From scratches to dents to burnt-on stains, pots and pans go through the wringer. While these battle scars are more annoyances than they are actual issues, damaged cookware can become a problem when it’s hard to use. If you have a warped pan or two in your collection, the uneven surface may affect how your food cooks.
Here’s a closer look at what causes warped pans, trays and pots, along with several ways to un-warp them.
What Causes a Pan to Warp?
My parents have had the same set of cookie sheets in their kitchen since I was little. And ever since I can remember, one of them has been slightly bent upward and uneven. It doesn’t lie flat on an oven rack, so half of the cookies we bake using the sheet always come out a little underdone. Not really what you want when prepping batch after batch of cookies.
Sound familiar? Here are a few of the reasons why your cookware might be warped. And if your cookware collection is growing, we have some storage solutions for your kitchen.
Rapid Changes in Temperature
Have you ever removed a pan from the oven, scooped its contents on a cooling rack and immediately doused it with cold water in the sink? We’ve all done it at least once. The sizzling and the steam is unpleasant, of course, but you’re actually damaging your cookware by exposing it to contrasting temperatures so quickly. The pan is still extremely hot, and splashing it with cold water puts it under stress, causing the temperature change to distribute unevenly and warp the metal. Give your pots and pans a few minutes to cool down on their own before heading over to the sink!
Overheating
You can also warp a pot or pan by heating it up too quickly. Even taking a room temperature pan and heating up to a high temperature quickly (versus over a longer period of time) causes stress, and the unevenly distributed heat can misshape your metal cookware.
Weak Material
It’s always a good idea to invest in quality cookware, since we constantly expose it to high temps and messes. In general, stainless steel is considered to be a more heavy-duty metal than aluminum. It’s denser, more durable and less likely to bend under heat and weight. Look for cooking products that are multi-ply versus single-ply; they’re even more durable.
Thicker pans also conduct heat better than thinner pans. Because they have less material, thin pans warp more easily when exposed to extreme temperatures. Thicker pans hold up better and generally do a better job absorbing heat.
Burner Size
If the stovetop is the culprit behind your warped pots and pans, it might be because your burner is too small for the cookware you’re using. Large pots can warp on the stove due to concentrated heat from the burner, which may only hit the center of your cookware’s base and neglect to heat the edges.
How to Fix a Warped Pan
Yes, there are steps you can take to fix the damage! Here are two simple methods to test in your kitchen.
Pound Flat with a Hammer
You’ll need two towels, some heat and a hammer to try and rejuvenate a warped pan. Start by heating the pan on low for several minutes, to get things warmed up. Then, carefully transport your pot or pan to a flat, durable surface like a concrete floor or workbench. Place a towel down between the pot or tray and the flat surface to act as a cushion, plus another towel directly on top of the warped metal. Then start pounding the metal flat with a hammer.
This method works best for cooking products that aren’t yet severely warped.
Use a Wood Block
For heavily warped cookware, try the wood block method. Follow the same steps as the towel and hammer method above (heat, place on a flat surface with a towel as a buffer), but place a wooden block on the metal and hammer that. You can hammer a little harder, and the wood will help distribute the blows to the metal.
Easy Sheet-Pan Dinners to Make Tonight
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My partner adores these saucy stuffed peppers—and I love how quickly they come together. Top with low-fat sour cream and your favorite salsa. —Jean Erhardt, Portland, Oregon Go to RecipeNeed an update? You can buy a Taste of Home nonstick sheet pan on Amazon!
Everyone needs an easy meal. Try this sheet-pan chicken with roasted potatoes for a simple and tasty meal guaranteed to please the whole family. If you use fresh lemon juice, garnish each serving with a little lemon zest for bright flavor. —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California
I created this pork tenderloin sheet-pan dinner to suit our family's needs. It's so quick and easy to clean up since you use one pan for everything! Use any variety of small potatoes—fingerlings or other colored potatoes are a fun and delicious option. —Debbie Johnson, Centertown, Missouri
Our favorite dinners are the ones that leave stomachs full and kitchen sinks empty. Your sheet-pan portobello tacos sound like they’d hit the spot. Same with that gyro skillet! And we never would’ve thought to put spaghetti bolognese in a muffin tin or teriyaki chicken in a casserole dish. Submit your easy-peasy one-pan recipes for a chance to win big and be featured here. Enter the Contest
I grew up with this classic meat loaf recipe, but I adapted it to mini meatloaves so that they would bake more quickly. The sauce topping is always a hit. I added the potatoes and asparagus to make an easy complete meal. —Deanne Johnson, Reading, Pennsylvania
Give your pie a Southwest twist when you slather on the taco sauce and top with black beans, green chilies and kicked-up chicken strips. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
With its pretty lattice crust, this cheesy baked dish looks as good as it tastes. It's easy to make, too, since it uses ready-to-go crescent roll dough. —Lorraine Naig, Emmetsburg, Iowa
This sheet-pan chicken curry is a quick way to get a meal on the table without fuss. Everyone loves it, and it's healthy to boot! Serve it with a side of jasmine rice. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
My husband and I eat a lot of salmon. One night, while in a rush to get dinner on the table, I created this rosemary salmon meal. It's a keeper! You can also include sliced zucchini, small cauliflower florets or fresh green beans. —Elizabeth Bramkamp, Gig Harbor, Washington
This is a fantastic meatless dinner or an amazing side dish. It works well with a variety of sheet-pan-roasted vegetables. We enjoy using zucchini or squash in the summer, and you can also change up the herbs in the dressing. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
When my family smells this dish baking in the oven, they know they are in for a treat! If you like spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or switch the mild Italian sausage to hot Italian sausage. —Ashli Claytor, Chesapeake, Virginia
I combine two all-time favorites in this recipe: pizza and BLT sandwiches. I brought this fun mashup to a ladies lunch and was met with lots of oohs and aahs. —Bonnie Hawkins, Elkhorn, Wisconsin
When time is of the essence, it's nice to have a quick and easy meal idea in your back pocket. Not only is it delicious, but you can clean it up in a flash. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
I created this dish for my mother when she moved back to our hometown. Since she really enjoys shrimp and slightly spicy food, I decided to create a shrimp-stuffed poblanos to surprise her. She was delighted.—Tina Garcia-Ortiz, Tampa, Florida
I developed this quick and easy recipe through trial and error. I used to garnish it with sour cream, too, but I eliminated it in order to lighten the recipe. My friends all love it when I cook these chimichangas, and they're much healthier than deep-fried. —Rickey Madden, Clinton, South Carolina
This sheet-pan chicken is an easy gluten-free, low-carb meal ideal for busy weekdays. The chicken is tender, juicy and so delicious! It's now on the list of our favorite meals. You can substitute any low-carb vegetable for green beans. —Denise Browning, San Antonio, Texas
These boats are wonderful with tortilla chips, beans or rice. You can also cover them, pack them on ice, and take them to a picnic or potluck. Straight from the oven or cold, they're always delicious. —Frances Benthin, Scio, Oregon
The convenience and simplicity of this chicken dinner make it extra awesome. Feel free to change the veggies throughout the year—the sticky-spicy-sweet sauce is tasty on everything!! —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland
I developed this prosciutto pesto pizza for my young grandson who hasn't acquired a taste for veggies yet. He scarfs it up and doesn't even notice the edamame. It's also a hit with my other grandkids and nieces—not to mention all of their parents! —Don Manzagol, Campbell, California
Sheet-pan dinners are a busy cook's dream with quick prep and easy cleanup. This sheet-pan jambalaya is a healthy twist on a classic that uses cauliflower rice for a lower-carb supper. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland
This recipe is tasty and quick, and it can easily be doubled for last-minute dinner guests. Cook it in the oven or on the grill, and add the veggies of your choice. —Judy Batson, Tampa Florida
This one-dish roast chicken with vegetables tastes as if it took hours of hands-on time to put together, but the simple ingredients can be prepped in mere minutes. The rosemary gives it a rich flavor, and the meat juices cook the veggies to perfection. It’s unbelievably easy! —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
I like to make this seafood dinner for company because it tastes amazing, but takes very little effort to throw together. Use asparagus, Broccolini or a mix of the two. It’s all about what's available for a decent price. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
This tandoori chicken recipe is easy for weeknights since it bakes in one pan, but it is also special enough for guests. The best part? There isn’t much to clean up when dinner is over! —Anwar Khan, Iriving, Texas
The lemon pulls this flavorful and healthy dish together. You can use grated Parmesan cheese instead of Romano if you'd like. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
In our area we have an abundance of fresh lemons year-round. When I had a few extra on hand, I put together this quick sheet-pan chicken. I baked it so I could add carrots and potatoes, but you can grill the chicken if you'd like. —Kallee Krong-McCreery, Escondido, California
This one-pan shrimp and veggies recipe has everything I'm looking for in a weeknight family dinner: quick, flavorful, nutritious and all three of my kids will eat it! My oldest son loves shrimp and I thought it would work well as a sheet-pan supper. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
For our fajitas, I combine chicken and pineapple for a different flavor. These fajitas are more on the sweet side, but my family loves them! —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Most nights I need something that I can get on the table with minimal effort and delicious results. This sheet-pan supper has become an all-time favorite, not only because of its bright flavors but also because of its speedy cleanup time. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Every week I try to serve a new healthy fish. With its fresh dill and delicious panko bread crumb herb crust, this dish with mild tilapia is a winner. —Tamara Huron, New Market, Alabama
People think I went to a lot of trouble when I serve these packets. Individual aluminum foil pouches hold in the juices during baking to keep the herbed chicken moist and tender. The foil saves time and makes cleanup a breeze. —Edna Shaffer, Beulah, Michigan
Sausage with peppers was always on the table when I was growing up. Here's how to do it the easy way: Just grab a sheet pan and the ingredients, then let the oven do the work. —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
I'm always up for new ways to cook salmon. In this dish, a sweet sauce gives the fish and green beans some down-home barbecue tang. Even our kids love it. —Aliesha Caldwell, Robersonville, North Carolina
Since I do not like green bell peppers, I decided to create a filling that would go well with my favorite pepper, a poblano. After a few taste tests with my family, this stuffed poblano peppers recipe is now one of our favorites. I have also added black beans, used Cubanelle peppers and served with cilantro lime rice. —Lorri Stout, Gaithersburg, Maryland
I love to share my cooking, and this hearty sheet-pan dinner has built a reputation for being tasty. People have actually approached me in public to ask for the recipe. —Laurie Sledge, Brandon, Mississippi
I recently became a fan of tilapia. The mild taste makes it easy to top with our favorite ingredients. And it’s low in calories and fat. What’s not to love? —Robin Brenneman, Hilliard, Ohio
Fans of spicy chicken wings will love this rendition that turns it into pizza. Serve it up with blue cheese dressing and crisp celery, just like the tasty original. —Shari DiGirolamo, Newton, Pennsylvania
When it's chilly outside, I like to roast pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes, apples and an orange. The sweetness and spices make any evening cozy. —Danielle Boyles, Sparta, Wisconsin
Not only do refrigerated breadsticks lend a fun twist to pizza, but they make this dish a weeknight staple at my house. Feeding kids? Slice pieces into small strips and let the kids dip each strip into marinara sauce. They’ll love it! —Mary Hankins, Kansas City, Missouri
An easy marinade gives these chops lots of flavor, the crumb coating packs on crunch and Brussels sprouts add nutrition! —Char Ouellette, Colton, Oregon
My girls love it when I make this mash-up pizza with hot dogs and chili. It’s a marvelous way to use up leftover chili. —Jennifer Stowell, Smithville, Missouri
I've liked the chicken and artichoke combo for a long time. Here's my own lemony twist. With all the praise it gets, this dinner is so much fun to serve. —Carly Giles, Hoquiam, Washington
I will always remember the way my grandmother's house smelled when she made these balsamic chicken thighs every Sunday. Ever since she gave me the recipe, the heartwarming flavors always take me back to my childhood. — Erin Chilcoat, Central Islip, New York
I like this dish featuring kielbasa and veggies for two reasons: It's so hearty, and it’s a one-pan meal. That’s a win-win dinner! —Marietta Slater, Justin, Texas
My sons like pizza but not takeout pies. I pull out my trusty baking pan to make a cornbread pizza with veggies in the crust and everything on top, from pepperoni to leftover ham. —Mary Leverette, Columbia, South Carolina
