Wilton Performance Pans Square Cake Pans Set, 3 Piece - 8, 12 and 16-Inch Cake Pans

When I first bought this pan set I thought they would work great for the wedding cake I had to make. But I didn't relize until I got home from where I bought them from, that the pans were all dented they each had a dent from the pan on top of it. I complained about it and when the store checked all their other sets they were the same, so the company called and asked wilton about it and I got a full refund because that shouldn't happen. And my cake turned out okay, but PLEASE, if you are thinking about buying this product don't. It's not worth it and the pans are bent after one use.

I already own several pieces of Wilton bakeware so I'm familiar with the quality of the brand. These pans are certainly adequate for the job they're intended to do, but I was a little disappointed that they are not as heavy as my older Wilton pans. Wilton appears to have chosen to use thinner-grade aluminum for its products these days. But, as I said, the pans will likely perform just fine, but I wish Wilton had stuck with its old manufacturing standards.

If I could give these pans a zero star I would. These pans are angled, so stacking a cake is almost impossible. I had to carve the side of the cakes in order to stack them. I am very disappointed with this purchase and if I could return them I would.

Why one star? Because as you learn more about decorating/layers/tiers and become more professional in your baking/hobby, you learn that square pans with edges that angle outward from the bottom are a HUGE no-no. If you are stacking two cake layers, you need the edges to be straight like this: l l NOT angled like this: / / These Wilton Performance pans bake well (I have 2 sets each of the Wilton round, petal, heart, hexagon sets), BUT THERE IS A MAJOR FLAW IN THEIR SQUARE/RECTANGLE PERFORMANCE PANS DESIGN!!! I strongly recommend Magic Line (expensive, BEST of the BEST), or Fat Daddio's (little less expensive, excellent product), or, if you don't mind being limited on sizes: Wilton's DECORATOR PREFERRED SQUARE or SHEET PANS. Before you buy these, go to the Wilton forums and read more reviews--then make up your mind.

I absolutely love these pans! I never have any problems with the cakes sticking in them, and they clean up very easily! They are even rust-proof. I had a leak in my cupboard and out of all my cakepans, all the Wilton "Performance Pans" were the only ones that survived, without a speck of rust on them!