This nonstick baking mat prevents cookies and roasted veggies from sticking to a baking sheet. It also comes in handy for other routine cooking tasks, such as freezing foods and making surfaces grippy.

Silpat is a French brand best known for its reusable, food-grade silicone mats that are free of phthalates and BPA and are designed for nonstick baking. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including circular and rectangular mats, as well as molds for madeleines and mini loaves, but what they all have in common is an iconic orange border.

You've likely seen them on TV, where just about every baking-show competitor uses them to line their baking sheets to ensure that their goods don't stick. And you can bet your bottom dollar that you'd find at least one of these mats in the pastry section of any professional kitchen. My good friend who was a sous chef at Wolfgang Puck's Spago in Beverly Hills confirmed that they used them nearly every day.

During culinary school, Silpat mats were my lifeline when I was learning to bake with the notoriously sticky pâte à choux dough for making éclairs and profiteroles. When I grew even more confident in my baking, the mats helped me perfect my French macaron-making skills and ensured that the often-finicky batter puffed beautifully and maintained its "footed" edges without deflating or cracking. (Silpat also sells a macaron mat with outlines to help make consistency and portioning easier.)

In my experience, their nonstick capabilities are unmatched, and unlike a sheet of regular ol' parchment paper or aluminum foil, they can be used over and over again. They also come with a lifetime warranty and can withstand temperatures from -40 °F to 428 °F.

And although I can't imagine baking meringue-based desserts such as a pavlova without my Silpat mat, it isn't the best choice for every job. For example, it isn't ideal for recipes that require a higher degree of browning, as the mat can block some of the direct heat.

As my colleague senior staff writer Lesley Stockton has previously pointed out, silicone can hold on to grease, smells, and dust, which is why she recommends cleaning the mats with hot water and unscented dish soap to remove any oily residue. I've also encountered issues with lint (and dog hair) clinging to the surface of my mat, but it's nothing a quick rinse won't solve.

I've also found that Silpat mats can begin to show discoloration over time, but I like to think of it as a rite of passage as a baker since it doesn't impact the mat's nonstick abilities (and is perfectly normal and safe, per the mats' maker). To prevent any savory odors from tainting a sweet dish, I have two separate mats, reserved for those respective duties.

You also need to be careful never to cut a Silpat mat, which can expose the silicone-coated fiberglass weaving it's made of. If you accidentally pierce it with a knife, the company advises that you not reuse it. In my experience, these mats are exceptionally durable as long as you treat them nicely, which is why I always hand-wash them and keep sharp objects far away to prevent accidental cuts.

Despite their minor flaws, I still consider Silpat mats perfectly imperfect, and it hasn't stopped me from using them to roast veggies, chill chocolate-covered strawberries, or freeze pre-portioned, unbaked cookies. I also like using this versatile nonstick mat to roll or knead dough, which spares me from making a mess of my cutting boards.

Even when I'm not baking, my trusted Silpat mat comes in handy by helping me turn my kitchen's slippery granite countertops into a grippy surface and preventing my wooden cutting board from sliding around. It works even better than a damp kitchen towel, the usual go-to trick for that common predicament.

I even tried buying an off-brand, slightly cheaper version once, but it discolored within just a few uses and retained odors even more prominently. Meanwhile, my first Silpat mat -- which my mom still owns -- is in good condition, even 20 years later.

But most importantly of all, my family-beloved sugar cookies haven't been ruined by a mediocre baking sheet ever again, and my sister and I couldn't be more thankful for it.