Emile Henry's Modern Classics Rectangular Baker is a Quality Dish

We purchased the Emile Henry Modern Classics Rectangular Baker so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

The information that came with the Emile Henry Modern Classics Large Rectangular Baker called it a lasagna pan, so of course, that’s the first thing we made. Next, we spatchcocked and roasted a chicken, and it was a perfect fit. We used it for baking as well, just for the fun of it. The casserole dish spent time in the oven, refrigerator, and on the counter, and we even found a great reason to use it for serving. Read on for our thoughts after testing.

Design: Makes a statement

This casserole dish boasts a simple design, so it fits in well with most cookware and serving pieces, yet it makes a definite statement because of its size. We tested the 9 x 13-inch option, but this baker is also available in small and medium sizes, measuring 10.6 x 7.1 x 2.1 inches and 11 x 8 inches, respectively. 

A large logo on the bottom makes sure you know it’s a real Emile Henry piece, while that’s totally hidden when the dish is in use. A small Emile Henry emblem on one side isn’t overly obvious but manages to look classy when you do see it. The small handles on the sides are easy to grab but don’t require a lot of extra space in storage which is something we always seem to encounter with other bakeware, and the smooth curve of the handles looks sleek and attractive.

Because of the thick clay material, the dish appears larger than its actual capacity (4.8 quarts), but it still holds a lot. While it might be a little bit large for everyday meals for singles or couples, it’s nice to have at least one large pan on hand for baking, roasting, and serving, and particularly when company is coming. 

As promised, the large size is just-right for lasagna, and it’s also a standard size for many other recipes. It was the required pan size for our sheet cake, while a spatchcocked chicken fit perfectly. This is also the standard size for our dinner rolls for potlucks and dinner parties. When we were cooking or serving smaller quantities, the roomy interior gave us space to spread the food out so it wasn’t overcrowded. The one thing lacking is a lid, but that was easy enough to overcome with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and we even had some stretchy silicone lids that worked well enough to temporarily cover the dish.

Material: Glazed clay does the job

The Marcigny, France-based Emile Henry has been making cookware from a proprietary clay sourced in Burgundy since 1850. It’s resistant to heat and to temperature changes. A creamy white glaze on the interior shows off the food and keeps it from sticking, while the exterior color just looks pretty. We chose rouge, or red, but it also comes in sugar (white), twilight (blue), or spring (green), so one of those should coordinate with just about every kitchen.

The thick ceramic makes this a bit heavy compared to similar-sized metal baking pans, but we’ve wielded much heavier pans. If this was lighter, it wouldn’t feel as sturdy. 

Heating Capacity: It’s just right

This dish heats fairly slowly and retains heat well, which is exactly what you want in a casserole. Surprisingly, it is broiler-safe, and it can also go directly from the freezer to the oven. We took advantage of that heat retention when we used the pan to serve some cooked corn on the cob. We heated the pan ahead of serving, and it helped to keep our corn warm. Even better, it was the perfect size to serve that corn, which doesn’t usually fit well in other serving dishes.

While we normally do our baking in metal pans, we were more than happy with the focaccia we made in this baking dish; it cooked perfectly and was evenly browned on top and bottom. While we had to ponder a bit when adjusting our cake recipe for a ceramic pan—the recipe only had adjustments for light or dark metal—the result was everything we hoped for in a cake. This pan is making us rethink our exclusive use of metal baking pans since it’s also lovely for serving the baked goods at the table.

Cleaning: Easier than you’d imagine

This was surprisingly easy to clean—even when we had bits of browned and burned cheese from our lasagna, and even when we stored leftovers in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. When it came time to wash the dish, the food slid off easily, no scrubbing required.

The grease and browned bits from the chicken were just as easy to remove since there were no sharp interior corners where food could get stuck. Our baked goods come out of the dish without any annoying sticking, and the remains sponged clean with no effort. This baking dish is dishwasher-safe, but since washing by hand is so simple, we usually opted to save dishwasher space and clean it, along with knives and delicate items, in the sink.

Price: Reasonable 

Emile Henry is known for quality products, but the price of this pan is pretty fair at $70—and about $50 on sale. Sure, you can use a disposable aluminum pan for your next lasagna, but this looks a whole lot prettier. Plus, the company's 10-year guarantee covers any production or quality issues occurring within a decade of purchase.

Emile Henry Modern Classics Large Rectangular Baker vs. OXO Good Grips Glass Baking Dish with Lid

The 3-quart OXO Good Grips Glass Baking Dish with Lid comes in at a lower price point than the Emile Henry dish we reviewed, making it great for budget-conscious cooks, and it also includes a handy snap-on lid for easy storage. Like the Emile Henry piece, the OXO dish is also safe from freezer to oven. 

On the other hand, the OXO simply isn’t as pretty. The clear glass isn’t unattractive, but it doesn’t quite make the statement that the Emile Henry dish does. While these two baking dishes are a similar size and shape, we’d likely use them for different purposes. The OXO would be perfect for marinating and food storage as well as cooking and baking, while the Emile Henry would be the clear choice for oven-to-table use as well as serving large quantities of food for parties.