Written by Sara Ibrahim. Sara researches home and kitchen products for Cupindy.
Published October 2026 · Last reviewed October 30, 2026 · Cupindy is not affiliated with any brand on this page.
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Our quick pick
Ultra Cuisine Stainless Steel Cooling and Baking Racks, set of 2
Solid 304 stainless with nothing plated or coated, sized for the standard half sheet pan, and rated by the maker to 575°F (about 300°C).
See the Ultra Cuisine racks on AmazonThe drawback: the two racks don't stack, so you need flat drawer space for both.
Smaller jelly roll pan? Qukaka stainless racks, 10 x 15 in. Toaster oven? Checkered Chef quarter-size racks.
The short answer
If you want one rack that goes in the oven as well as on the counter, buy solid stainless steel in the size of the pan you already own. For most people that is a half sheet rack. Chrome-plated and nonstick racks usually have lower oven limits, and the maker's stated limit matters more than the word “oven safe.”
We read the Amazon listings and maker pages for the best-selling cooling racks and kept six. For each one we noted what the wire is made of, which pan it fits and the highest oven temperature the maker gives. We haven't tested these racks ourselves, so every number below is the maker's.
Stainless, chrome-plated or nonstick: what your rack is made of
Wire racks come in three kinds, and they look more alike than they are.
Solid stainless steel is the same metal all the way through. There is no coating to wear off, so it can go in the dishwasher and the oven. The stainless racks on this list are rated to 575°F (about 300°C).
Chrome-plated steel is ordinary carbon steel with a thin shiny layer on top. Plating is not automatically a problem. Mrs. Anderson's, for example, rates its chrome-plated racks to 500°F (260°C). The trouble starts when the plating chips at a weld or a scratched wire. The steel underneath can then rust. Makers of solid stainless racks sell against exactly that, and Ultra Cuisine says its racks have no chrome plating to flake off.
Nonstick racks are steel with a coating, and they carry the lowest limits. Nordic Ware's nonstick grids are rated to 400 or 425°F (about 200 or 220°C) depending on the grid, and USA Pan says not to go past 450°F (230°C). Both say to hand wash them.
| Material | Oven limits we found | Dishwasher | What can go wrong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid stainless (304 or 18/8) | 575°F (300°C) on the racks below | Yes, per the makers | Can stain or discolor; does not shed a coating |
| Chrome-plated steel | 500°F (260°C) on Mrs. Anderson's | Hand wash | Plating chips; the steel under it rusts |
| Nonstick-coated steel | 400 to 450°F (200 to 230°C) | Hand wash | Coating scratches with metal tools |
How to tell what you already own
Check the box or the listing first. 'Chrome-plated', 'nickel-plated' or no material named usually means plated carbon steel, while '100% stainless', '304' or '18/8' means solid stainless. A black, gold or rose-gold rack has a finish or coating on it, because plain steel is not those colors.
A fridge magnet helps too. Carbon steel under chrome plating grabs a magnet hard. Grade 304 stainless is generally not magnetic, though bending it into wire can make it pull slightly, according to the British Stainless Steel Association. A weak pull is fine. A strong snap points to plated carbon steel or a magnetic stainless grade.
A stainless rack (left) stays clean at the welds. On the plated rack (right), rust has started where the wires cross.
If your old rack shows rust at the welds, keep it for cooling cookies on the counter and stop putting it in the oven.
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Our quick pick: solid steel, half sheet size
Ultra Cuisine Stainless Steel Cooling and Baking Racks, set of 2
Good for: a standard half sheet pan, in the oven and on the counter.
Why it is here: one of the top sellers in cooling racks, and the listing names the steel, 304 (18/8), rather than just 'stainless'. Ultra Cuisine rates it to 575°F (300°C) and says it can go in the dishwasher. Each rack is 16.5 by 11.5 inches (42 by 29 cm) and stands 1 inch (2.5 cm) tall, which leaves room for air and dripping fat underneath.
What to know: Ultra Cuisine suggests towel drying after the dishwasher rather than leaving the racks wet.
The drawback: the racks do not stack, and this is one of the pricier sets here.
See the Ultra Cuisine racks on AmazonOur picks at a glance
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Specs come from each maker's Amazon listing, read October 30, 2026.
| Rack | Made of, size | Oven limit, the catch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultra Cuisine, set of 2. Best for a half sheet pan. | 304 stainless. 16.5 x 11.5 in (42 x 29 cm). | 575°F (300°C). Does not stack. | See it |
| Qukaka, set of 2. Best for a jelly roll pan on a budget. | Stainless, per the seller. 14.6 x 10 in (37 x 25 cm). | 575°F (300°C). Buy the silver one; material is not in the spec table. | See it |
| Spring Chef, single rack. Best for baking on the rack. | 304 stainless. 14.8 x 10 in (37 x 25 cm). | 575°F (300°C). One rack per box. | See it |
| Checkered Chef, set of 2. Best for a toaster oven or quarter sheet. | Stainless. 11.75 x 8 in (30 x 20 cm). | Not given on the listing. Small. | See it |
| HIWARE 3-tier. Best for cooling big batches. | Stainless. 16.5 x 12 in (42 x 30 cm), 3 racks. | 575°F (300°C). 6.25 in (16 cm) tall when stacked. | See it |
| Nordic Ware half sheet grid. Best for matching a Nordic Ware pan. | Nonstick-coated steel. 16.9 x 11.5 in (43 x 29 cm). | 400°F (200°C). Hand wash, no metal tools. | See it |
Which size fits your pan
A rack should sit inside the rim of your sheet pan, flat, with a little gap all round. Measure the inside of the pan, not the outside, before you order.
| Pan | Typical pan size | Rack size that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Half sheet | About 18 x 13 in (46 x 33 cm) outside | Racks around 16.5 x 11.5 to 17 x 12 in (42 x 29 to 43 x 30 cm) |
| Jelly roll | About 15 x 10 in (38 x 25 cm) | Racks around 14.5 x 10 in (37 x 25 cm) |
| Quarter sheet | About 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) | Racks around 11.75 x 8 to 12 x 8.25 in (30 x 20 to 30 x 21 cm) |
| Toaster oven tray | Check yours | Quarter-size racks often fit |
The half sheet is the size most home bakers own, and the one most recipes mean by 'a rimmed baking sheet'. If you are not sure which you have, measure the long side. Close to 18 inches is a half sheet.
A rack that fits sits flat inside the rim, with a small gap all round.
Smaller pans are where the cheap racks come in, and where the colored versions catch people out.
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Budget pick for a jelly roll pan
Qukaka Cooling Racks, 2 Pack, 10 x 15 in, Silver
Good for: a jelly roll pan, at the lowest cost of our picks.
Why it is here: a top seller in its category. The seller says it is food-grade stainless rather than plated, rates it to 575°F (300°C) and calls it dishwasher friendly.
What to know: it comes in silver, black, gold and rose gold. Buy the silver one. The colored versions have a finish on them, and the listing does not say what it is.
The drawback: the stainless claim sits only in the seller's bullet points. The spec table has no material field, and this listing dates from June 2024. At about 14.6 by 10 inches (37 by 25 cm) it will not fill a half sheet pan.
See the Qukaka racks on AmazonFor a toaster oven, a quarter-size rack is the one that fits.
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Small pans and toaster ovens
Checkered Chef Cooling Racks, Set of 2, 8 x 11.75 in
Good for: toaster ovens and quarter sheet pans.
Why it is here: one of the most reviewed racks in the category. Checkered Chef lists it as stainless steel with no coating, safe for the oven and the dishwasher, and makes the same rack in jelly roll and half sheet sizes.
What to know: in a toaster oven, keep the rack clear of the heating elements.
The drawback: the US listing we read gives no top oven temperature, only 'oven safe'. If you roast hot, pick a rack with a stated limit.
See the Checkered Chef racks on AmazonCan you use a cooling rack in the oven?
Yes, if the maker says it is oven-safe and gives a temperature, and you stay under it. If the box only says 'cooling rack' and names no limit, use it on the counter.
Set the rack inside a rimmed sheet pan rather than straight on the oven shelf. The pan catches drips and holds the rack flat. Keep any rack out from under the broiler unless the maker says it is fine there. Nordic Ware, for one, says its nonstick grid is not for broiler use.
Most baking and roasting happens between 325 and 450°F (165 to 230°C). That is inside the limit of every stainless rack here, but it pushes a nonstick grid rated to 400°F.
Our guide to what is oven-safe covers pans, lids and handles the same way.
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For baking and roasting on the rack
Spring Chef Stainless Steel Cooling Rack, 10 x 15 in
Good for: baking and roasting on the rack itself.
Why it is here: Spring Chef names the steel, 304 grade 18/8, says there is no plating or coating, and rates it to 575°F (300°C). Four raised feet hold it off the pan.
What to know: it measures 10.04 by 14.76 inches (25.5 by 37.5 cm) and is made for a 10.25 by 15.25-inch jelly roll pan. Spring Chef also sells a larger 11.5 by 16.5-inch rack for half sheets.
The drawback: it is one rack per box, so a pair costs about twice as much.
See the Spring Chef rack on AmazonWire rack for wings, bacon and fried food
This is the main job for an oven-safe rack. Set it in a rimmed half sheet pan, lay the food on top and bake. Air reaches the underside, so wings and bacon crisp more evenly, and the fat drips into the pan instead of the food sitting in it.
Many wing recipes bake at 400 to 425°F (200 to 220°C). A stainless rack has room to spare. A 400°F nonstick grid is already at its limit.
The rack keeps the bacon out of its own fat, and the pan catches the drips.
To make cleanup easier, line the pan under the rack with foil. Our guide to using foil in the oven covers when that is fine. For fried food, the same rack and pan catch the oil, so the crust does not go soft on a plate.
For a turkey or a large roast, a cooling rack is too flat and too light. Use a roasting pan with its own rack.
If you only buy one rack for the oven, buy a half-size stainless one like the Ultra Cuisine set, which fits the pan you will use it in.
Cooling rack or baking rack: is there a difference?
They are usually the same thing sold under two names. 'Baking rack' tends to mean the rack is meant to go in the oven, and 'cooling rack' might mean counter only. The name does not tell you much, though. The material and a stated temperature limit do.
Search 'baking rack' and you will also see tall rolling carts on wheels. Those are bakery bun pan racks for storing full sheet pans, a different product, and none of them are on this list.
Cooling a lot at once is the other reason people buy a second rack.
Stacked, three racks cool three batches in the space of one.
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Big batches, small counters
HIWARE Stackable Cooling Racks, 3 Tier
Good for: holiday cookie batches and small counters.
Why it is here: three stainless racks, each about 12 by 16.5 inches (30 by 42 cm). Two have folding legs, so the racks stack into a tower on the counter and fold flat for storage. HIWARE rates them to 575°F (300°C), says they are dishwasher safe and uses a 3/8-inch square grid that small cookies will not fall through.
What to know: each rack also works on its own inside a half sheet pan.
The drawback: stacked, the set stands about 6.25 inches (16 cm) tall, so check the gap between your oven shelves before baking on all three at once.
See the HIWARE racks on AmazonNo rack? What works instead
For cookies, leave them on the pan for a few minutes to firm up, then slide them onto a sheet of parchment on the counter. The bottoms stay drier than they would on the hot pan.
For cakes in a pan, set the pan on a cold stovetop grate or a trivet so air gets under it.
For oven crisping, a clean, cooled oven shelf set over a sheet pan does the job for one batch. It is awkward, which is why a rack is worth having.
If you already own the pan: a nonstick grid
If you bake on Nordic Ware half sheets, the one in our bakeware guide is among them, Nordic Ware makes a grid that nests inside them.
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A matched fit for Nordic Ware pans
Nordic Ware Oven Safe Nonstick Baking and Cooling Grid, Half Sheet
Good for: a matched fit in a Nordic Ware half sheet.
Why it is here: it is made to nest in Nordic Ware's half sheet, and food releases from the coating easily. The listing says the coating is PFOA-free, and Nordic Ware's page for its extra large grid says that grid is made without PFAS.
What to know: hand wash only, no long soaks and no metal utensils, according to Nordic Ware.
The drawback: the listing caps it at 400°F (about 200°C), the lowest limit on this page, so it is not the one for very hot roasting.
See the Nordic Ware grid on AmazonUSA Pan's nonstick racks are similar, with a 450°F (230°C) limit. USA Pan's own page says both 'dishwasher safe' and 'do not place in dishwasher', so hand wash to be safe.
What we left out and why
- Chrome-plated racks, including Mrs. Anderson's. Some are rated to 500°F, but plating can chip and rust in a way solid stainless cannot.
- Black, gold and rose-gold racks whose listings do not say what the color is.
- Bakery bun pan racks on wheels. They are storage carts, not oven racks.
- Caraway and All-Clad racks, sold mostly through their own sites. We did not check them against a listing.
- Plastic and silicone racks. They are not made for oven heat.
Questions people ask
Are cooling racks worth it?
Yes, if you bake or roast often. A rack stops cookie and cake bottoms from going soggy as they cool, and an oven-safe one lets you crisp wings, bacon or fries on a sheet pan with air underneath. One half-size stainless rack covers both jobs.
What is a cooling rack used for?
Cooling baked goods with air underneath so steam can escape. An oven-safe rack also works inside a sheet pan for roasting, crisping, draining fried food and glazing, where the extra icing drips into the pan.
Can I cool bread, pizza or cake on a wire rack?
Yes. Bread and pizza keep a crisper crust on a rack than on a board, because steam escapes from the bottom. Turn a cake out of its pan onto the rack once it has set for the time the recipe gives.
Are stackable racks or racks with handles worth it?
Stackable racks save counter space when you cool several batches, and some fold flat to store. Handles help when you lift a full rack out of a pan, but they make the rack longer, so check that it still fits inside your pan.
Can you put a cooling rack in the dishwasher?
Solid stainless racks, yes, if the maker says so. Ultra Cuisine, Spring Chef, Checkered Chef and HIWARE all do. Nonstick and chrome-plated racks should be washed by hand. More on what cannot go in the machine is in our dishwasher no-go list.
Why does my cooling rack rust?
Usually because it is plated carbon steel and the plating has chipped, often at the welds where wires cross. Once the steel underneath is exposed, water and the dishwasher do the rest. A rusty rack is still fine on the counter but should not go back in the oven.
Is the Checkered Chef cooling rack stainless steel?
Checkered Chef lists its racks as stainless steel with no coating, safe for the oven and the dishwasher. It makes them in quarter, jelly roll and half sheet sizes. The US listing we read for the quarter-size pair gives no top oven temperature.
Can I use a cooling rack on the grill?
Only a rack the maker rates for it, and only within the maker's limit. Ultra Cuisine says its stainless racks work on a grill or smoker up to 575°F (300°C). Nordic Ware says its nonstick grid can go on a grill as long as it stays under its heat limit. Keep coated racks away from open flame.
How we put this together
On October 30, 2026 we pulled the six racks on this page from Amazon's US product data and checked each one's material, size, seller and stock. We read the Nordic Ware and USA Pan product pages for their coated racks and a retailer listing for a chrome-plated rack. The Ultra Cuisine set is our quick pick because the listing names the steel grade, it fits the standard half sheet pan and the maker gives a 575°F limit. Qukaka, the lowest-priced and one of the top sellers, comes second for the reasons in its card. We did not test any rack ourselves, and no brand saw this page before it went up.
Sources (opened October 30, 2026). Product facts come from each Amazon listing on the same date.
- Nordic Ware: Extra Large Baking and Cooling Grid
- USA Pan: Half Sheet Pan and Cooling Rack Set
- Mrs. Anderson's Baking: chrome-plated cooling rack listing (oven safe to 500°F)
- British Stainless Steel Association: magnetic properties of stainless steel
Ultra Cuisine, Qukaka, Spring Chef, Checkered Chef, HIWARE, Nordic Ware, USA Pan, Mrs. Anderson's, Caraway and All-Clad are trademarks of their owners and are named here only to identify their products. Listings change; check the listing before you buy.
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