The performance of anode-supported solid oxide cells is often limited by gas transport in the thick anode substrate. In this study, anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells with a cell configuration of Ni-Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (SDC)vertical bar SDC vertical bar Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (SSC)-SDC are fabricated by a combination of phase-inversion tape-casting, direct drop-coating on the green anode, and co-firing. The porous anode substrate is composed of a thin skin layer, a thick finger-like porous layer, and a thin sponge-like porous layer. The skin layer with fine pores offers extended three-phase boundaries (TPBs) at the electrolyte/anode interface while the finger like porous layer/support provides pore channels for efficient mass transport. Dense SDC electrolyte membranes with a thickness of similar to 15 mu m are obtained at a relatively low co-firing temperature (1400 degrees C) due to the large sintering shrinkage of the green anodes. Peak power densities of 0.608 Wcm(-2) at 600 degrees C and 0.789 Wcm(-2) at 650 degrees C have been demonstrated using humidified (3 vol. % water vapor) H-2 as fuel and ambient air as oxidant, suggesting that the triple-layered anode effectively decreases the anode polarization resistance and thus enhances the cell performance. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.