What to Look For in the Best Broiler Pan for Oven Use

A broiler pan is two pieces: a shallow drip pan underneath and a slotted or perforated rack on top. The meat sits on the rack a few inches from the broil element, and the fat runs through into the pan below, out of the direct heat. That is what lets you broil a skirt steak for tacos or a tray of chicken thighs without the drippings smoking and flaring up.

Many ovens once came with one, and the original often goes missing, warps or rusts. This guide covers the broiler pans worth buying, from full-size stainless sets to tri-ply pans and toaster-oven sizes, and how to measure your oven so the one you order actually fits. For roasting pans with racks, the deeper cousin of the broiler pan, see our guide to the best roasting pan with rack.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for in pans that go under high heat, the makers’ own specifications and the product listings, which we cite.

Quick verdict: which broiler pan to buy

The rest of this page explains why, and how to make sure the pan fits your oven before you order.

Five broiler pans side by side

Our five standout picks, one for each kind of oven, with the size and maximum temperature each maker or listing states. All seven are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Sizes and temperatures are as stated by each maker or listing; measure your oven and check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best broiler pan for oven use

These seven cover the kinds of broiler pan we would buy: plain stainless steel, which has no coating to chip; tri-ply stainless with a stated broiler rating; and small pans for toaster ovens and compact ovens. None of them appear in our roasting pan guides, which cover deeper pans with racks. Each pick gives the size exactly as listed, so you can compare it with your own oven.

How to choose a broiler pan that fits your oven

A broiler pan is simple, so the choice comes down to fit, material and how you clean.

1. Measure your oven before you order

Classic replacement broiler pans come in two common formats: full size, about 16.5 by 12.75 inches, and small, about 13 by 8.75 inches. Sheet-pan sets run larger or smaller. Measure the inside of the oven from side wall to side wall and from the back wall to the inside of the closed door. Measure the oven rack too, because the pan sits on it. If you broil in a drawer under the oven, measure the drawer’s inside width, depth and height. Then compare those numbers with the listing’s dimensions and leave room on every side for heat to move. If your oven came with a pan, the owner’s manual or the old pan’s part number is the surest guide to the size.

2. Stainless steel, tri-ply or nonstick?

Plain stainless steel has nothing to chip and takes hard scrubbing, but it shows heat tint and makers often give no temperature rating. Tri-ply stainless, like Hestan’s OvenBond pans, is heavier, resists warping and comes with a stated broiler rating. Nonstick is easiest to clean and best kept to toaster ovens and moderate heat. Many ranges ship with a porcelain-enamel broiler pan; we left out glazed or enameled picks whose makers give no lead-free statement.

3. The rack on top

The slots or perforations are the point of a broiler pan: they let fat fall away from the heat. A perforated stainless rack, as on the Norpro sets, drains like a classic slotted grill; a wire rack, as on the Hestan pans, lets drippings fall even more freely but leaves more of the pan’s floor exposed to heat. A deeper drip pan, like the Norpro 274’s 2 inches, holds more fat from fatty cuts.

4. Broiler pan or sheet pan with rack

A dedicated two-piece broiler pan is shallow and sized to an oven. A heavy sheet pan with a rack does the same job and earns its place the rest of the week for roasting vegetables or baking, as long as its maker says it is broiler safe. Check that rating before you put any pan under the element.

Broiling safely: what range makers and the NFPA say

Broiling puts food a few inches from an element running at full power, so a little care goes a long way.

• Never cover the slots. GE’s range owner’s manual allows foil on the broiler pan and grid only if it is molded tightly to the grid with slits cut in it just like the grid. A solid sheet of foil stops fat from draining and leaves it pooled right under the heat.
• Clean the pan after every use. The same GE manual says to take the broiler pan out of the range and clean it after broiling, because leftover grease in the pan can catch fire the next time you use it.
• Use a pan made for broiling. GE’s troubleshooting advice for poor broiling is to use the broiler pan and grid that came with the range; follow your own manual for rack position and whether the door stays closed or open at the broil stop.
• Stay in the kitchen. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says to stay in the kitchen while you are broiling, and to turn off the stove if you leave even for a short time.
• If something catches fire in the oven, the NFPA says to turn off the heat and keep the door closed. If you have any doubt about handling it, get out, close the door behind you and call 911 from outside. GE’s manual adds: never use water on a grease fire.

How we picked these seven broiler pans

We started from what a working kitchen expects of a pan that goes under a broiler: a material that takes direct high heat, a rack that drains fat, a size you can match to an oven, and cleaning a home cook will actually do. We narrowed the field to two-piece broiler pans and pan-and-rack sets sold on Amazon in the United States, in stock when we checked, from identifiable makers (Norpro, Hestan, ONNESOL, Nordic Ware, Cuisinart). We left out unbranded sellers and look-alike listings, pans already covered in our roasting pan guides, and glazed or enameled picks whose makers give no lead-free statement. Specifications come from each listing or the maker’s site, which we say in each review; we have not cooked with these pans for this guide, and we did not use ratings or review counts.

Broiler pan questions, answered

What size broiler pan fits a standard oven?

Classic full-size broiler pans measure about 16.5 by 12.75 inches, and Norpro’s 274 is 16.5 by 12 inches; small ones run about 13 by 8.75 inches or less. Measure your oven and rack, and check your manual or the old pan’s part number.

Can I use a sheet pan instead of a broiler pan?

You can, with a rack on top, as long as the maker rates the pan broiler safe; Hestan’s OvenBond half sheet is one. Without a rack, fat collects next to the food. Our baking pan and rack guide covers more of those sets; check the maker’s temperature rating before putting one under a broiler.

Can I line a broiler pan with foil?

Only the way your range manual allows. GE’s manual says foil must be molded tightly to the grid with slits cut just like the grid. Never lay solid foil over the slots.

Is a stainless broiler pan better than porcelain?

Stainless will not chip and takes hard scrubbing; porcelain enamel cleans more easily and is what many ranges ship with. If you buy porcelain, look for a maker that states its enamel is lead-free.

When should I replace a broiler pan?

Replace a broiler pan when it is warped, rusted or heavily stained. Chipped enamel that exposes bare steel will rust.

Our final pick for broiling

Buy the Norpro 274 stainless set if you have a standard oven and want a full-size pan with nothing to chip. Choose the Hestan OvenBond half sheet with rack for a heavier pan with a stated 600°F broiler rating, the ONNESOL set for big batches, the Nordic Ware compact set or the Norpro 273 for one or two portions, and the Cuisinart pan for a toaster oven. For deeper pans with racks for roasts and holiday birds, see our best roasting pan with rack guide.

And if you would rather someone else worked the broiler tonight, see the menu or call to order.