Don't waste money on nonstick pans -- they don't last and the health questions they raise are quite scary -- particularly when you're responsible for what your entire family is eating.

D'oh! I actually meant to say "NOT non-stick." I'll fix that...

Another reason not to get non-stick is that it's hard to tell how well the fond (the lovely bits that get stuck to the pan that get turned into gravy or pan sauce later) is coming along. For the same reason, the dark-finished Calphalon anodized pan is not worth considering.

If you live in NY you can get a great roasting pan at the restauarant supply stores on the bowery. Super cheap and what the professionals use!

I have the nonstick one pictured and it is fine. I am not scraping it or using it at super high temps so I have had no problems with the coating. Maybe I am just not fancy enough, but I have had rave reviews for every turkey I have made on it, large or small, and my gravy is just fine. Also it was a gift = I am so not buying another one.

But for smaller stuff - a whole chicken or a turkey breast, I just use the same Pyrex I use for making lasagna in. If you're not going to do a lot of roasting then the Pyrex is a good versatile option. And it takes up less space.

if you'll only use it 1-2 times a year, why not borrow, or look for a used one?

I roast everything in my
Calphalon 12" Everyday Pan. Last year I squeezed a small turkey in it. It's also fantastic for stovetop meals.

I'd get the $60 Calphalon. It should be okay for gravy-making, even if dark.

I wouldn't buy a super-large one either -- it has to fit your over well, and the size of turkey or goose you tend to get. Mine is too big, and my rack slides around in it. Wish I had gotten a smaller one...

I bought the All-Clad Petite Roti Pan a few years ago. It comes with a roasting rack with handles.

Just like this: http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=195383

I use it all the time... with and without the rack. Holds a good size turkey but also does a bang-up job of roasting veg. for dinner.

Expensive? Yes... but I'll NEVER have to buy another. It washes but beautifully and still looks great!

www.lnt.com has the petit roti roasting pan by All-Clad for only $115.19. That includes the All-Clad rack. It's about 11 X 14 and holds up to a 12 lb. turkey. The AC roaster though isn't tri-ply but pure stainless. There were warping issues with the larger one but the small one is great and more versatile I think than the larger.

www.smartbargains.com has a great deal on a tri-ply one by Kitchenaid.

i also have the all-clad petite roti pan. i bought it on sale for ~$130 -- expensive but so worth it.

in the fall and winter, i use it as often as my favorite skillet and saucepan. it's just big enough for a turkey or roast, but small enough to roast a chicken and also great for vegetables. it's nice and heavy, which makes it great for browning stovetop and for making sauces.

I wanted the Calphalon Contemporary almost a year (most of my cookware is Calphalon One or Contemporary and I love it) but they raised the price $30 and I don't roast often either. (Though I believe they are now running a $20 rebate on their SS and non-stick roasters.)

I bought the KitchenAid roaster Cooks Illustrated recommended as their cheaper best buy two weeks ago. I only paid $39 for it from Homeclick instead of the $49 it is now, it's on this page: http://www.homeclick.com//web/catalog/product_detail.aspx?did=1005

I haven't used it yet, waiting on Thanksgiving. My sister and bro-in-law received it last year and they are happy with it. I would've preferred it was clad, but for the price and amount of use it will get, I think it was a smart purchase.

I received a small non-stick roasting rack&pan as a gift. I probably wouldn't have chosen a non-stick if I had purchased it myself. But that said, it works well and I do get a nice fond.

I would get the smaller pan, unless you really do intend to make large casseroles often. It will take up less space and probably get more use.

Why do you need an aluminim core in a roasting pan?

I thought that the point of roasting was to allow the dry heat of the oven to circulate around the meat (hence the rack), not to cook the meat through contact with the pan.

I have a stainless pan, not clad, and no aluminum in the base. But it is absolutely capable of roasting a bird and getting to the stovetop for deglazing and pan sauces.

In other words, I would much rather shell out big money for a clad saute or saucepan rather than a roaster. Not only because of their different functions, but also because of their frequency of use.

I roast my birds directly on the rack and put a janky old pan underneath to catch the drippings. Cheap, easy and doesn't require taking up valuable cabinet space with some I would only use a few times a year.

Like Alton Brown says, say no to uni-taskers!

Sorry, that should be "directly on the oven rack"

Yesterday I got an IKEA one for 10 euros. For the two times a year it will be used I think it's more than perfect.

I have a huge old aluminum roaster I bought at a garage sale a few years ago. It's big enough to hold an 18 lb turkey and deep enough to contain *some* of the splattering from the goose I roast at Christmas. I only make gravy about 4x a year, so I'm not too concerned about the aluminum. And since it was a garage sale purchase, I don't worry that it gets all *janky*.

I've been using my mom's old Graniteware (enameled steel) roaster for over 10 years (and my mom used it for years before that!) It works fine for me - although I've been thinking maybe I should upgrade to something a little more fancy, but I'm nervous about ruining a good thing ;-) For me the real trick for getting a great tasting moist turkey is in the brine!

THose are good prices. I saw an all-clad roaster at William Asheley in Toronto and it was $399! I was gob smacked. Looks like I need to shop around.