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A muffin pan may seem like a basic piece of bakeware—almost everyone has used one at some point or another—but it’s not a purchase that should be made lightly. A bad muffin pan will yield bad muffins; irregularly shaped, dry, too light, too dark, or, even worse, that stick to the pan. So finding the best muffin pan is important, especially since it can be used to bake more than just muffins. Besides prepping cupcakes and popovers, it can also turn out individual portions of brownies, as well as savory bites like meatloaf or quiche. In other words, the humble muffin pan—or muffin tin, as it’s also known—is a meal prep MVP you can use practically every day.
But with so many options available, how do you choose the best muffin pan? To help you cut through the clutter, we put nearly a dozen of them to the test to see which ones rose to the top. Whether you want to whip up Extra-Corny Corn Muffins, Devil’s Food Cupcakes, or savory recipes from your favorite cookbooks, you’ll find that our top picks bake food to a golden perfection, don’t stick, and are easy to clean. See our favorites below, along with our testing methodology, and what you should look for in a muffin pan.
Our top picks:
- Best muffin pan overall: Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Muffin Pan
- Worth the splurge: Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch Muffin Pan
- Best nonstick muffin pan: Great Jones Stud Muffin
Best muffin pan overall: Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Muffin Pan
Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Muffin Pan
Pros:
- Even browning
- Easy pan release and cleanup
- Sturdy construction
- Affordable
Cons:
- Edges could be wider for better handling
- Pan size: 15.75″ x 11″ x 1.25″
- Material: Aluminized steel
- Temperature range: Up to 450°F
- Dishwasher-safe: No
The brand behind one of our favorite loaf pans also makes the best muffin pan we tested. The professional-grade Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Muffin Pan is made from durable aluminized steel that conducts heat evenly and gives muffins a gorgeous golden color. At 2.75 inches in diameter, the pan’s cavities were slightly larger than those of most standard muffin pans we tested, but they still produced that great domed shape. We think this pan is pretty much perfect, and at $19, it’s the best budget-friendly option too.
What we love: This is a very basic pan, with no extras or special features. And, frankly, it doesn’t need them. The results speak for themselves: It made marvelous blueberry muffins. Both the lined and unlined batches baked up with the same beautiful golden color,