Which is better? I currently use the strips but they can sometimes be a pain when dealing with large or odd shaped pans. Does the heating core better?

I have been reading a lot of posts about using a flower nail which i think is a fantastic idea. I had been out of the loop for a while before i got on here and learned so much, its been great. Search the flower nail thing

I use rose nails all the time. They work great!!

Hi ...
I've use the heating core as well....the nails are easier and you only end up with a very small hole...the core you have to fill it with cake batter and then remove the cake batter once cooked and fill the hole in the cake........more trouble than it's worth....in my opnion
Kat
Joliet,Il

I love the strips, but I use the core for the ball pan (the large one).

so do I use the flower nail in addition to the strips or alone?

I've never heard of people doing both before. For really large cakes, someone suggested using multiple flower nails spread evenly around the pan. One works just fine for me with 10" cakes, but I'd definitely use more with 12" or larger IMO.

I do both.

I like the heating core. It works better for me than the strips. (I don't know why) The core I can remove as soon as cake comes from oven. I then replace cake plug in cake and invert pan. I had trouble with nail when I inverted pan, even on raised rack. But I am not the most coordinated so it was probably just me.

Thanks everyone! I think that I'm going to try the nails first and go from there

I use both the strips and a flower nail. I'm convinced they really do make a difference.

so it really is best to use both? i have great results with the strips. Just looking for something that might be a little easier to maneuver.

I've started using the flower nail method or at least I tried it twice and both times the nail went rusty ... it's now in the bin with the cakes! Was it just my nail???

I use both too. I think it definitely makes a difference IMO.

I hate the heating core. I think it's a huge pain and I always have big depressions in my cakes. How do you use the flower nail? I'm envisioning sticking it in the batter and it falling over. Obviously there's got to be more to it. Any my flower nail isn't very long, doesn't the cake raise up taller than the nail?