There are countless items in your kitchen that you know for a fact you won’t use every day, but still serve a purpose. Take silicone mats, for example. Unless you’re a regular Betty Crocker, you might not see the point to purchasing silicone mats when you could just buy the occasional roll of parchment paper. After all, they essentially do the same thing, right? Well, yes, but only to an extent.
Even if you just buy one or two, silicone mats are actually extremely useful in ways you probably wouldn’t expect. For example, parchment paper can’t always take the heat — if the oven gets too hot, the paper will crisp or catch fire. What’s more, silicone mats are reusable, so they’re better for the environment and your wallet.
Plus, silicone mats aren’t just for baking cookies: You can use them to roast vegetables, roll out dough, toast nuts and seeds, and more. So save yourself time on post-meal cleanup (no more scouring gunk off the bottom of your sheet pans!) and purchase one of our top picks below.
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1. KITZINI Silicone Baking Mats
Tired of your grandma’s special chocolate chip cookie recipe getting ruined by burnt bottoms? KITZINI silicone baking mats are designed with even heat distribution in mind so that every treat comes out perfectly. Each sheet is made out of food-grade silicone that features a fiberglass core and can withstand temperatures from freezing all the way to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s more, KITZINI sheets are non-stick, so there’s no need to grease with cooking spray or butter. They’re also dishwasher safe to minimize mess — all you have to do is scrub off excess crumbs with a sponge before dropping it in with your other dishes.
2. Silpat Premium Silicone Mats
Some recipes are stickier than others — literally. Oatmeal raisin cookies, taffy, caramels and the like all stick to your fingers and do a number on your pans. While parchment paper can’t hold up against these batters, Silpat’s Premium Silicone Mats can. Each mat is designed with food-grade silicone that features a proprietary fiberglass mesh with non-stick properties. They hold up in freezing temps and heated ovens up to 482 degrees Fahrenheit, and can withstand anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 uses.
3. AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat Sheet
No parchment paper? No problem. AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat Sheets stand in for paper and can handle heat up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. This pair of mats is made of food-grade silicone that doesn’t require any additional grease, oil or butter and won’t falter at the use of metal spatulas or utensils.
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