This $12 Amazon Pan Is My Go-To for Quick and Simple One-Person Meals

Finding the willpower to cook for myself is a daily struggle. It’s not that I dislike cooking. Rather, my tiny kitchen is so depressing that I don’t want to spend any more time in there than I have to. You see, not only is it a small space, but I also share the kitchen with three other people, so the stove burners, sink, and dish rack are almost always all full. Simply put, I can’t be bothered to deep clean the place and rummage around for the exact pot I need every time I want to make a simple meal. Then, not too long ago, a light went off in my head: All of my roommates use the stove daily, but they rarely use our oven. I had free rein! But first, I needed some sheet pans. I’d heard good things about the brand Nordic Ware, so when I got to try their 1/8 sheet pan, I was delighted. Now, this simple pan is the first thing I reach for when I lack the energy to stand over the stovetop.

Aside from its $12 price tag, the thing I love most about this sheet pan is its small size. Measuring just 9.4 by 6.3 inches, it’s always able to accommodate just the right amount of food for one meal, whether I’m baking potatoes, (vegetarian) chicken strips, veggies, or reheating last night’s leftovers. I love that the pan has raised edges so nothing ever spills out, but they’re not too high to grab with my oven mitt. Additionally, I don’t have to heavily grease the pan before laying down my ingredients — a drizzle of cooking oil goes a long way. After no more than 15 minutes in the oven, I have a tasty and nutritious meal that I know will satisfy me much more than a microwave dinner.

In the past, I’ve also owned sheet pans that remained scorching hot for a long time after being removed from the oven. I’d stupidly forget and accidentally touch them with my bare hand, burning myself. But with this Nordic Ware pan, I find that it only stays really hot for a couple minutes, and then you’re no longer at such high risk of burning yourself. After I put the food on my plate, I can immediately move the pan to the sink and fill it with dish soap and warm water. I usually find that if I let it soak like this, it’s easy to wash by the time I’m done eating, no hard scrubbing required. For such a straightforward product, this little pan has seriously improved my day-to-day life, and I’d definitely recommend it to all my fellow lazy cooks.

Buy: Nordic Ware 1/8 Aluminum Sheet Pan, $11.50

This post originally appeared on Kitchn. See it here: This $12 Amazon Pan Is My Go-To for Quick and Easy One-Person Meals