For years, I've used the same stainless steel cookie sheets, covered with a layer of parchment paper, to bake cookies. I've always been content with my results, but after having Giada De Laurentiis drill into my head how GREAT those silicon baking mats are, I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase some.

I skipped the $50 French-made version from Sur La Table and went straight to eBay for a set of two pink silicon mats for about $20. Next it was time for a little kitchen tool smackdown.

As my test recipe, I used Chocolate Sugar Cookies. Easy and fast. These cookies bake in a 375 degree oven for 9 minutes.

Honestly, I was shocked by the results. I baked a sheet of each at the same time (my oven has room for two sheets - what bliss!), one parchment, the other silicon. While the silicon batch turned out exactly as they should be (just a little chewey on the inside with crispness on the outside) and evenly cooked through, the parchment batch were nearly blackened on the bottom and too hard to eat.

From now on, I guess I'm sticking with silicon mats. They definitely improve the distribution of heat through the cookie and are a breeze to wash. Apparently they really do stand up to the hype.