If you enjoy eating tacos without the shells breaking apart when you bite into it (like the store bought hard taco shells), then the Chicago metallic baked taco rack is your answer.  Since my recent purchase of one, I've eaten more tacos in the past week than I have the past 12 months.

I'm somewhat surprised at reviewers who claim the rack is "junk," doesn't work or is too time consuming.  My response is NONSENSE.  If you have any basic cooking skills and you read the instructions and suggestions from other satisfied users (reviewers), the taco rack is quick and easy to use.

Since ovens and tortilla thickness varies, you will need to practice how long to steam tortillas in a microwave and how long to bake it in the oven.  At first, you'll have to eyeball the tortilla shell as it bakes to determine when it's done to your preference.

The biggest complaint that people have seems to be getting the tortillas to stay on rack.  This can be a problem if you don't prepare the rack and tortillas.  Here are my suggestions that work for me:

1.  Use 6-inch tortillas that are the thinnest available.  Thinner tortillas are more pliable and easier to balance on the taco rack.  I personally use Trader Joe's corn & wheat tortillas, but Mission has something similar.

2.  Microwave the tortillas between wet paper towels.  I place the tortillas covered by two wet paper towels on a plate with a plate on top of it to form a "steam pocket."  You can also use a microwaveable tortilla warmer or just about any microwave container that's big enough to fit the tortillas.  The steam will make the tortillas more pliable.  I microwave for 65 seconds (I've got an old compact microwave) and let it sit undisturbed for another 30 seconds or longer.  Again, microwave oven power and tortilla thickness varies so this requires some experimenting to find the right amount of time.  If the tortillas are still not pliable, stick it back in and microwave it longer.

3.  Place the taco rack on a cookie sheet in case the tortilla does slip off.  The cookie sheet also makes it easier to balance the taco rack as you put it in or pull it out of the oven.

4.  I pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and (VERY IMPORTANT) ==> place the empty taco rack in the oven to heat it up <==.  I found this to be an important step.  The transfer of the hot steamed tortillas to the pre-heated taco rack helps the tortillas drape over the rack's taco forms.

5. Some reviewers have suggested using PAM or cooking oil on the tortillas.  If you do this, do it on only one-side: the side away from taco rack.  The taco rack has a non-stick surface.  If you use PAM or cooking oil on the tortilla side that rest on the non-stick surface, it's going to slip off.  I've tried using olive oil on one-side of the tortilla and I didn't notice any difference in taste or appearance so I'm not sure if it makes any difference.

6.  I bake my tacos at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  They came out chewy.  I've kept them in longer until the tortilla edges looked burned.  They were crispy and more like the store bought hard taco shells, but they were still chewy and they didn't break apart when I bit into them.  It will become crispy and brittle if you cook it too long.  The goal is to bake the tortillas until they become crispy but still chewy.  This takes some trial and error, but tortillas are cheap.

The Chicago metallic baked taco rack can only make four tacos at a time.  I could probably eat a dozen tacos, but I've found that four tacos fills my stomach since I stuff it with ground meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato. It's also great for fish taco filled with homemade pico del gallo.

The only downside that I found is that the Chicago metallic baked taco rack is very long so storing it can be a problem.  I ended up hanging mine up on a ceiling pot and pan rack.

There will be those who will never like the Chicago metallic baked taco rack.  They are the same people who will blame a frying pan when the yolk on a sunny side egg breaks.  This isn't rocket science.  It's basic cooking skills with a little bit of common sense.
If you enjoy eating tacos without the shells breaking apart when you bite into it (like the store bought hard taco shells), then the Chicago metallic baked taco rack is your answer. Since my recent purchase of one, I've eaten more tacos in the past week than I have the past 12 months. I'm somewhat surprised at reviewers who claim the rack is "junk," doesn't work or is too time consuming. My response is NONSENSE. If you have any basic cooking skills and you read the instructions and suggestions from other satisfied users (reviewers), the taco rack is quick and easy to use. Since ovens and tortilla thickness varies, you will need to practice how long to steam tortillas in a microwave and how long to bake it in the oven. At first, you'll have to eyeball the tortilla shell as it bakes to determine when it's done to your preference. The biggest complaint that people have seems to be getting the tortillas to stay on rack. This can be a problem if you don't prepare the rack and tortillas. Here are my suggestions that work for me:

1. Use 6-inch tortillas that are the thinnest available. Thinner tortillas are more pliable and easier to balance on the taco rack. I personally use Trader Joe's corn & wheat tortillas, but Mission has something similar. 2. Microwave the tortillas between wet paper towels. I place the tortillas covered by two wet paper towels on a plate with a plate on top of it to form a "steam pocket. "  You can also use a microwaveable tortilla warmer or just about any microwave container that's big enough to fit the tortillas. The steam will make the tortillas more pliable. I microwave for 65 seconds (I've got an old compact microwave) and let it sit undisturbed for another 30 seconds or longer. Again, microwave oven power and tortilla thickness varies so this requires some experimenting to find the right amount of time. If the tortillas are still not pliable, stick it back in and microwave it longer. 3. Place the taco rack on a cookie sheet in case the tortilla does slip off. The cookie sheet also makes it easier to balance the taco rack as you put it in or pull it out of the oven. 4. I pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and (VERY IMPORTANT) ==> place the empty taco rack in the oven to heat it up <==. I found this to be an important step. The transfer of the hot steamed tortillas to the pre-heated taco rack helps the tortillas drape over the rack's taco forms. 5. Some reviewers have suggested using PAM or cooking oil on the tortillas. If you do this, do it on only one-side: the side away from taco rack. The taco rack has a non-stick surface. If you use PAM or cooking oil on the tortilla side that rest on the non-stick surface, it's going to slip off. I've tried using olive oil on one-side of the tortilla and I didn't notice any difference in taste or appearance so I'm not sure if it makes any difference. 6. I bake my tacos at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. They came out chewy. I've kept them in longer until the tortilla edges looked burned. They were crispy and more like the store bought hard taco shells, but they were still chewy and they didn't break apart when I bit into them. It will become crispy and brittle if you cook it too long. The goal is to bake the tortillas until they become crispy but still chewy. This takes some trial and error, but tortillas are cheap. The Chicago metallic baked taco rack can only make four tacos at a time. I could probably eat a dozen tacos, but I've found that four tacos fills my stomach since I stuff it with ground meat, cheese, lettuce and tomato. It's also great for fish taco filled with homemade pico del gallo. The only downside that I found is that the Chicago metallic baked taco rack is very long so storing it can be a problem. I ended up hanging mine up on a ceiling pot and pan rack. There will be those who will never like the Chicago metallic baked taco rack. They are the same people who will blame a frying pan when the yolk on a sunny side egg breaks. This isn't rocket science. It's basic cooking skills with a little bit of common sense.