Matfer Exopat 11-5/8-by-16-3/8-Inch Nonstick Baking Mat Reviews

• This is a Keeper

  
  By AAA0TUKS5VBSA on 2003-08-09
  You may have seen sheets like these on cooking shows or at fancy stores under the Silpat name selling for huge sums of money and were discouraged. Well, let me end any confusion and tell you that these work the same way! They are like having permanent non-stick surfaces for baking, roasting, and even candy making. You may be a bit scared to put this plastic looking sheet into the oven at first, but don't worry, as your food would be charred before it would ever melt.
  
  You may have been very frustrated by candy making in the past because the hot sugar would stick to anything that wasn't caked in non-stick spray. Fear no more, as this slippery wonder is a great working surface for kneading it while it's still hot or after it has cooled. If you want to keep it malleable for a longer period of time, set up a small heat lamp over the work surface.
  
  What about cookies? It really shocked how well they cook. Needless to say, nothing sticks (I was even able to just pick the sheet up and slide them onto a plate), but the surface also helped for even heating of the bottoms in our wonky oven that normally burns them. This was the most even browning I've ever seen, and required less effort than normal. It makes me much less nervous about putting baked goods into the oven. The downside is that cookies that rely on an ungreased cookie sheet to maintain proper form will spread on these sheets in a manner similar to a baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Fortunately, those cookies are typically laden with butter and do not stick anyway.
  
  A bonus feature is that you can place this on a cookie sheet underneath a pie that might boil over in the oven. This can save hours of cleanup for those messy pastries.
  
  Then comes the cleaning. All you do is rinse it with warm soapy water, as I've never seen anything actually stuck to it. It can tend to feel a bit slimy, but that's just the nature of the material. Storage is very convenient as well, as you can roll it up and even stick it in your silverware drawer!
  
  I really have no reason not to recommend this product. It saves time, is cheaper than less effective sprays, and is convenient. I wouldn't cook without one... or two.
  
  

• Doing without is not an option!

  
  By on 2001-12-26
  I'm a make-do cook. When I saw a well-known personality touting this stuff on her TV show, I just poh-poohed the notion. Then, at a pre-Christmas sale, I decided to try a sheet. Whoa! What a wonder! I promptly bought a second sheet, and I would never try to bake cookies again without one. The savings in time (1-2 min per sheet), headaches (cutting parchment to size every time and then running out), and clean-up (nothing - I say again NOTHING - sticks to this stuff) make it worth every penny!
  
  

• NO MORE BURNED BOTTOMS.......

  
  By on 2002-03-10
  After enduring several batches of cookies burned on their bottoms (sic) before she used these mats, I gave a set of these as a gift to my neice, who is learning how to bake. She had seen Martha using the Silpat brand (which I thought I was ordering, since that's what was listed as the item....Amazon sent Matfer instead). They worked great. And she especially likes the fact that she can wash them, roll them up, and put them in a drawer. I bought two, and she rolls the cookie dough out on them also. Slides right off. So, I'd recommend these mats for baking-challenged novices, and seasoned bakers alike......
  
  

• Stuck scrubbing cookie sheets for hours??

  
  By A2IF5C0I5BH11F on 2003-12-17
  I've never used a sheet like this or parchment paper, and always ended up having to spend a lot of time scrubbing my cookie sheets after baking. I got one of these matfer sheets recently and I'm in love! At first it looked a little scary - it looks plastic and like it would melt. Since I am a novice chef, I tend to burn things and I have melted plastic in my oven before - not a pretty sight! I was happy to find out that not only does it NOT melt, but NOTHING sticks to this thing. Nothing!

  My cookies slide off easily, so easily that I don't even have to hold down the cookie sheet! I also have used it when baking pies and cobblers, since they tend to boil over and make a mess. Recently I made a cherry cobbler and put this sheet between the cobbler and the baking sheet - and after the cobbler was done the matfer was a mess (but my baking sheet was pristine!). I ran a little water over the matfer, all the cherry goo came off with ease! I didn't even have to scrub!

  Another bonus is how easy these are to store. I just roll mine up and they fit neatly in a drawer. I bought two for myself, and I also bought a half dozen more that I am giving away for Christmas this year. They are AMAZING sheets, I highly recommend them to anyone! Well worth the cost - one of the greatest kitchen investments you'll ever make!
  
  

• Don't know how I ever baked without these.

  
  By on 2002-06-28
  These Exopat baking sheets are wonderful, and I can't imagine going back to greasing pans or aluminum foil. I roll cookie dough right onto the Exopat, cut out with cookie cutters on the Exopat, and peel away the excess dough around the shapes I have just cut out. No more having to transfer the cut-out dough from the countertop to the baking sheet, so no more distortion of the cookie shapes. When I have a batch of cookies in the oven, I prepare another batch on a second Exopat and have it ready to slap onto the cookie sheet as soon as the first batch comes out. This way, one baking sheet is all I need, and there's no lag time or energy loss between the batches. I roll pie-crust dough right on the Exopat, lift up the Exopat with the dough on it, and flip it over to slap the dough straight into the pie pan. No more having to fold in quarters when transfering to the pan. I also use these for patting out biscuit dough and cutting out biscuits. No more sticky mess on the countertop. These are great for kneading bread dough on, too. I also bake spare ribs on them, so clean-up is easy. Goodness, I use these Exopats for just about everything! Money well spent!
  
  
• Good as Silpat?
  By A39DVA83UASWW0 on 2004-07-27
  A lot of reviewers have said that there's no difference between the Exopat and a Silpat. I think there is, but not enough to really matter to most people.
  
  After using both a Silpat and an Exopat for baking, I would say that they both perform equally well as far as ease of removing cookies, bread, pastries, etc. from the surface. However, I think that the Silpat is slightly easier to clean. After an equal number of uses, the Silpat was still pristine, whereas the Exopat had some discolorations and small spots that were hard to remove. It's also my impression that the Silpat is slightly heavier and of higher quality construction.
  
  That said, I think the Exopat, at half the price as the Silpat, is the better buy. The Exopat's performance is still amazing and it provides a non-stick surface that's far superior to any standard baking sheet.
  
  
• Love It!
  By A2HXE29CU1I24Y on 2005-02-10
  It really works, and works wonders.
  
  USES:
  
  * You can put anything on top of it for baking and nothing will stick. The first instinct is to bake cookies on them and you will be surprised how EVEN they will bake.
  
  * I then tried frozen fish with dry rub condiments and it came out perfect. The skins don't stick and everything just slides off the mat. No oil added whatsoever.
  
  * I frequently make croissants and notice that the bottom won't burn as fast as when done on a plain baking sheet.
  
  * I also use the mat to handle sticky items like sugar for candy-making and dough. You won't need any flour to spread on the counter as this does the job just fine. You will wonder how you were able to bake without it for the longest time.
  
  CLEANING:
  
  * The best part is the clean up. You soak it in water and simply wipe off the food particles on the mat.
  
  * For a thorough cleaning, just use mild soap and soft sponge.
  
  * Stick it from the freezer to the oven and back to the freezer and it is perfectly OK. Nothing will crack or burst from the changing temperature - unlike glass pans.
  
  * It is very flexible. Bend it, roll it, spread it out and use it for your rolling pin for the top and bottom.
  
  CAUTION:
  
  * Of course this isn't a magic device where food won't burn. It will just brown evenly the longer you keep it in the oven. Heat will simply be distributed on the mat.
  
  * The product is made of silicone and fiberglass.
  
  - Silicone is great, but it also does not mean it's indestructible. It can only be used within the temperatures from -40 degrees F to 482 degrees F.
  
  - It has a lifespan of 2,000 to 3,000 times. As much as we want it to last, it will eventually wear out.
  
  Fiberglass means that the product is finely weaved with glass. Therefore, it cannot be used as a cutting board. Yes, it's flexible but the glass weaves should be contained within the silicone.
  
  DO NOT cut it into pieces. Buy the appropriate size for your needs. Once the glass particles are exposed, you will have to DISCARD it immediately as it will pose a health risk. I don't mean about breathing any harmful toxins, but those glass particles are sharp that if it goes into your food and on to your body...you get the picture.
  
  That being said, enjoy the product and the wonder that it does. But use it with care. If used properly, it is worth every money spent.
  
  
• A handier kitchen tool you'll never find
  By A6KGM9T0X1UBX on 2004-04-10
  We've all seen the Silpat sheets on TV and in the stores, but I had never heard of a Matfer Exopat before. I had asked somebody once for a Silpat and I received this instead. Later I got a Silpat to try out and almost immediately stopped using it in favor of my original Exopat.

  The texture and consistency of the surface is exactly like the Silpat and it can be used for the same purposes. You can bake everything from biscuits to little cakes on this and nothing ever sticks! I actually cooked a batch of cookies that stuck to the Silpat and was a pain to clean off, but I cooked the same batch later on the Exopat and they slid right off the mat without leaving a trace.

  I place the mat directly into the oven at sometimes up to 500 degrees and it comes out and cools without any harmful effects--some of my metal pans can't even handle those temperatures! I never have to use cooking sprays anymore and my food comes out delicious and never oily as a result. As for cleaning, I only need to run it under the faucet for a second or wipe away some crumbs with a towel and I'm ready to store the mat or cook some more.

  It holds heat very well for such a thin sheet and I have actually overcooked rolls one time because I left them on the mat and they kept cooking! If I want to keep something really warm for a while, I can even lay the warm mat in with the lining of a basket and cover the food--it will stay warm as long as I need it to.

  If you are impressed with what you see of the Silpat on TV, you should give the Matfer Exopat a try--it's cheaper and works just as well if not better. You'll never see baking the same way again.
  
  

• great product
  By A20BWP4SY3HGNS on 2002-12-26
  I bought 4 of these baking sheets - 2 for me and 1 each for my 2 daughters. I used them for the first time for Christmas cookies and was wonderfully surprised at how well they work! They truly are NO stick. Even the sugar I sprinkled on that overshot the cookies. NO STICK. It worked so well I thought I would give it a real test. I made a pumpkin pie and placed it on a baking sheet on a cookie sheet. The pie did spill over and burn and it DID NOT STICK! My smoke alarms are VERY sensitive and I was able to actually remove the burned stuff with a spatula while the pie was still in the oven - in one piece - very easily. Cleanup was a breeze with just a soapy sponge and water. Easier than wiping off the table. I only regret I hadn't bought more of these things. My kitchen will never again be with out them.
  
  
• The perfect marriage of technology and design!
  By A1YVO5V1SO18DZ on 2002-11-04
  This is one of those products that comes along every few years that makes me wonder why I would possibly need it. Until recently, I have been quite happy to line my commerical-quality baking pans with parchment paper. It's a slightly time-consuming process, but I do it without thinking and the results are always good. At least that WAS my habit until I bought a couple of these incredible Matfer Exopat baking sheets. In spite of my skepticism, they are as advertised..a real time saver. They're easy to use and easy to clean. No more parchment for me. Cookies, breads, buns--literally everything I've baked--slides right off these silicone beauties like greased lightning. This is a product that deserves a spot in any serious cook's kitchen. In fact, buy two!
  
  
• Not Just For Bakers!
  By A3FC9ZK64Z1DAV on 2002-12-22
  I am a woodworker. I use a lot of wood glue and other adhesives and after getting tired of replacing a piece of scrap plywood, newspaper, etc. big enough to protect an area on my workbench, I tried the Matfer Exopat Nonstick Baking/Roasting Sheet.
  Guess what? Just let the glue dry a few minutes to a few hours (depending on the glue) and peel it right off! I haven't had any chemical reaction SO FAR. I've used Elmer's, Gorilla Glue, Liquid Nails without any problems.

  I probably should get a few more for my wife to use around the house. An excellent product!

  Added 12/30/02
  Also works great for lining the bottom of a microwave oven to make easy work of REALLY baked on drips! EXCELLENT & multi-functional.
  
  

• It's worth a sawbuck
  By A1XBVSJ0OE6BV9 on 2004-09-24
  It works. You've seen other brands, but they're virtually identical. Just go with the lower priced item.
  
  Pro cookie tip: Buy at least 2. That way you can prep a new batch while the other is in the oven.
  
  Also, it works well when rolling out dough (bread, pizza, cookie, or any other dough).
  
  
• Best thing since sliced bread
  By A1RDZNEV3BVPD8 on 2002-10-03
  I've been baking for about 50 years and find these pads to be the most helpful addition to my kitchen/baking aids.
  
  
• Switching back to parchment paper
  By A2OCSM0ATUG3CR on 2005-02-27
  I thought I would save the hassle and money involved in using parchment paper to line my cookie sheets by using this Matfer Exopat nonstick baking sheet, but I am disappointed and am switching back.
  
  My cookies spread out too fast on this sheet and got too flat and brown, just like what they used to do on the cookie sheet without any parchment paper.
  
  My other problem with this item is getting it clean. I have washed it with soap and hot water multiple times, but I can still see the grease from where the cookies baked. I can't get it clean!
  
  I am disappointed in this item and am going back to parchment paper. I would recommend you save yourself the $10!
  
  
• health hazard
  By A12GMAGS0ZPRS8 on 2007-11-30
  I am a physician and have an issue with baking anything on plastic, silicone or otherwise....we now are aware of the issue with heating in tupperware and are learning more...and you want to bake on silicone????
  
  I'll take my health over the 5 extra minutes it takes to wash a cookie sheet. Wow.
  
  Dr. Tracey Martin MD
  Phoenix Arizona
  
  
• The Best For Cut Out Cookies
  By A3QTY5N34GA873 on 2002-12-23
  If you're into making decorated cookies, don't even think of trying without several of these and some 12" x 18" jelly roll pans. The Exopat fits the pans perfectly. In fact, you can even roll out your dough directly onto the mat and cut on it, peel away the excess dough and put it on the pan and bake it. How's that for saving time? (Although I personally recommend putting your cut cookies - on the mat - into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before baking. It keeps them from spreading). The only way cookies will burn on these is if you leave them in too long. In other words, these make baking as foolproof as possible. If there are cookies you avoided making before because they burned too easily, try 'em again with the Exopat. You'll amaze yourself. I've been faithfully using these for over two years. They are as good as new.
  
  
• Wow, where did I go wrong???
  By A1LSXSG2MLW4C4 on 2005-04-15
  I used the Matfer sheet for a pizza crust but didn't have it more than 5 minutes in the approx. 400 degree oven before a horrible smell filled the apartment and the smoke alarms began shrieking. This was a brand new sheet, so there was no residual grease on this matt, as one suggested to another experiencing this problem.
  
  A few others with the problem also seem to be in an apartment, so perhaps the smell is better tolerated or not as noticeable in a larger house? Or did a bunch of us get defective sheets? Until I'd find out, I couldn't recommend this product.
  
  
• A Baker's Best Secret.... REVEALED!
  By A1866J3RJD88ZM on 2005-11-22
  I'm a culinary historian and foodie author of CALIFORNIA PIONEERS, THEIR STORIES, CULTURE AND CUISINE and I have used this incredible non-stick baking sheet for quite some time. IT WORKS like magic for baked goodies such as cookies, biscuits and pastry. My only complaint is that because my field of expertise is antique recipes... I cannot authentically use this baking sheet with the recipes I must test. HOWEVER... once I verify an antique recipe and I then personalize it for my own use...WELL...there's no stopping me from baking on this sheet to render forth the most perfectly (and delicately) baked cookies and biscuits I or anyone could sink their teeth into.
  
  I was wary about using this baking sheet with all my cookie recipes, especially the gooey ones (oatmeal with chocolate chips) and the ones that require only egg whites without flour (chocolate-dated-pecan), Ahhh...fear not, even the stickiest cookie dough and dough for pastry lift off with the slightest touch of a spatula. So, go ahead, give it a try...maybe you'll make history with your baking!
  
  
• Easy clean up, very durable
  By A1Q3HETAAWVWX2 on 2004-10-15
  I mostly use my Matfer sheet for making parmesan crisps (just pour a pile of shredded good parmesan on a cookie sheet lined with this sheet - bake at 400 degrees until just melted, let harden and serve). High end restaurants serve this treat with the salad course, and they're sooo easy - really, t=here's no way to make them work reliably except with a silicon sheet.
  
  
• Don't try this at home if you have kids
  By A10RXBXIDQ2XGS on 2005-04-03
  I bought this based on all the glowing reviews. Yet like a few others posted here. I tried them out for cookies and triggered the smoke alarm and had this horrible smell in the apartment for the rest of the day and night. I tried emailing the company but never got a response. Very disappointed and would say that if there are infant/toddlers in your house or home, I would suggest you avoid this product.
  
  
• Non-stick....BUT
  By AUITG1DJ3QUGK on 2006-11-25
  This baking sheet works as advertised. I have not had any problem removing baked goods, or cleaning up...but I find that it *seriously* compromises the quality of the product. The cookies I baked on it rose nicely, but didn't have the snap you get on a pan. They were also somewhat leaden. I am certain that this was a result of using the mat, as I made a huge batch and used several pans (having only 1 mat). The quality of the things baked on the mat was nowhere near as good.
  
  I suppose it's a reasonable trade-off for those looking to eliminate fat from their diets...but, most people who bake, do so because they are looking for a better product than they'd get at the market. In that regard, it's a poor compromise.
  
  however...mine may see a second life as a surface for working with precious metal clay. There the non-stick qualities would be beneficial without compromising the final product.
  
  
• This really is a good thing
  By A3DBNPEIWN3L44 on 2002-11-14
  I admit it, I watched Martha Stewart's cooking show, and she had a similar product called Silpat, also made in France. She called it a "good thing." I do not take Martha's word for everything, but when she used it the mat looked great. So, when this Exopat mat came up on the site as a deal, I bought one. The day after I received it, I used it to bake dozen after dozen of chocolate chip cookies for my co-workers, and it performed beautifully!

  The mat is absolutely nonstick, heats and cools very quickly, and does not appreciably change the baking time for my cookies. The mat cleans up *very* easily, even if you leave it sit overnight on the counter. (sheepish grin)

  I liked it so well that I bought another! I would buy more, but I only need two. This product is like "permanent foil" in my opinion, and really does the job it was made for. If I ever needed to, I'd buy another in a second.
  
  

• Decision Time!
  By A33KNK4UML0OR9 on 2003-12-17
  When I saw this on last week's Friday Sale at a big percentage reduction, I was curious as to what an Exopat was. After reading the description and reviews (5 stars down the line) combined with the really great price, I not only ordered two for me but another eight for Christmas gifts. They arrived today just in time to use baking Christmas tray cookies. I absolutely cannot believe how wonderful they are!!! I was wondering which spatula to use to take the cookies off the mat and if my plastic spatulas would stick to the hot mat; it was a total waste of thought because the cookies really did slide right off the mat and are absolutely perfect---no spatula was necessary at all. After spending a small fortune through the years on higher quality coated cookie sheets that worked well for the first few batches of cookies but then started sticking, scratching and looked embarrassingly horrible, these are truly miraculous. I am infamous to family, friends and business customers for my delicious cookies; now I may become known as the one who kept all the Exopats intended to have been gifts!
  
  
• Weird smell, weird taste
  By A1DNQ1EL5QC51D on 2006-08-19
  As some other reviewers have mentioned, the sheet leaves a chemically taste and smell in your baked products -- it's nothing awful, but noticeable, and, to me, bothersome. I thought it would fade, but after a few attempts I figured my "wear-in" efforts weren't worth all the cookies ending up in the trash. The surface of this baking sheet was easy to wipe clean. However, the grease from the food eventually started soaking into the sheet and leaving circles of grease which I just could not wash out. At the end of the day, I don't think this is any more convenient or better than using parchment. This product is overrated.
  
  
• Worth every penny!
  By A2B32NTYWSA8U3 on 2004-10-14
  I have both Silpat and Exopat baking mats, and they perform equally well. Nothing sticks to them, nothing! I've melted and burned cheese all over them, and clean-up took about 5 seconds! However, because Exopat costs less, they're the better buy. No more parchment for me!
  
  
• Best price, great product
  By A27MRKGP05YD0S on 2005-04-10
  I just bought my second Exopat from Amazon; the first one I ordered a couple of years ago to test out and see how well it stood up. I have never had a problem with them producing smoke (I wonder if the people having this problem used them with a particular type of cookie sheet or something about their ovens that caused the issue?), and I've always gotten great baking results.
  
  Do make sure when you order that your baking sheets are wide enough for the mat to fit flat without bending at the edges; this version is 16-1/2 inches by 11-5/8 inches. You cannot cut the Exopat to size, and if it's too big you will wind up with one row of cookies that has a slight bend and doesn't cook as evenly (because the mat won't be touching the sheet at one edge, and thus the heat transfer won't be even on that area). It's not the end of the world if this happens, but avoid it if you can.
  
  Cleanup is easy with regular dish soap. You may find yourself wrangling with the slippery mat the first few times you give it a wash, but I find that a thousand times easier than scrubbing every corner of a baking sheet. If you bake frequently, you will be overjoyed at the way the Exopat simplifies a number of steps; however, if you bake relatively infrequently, using parchment paper on those occasions will probably do just as well for you. (But these mats are very cheap from Amazon and take up so little space to store, so why not?)
  
  
• Not a baking necessity
  By A2N04EC1DJYR6F on 2003-02-16
  Overall good product, though a little frustrating is the fact that it doesn't fit a standard baking sheet. Another problem is the static cling- which causes little dust particles and dirt to cling- so there is a need to clean and wash before and after use.
  I do use the product- but let's just say I haven't stopped using disposable parchment paper either.
  
  
• Love it love it
  By AXCMNTYX277MB on 2004-02-11
  Silicone baking mats (the matfer is one of several widely available brands) are amazing. If you bake, then get one. No if's, ands, or buts. I've used them to line the baking pan while making cookies, cakes, even sticky candy. Worked great every time - no more problems with your baked food sticking to the bottom of the pan, or dealing with tears in the parchment or whatever sort of liner you used to use. And no matter what I've cooked on it, cleaning the mat has taken mere seconds with a sponge and soapy water.
  These mats aren't just a gimmick; they're truly an example of new technology making possible significantly better products.
  
  
• I love my Exopat!!!
  By on 2004-05-29
  All I can say about this little mat is wow. I have a very old, trashed to all heck cookie sheet. This Exopat has given my old beat up cookie sheet life again. Just put the Exopat on the decrepit cookie sheet and no more sticking or burning bottoms. I had adjusted my oven to the old baking sheet (I was never able to cook anything at the middle level, the rack always had to be moved to the top) and I actually wound up undercooking my biscuts because of what I was used to.
  
  The only thing I dont like about the exopat is that the first time I used it, I got a little burned rubber smell, didnt transfer to my cookies though... and thats the only bad thing I can say about this product.
  
  Get one for yourself, one for xmas presents, everyone with an oven can use an Exopat!
  
  
• My third from Amazon
  By on 2004-06-26
  No, the first two are still going strong. It's just nice to be able to pop a batch of meringues out of the oven and get another one back in right away, and so on.

  For low carb, high nut-protein-egg type baking, these little mats are *really* indispensable. A lot of LC recipes are fragile (lacey cookies), or quick to stick to a pan, or they burn easily. The Exopat seems to mitigate against "hot spots" in my oven, and is just generally sturdier than parchment. (No little pieces of paper stuck to your pastries, either.) I tend to use it for everything, as it keeps those cookie sheets shiny-new, even when used for messy stuff like veggies roasted at high heat.
  
  

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