8 Best Baking and Casserole Dishes, According to Testing
Get ready for some mouthwatering lasagna.
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Like a good set of baking pans, a baking dish is a must-have in any kitchen. These oven-safe vessels, typically made from glass or stoneware like ceramic or porcelain, are great everyday workhorses for churning out easy casserole recipes, a classic meaty lasagna or treats like brioche bread pudding. Baking dishes come in a wide range of sizes and shapes; our kitchen pros generally recommend rectangular ones with a 2.5 to 3-quart capacity, because this size is typically easy to handle and can churn out four to six servings.
When testing baking dishes in the Good Housekeeping Institute, we baked boxed cornbread and a savory bread pudding in 11 different vessels to assess the evenness of browning on the top and bottom and record cooking and cooling times. We also identified attributes like how easy it was to transfer the dish in and out of the oven, whether the surface could handle metal utensils and ease of cleaning.
Our top picks:
Below, you'll find our full list of recommended baking dishes hand-selected by the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. You can also read more about the different types of baking dishes on the market and what to look for when shopping. Here are the best baking dishes you can buy, according to testing and brands we trust.
Pros
- Comes in an array of colors
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Cook time was longer
This baking dish from Peugeot received the highest score for ease of use, thanks to easy-to-grip curved handles and a surface that's a breeze to clean, no matter what you're making. The piece is highly durable with thick walls, too. While this is nice for longevity, it did add to overall cook time. But once adjusted, this particular baking dish produced a nice, evenly-cooked bread pudding in our testing. We love that it comes in an array of deep, highly pigmented colors and a variety of sizes that nest inside of each other for convenient storage.
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Dimensions: 9.84 x 6.61 x 2.44 inches
• Material: Ceramic
• Dishwasher safe? Yes
Pros
- Easy-to-use oversized handles
- Includes lid for storage
Cons
- Didn't brown well on the bottom
You don't have to spend a ton to get a quality baking dish, as proven by this pick from Pyrex. In tests, it made one of the best cornbreads that baked in line with the cook time instructions. It also scored relatively high for ease of use, thanks to oversized cut-out handles and its slick glass surface that's a breeze to clean. To add to the convenience features, this freezer-safe baking dish also comes with a lid, so you can cook and store in a single vessel. Also nice: You can get this dish in a set of others from Pyrex, including both square and round shapes.
If there's any downside to this budget-friendly piece, it's that the glass construction prevented food from browning well on the bottom. But because the glass is clear, you can keep an eye on whatever you're cooking from all sides and adjust the heat or cook time accordingly if need be.
• Weight: 4.66 pounds
• Dimensions: 2.5 x 9.81 x 16.56 inches
• Material: Glass
• Dishwasher safe? Yes
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Stylish
Cons
- Pricey
Pricey? Yes, but there's a lot to love about this 9-by-13-inch enamel-coated steel baking dish. Beyond the convenient size, it's lightweight, which makes it easy to take in and out of the oven. And, during tests, it produced well-cooked food; both the cornbread and bread pudding were spot-on with good browning. And the manufacturer says the baker can also be used on the stovetop or placed in the freezer once it's cooled, though we didn't test these claims. Importantly — especially because the dish is handwash-only — the porcelain material is a breeze to wipe clean.
You can't go wrong with the classic white, but the stylish mid-century-inspired dish comes in a few other attractive colors.
• Weight: 4.55 pounds
• Dimensions: 16.5 x 9.75 x 2.25 inches
• Material: Enamel-coated steel
• Dishwasher safe? No
Pros
- Includes 10-year warranty
- High walls to reduce spill-over
Cons
- Handles are small and hard to grasp
Though Emile Henry produces a wide range of baking dishes in various shapes and sizes, our testers found that this large rectangular version yielded the best results when baking both cornbread and bread pudding. They also liked the high sides on the dish that helped reduce spillover when cooking. It's highly versatile, too — the manufacturer says the glazed ceramic baking dish can be used safely in the oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher. And just in case something goes awry, you'll get an impressive 10-year warranty with your purchase.
There is one big drawback to this baking dish, according to our testers: The handles are small and curved, which makes them a bit tricky to get a good grip on — especially if what you're cooking is heavy.
• Weight: 5.51 pounds
• Dimensions: 13 x 9 x 2.8 inches
• Material: Glazed ceramic
• Dishwasher safe? Yes
Pros
- Comes in a variety of colors
- Very durable
Cons
- Heavy
Le Creuset baking dishes are widely beloved. They're made of durable porcelain with an enamel-glaze finish that not only looks beautiful but is also exceptionally chip-, scratch- and stain-resistant. In our testing, this iteration of the baking dish cooked very well (especially for quicker-cooking items like cornbread), but it has a unique upgrade that makes it stand out — it comes with a flat lid that doubles as a platter. You can stack food on top, use it as a separate serving tray, or even use it as a trivet. And though the handles are relatively small, they're easy to grasp, and they cool down quickly. Adding to the versatility of this particular baker, it can be safely used in the oven, broiler, microwave and freezer. Also nice: It comes in nearly a dozen beautiful shades.
• Weight: 9 pounds
• Dimensions: 15.25 x 9 x 3 inches
• Material: High-fired stoneware, porcelain enamel
• Dishwasher safe? No
Pros
- Conducts and retains heat well
- Handles are easy to grip
Cons
- Hard to clean
The vast majority of baking dishes we tested were stoneware or glass, but this cast iron option from Lodge held its own. The casserole dish is pre-seasoned, so you can use it for your cooking needs right away. Just stay away from anything too sticky — eggs or cheese, for example — since the casserole dish is very hard to clean and very heavy, making the process even more cumbersome. If you can get beyond this hurdle, chances are you'll love the power of this baking dish — especially for heartier items like bread pudding and cornbread — since it expertly conducts and retains heat for even cooking and browning throughout.
• Weight: 7.25 pounds
• Dimensions: 16.5 x 9.31 x2.38 inches
• Material: Cast iron
• Dishwasher safe? No
Pros
- Handles are easy to grip
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Not ideal for quick-cooking casseroles
One of the biggest draws of this baking dish is the cool retro aesthetic, but it's much more than a pretty piece to look at. The kitchen workhorse has very thick ceramic walls much like our pick from Le Creuset. While this wasn't ideal for the cornbread and bread pudding we tested, the experts in our Test Kitchen say it's perfect for braising or whipping up a batch of moist enchiladas. And despite its size and weight, it's relatively easy to handle, thanks to large, easy-to-grasp looped handles. It's also dishwasher-, freezer- and microwave-safe, so you're bound to reach for this one over and over. Just don't count on the idea of a matching lid, as it's currently out of stock.
• Weight: 5 pounds
• Dimensions: 16.5 x 9.25 x 3 inches
• Material: Ceramic
• Dishwasher safe? Yes
Pros
- Stylish design
- Manufacturer says you can go from freezer to oven
Cons
- Handle broke during testing
The crisp white exterior with blue trim makes this baking dish a truly beautiful selection, but it's as delicate as it looks, so you'll have to take care when handling it. (One of the handles broke off during our tests.) Despite this, it's an excellent choice for anyone who wants the ability to cook in a very hot oven. The dish can withstand temps up to a whopping 650° Fahrenheit — hotter than most hot ovens get. And, according to the manufacturer, you can even take the dish from the freezer directly to the oven, making it an excellent choice for meal preppers.
• Weight: 6.6 pounds
• Dimensions: 9 x 13 inches
• Material: Porcelain
• Dishwasher safe? Yes
How we test casserole dishes
When we tested baking dishes in the Lab, we narrowed choices down to 11 different baking dishes, most of which were 9-by-13-inch rectangles with 2.5- to 3-quart capacities. We chose this particular size because our Test Kitchen pros say it's easy to handle and can typically produce between four and six servings.
To assess the functionality of each baking dish, we cooked up boxed cornbread and a savory bread pudding in each one. During the cornbread test, we assessed evenness of browning on the top and bottom, how long it took different casserole dishes to cool and whether or not the surface was nonstick. We also used the test to determine how easy it was to transfer the dish in and out of the oven. When we tested bread pudding, we also measured browning and cook time, as well as how nonstick the material was and whether it could handle metal utensils. We also assessed ease of cleaning.
In the end, we chose baking dishes that cooked evenly and thoroughly, released food well, were easy to handle and cleaned up without much effort.
What to consider when shopping for baking dishes
✔️ Size: When our Test Kitchen develops recipes, our pros generally reach for casserole dishes between 2.5 and 3 quarts, because they're relatively easy to handle but can comfortably make four to six servings. Both smaller and larger sizes are available — the smaller sizes are ideal for side dishes or serving fewer people; larger sizes are great for entertaining or meal prep.
✔️ Shape: Casserole dishes come in all shapes, but our Test Kitchen pros say rectangles are the most versatile in terms of what you can cook and how quickly. Generally, more surface area allows for quicker and more even heating.
✔️ Material: Most of the casserole dishes we tested were made of ceramic and coated with some sort of glaze to help make them more durable and nonstick. One was made of cast iron, which is heavy but known to retain heat well, while another was made from a lighter, coated carbon steel that heats quickly and allows for more browning. Lastly, one was made of glass, which is also lightweight and allows you to keep an eye on browning on all sides, but in our tests, it didn’t adequately brown. When choosing which material is best for you, most people should consider weight and ease of cleaning first and foremost. That said, more advanced home chefs may prioritize how well the baking dish browns food.
✔️ Freezer-to-oven safe?: Some materials, like borosilicate glass and certain coated ceramics, can handle drastic changes in temperature, but most stoneware can’t do so without cracking or shattering. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions before attempting to use your casserole dish in this way.
✔️ Handles: Most baking dishes have handles of some sort, but large, oversized handles are the easiest to grasp, especially with bulky oven mitts on.
✔️ Extra features: Some casserole dishes come with lids that can help keep food warm (particularly when made of the same, heavy-duty material as the casserole dish), and this added feature is particularly handy for storage purposes.
Is ceramic good for baking?
Ceramic is not only an attractive choice but also typically maintains even heat during cooking. What's more, ceramic can also typically withstand different environments, including the oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher, making it a versatile choice.
Is a casserole dish the same as a baking dish?
A casserole dish is a type of baking dish, but not all baking dishes are casserole dishes. Typically, a casserole dish is a large rectangular vessel that's oven-safe and can hold larger recipes like lasagna or another type of one-dish meal.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Testing for this roundup was conducted by Eva Bleyer, Home & Kitchen Appliances Reviews Analyst for the Good Housekeeping Institute. In addition to baking dishes, Eva regularly tests kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear. She graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Science in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health and is a trained chef from the Natural Gourmet Institute. She has also served as a personal chef and food stylist for Food Network.
Brigitt Earley is a freelance writer and editor with nearly 15 years of experience testing and writing about consumer products, including baking dishes and other kitchen accessories and gadgets. She holds a degree in Professional Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute (now Institute of Culinary Education).
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