The muffin pan is a must-have if you like muffins and cupcakes and wish to make them at home! You can change the looks and taste of your baked goods by choosing the right pan. Besides making the baking process easier, a good muffin pan will make it less complicated as well.
Baking at home can be improved by investing in heavy-duty bakeware, although it isn’t the cheapest solution. My opinion is that it’s the best muffin pan available. Additionally, if you bake more than twelve muffins or cupcakes at a time, you may want to invest in more than one pan so two can go in the oven at the same time.
With this guide to the best muffin pans, we present our top recommendations for all types of bakers, based on baking experts’ recommendations.
What to Consider Before Buying a Muffin Pans
Regardless of what you intend to bake, you should use a high-quality muffin pan because it can make all the difference in the outcome, from the appearance and texture, to ease of release. Here are some factors to consider before:
Material
Material is one of the most important considerations when choosing the best muffin pan. Three different materials are commonly used for muffin pans: nonstick, silicone, and traditional metal (aluminum and steel).
- Aluminum Muffin Pans: Muffin pans made of metal, such as aluminum or steel, are notoriously durable. In addition to providing even heat distribution, they can produce a golden crust on muffins. The liners will likely need to be used every time you use them.
- Nonstick Muffin Pans: There is good reason why these are a favorite among bakers. You can easily release and clean these muffin liners, ensuring your muffins come out intact. However, nonstick pans are often coated with some sort of coating, so if you’re sensitive to that, you might want to choose a different type.
- Silicone Muffin Pans: Due to their flexibility, these muffins can be easily removed from the mould in one piece without sticking. Folding and storing them in small spaces is also an option, though they aren’t the most durable.
Size
Typically, muffin pans range from mini to standard to jumbo, depending on which size you need. You should choose based on what you intend to use it for.
Features
Nonstick coatings make it easier to release muffins from some pans. For easy transportation, some have built-in handles. Shapes that are fun and unique are even available on some.
Care
Hand wash your muffin pan to protect the nonstick coating to ensure your muffin pan lasts for years. Make sure you don’t scratch the pan’s surface by using metal utensils. Put a silicone pan on a baking sheet to make sure it stays stable.
Review list of Muffin Pans
1. Rachael Ray Yum -o! Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Tin
With its light bronze finish and nonstick coating, Rachael Ray Yum-o! 12-Cup Muffin Pan bakes up golden-brown muffins and tender cupcakes. Among the few pans we tested, this one made proper popovers in which the outside was crispy while the inside was hollow and custardy.
The Rachael Ray pan also makes cooking easy. While placing and removing it from the oven, its silicone grip makes it easy to handle. It is still convenient to store the pan away despite the grips that do not dramatically increase the size of the pan.
Despite being recommended to wash by hand, the nonstick coating makes cleaning easy. In addition, a portion of the proceeds will go to Rachael’s Yum-o! Helps feed hungry children and educates them about food.
2. Trudeau 5118553 Structured Silicone Muffin Pan
In addition to being nonstick, silicone baking pans are flexible, making them an ideal choice for baking muffins and other items without sticking. For added convenience, these pans are recommended to be used with a baking sheet embedded with a steel band for stability.
A silicone cake or custard often turns out softer and less browned since silicone’s insulating properties help them cook longer. Additionally, these pans can be used for cold desserts, they are dishwasher safe, and they are lightweight, but heavy items should not be stacked on top of them to prevent warping. The pan should also be protected from damage by avoiding using metal utensils.
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3. USA Pan Bakeware 12-Well Muffin Pan
This 12-well muffin pan from USA Pan Bakeware was the best we tested. Corrosion-resistant aluminum coating is applied to the inner steel core to ensure good heat transfer and heat retention. After that, the pan gets a silicone coating that makes it both nonstick and extra-grippy, so it’s easy to move around. All cupcakes, muffins, and mini-frittatas baked evenly and had the right well size, so there were no spills or drips.
Despite the silicone coating’s downside, the surface of this dish is impressively nonstick, and it can be hand washed without issue. Oil-based cooking sprays cannot be used on the material, as they can degrade it. There is no need for you to do so, but it might be a change from what you normally bake.
4. Wilton Recipe Right 12-Cup Non-Stick Muffin Pan
With Wilton Recipe Right Muffin Pan, you can bake tender, crisp-crusted muffins, fluffy cupcakes, and crispy popovers with eggy cavities without the need for expensive baking equipment.
Lightweight nonstick muffin pan with silvery finish that can be cleaned safely in the dishwasher. In addition, the rims of the pan are extended slightly at either end for better grip when transferring them between ovens.
5. Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum NonStick Petite Muffin Pan
For cupcakes and muffins you can create your own coating by using an aluminum pan. By coating each cup with butter, shortening, flour, or a combination of all three, you can avoid the need to pour in batter. Your muffin tin may begin to discolor sooner if you plan to use it for egg cups or pizza bites because aluminum reacts differently to tomato sauce.
There was a consistent browning and doming on each muffin when using this pan. The fluffiness factor was not affected by the various ovens. Baked in this pan, the muffins did have a slightly thicker crust. It is great to be able to visually gauge the browning process during baking with a 24-capacity cup.
6. LE CREUSET 12 Cup Muffin Tray
Le Creuset products are typically expensive, and this muffin pan is no exception. This product, however, is also well-built and smartly designed with materials that are designed to last a lifetime. This pan’s heavy-duty nonstick coating held up to our durability test, and cupcakes were easy to remove from the cups.
You can easily transfer this muffin pan between the oven and the countertop thanks to the silicone handles. Also, its dark color facilitates even cooking, although it may bake recipes a bit faster in some cases if you’re used to lighter-colored cookware. Le Creuset’s small cups could overflow, but its raised rim prevents spills from all over your oven floor. That’s helpful if you’re prone to disaster when it comes to baking.
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7. Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Muffin Pan
The Nordic Ware model has a sturdy aluminum construction, which resists rust and warping. The pan heats evenly despite its nonstick finish, regardless of the lack of a nonstick coating.
The tops of these muffins and cupcakes came out flat and not domed, so it would be easier to frost them if used as cupcake pans. It took her approximately 3 to 5 minutes longer to bake this aluminum pan than her recipe suggested, even though aluminum pans typically bake faster than nonstick pans.
8. Anolon Bronze Nonstick 12-Cup Muffin Tin
Its additional features, such as rubberized non-slip handles and a snap-on plastic lid, make it a worthy example of functionality from Analon. A nonstick finish covers the steel construction and steel construction of this muffin pan.
In addition to looking great, the bronze finish also helps transfer heat to the surface of baked goods. Because it’s darker, your muffins will bake a little faster and possibly turn a little darker. The slightly wider sides proved easier to grip in testing, especially with the generous silicone grips on each side. Additionally, we found the snap-on plastic lids to be tall enough to protect cupcakes that have been adorned and frosted lavishly.
The pan weighs 2.2 pounds, which is a bit heavier than some of the other options. Occasionally, stuck-on crumbs can get stuck in the crease between the muffin cups and the flat pan, but just a bit of soaking eventually managed to remove them.
9. Caraway Non-Stick Ceramic 12-Cup Muffin Pan
There has been a rise in contemporary cookware and bakeware brands with attractive designs, innovative storage options. Caraway’s simple, stylish designs and soft colors set it apart from other brands. It offers a wide selection of sets as well as individual pieces for those hoping to enhance their kitchen or gift without consuming a lot of space.
Caraway’s bakeware’s nonstick ceramic proved to be very effective in tests. Cookies and biscuits were easily removed from pans without the need for tools. Additionally, the ceramic ensures an even temperature distribution for consistent browning and cooking without burning.
For optimal performance, hand-washing the pans and using non-spray greases is recommended, as the durable ceramic can tolerate up to 550 degrees. There are several types of pans available from Caraway, allowing you to cater to a variety of kitchen needs.
10. Wilton Advance Select Premium Non-Stick Mini Muffin Pan
The Wilton Advance mini muffin pan provides the solution to a challenge that can arise when baking mini muffins or mini cupcakes. Despite its thickness, the steel is heavy enough to evenly distribute heat, but not so thick as to burn the delicate cakes.
Cakes this tiny, or really, any miniature food, will be easier to remove because of the silicone coating, and the oversized handles provide a firm grip. Using muffin liners or without, it is scratch-resistant and compatible with muffin liners. You can easily clean it by putting it in the dishwasher! A manufacturer’s warranty of 10 years is included.
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Conclusion
Our favorite muffin pan is the heavy-duty USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan, which won’t brown too rapidly and has a nonstick silicone clear coating that makes muffins and cupcakes easy to remove. Because of the lifetime warranty, you will never have to buy another muffin pan. It’s simple to decorate a batch of cupcakes and deliver them with the Anolon Advanced Bronze Nonstick 12-Cup Muffin Tin.
