For layered cakes, buy pans in matching pairs so both layers bake to the same height and doneness at once. Heavier-gauge aluminum resists warping and gives more even browning than thin nonstick steel, but it usually costs more and is sold one pan at a time.
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Wilton
The cheap, widely available starter set, and it already comes as a matched pair for layer cakes. The nonstick coating is fine for a few years of regular use but can warp with time and browns a bit dark at the edges.
Fat Daddio's
Anodized aluminum heats evenly and releases well without a nonstick coating that can wear out. Straight sides give clean layers, but pans are sold individually, so building a matched set for layer cakes costs more than a boxed set.
USA Pan
Aluminized steel with the Americoat nonstick coating releases cleanly and resists warping better than basic Wilton pans. It costs more than a Recipe Right set and the corrugated venting pattern on the sides isn't to everyone's taste.
Nordic Ware
Heavy-gauge aluminum with no nonstick coating, so it needs greasing and flouring every time. The bare metal browns evenly and essentially never wears out, unlike coated pans.
Wilton
Heavier-gauge steel and a better nonstick coating than the base Recipe Right line, closing some of the gap to USA Pan. It's still not as warp-resistant as commercial aluminum over years of heavy use.
These shows lean on gear from this category. Open a hub to see what the bakers actually use.