This $40 Baking Gem Is the “Best Ever” for Comfort Meals (It’s So Gorgeous!)

I’ll admit it: When I shop for new kitchen gear, looks are just as important to me as performance. I know not everyone will agree with me, but hear me out! My kitchen is super tiny and pantry-less, which means all of my cabinets are filled to the brim with snacks and ingredients. So, pretty much every kitchen tool I own is out on display all the time, including my everyday fry pan and Dutch oven. Those sit on my stovetop, while everything else hangs from my wall-mounted cookware rack. Naturally, I want them to be pretty if they’re always visible! 

When baking season comes around during the winter, my baking dish stays out pretty much 24/7, too. Unfortunately, that’s the one item that I have yet to upgrade to a stylish alternative. It’s fine — it’s just a plain white color — but I know I can do better. Ever since I heard about its colorful sheet pans,  I’ve been eyeing Great Jones’ bakeware, and now that its Little Hottie baker is on sale, I think it’s finally time to make the swap. It’s editor-approved, so versatile, totally gorgeous, and only $40!

Comfort food season is in full swing, so it’s the perfect time to snag the brand’s 8-inch square ceramic baker. Its size is ideal for smaller servings — which means that it also takes up minimal space in your kitchen — and you can easily take it with you to gatherings. That brings me to our tester’s favorite feature: the handles. 

Lisa, our former executive lifestyle director, tried out the larger version and was especially wowed by how effortless it was to grab out of the oven and place it on the table. “The handles are what makes this casserole dish ridiculously amazing,” her review reads. “I’ve used a lot of casserole dishes in my career (it’s my job!) and most of them can be hard to grab — without putting your mitt right into the food. I’m hooked on these handles.”

Further, she says that her casseroles and ziti came out “evenly cooked (no pockets of runny eggs or burned bottoms)” and cleaned up easily. That’s right: It’s also dishwasher-safe! You can also pop it into the freezer to keep your leftovers and into the microwave to heat them up later. Considering all of that and its retro scalloped design — it comes in pink, yellow, and blue — I have no doubt that this baking dish will be a step up from my current one!

Average Rating: 4.3/5

“This is the prettiest pie plate. I have the extra large cookie sheet in raspberry, two half sheets in blueberry, and the bread loaf in green. They cook evenly, and the colors are beautiful.” — Karen

“Best baking dish ever! I love this baking dish, I just made enchiladas, and they came out delicious! Baked so evenly and kept the moisture in perfectly! I’m in love!” — Amy A.

“Nonstick is an understatement! Cleaned with a few wipes, and the dishwasher did the rest! I love it! The green is so pretty!” — Trena W.

Once you add the Little Hottie to your cart, I recommend taking a look at all of the other stunning pieces included in Great Jones’ Warehouse Sale. It also includes the aforementioned larger dish, which is called the Hot Dish. The Little Hottie is designed to nest inside its 9″ x 13″ counterpart, so you can complete the set while they’re both discounted!

Buy: Little Hottie, $40 (normally $60)