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If you want a 9x13 pan that bakes and stores in one piece, the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan is a straightforward pick. It's a pure aluminum pan with a metal cover, a reinforced steel rim, and an oven rating of 450 °F, all according to the listing.
Here's the short version. This is a plain, practical pan for sheet cakes, brownies, and bars you want to bake and store in the same pan. The trade-offs: it's hand wash only, the listing mentions no nonstick coating, and the metal lid won't let you peek at what's inside.
Quick Verdict: Is This 9x13 Pan With a Lid a Good Fit?
Buy it if you bake sheet cakes or bars often and like keeping leftovers covered in the same pan. Skip it if you need something dishwasher-friendly or want a nonstick surface.
The Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan doesn't try to do anything fancy. Its appeal is the pairing of a simple aluminum pan with a metal cover, plus a rim built to resist warping.
What You Get With This Aluminum Cake Pan With Lid
Per the listing, the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan arrives as two pieces: the rectangular aluminum pan and a metal cover. Nordic Ware describes the cover as a baking and storage cover, so it's meant to stay with the pan from the oven to storage.
The finish is natural, silver aluminum. The listing doesn't mention a colored coating or a nonstick layer, which matters for both cleanup and how you prep the pan before baking.
The pan is listed as made in the USA by Nordic Ware. That's the extent of what the listing says about where and by whom it's made.
What the Pure Aluminum Build Means for Your Baking
Aluminum is the core of the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan's pitch. The listing makes three claims about it: it bakes evenly, the rim keeps it from warping, and it will never rust.
Even Baking From Aluminum's Heat Conductivity
According to the listing, baked goods rise and bake evenly because aluminum conducts heat so well. That's a common reason bakers reach for aluminum pans in general, since heat spreads across the surface rather than collecting in hot spots.
In practice, that should mean fewer cakes with overdone corners and an underbaked middle. Just keep in mind this is the manufacturer's claim, not something we measured.
A Reinforced Steel Rim Built to Prevent Warping
Thin metal pans can twist as they heat, which leaves batter uneven and the pan rocking on the rack. This one has what the listing calls a reinforced encapsulated steel rim, there specifically to prevent warping.
It's a small detail with a real payoff. A flat, stable pan matters even more when it comes with a cover, because a warped pan would make the lid harder to seat.
A Rust-Free Cake Pan for the Long Haul
The listing states the pan is made of pure aluminum that will never rust, for a lifetime of durability. If you've ever thrown out a rust-spotted pan, that's the main draw.
Rust and wear aren't the same thing, though. That's where the utensil recommendation comes in: the listing suggests nylon, wood, or silicone tools.
The Metal Cover: Bake and Store in One Pan
The cover is what sets the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan apart from a basic 9x13. Instead of reaching for foil or plastic wrap, you can bake, let things cool, and close it up in the same pan.
There are two limits to keep in mind. The cover is metal, so you can't see what's inside without lifting it. And while the listing calls it a baking and storage cover, it doesn't give separate temperature or care details for the lid alone, so check the packaging if you plan to bake with it on.
Size and Depth: How This 9x13 Cake Pan Fits Your Kitchen
The Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan is a standard 9x13 pan, the size most sheet cake, brownie, and bar recipes are written for. You can follow those recipes as written without adjusting for an odd pan size.
The listed weight is also light, so the empty pan is easy to handle.
One thing to plan for: the listed exterior size is noticeably larger than the 9x13 interior. If space is tight, measure your oven and storage spots before you buy. The full measurements are in the specs table.
Care, Cleaning, and Warranty Details
The listing is clear on cleanup for the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan: hand wash only. It also recommends nylon, wood, or silicone utensils.
The listing doesn't address dishwasher use beyond that hand-wash-only instruction, so don't assume it's dishwasher-friendly. Check the packaging for full care directions.
The listing doesn't mention a warranty, either. If coverage matters to you, check the packaging or any included paperwork when it arrives.
Who Should Buy the Nordic Ware 9x13 Covered Cake Pan (and Who Should Skip It)
The Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan makes sense for:
- Home bakers who make sheet cakes, brownies, or bars regularly
- Anyone who wants a built-in baking and storage cover
- People tired of replacing pans that rust or warp
- Bakers who prefer plain metal over coated pans
You may want to skip it if:
- You put all of your bakeware in the dishwasher
- You want a nonstick surface
- You'd rather see your food through a clear lid
How This Covered Cake Pan Compares to Other Baking Pans
The Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan isn't the right tool for every job. Here's how it stacks up against a few common alternatives.
Half sheet pan. A half sheet pan is wider and shallower, and it's the go-to for roasting vegetables and baking big batches of cookies. Most don't come with a cover, and the low sides won't hold a deep cake.
Cookie sheet. A cookie sheet is flat with little or no rim, so cookies slide right off. It's built for cookies, not for batter that needs walls.
Jelly roll pan. A jelly roll pan is a shallow rimmed pan made for thin sponge cakes you roll up. An uncoated jelly roll pan gives you a similar plain-metal surface to this pan, just much shallower.
Insulated cookie sheet. An insulated cookie sheet uses a layer of air to slow down bottom browning, which some bakers like for delicate cookies. It's a different tool entirely, meant for cookies rather than cakes or bars.
If your baking is mostly cookies, one of those sheets will serve you well. If it's sheet cakes and bars you want to bake and store in one pan, the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan fits that job more directly.
Final Verdict: Is the Nordic Ware 9x13 Covered Cake Pan Worth It?
For bakers who want a simple 9x13 pan with its own baking and storage cover, the Nordic Ware 9x13 covered cake pan is easy to recommend. The pure aluminum build, the rust-free promise, and the warp-resistant steel rim cover what most people care about in a cake pan.
The downsides are real but manageable. You'll be washing it by hand, you'll want to prep the pan as your recipe directs since no nonstick coating is listed, and the metal lid hides what's inside. If those trade-offs work for you, this covered aluminum cake pan is a sensible everyday choice.
