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
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Even browning
- Easy pan release and cleanup
- Sturdy construction
- Affordable
Cons:
- Edges could be wider for better handling
Specs
- 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, and since the pan is a light-colored metal, we didn’t need to worry about overbrowning. The sides and bottoms of the muffins had a nice crunch, as did the domed muffin tops, and the interior had a delightfully fluffy crumb.
That’s not to say we didn’t have concerns about this muffin tin. Quite a few blueberries burst during baking and the juices stuck to the rims of the cups and the platform (the flat part of the pan). We worried that pan release would be problematic, but the muffins flipped right out. As for those burnt-on juices? Soaking the pan in warm, soapy water helped them wash away with little effort.
What we’d leave: There really isn’t anything about the Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Muffin Pan that we don’t love. It does a stellar job at baking, but it could benefit from having handles that are slightly more extended. While the pan is easy enough to maneuver as is, we did have to take care not to stick the thumb of our oven mitt in a batter-filled well during handling.
Worth the splurge: Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch Muffin Pan
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Even browning
- Excellent rise
- Easy pan release and cleanup
- Extended handles for a better grip
- Durable
Cons:
- Heavy
- Pricey
Specs
- Pan size: 15.75" x 11" x 2"
- Material: Aluminum-coated steel
- Temperature range: Up to 450°F
- Dishwasher-safe: No
This heavy-duty uncoated pan is double the price of our best overall pick from Chicago Metallic, but we think its solid construction and impressive performance make it worth the extra bucks. Crafted from commercial-grade aluminized steel, the Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch Muffin Pan has superior heat conduction for even baking, washes up easily, and is resistant to rust. While the pan is a bit on the hefty side, the extended handles help with the heavy lifting.
What we love: The Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch Muffin Pan was neck and neck with Chicago Metallic for our best overall pan, but Chicago Metallic’s cheaper price ultimately gave it the edge. Still, there’s a lot we loved about the Traditionaltouch pan. The lined and unlined cups both yielded lovely golden brown muffins with an excellent rise and domed tops that didn’t spread. The sides and bottoms of the unlined muffins were a bit more crisp than the ones baked with muffin liners—we may have been a little heavy-handed with the cooking spray—but it didn’t impact the taste or result in a dryer crumb. Bursting blueberries were also an issue with this pan, but, as with Chicago Metallic, release and cleanup were a breeze.
While there are many similarities between the Chicago Metallic and Williams Sonoma pans, the biggest difference is that the Traditionaltouch has extended handles—a huge plus, as far as we’re concerned. Because the pan is on the heavier side, they’re extremely helpful for transferring the muffins to and from the oven and flipping them out onto a cooling rack.
What we’d leave: As a muffin pan, the Traditionaltouch is a heavyweight champ, but we wish it was just a little lighter. And a little less expensive. Yes, it’s a tough commercial-grade pan, but it has no extra bells and whistles, and you can find more wallet-friendly options.
Best nonstick muffin pan: Great Jones Stud Muffin
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Even browning
- Slick nonstick ceramic coating
- Effortless pan release and cleanup
- Extended handles for a better grip
- Available in two bright colors
Cons:
- Some spreading
- Pricey
Specs
- Pan size: 15.25" x 11" x 1.25"
- Material: Aluminized steel, nonstick coating
- Temperature range: Up to 450°F
- Dishwasher-safe: Yes, but hand-washing is recommended
Can’t be bothered greasing or lining your bakeware? Meet the Great Jones Stud Muffin, the best nonstick muffin pan we tested. Available in the brand’s cheery Blueberry and Raspberry colors, the lightweight pan is made from aluminized steel for even browning and has a dual-layered nonstick ceramic coating that helps sweet and savory bakes slide right out. That same coating also makes cleanup ridiculously quick and easy. When it comes to superbly designed nonstick muffin pans, they don’t get more slick than the Stud Muffin.
What we love: The Stud Muffin makes baking a joy. Not just because it comes in vibrant colors (we used the Raspberry version), but because it makes everything so effortless. Getting the filled pan in and out of the oven was a cinch, thanks to Its extended handles and light weight. While darker metal can result in too-dark bakes, the Stud Muffin browned our lined and unlined muffins evenly and exceptionally well, giving them a deliciously crisp exterior and a tender interior bursting with blueberry flavor.
Speaking of bursting blueberries, they were no match for the Stud Muffin. Though the gummy juices were present on the platform and cup rims, the muffins glided right out with ease. But what really wowed us was how easily the sticky stuff washed away from the pan. Unlike our uncoated pans that needed to soak for a bit, the Stud Muffin just needed a quick swipe with a soapy sponge to get clean.
What we’d leave: There was a little bit of spreading on some of the muffin tops, but not enough to take away from the positives of this nonstick pan. And while we do love the poppy color of the pan, we don’t love having to keep a watchful eye on the darker metal to make sure our bakes don’t get too brown.
How we tested muffin pans
We baked small batches of Classic Blueberry Muffins in more than a dozen popular muffin pans. The standard-size pans were all PTFE-free and came in a variety of materials, including aluminum, carbon steel, silicone, and cast iron; some had nonstick coatings. All were 12-cup muffin pans, except for Le Creuset’s six-cup cast-iron model.
After hand-washing the pans and drying them thoroughly, we lined two of the cavities with paper liners and sprayed two with cooking spray so that we could determine how well each version browned and released muffins (we skipped these steps for the Silpat Muffin Mold). We then filled the lined and greased cavities with batter and added a little bit of water to the empty cups to create steam and prevent warping once the pan went into the hot oven.
Our goal was to produce muffins that were domed, had little to no spreading, and had a crisp, golden exterior and moist interior. We baked the muffins on the middle rack for even airflow and used an oven thermometer to maintain the accuracy of the temperature. Once the muffins were done baking, we removed the pan from the oven, let it sit for 5 minutes, then released the muffins onto a cooling rack. After the pans cooled down, we washed each one by hand.
What makes a good muffin pan
Material
Like most cookware, muffin pans come in a range of materials, including stainless steel, aluminum, aluminized steel, carbon steel, cast iron, and silicone. In our experience, metal pans, especially aluminum pans, yield much better results than silicone molds, which conduct heat poorly, produce very little browning, and must rest on a baking sheet to keep the mold steady. If you want a golden crust, stick with a metal muffin pan and save the silicone for mini quiches or frittatas. Keep in mind, though, that dark metal absorbs and distributes heat more quickly than light metal and can encourage too much browning. If you use a dark baking pan, you’ll want to keep an eye on things and adjust the temperature and baking time if necessary.
Besides different materials, muffin pans also come in coated and uncoated versions. Coated pans may use ceramic, silicone, or chemicals like Teflon to create a nonstick surface for easy release and cleanup. (Check the manufacturer’s website to see what the coating is made of; some use PTFE, which is part of a larger group of forever chemicals that have been linked to a range of health concerns.) Uncoated pans typically require cupcake liners, cooking spray, or a few brushes of softened butter to prevent sticking.
Design and cavity size
Muffin pans are available in different cavity sizes, the most common being mini (about 1" wide at the base), standard (about 2.5" wide), and jumbo (about 3" wide). Mini muffin pans typically have 24 wells, while jumbo muffin pans have six. For standard pans, 12 tends to be the norm. Unless you’re making special treats like mini peanut butter cups or giant cupcakes, a standard muffin pan is all you need.
Besides cavity size, it’s important to consider how lengthy the ends of the pan are. Since the ends act as handles, they should be easy to grasp so that you can easily get the pan in and out of the oven. There also should be enough space between the ends of the pan and the cups so that the thumb of your oven mitt doesn’t accidentally dip into a batter-filled well when maneuvering the pan during baking.
Easy cleanup
Whether they’re nonstick or uncoated, the very best muffin pans are easy to clean. Even if your muffins slide right out, caramelized sugar and burnt batter can form a crust inside the cavities and along the top of the pan and be a beast to remove. You’ll want a pan that doesn’t require harsh abrasives or a lot of scrubbing to remove them. Warm, soapy water and a sponge should do the job, but a longer soak may occasionally be necessary.
Other muffin pans we tested and liked
Caraway makes beautiful bakeware, and this muffin pan is no exception. Available in nine dreamy colors, the ceramic-coated nonstick pan did a solid job in our baking tests, with reasonable browning on the lined muffins and a more golden color on the unlined batch. Our testers loved that the muffins released easily from the pan and that it was so easy to clean; however, the pan’s heft and limited space along the edges made it tricky to maneuver in and out of the oven.
This no-frills, lightweight muffin pan from Fat Daddio’s impressed our testers with its bakery-quality muffins. Crafted from anodized aluminum, the pan had excellent heat distribution and gave both the lined and unlined muffins a golden crust and perfectly domed tops. Though the pan doesn’t have a nonstick coating, pan release wasn't a problem and cleanup was a breeze. Described by our testers as “tough,” this budget-friendly workhorse comes with a lifetime warranty and is definitely worth stocking up on.
The Wilton Recipe Right Nonstick Muffin and Cupcake Pan is another no-frills bakeware option that really delivers the goods. Our testers found that it did a decent job with both muffin batches, although the unlined cups spread a little and baked slightly unevenly. While our testers were pleased with the pan’s overall performance, they noted that the brand’s boast about its “extra-wide” handles was a stretch.
Similar in price and performance to Fat Daddio’s and Wilton, the USA Pan Bakeware Muffin Pan produced golden muffins with good domed shapes, according to our testers. The aluminized-steel pan’s fluted design helped to distribute heat evenly, while its nonstick, nontoxic silicone coating made the muffins practically pop out of the pan.
Muffin pans we don’t recommend
Oxo’s pan was larger than most of the others we tested, due to the expanded edges for better handling. Unfortunately, this feature made the large pan feel very heavy and unwieldy. As for performance, this one was a letdown. Though the muffins did bake up with a decent domed shape, they were very pale rather than golden.
Speaking of heavy pans, they don’t get heavier than the Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Muffin Pan. Though we liked that it had six cups for smaller batches, its weight made baking feel like a workout. Despite the large handles, it was a chore to get the heavy pan into the oven, rotate it, and take it out while it was red-hot. The lined and unlined muffins rose nicely, but they browned unevenly with mostly pale tops. That said, they still had a nice, crisp exterior and moist interior. While the muffins released easily and cleanup was easy, the additional care and seasoning required to maintain cast iron seems like too much work to recommend this pan.
Because it’s made from oven-safe silicone, the Silpat Perfect Muffin Mold released muffins easily—even without cooking spray or baking cups—and cleanup required just a quick rinse. But silicone was also this pan’s downfall because it didn’t conduct heat well and produced a pale product. In fact, our testers found that the muffins only had a golden crust on the bottom, where the silicone mold rested on a sheet pan. At $65, the Silpat Perfect Muffin Mold is pricey, and better suited for mini crustless quiches and other bakes that don’t need a golden exterior.
Both batches of blueberry muffins that our testers baked in the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Muffin Pan were well-shaped and had an easy release with no sticking, which was a very good sign. However, our testers found that they were on the paler side and felt that there are similar pans that can do the job much better.