13 Best Muffin Pans To Buy In 2021
ratika pai 
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Muffins are sweet treats that look like cupcakes but are made with healthy ingredients that help you kickstart your day without being loaded with excess sugar. Mostly made of whole wheat flour, muffins can be made in flatbread-style, but most are baked like a cupcake.
The perfect muffin is fluffy, well-risen, and temptingly brown. You need a good muffin pan to bake fine muffins. We have looked through several muffin pans available online and have narrowed the list down to 13 best muffin pans that you can consider buying.
Top Picks
13 Best Muffin Pans
1. Cuisinart AMB-12MP Chef’s Classic Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Pan
This aluminum muffin pan is made of heavy gauge aluminized steel. Its body distributes heat evenly to bake perfectly spongy muffins. The Whitford Xylan non-stick interior and exterior prevent the muffins from sticking to the base and allow easy removal. It comes with thick rolled edges, so you do not have to worry about the pan getting deformed at high temperatures.
Pros:
- Thick non-stick coating
- Warp-resistant
- Sturdy build
- Available in multiple pan sizes
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- Size may seem smaller than other muffin trays
2. Keliwa’s 12 – Cup Silicone Muffin Pan
Here is a colorful muffin pan that looks fancy and is extremely convenient to use. Made of food-grade silicone, this flexible muffin pan can be used in a freezer and an oven. Silicone has effective non-stick properties, so you will never have to worry about food sticking to the pan. It heats evenly, so all your muffins are well-baked with crisp tops.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Rust-free
- Scratch-resistant
- Foldable body is easy to store
- Dishwasher-safe
- BPA-free
Cons:
- Muffins may not rise as high as they do in metal pans
- Can only be used with a pan placed under it
3. Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick Mega Standard-Size Muffin and Cupcake Baking Pan, Standard 24-Cup
Coming from a top-quality bakeware range, this muffin pan is made of cold-rolled steel that makes it a great choice to prepare some delicious baked goods. Its large handles offer good grip and easy handling, and the non-stick coating enables you to remove food smoothly. It is easy to wash in a dishwasher.
Pros:
- Oversized panhandles
- Durable construction
- Lightweight
- Brand offers a ten-year warranty
Cons:
- Metal construction is likely to rust
- Pan may be too large for certain ovens
4. Rachael Ray 24-Cup Oven Lovin’ Mini Steel Muffin Pan, Gray with Red Grips
Want to make muffins for kids? Take a look at this mini muffins pan that prepares bite-sized muffins. Its heavy gauge steel construction makes it sturdy and long-lasting, while its non-stick surface makes food release quick and easy. It comes with handles that help you get a good grip.
Pros:
- Heat-resistant silicone handles
- Warp-resistant
- Non-stick coating
- Free of PFOA, cadmium, and lead
Cons:
- Non-stick feature can wear off in case of frequent use
- Pan can rust if not maintained properly
5. USA Pan (1200MF) Bakeware Cupcake and Muffin Pan
This muffin pan is made of heavy-gauge aluminized steel and comes with a lifetime warranty. The pan contains 12 standard wells. Its non-stick Americoat coating ensures that your muffins come out easily and in great shape.
Pros:
- Durable construction can withstand high heat
- Warp-resistant
- Easy to clean with warm water and soap
- Free of PTFE, PFOA, and BPA
Cons:
- Tends to retain excessive heat
- Cannot bake with cupcake papers
6. OvenArt Bakeware European LFGB Silicone Muffin Pan
It is made of special grade silicone. Its interior is non-stick and makes food release smooth as butter. Just place a baking sheet before putting the batter, and you are good to go. Its flexible construction is approved by the FDA and follows stricter European LFGB product standards. The pan can be washed either by hand or a dishwasher.
Pros:
- Durable construction
- Lightweight flexible body
- Made of high-quality silicone
- Free of BPA and fillers
Cons:
- Muffins can break in the mold
- May not be suitable for egg muffins
7. OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Muffin Pan
Made of heavy-gauge aluminized steel, this pan can bake some mouth-watering muffins and cupcakes. It distributes heat evenly to ensure that all your muffins are baked just right. Its two-layer ceramic-reinforced coating makes food release simple and easy. It also protects the interior from scratches, stains, abrasion, and corrosion.
Pros:
- Square-rolled edges make the frame sturdy
- Firm grip ensures safe handling
- Micro-textured pattern allows good airflow
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- May not be able to withstand high temperatures
8. Silicone Muffin & Cupcake Baking Pan Set
An ideal silicone muffin pan is the one made of pure silicone, like this one made from pure European LFGB-grade silicone. It comes in big and small sizes and can easily be cleaned in a dishwasher or even by hand. Its non-stick interior makes the muffins pop-out with no effort. The flexible, lightweight body frame makes handling easy.
Pros:
- Does not contain white plastic fillers
- Free of BPA and toxic chemicals
- Package includes free cupcake liners
- Safe to use in microwave, freezer, and oven
Cons:
- Pan may seem too small
- Cannot be used without a cookie sheet below it
9. Chicago Metallic Professional Non-Stick Muffin Top Pan
This muffin pan is designed with shallow cups, which let you bake anything from muffins to cookies. Its non-stick surface allows you to remove the food in a swift swipe. Made of carbon steel, it is durable and can last for years when handled with care. Even though it can be put in a dishwasher, it is best to wash it with hand to ensure it lasts long.
Pros:
- High durability
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Warp resistant
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- Tends to spill if filled with too much batter
10. G & S Metal Products Company OvenStuff Non-Stick 6 Cup Jumbo Muffin Pan
This steel muffin pan is designed for baking muffins that can satisfy your taste buds. Its durable frame heats evenly leaving no hotspots. Apart from muffins, it can also bake cupcakes and mini cakes. The non-stick coating prevents the batter from sticking to the pan, making it easy to release the baked items.
Pros:
- Corrosion-resistant
- Warp-resistant
- Free of PFOA and PTFE
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- Quality could have been better
- Can rust if not handled with care
11. Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Muffin Pan, 12 Cup
This muffin pan from Nordic Ware is made of pure aluminum. Aluminum’s property of conducting heat evenly helps muffins rise and bake easily. The reinforced encapsulated steel rim protects the structure from warping. It comes in 12-cup and 24-cup variants, ideal for bakers.
Pros:
- Sturdy build
- Does not corrode easily
- Muffins rise well
- Simple design makes it easy to store
Cons:
- Cannot be washed in a dishwasher
- Pan size may vary from that shown online
12. Farberware 52106 Nonstick Bakeware 12-Cup Muffin Tin
This pan features a non-stick coating on both the interior and exterior of the pan. This feature makes the removal of muffins and cleaning of pan easy. It can be used in the oven but up to 450°F. It can also be used to make mini quiches and casseroles.
Pros:
- Pan heats evenly
- Resistant to warping
- Safe to wash in dishwasher
- Does not stain
Cons:
- May burn muffins at the bottom
13. CasaWare Ceramic Coated NonStick 12 Cup Muffin Pan
This muffin pan is made from carbon steel with a double-coated ceramic surface. The colorful ceramic coating is approved by FDA, California Proposition 65, and the European Union. The carbon steel can withstand heat up to 450°F. It is easy to clean by hands.
Pros:
- Exterior comes in a granite-like finish
- Does not peel off or blister at high temperatures
- Double-coated ceramic surface
- Ceramic coating is free of cadmium, lead, PFOA, PTFE, and PFOS
- Available in a variety of colors
Cons:
- Not dishwasher-safe
- Coating can flake off when used at very high temperature
How To Choose The Right Muffin Pan?
Look for the following features when shopping for an ideal muffin pan for you.
- Material: Muffin pans are usually made of:
- Aluminum: Aluminum pans are easily available and are known for baking evenly-heated muffins. However, the metal can also warp easily under high temperatures.
- Steel: It comes in three variations, namely regular steel, stainless steel, and carbon steel. Regular steel pans are known for their durability and long life. Stainless steel pans can also last a lifetime. However, they take their time to heat up, making the baking process longer than other pans. Carbon steel pans are lightweight and also very durable.
- Silicone: Silicone trays are flexible and extremely lightweight. However, they are not very good at retaining heat, and the muffins might fail to rise as they do in other pans.
- Capacity: Most brands offer muffin pans with six cups, 12 cups, 24 cups, or even 48 cups capacity. You can decide the pan size, depending on how many muffins you need to bake at a time.
- Additional features: Some brands are very creative when it comes to design and color. Some pans come with easy-grip handles that allow you to use the pan safely. If you do not like plain looking pans, you can go for the colored variants. You can even get pans with free accessories, such as cookie sheets.
Is There A Difference Between A Muffin Pan And A Cupcake Pan?
The batter for muffins is usually lumpier than batter for cupcakes. Muffins also need to rise significantly from their cups to form that recognizable crisp mushroom-like top. These differences usually warrant some variations in muffin and cupcake pans.
- Depth of the cups: When baking a cupcake, you need to fill only a half or lesser portion of the cup, to allow the batter to rise. Whereas, when making a muffin, you can fill the cup up to the liner, so the top portion of the muffin is crisp. This variation can cause differences in depth of the cups in muffin pans and cupcake pans.
- Cup spacing: The spacing between the cups is usually wider in a muffin pan because the batter is usually filled up to the cup liner. The spacing between the cups in a cupcake pan will be relatively less as the batter takes only half of the cup.
- Lining of the walls: When making a muffin, there is no need to line the walls of the pan, whereas making cupcakes requires you to line the walls before pouring the batter. It can cause variations in the inner coating of the pan’s cups.
Baking is fun and sometimes even therapeutic. A good muffin pan can make the baking experience exciting while also letting you bake perfect muffins. Hope this list helps you find the best muffin pan you were looking for. Happy baking!
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