The Baking Find I Wish I Bought Even Sooner (It’s Lasted So Long in My Kitchen!)

As the days begin to cool, you may feel more inclined to fire up the oven for tasks like roasting meat, fish, or vegetables, or baking up a batch of cookies or pastries. We all know how hot the kitchen can get once the oven’s preheated, so it’s no surprise that fall is considered “baking season.” Now that it’s here, the real question is as follows: Do you have the right tools?

Baking is, without a doubt, a science. Without the proper essentials, even your favorite pastry or bread might fall short of perfection. One tool that many home bakers swear by is the baking mat. Designed to sit on top of a baking sheet, these mats are nonstick, heat-resistant, and help prevent messes. Most agree they’re far superior to foil or parchment paper. One brand we love at The Kitchn is Silpat, and right now its original premium baking mat is on sale for an incredible 48% off on Amazon. 

Silpat’s Original Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat completely eliminates the need for parchment paper. Made from high-quality, food-grade silicone and reinforced with fiberglass mesh, it’s durable and designed to fit most standard baking sheets. Beloved by professional chefs and home bakers alike, Silpat has built a strong reputation as one of the first brands to introduce baking mats to the market. Many users report that the mat lasts for years without any loss of performance. “In the bakery, we used the same five mats for years, washing and baking with them multiple times each day, and they held up just fine,” says contributor Stella, a former pastry chef who swears by her Silpat. Available in four sizes, this baking mat is a smart investment — especially when it’s on sale!

Rating: 4.7/5

“We have had these for over a month, and the higher quality that makes these higher in price is evident to us. The mats are holding up and are a thicker quality then the generic brands … as someone who has had both, I will buy these if I ever need to replace them” —dsppa

“This Silpat baking mat is worth the extra money over its imitators. It is made by the inventor of silicone mats and is top-quality, and safe for food (never cut to size, as that would release fibers). Easy to use, keeps pans clean, baking quality is excellent and incredibly easy to clean with a sponge. Do yourself a favor and stop wrestling with cleaning messy baking pans by using the liner. It also turns out a great finished product with baked goods not too browned on the bottom. Any grease that is expelled also sits on the mat — a nice bonus to minimize grease on the food.” —Food & Beverage

“I bought one of these after reading how bad making aluminum foil is for the environment. It fit perfectly on my cookie sheet and absolutely nothing I have tried has stuck yet. Cleanup is super easy, too — no difficult scrubbing or burned-looking spots. I just purchased another one!” —Miss Nicci 

Due to Silpat’s incredible reputation, you might want to grab a few silicone baking mats while they’re on sale. You’ll easily make back what you would spend on parchment paper and foil with a price this low. It’s oven-, microwave-, and freezer-safe, and all you have to do is rinse it off with a little soap and water!

Buy: Silpat The Original Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, $13.90 (originally $26.65)