![Cake pans, baking sheets, muffin pan, and springform cake pan displayed on table and striped dishcloth](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/XXnzFrQqu4mbC7OWNyNnqAqcbYw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/ses-product-best-baking-pans-rachel-knecht-03-6a37b70241de467280f66c960be29823.jpeg)
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
Anybody who bakes a lot has learned at least two important things: It takes a lot of different pans to make a lot of different pastries, and the quality of the pans really matters. It’s easy to create an endless variety of baked goods as a pastry chef because of the pans and tools at their disposal in a well-curated professional kitchen. For home bakers, picking out the right pans means selecting and sourcing the right types and making sure they are of adequate quality all on your own.
It can be quite an investment and should be approached with careful thought. What do you most like to bake? What do the people you feed most like in terms of desserts, pies, cakes, breads, tarts, cookies, cupcakes, muffins? Specialty baking can also be quite addictive, with so many possibilities of unique and personal expressions of love all baked into something delicious to eat.
Best Overall
Wilton Diamond-Infused Non-Stick 7-Piece Baking Set
Great quality nonstick
All pans have handles
High-quality nonstick finish
Baking sheets may warp at 450+ degrees
Loaf pan is slightly larger than standard
The Wilton Diamond-Infused Baking Set is an attractive, high-performing baking set that includes everything a baker would need. We like that each piece has comfortable handles, plus an extra lip around the edge for one-handed carrying. The nonstick finish is “diamond-infused,” which means that it’s scratch-resistant and safe to use with metal tools.
We found ourselves reaching for the sheet pans to bake everything from cookies to roasting vegetables and the pans always performed well. They heated evenly and with two different sizes, 11 x 17 inches and 10 x 15 inches, we always had one that fit my needs. Each pan cleaned easily—we hand-washed ours—but they are dishwasher safe. And we love the navy blue, mildly sparkly finish of this set.
The muffin tin was exactly what we hoped it would be—it baked evenly, released the muffins without a problem, and best of all, effortless to hand wash, even without using muffin papers. It's important to note that the loaf pan is 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches, which is larger than the standard 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches.
Material: Heavy-gauge steel, nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Pieces Included: [2] 9-inch round cake pans, [1] 9.25 x 5.25-inch loaf pan, [1] 9 x 13-inch cake pan, [1] 12-cup muffin pan, [1] 11.5 x 17.2-inch baking sheet, [1] 13 x 9-inch baking sheet
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
Professional-grade pans
Convenient variety of sizes
Even heat distribution
Aluminum finish oxidizes if machine washed
Round cake pans are a requirement in any baker’s collection because of their flexibility. They can be used to create birthday layer cakes, Italian ricotta cheesecakes, clafoutis, and more. This set is exceptionally well-made of commercial-grade anodized aluminum that weigh less than steel pans. The aluminum pans heat quickly and evenly, allowing cakes to cook faster without drying out in the oven. The pans also cool faster, making them easier to handle when it's time to flip out your cake rounds to cool completely.
This 3-piece set features a 3-inch, 5-inch, and 7-inch diameter pan, all with a height of 2 inches. We tested them with one box of cake mix, and it did bake up perfectly. What we like about this set is you can use the different sizes for any kind of cake (we personally like the smallest one for a smash cake). These pans should be hand-washed and are easy to clean, even if food sticks to the bottom or sides of the pan during the baking process. If you do run the pans through the dishwasher, the anodized finish will oxidize from the extreme heat and chemicals of the machine wash, although the pans will still be useable.
Material: Anodized aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 550 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: No | Pieces Included: [3] 2-inch deep round pans in 3, 5, and 7-inch diameters
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
Even cooking and browning
Professional-grade design
Heavy-duty construction prevents warping
Requires lining or thorough greasing
There's a wide variety of loaf pans available these days, but if you're looking to outfit your bakeware collection from scratch, or are ready to get serious about baking, the Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated 1-Pound loaf pan is absolutely essential. Unlike other pans, this one's made out of uncoated stainless steel, which is going to provide you with years, if not decades, worth of use.
The 1-pound description is a rough indication of how much dough the pan comfortably bakes—an especially great reference point when baking yeasted loaves, and just as helpful when working with quick breads and batters. The heavy-gauge stainless-steel construction, with sharp 90° folded corners (not rounded, as you'll see with other pans) and a rolled top edge prevent the loaf pan from warping under high heat. The thicker steel walls will also help move heat more evenly around your loaf while it bakes, and provide a beautiful, even browning to your loaf in the process.
We used the pan to make both vanilla pound cake and banana bread, noting that the browning was perfectly consistent on each. Since the pan is uncoated, you will need a substantial coating of baking spray to ensure that the loaves don't stick. Clémence Gossett, the owner of The Gourmandise cooking school in Santa Monica, California, also recommends lining the pan with parchment paper to easily prevent sticking, and make lifting the baked loaf out of the pan while it's still warm.
Material: Alloy steel | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes
![Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated 1-Pound Loaf Pan displayed on a marble counter](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/Sui4CCot1Myyusq-YyZSs366q9Y=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Loaf_Pans_Chicago_Metallic_HeroHorizontal-cf26027dbd2d446fa16c6fff3a7435fd.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Lindsay Boyers
Best Bundt Pan
Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt Pan
Large, 10-15 cup capacity
Backed by lifetime warranty
Long-lasting sturdy construction
Hand wash only
In the early 1950s, the owner of Nordic Ware, a Minneapolis-based company, designed the pan now known as the Bundt specifically for the Hadassah Society, a group of women who were looking for a way to replicate the Kugelhopfs known in Europe. After grabbing attention at a national baking competition, the pan became a regular fixture in home kitchens across the U.S. This anniversary-edition Bundt pan takes the original Bundt pan design that made Nordic Ware famous and presents it to a new generation, with a few upgrades.
This pan is still made with cast aluminum, which makes for cakes that are baked evenly with perfect browning all the way around. The material is a little heavier than other Bundts, but seemed like a worthy trade-off for such pristine baking. We noticed that cakes released effortlessly from the pan without needing additional greasing. Additionally, the handles on this pan make it easy to move in and out of the oven, as well as flip the cake out of the pan to finish cooling.
Nordic Ware claims the pan can fit from 10 to 15 cups of batter, but we noticed that the pan can easily fit up to 14 cups of batter and bake up nicely, depending on the type of cake batter you're using. The pan should be hand-washed with a soft sponge and warm soapy water. Avoid abrasive tools, sponges, and soaps to keep the integrity of the pan's finish intact.
Material: Cast aluminum with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 400 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: No
![Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt Pan displayed on a marble counter](https://www.thespruceeats.com/thmb/hx3kENOzrYS84F3zXvIF89gSlps=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Bundt_Pans_10-d1c801a9a12f42808296f5662a682188.jpg)
The Spruce Eats / Lindsay Boyers
Best Ceramic
Made In Square Baking Dish
Durable construction and materials
Attractive design and color options
Easy to clean
More expensive option
While some of the other pans on this list are really only useful for cakes, loaves, tarts, or pies, the Made In porcelain baking dish covers a much wider range of baked foods. We baked everything from dessert and casseroles to vegetables and biscuits in this baking dish, with fantastic results every time. The restaurant-quality ceramic construction heats slowly and evenly, making it perfect for baked dishes that spend a little more time in the oven, like brownies and baked pasta dishes. The handles make the pan easy to get a grip on, and the dish itself cools slowly, keeping your foods warmer for longer while you're enjoying dinner.
The design of the Made In ceramic baking dish is timeless, with a nod to the white vintage enamel-coated sheet trays with a blue pinstripe around the edge of the pan. The dishes are also available with a red rim or with gray polka dots to fit your tastes. We tried the 8 x 8-inch square baking dish and noted that even without greasing the dish, there was very little sticking from anything that was baked in it. Additionally, they noted that the dish was easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher.
Material: Porcelain ceramic | Oven Safe Temperature: 650 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but handwashing recommended
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Best Springform Pan
Fat Daddio's Aluminum Springform Cake Pan
Wide base with raised bottom reduces leaks
Available in several sizes
Safe for citrus
Hand wash
While springform pans don’t typically see as much baking action as other pans in your baking arsenal, it’s still a good idea to have a few on hand for special baking projects like cheesecakes, flourless chocolate cakes, tarts, and pies—or anything that you’ll need to use extra care removing from the pan.
There are two features that set these springform pans apart from traditional springform pans. The first is the wider base that extends past the round cake form, angling slightly up like the rim of a plate. Additionally, the base of the pan is raised inside the round cake form to create even more protection against leaking, as well as deterring water from entering the form if you’re baking using a water bath. There is still an inner rib on the inside of the plate for the form to grip onto, holding the pieces together, but the updated design helps to keep everything where it’s supposed to be and makes for an easy release when you remove the round form.
The design worked perfectly when we baked Basque cheesecake inside. It came out evenly baked, and the pan cooled down quickly for a fast unmolding. We did notice that if you want to place this in a pan, you'll need something wide to account for the base.
Material: Anodized aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 550 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: No | Sizes Available: 6-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch, 10-inch, 11-inch
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
Best Pie Pan
Emile Henry Ruffled Pie Dish
Appropriate for pies of all depths
Scratch resistant
Makes any pie look gorgeous
Slightly more expensive option
Emile Henry is known for its high quality ceramic bakeware, with clean designs, and stylish color choices. And this ruffled pie dish might look like it’s all frills, but it's built to bake just about any pie you can throw at it. Made with Emile Henry’s signature Burgundy ceramic, which retains and disperses heat evenly, the plate itself is coated with a hard and glossy glaze. We noticed that the glazed surface made it easier to remove extra-sticky pies where the filling had bubbled over the crust, and there were no signs of scratch marks even after slicing pies in it with a serrated knife.
The sides of the pie dish are 2.5 inches tall, allowing for an incredibly deep pie, should that be what you’re trying to make. But because of the way the dish is designed, you can just as easily fit it with a regular pie crust with a slightly rolled edge and molded into the fluted side of the pan for a traditional-depth pie. We observed that there is no differentiation between wall and edge of this pie plate, so your pies can be as shallow or deep as you like, with lovely results either way.
It’s a more expensive option than several of the other pie dishes on the market, but we think it’s worth it if baking pies is high on your list of favorite cooking projects. It’s also ideal if you’re concerned about making nice-looking pies, as just about anything you bake in it is destined to look good, even if too much juice bubbles over the crust or it’s a little burnt on one side. But be warned, if you bake a pie for someone in this dish, expect that you might not get it back!
Material: Ceramic | Oven Safe Temperature: 520 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Pieces Included: [1] 10.5 x 2.5-inch deep dish ceramic pie dish
The Spruce Eats / Abigail Abesamis Demarest
The Spruce Eats / Abigail Abesamis Demarest
The Spruce Eats / Abigail Abesamis Demarest
The Spruce Eats / Abigail Abesamis Demarest
Best Muffin and Cupcake Pan
Chicago Metallic Everyday Non-Stick 12-Cup Muffin and Cupcake Pan
Silicone-based nonstick
Easy to fill
Inexpensive
Handwash only
A high-quality muffin and cupcake pan will become one of your most used baking pans. You can use it to make muffins and cupcakes of course, but you can also use it to make egg bites, baked oatmeal cups, and mini cheesecakes.
The carbon-steel pan has 12 cups, each 2.75 x 1.4 inches, which is a standard size, and it's all covered in a silicone-based nonstick coating. Carbon steel is known for conducting heat evenly, and it definitely did here. Our muffins baked beautifully, evenly golden on the outside and tender on the inside. The nonstick made getting the muffins out of the pan stress-free and was surprisingly easy to clean. We found the pan easy to fill because of the ample space in between cups and appreciated the handles for getting the muffin pan in and out of the oven.
We were surprised by the low price and it gave us one more reason to love this pan. The pan does need to be hand washed and metal utensils should be avoided to keep the nonstick coating in pristine condition.
Material: Carbon steel with silicone nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: No
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht
Final Verdict
If you’re looking to invest in a set of pans with a scratch-resistant finish and an extra sheet pan for larger baking projects, consider the Wilton Non-Stick Diamon-Infused 7-Piece Baking Set. To round out your bakeware, pick up the Emile Henry French Ceramic Ruffled Pie Dish.
How We Tested
This list is a collection of our very best bakeware. Prior to each test, our editors and home testers research the market, identifying the most popular and most promising products. We then send a selection into our home kitchens, to test how well pans perform in a regular environment. We assess each pan for a variety of qualities including:
- How evenly the pan bakes and distributes heat, especially for delicate goods like cheesecake and pie crusts.
- How well the nonstick works with stickier ingredients or recipes that always create a little baked-on batter. We also purposefully attempt to damage nonstick coating to see how durable it is.
- How easily the pan cleans, and if it can be washed in the dishwasher, whether or not that affects the finish.
- Any special features that will make your baking experience so much nicer. This can include how easily a springform pan latches or unlatches, or if the handles are wide enough to grab with an extra-stuffed oven mitt.
About Our Testers
- Lindsay Boyers, a certified holistic nutritionist with extensive nutrition knowledge and cooking experience, tested loaf pans and Bundt pans, and supplied us with her insights.
- Donna Currie, a seasoned food writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer, has tested hundreds of products for us over the past seven years.
- Abigail Abesamis Demarest is a freelance writer, editor, and former New Yorker based in sunny Panama City Beach, Florida. She still loves her Emile Henry Ruffled Pie Dish.
- Jenny Kellerhals is our resident pastry and baking expert who tested our pie pan recommendations in her home kitchen. She completed a Baking & Pastry Program at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, and has worked in professional kitchens for over a decade.
- Rachel Knecht is a recipe tester, blogger, and former head baker, who really loves cheesecake.
What to Look for in a Baking Pan
Type of Baking Pan
Depending on the baked goods you're planning to make, you'll likely need a specific type of baking pan. Some of these pans, of course, are multipurpose. Besides the standard square and rectangular roasting pans and baking dishes, there are also brownie pans, cake pans, bundt pans, loaf pans, muffin tins, jelly roll pans, doughnut pans, pie pans, springform pans, tart pans, and more.
Material
Equally important to the type of baking pan is the material it's made of. You'll commonly find glass, metal, silicone, and ceramic—each with its pros and cons. For instance, glass pans conduct heat well, while silicone ones often don't; however, the latter are great for cupcakes and muffins because they're nonstick. Ceramic pans also conduct heat evenly, but unglazed ones need to be seasoned; metal pans are the most common and most versatile. Furthermore, within these categories there are variations. For instance, under metal alone there are several different types: aluminum, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, insulated, nonstick, and more.
Size
Similar to looking at the type of baking pan, your recipe will dictate the size of pan you need. The standard baking pan size is 9 x 13 inches, and any basic cupcake or cake recipe can be converted to be baked using this versatile pan, with very few adjustments. If a recipe calls for a baking pan you don't have, you can typically use a similarly sized pan—mainly, just make sure it is as close to the same volume capacity as the original pan the recipe called for.
FAQs
Is there a big difference between using parchment paper versus greasing a pan?
While many recipes—especially more traditional ones—call for greasing your baking pan, many professionals prefer parchment paper. According to Clemence Gossett, owner of the Gourmandise School in Santa Monica, California, greasing pans might leave an unsavory coating around your baked goods, and create a slippery surface that prevents most of your cake batters from climbing up their cake pans. Parchment paper makes for easier cleanup and foolproof release.
How do you line a baking pan with parchment paper?
To line a square or rectangular baking pan, cut a length of parchment paper long enough to cover the bottom of the pan with a little extra hanging over the sides. Make a crease in the parchment along the edges so that it fits snugly on the bottom. A completely optional step: use a little nonstick spray in the pan first to help tack down the parchment paper so it doesn't move. Some people also prefer to make cuts in the corners for a neater presentation. For round cake pans, you can trace the pan onto a sheet of parchment and cut just inside your tracing—the lining for a cake pan doesn't necessarily need to come all the way up the sides as you can easily loosen the cake with a spatula once it's finished baking.
How do you grease a baking pan?
If you must grease a baking mold, the easiest way is to use a nonstick cooking spray to lightly coat the inside of your pan. You can also use a paper towel with a bit of oil, shortening, or butter on top, dragging the fat along the insides of your baking pan until it's coated in a sheer layer.
Do silicone and other nonstick baking pans need to be greased?
Silicone is nonstick and tends to release without any issue. Most nonstick pans do not need any additional greasing either, but for easier cleanup, you can always opt to line a rigid cake or sheet pan with parchment paper.
What's the best way to remove finished baked goods from their pans?
First and foremost, let it cool. "Your baked goods contain starches that need time to set as they cool," says Gossett. "Too quick a cool-down may cause cookies to crack and banana breads to collapse." If you don't have a cooling rack, that's fine—in professional settings, cookies are typically cooled right on the sheets they are baked on and brownies are left in their pans until they are completely cooled down. If you've followed the above advice to use parchment paper as a pan liner, removing cakes and other goods should be easy. For other loaves and cakes, you can run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to loosen them, then turn the pan over and let gravity help your cake or bread to release.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Karen Resta is a writer specializing in food culture and history, cooking, pastries, and restaurants. She's also a former pastry chef and has traveled to Budapest, Kyiv, and Paris during their Fashion Weeks as a photographer and writer, always finding the best authentic pastries along the way. She now spends a lot of her free time baking at home and recommends quality within your given budget.
This article was updated by Jenny Kellerhals, who regularly tests bakeware for The Spruce Eats. She is a professional pastry chef in New York City and a freelance food writer. At home, pies are her go-to dessert and always a crowd favorite.