Can a pan guarantee perfect brownies?

The claim

The Perfect Brownie Pan Set is "the nonstick way to bake, slice, and serve perfect brownies." It bakes each brownie separately and claims that "they're moist inside and chewy outside." The bottom of the pan is loose (it comes out when you remove the cooked brownies). To prevent leaking, the instructions say, you can line the pan with foil or support it with a baking sheet. A set cost us $20 plus $8 shipping and handling.

The check

We baked Betty Crocker Fudge brownies four different ways: in an unlined, unsupported Perfect Brownie pan; in the pan lined with foil; in the pan on a baking sheet; and, as a control, in a regular 9x13-inch pan.

Bottom line

Our experience was not perfect. Our trained taste testers found that brownies baked in a regular pan had better texture and flavor than the Perfect Brownies, which were all underdone to varying degrees, though we baked them 2 to 9 minutes longer than with the regular pan.