The best cooling racks – on test
A sturdy metal rack for cooling cakes and bakes is essential if you want to ice your creation – and avoid burnt fingers! Great British Bake Off finalist, Kimberley Wilson, puts a selection to the test...
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A cooling rack is an essential tool to combat every baker's nemesis – the soggy bottom. The simple metal grid stands on legs which elevate a bake away from a flat surface to allow air to circulate beneath it. This basic piece of kit will also speed down cooling, which is essential when you need to quickly ice a cake.
Read on to discover which cooling racks are best according to baking expert and GBBO star Kimberley Wilson. For over 200 buyer’s guides, visit our product review section and find guides to everything from baking equipment to frying pans.
Tala non-stick cake cooling rack
Best all-round cooling rack
Size: 40cm x 25cm
Non-stick? Yes
This tray ticks a lot of boxes being non-stick and dishwasher safe. It's large enough to handle two large cakes at the same time and is fairly well-priced. A good all-rounder.
Kitchen Craft cooling rack
Best cooling rack for batch baking
Size: 40cm x 25cm (x3)
Non-stick? Yes
This three-tiered set is great value. When stacked there is enough room to cool muffins and buns between the layers with plenty of room for air to circulate. However, all three of the layers were a little uneven, which was a bit irritating. Large spaces between the grills mean thin biscuits could slip through, but otherwise a good buy.
What to look for in a cooling rack
Quality: A metal that was strong and a structure that's sturdy on its feet.
Height: Plenty of room underneath the rack to allow air to circulate.
Size and shape: How much you can fit on the rack and how practical the shape is from a useage and storage point of view.
Ease of cleaning: How difficult is it to clean off crumbs or residue.
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This review was last updated in August 2019. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
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