roast, by nature, results in stacks and stacks of burnt, crusted baking trays, the washing-up equivalent of 40 lashes. Nothing dampens the Christmas spirit quite like trying to use a sponge to chip away at the carbonised remains of a honey-glazed carrot.

This year, I’ve decided enough is enough. I don't want my food to scorch and fuse onto low-quality baking trays, but neither do I want dodgy non-stick coatings that quickly degrade and flake. So, I’ve decided to upgrade my roasting kit with the Hexclad baking trays. Reader, they are worth every penny.

The Hexclad 6-Piece Hybrid Bakeware Set in a nutshell

If you peeked at that link above, you’ll see that yes, these are a splurge. But stay with me. This set includes six pieces of bakeware (including a cooling rack), with each one packing in all the smart tech you’d expect from a high-quality frying pan. They are thick, with an aluminium core that spreads heat rapidly and evenly, sandwiched between layers of stainless steel.

As for that futuristic-looking beehive pattern, that’s what Hexclad (of frying-pan fame) is known for. It’s a TerraBond™ non-stick coating that combines stainless-steel peaks with ceramic non-stick valleys for increased durability. That non-stick is PFAS-free, and it’s specifically designed to release your baked goods, making cleaning fast and easy. Yes, please.

My review of the Hexclad Hybrid Bakeware: is it worth it?

First impressions

When I first unboxed this gleaming bakeware set, my first thought was, ‘These are some serious baking trays’. They’re shiny, heavy and unlike any bakeware I’ve ever seen. They’re reminiscent of a fancy saucepan, with the stylish contrast of ceramic non-stick against the stainless-steel exterior.

Each piece is a good size, and I could see myself using them all regularly. Currently, the bakeware can only be bought as a set (not in individual units), but the range of useful shapes and sizes meant I was happy to commit to the whole shebang.

I would just note that the largest baking sheet (the one that comes with a handy cooling rack) is 38cm wide, which is a bit of a squeeze in my oven – so just measure yours before you buy.

Seasoning

Before you use your Hybrid bakeware, there’s one quick step: seasoning. After giving the pans a wash and dry, rub a little cooking oil around the inside surface. Then, bake the empty pans at 200ºC in a pre-heated oven for three minutes. This activates the non-stick surface and ensures it performs properly from the first use.

It only took me about 15 minutes to season all the pans at once. From now on, the seasoning should maintain itself with the fats and oils I use in everyday cooking.

Non-stick properties

The first time I used these pans, I decided to challenge the non-stick by making a brownie cake in one of the round tins. I didn't line it with baking parchment, just greased it with a little butter. I’m always unsure about cake tins with no removable collar or base, so I was keen to know whether a cake really could just plop straight out.

Once baked, I let the sponge cool, before running a knife around the edge and turning it out. To my surprise, it released beautifully, with just a little residue left on the cake tin. The instructions actually advise using baking parchment for the best results, so I was pleased that it exceeded expectations.

Cleaning

This was the real test – and the whole reason I wanted to try this bakeware. To see how easy it was to clean burnt-on residue from the pans, I cooked a few chicken breasts coated in a sticky, spiced marinade that I knew would be prone to crusting onto the cooking surface.

I could see the sauce beading up instead of spreading out, a sign that the ceramic non-stick was repelling it effectively. Washing up was effortless – so much faster than a regular baking tray – with most residue wiping away instantly under running water and the crustiest bits only requiring a little more attention.

Since then, I’ve used these baking trays to grill bacon rashers, crisp up baked pasta and roast a whole chicken. Not only is the food always evenly cooked to perfection, clean-up is at least twice as fast as with a normal pan, which would certainly need an overnight soak for these foods.

Durability

I haven’t had this bakeware long enough to report on the long-term durability – but it's incredibly solid. That thick tri-ply construction looks immune to buckling and warping, and I haven’t noticed any change in the non-stick performance after several weeks of use.

You’re not supposed to use sharp metal utensils in the pans (silicone, wood or plastic is recommended), but I admit that I have scraped them out with metal spoons a few times and seen no damage.

Time will tell, but I’m impressed – and if anything does go wrong, there’s a lifetime warranty to fall back on. The set also has a 30-day return policy, so you can get your money back even on used pans if you don’t get on with them.

Final verdict

Having used this bakeware for nearly a month, I’m already feeling much less daunted by the idea of the Christmas dinner clean-down. Yes, this set is undoubtedly expensive and I know not everyone will want to drop so much money on cookware. But at about £60 per piece (not counting the cooling rack), I actually don’t think it’s bad value – especially when you consider that Hexclad frying pans (which also have a hybrid coating and tri-ply base) cost £149 and more.

Yes, you could keep buying super-cheap baking trays, but I’m at a point in my life where I would pay not to spend Christmas Day (or any day) scrubbing burnt crust off a rubbish pan that flakes into my food. This is a festive upgrade I think is worth splashing out on – and one you’ll thank yourself for year-round. Bring on Christmas.

While these are top-tier baking trays, we do appreciate they're a real investment, so we've included alternative picks that performed well in our GHI testing below.

GHI Approved baking trays