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Suspect loafpan recommendations

RutlandSqCooking's picture

Suspect loafpan recommendations (post #71136)

RutlandSqCooking on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 18:21
in
Dear Fine Cooking, Though new to your magazine but not new to Taunton Press, I was extremely surprised at your selection of two Williams-Sonoma loaf pans as best in their category (metal and nonstick). Though you did not name the other 9 pans you tested, these W-S pans are clearly a knock off of Chicago Metallic pans, which W-S used to carry. Since you can buy Chicago Metallic pans from many sources and independent cook shops, usually at a better price than the W-S clones, I think this should have been mentioned in the article. If one compares Chicago M. and Williams-S., the only difference one will find is the brand stamp and perhaps the lower price. I would like to think the reason W-S got press over Chicago Metallic was an oversight and not because of advertising. From experience Chicago Metallic makes excellent bakeware. Respectfully, RutlandSqCook
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Pielove's picture

Equipment reviews.... (post #71136, reply #1 of 2)

by Pielove in reply to RutlandSqCooking [original] on Wed, 03/16/2011 - 17:32

Yeah, I have some Chicago Metallic stuff and it is very good.  The equipment reviews seem a bit odd-- they tested 10 loaf pans and four different types-- so that is not very many brands per type.  

pie

RDA's picture

Loaf Pan Concerns Addressed (post #71136, reply #2 of 2)

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RDA in reply to RutlandSqCooking [original] on Thu, 03/17/2011 - 07:47

Thanks for your comments RSC,

FC editors took your comments to the author and her explanation addresses your concern:

“The Williams-Sonoma pans are not manufactured by Chicago Metallic. I believe at one point Williams-Sonoma's line of loaf pans were manufactured by Chicago Metallic, but that changed in the last year. The Williams-Sonoma top-pick loaf pans are manufactured by USA Pans, which the article stated. Chicago Metallic pans were part of the testing, but because they were not determined to be as truly excellent as the four pans featured, they were not recommended in the article.”

A note about how we tested: We tested 10 loaf pans in the following categories: metal, nonstick, ceramic, and glass. We made 10 loaves of sandwich bread and 15 pound cakes. To test the final top five pans, we baked a quick bread (banana bread). We evaluated each pan on overall construction, how evenly it baked, and how readily it released food.

Again, your feedback is appreciated! Hope this explanation helps.

Robyn (FineCooking.com web producer)