The Edit — Kitchen
What Size Roasting Pan for a Turkey, by Pound
A 14-inch pan for a bird up to 12 lb, 16 inches up to 16 lb, 18 inches up to 20 lb. The size chart, why the smallest pan that fits roasts best, and 4 pans from 14 x 10 to 17 x 13 inches.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick.Research-led, nothing handled. We may earn from links; it never changes a pick. How we choose
This page sizes a roasting pan to a turkey by weight, using Taste of Home’s size chart and USDA’s roasting guide, with 4 pans from 14 to 17 inches chosen as How we choose describes. Nothing here was handled or tested.
Best for Birds up to 12 lb
Watch for Price; too small for most
Best for Small ovens, stovetop gravy
Watch for Not nonstick
Best for Most families
Watch for Measure a narrow oven
Best for Birds over 20 lb
Watch for Coating can peel
Match the pan to the bird: 14, 16 or 18 inches
Taste of Home’s chart gives 3 sizes: a 14-inch pan for a turkey up to 12 lb, a 16-inch pan up to 16 lb, and an 18-inch pan up to 20 lb. USDA allows 1 lb of turkey per person, so the 3 pans roughly feed 12, 16 and 20 people.
| Turkey weight | Pan length | Feeds, at 1 lb each | USDA roast time, unstuffed, 325°F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 12 lb | 14 inches | About 12 | 2¾ to 3 hours (8 to 12 lb) |
| Up to 16 lb | 16 inches | About 16 | 3¾ to 4¼ hours (14 to 18 lb) |
| Up to 20 lb | 18 inches | About 20 | 4¼ to 4½ hours (18 to 20 lb) |
For a bird over 20 lb, go up a size again, and check the oven first. How much turkey per person works out the weight from the guest list.
The smallest pan that fits roasts best
Taste of Home’s advice is to buy the smallest pan that does the job. In a pan far bigger than the bird, the drippings spread thin and burn. In a pan that is too tight, air cannot move around the turkey and it cooks unevenly. Where a pan leaves bare floor around the bird, Taste of Home suggests filling it with chopped vegetables, which then go to the table as a side.
The HexClad 14 x 10 is the small end of the range: a hybrid nonstick pan with a rack, listed as oven safe to 900°F. Owners praise even heating and easy cleaning, and the price is the recurring objection. It suits a turkey breast, a chicken or a bird of about 12 lb.
HexClad Hybrid 14 x 10 Inch Rectangular Nonstick Roasting Pan with Rack
A 14 x 10 inch hybrid nonstick pan with a rack, oven safe to 900°F per the listing, which owners praise for even heating.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Size | 14 x 10 in |
|---|---|
| Surface | Hybrid nonstick |
Owners praise even heating and easy cleaning; the price is the objection. A pan for a small bird.
Buy it if
- A small turkey, a breast or a chicken
Don't buy it if
- A bird over 12 lb, and the price
A shallow pan with a rack, not a deep one
The rack matters as much as the depth. It lifts the bird out of its juices so the skin underneath crisps. The Cooks Standard 14 x 12 has a V-shaped rack that cradles the bird, and owners describe a heavy pan that goes on the stovetop for gravy. Some report fitting turkeys of about 25 lb, well past the chart’s 12 lb for a 14-inch pan.
Cooks Standard Classic 14 x 12 Inch Stainless Steel Roaster with V-Shaped Rack
A heavy 14 x 12 inch stainless pan with a V-rack, which owners report holding turkeys up to about 25 lb.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Size | 14 x 12 in |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless steel |
| Rack | V-shaped |
Owners describe a heavy pan that holds big birds and makes gravy on the burner. No recurring complaint stands out.
Buy it if
- A small oven, and gravy made in the pan on the stovetop
Don't buy it if
- A cook who wants a nonstick surface
Owners fit bigger birds than the chart allows
The chart and owner reports disagree, and both are right. Owners report a 16-inch Cuisinart holding a turkey of about 22 lb, and one owner roasted 24 lb. The chart’s 16 lb limit is for a bird with room to roast, not one wedged in. A turkey that touches the sides browns badly where it touches and drips onto the pan’s rim.
The Cuisinart 16-inch is the size most families need. Owners call it sturdy, good value and easy to clean, roomy enough for 2 chickens or a large ham, and no complaint recurs.
Cuisinart Chef's Classic 16-Inch Stainless Roasting Pan with Rack, 7117-16UR
A 16-inch stainless pan with a rack that owners call sturdy and good value, roomy enough for a turkey of about 22 lb.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Size | 16 in |
|---|---|
| Material | Stainless steel |
Owners call it sturdy, easy to clean and good value, with room for a turkey of about 22 lb. No recurring complaint stands out.
Buy it if
- Most Thanksgiving birds, 2 chickens or a large ham
Don't buy it if
- A wall oven narrower than the pan and its handles
Measure the oven before a pan over 16 inches
Taste of Home warns that a pan’s handles and walls add to its size, and that fixed handles can cut into the cooking space. Check whether a listed size includes the handles. Measure the inside of the oven, wall to wall, before buying anything larger than 16 inches.
The Circulon 17 x 13 is the largest pan here, short of the chart’s 18 inches. Owners like its size and sturdy handles, and some report fitting turkeys of up to 28 lb. The recurring complaint is the nonstick coating peeling over time, so it suits a cook who roasts a big bird once or twice a year.
Circulon Total Bakeware Nonstick Roaster with Rack, 17 x 13 Inch
A 17 x 13 inch nonstick roaster with sturdy handles; some owners report fitting turkeys of up to 28 lb.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Size | 17 x 13 in |
|---|---|
| Surface | Nonstick |
Owners like the size and handles, with room for big birds. The coating can peel over time.
Buy it if
- A big bird and an easy clean-up
Don't buy it if
- Years of service, as owners report the coating peeling
Once the turkey is in, what temperature turkey is done covers the thermometer reading, and how long to thaw a turkey works back from Thursday. Roasting pans for turkey compared ranks all 6 pans by rating.
Prices, savings and deal badges are Amazon's own, read from Amazon within the last hour. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Keep reading
Explainer
How Much Turkey Per Person, by Guest Count1 pound per guest sounds generous until you weigh the bones. Here is the bird for your table.
Compared
Roasting Pans for Turkey: Stainless Against NonstickStainless or nonstick for the turkey? One cleans easily; the other makes the gravy. Here is how they split.
Explainer
How Long to Thaw a Turkey: Fridge and Cold-Water TimesA 20-pound turkey needs to be in the fridge by the Friday before Thanksgiving. Here is the date for yours.