Now before we move on with the review, we need set some things clear. And that is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake. A lot of people aren’t really sure about because people have various ways of baking it and from a normal perspective, it all just looks the same. But we still believe that if you stick to the root, you will find various differences. Like for example, muffins are healthier because most of them are made with whole wheat flour, and contains nuts and dried fruits.
Muffins are more likely to be had as a breakfast because of its healthy nutrients. This is in by no way we are telling that cupcakes aren't but are simply stating the differences that we believe in order to distinguish between the two.Now that that is out of the way, we can “muffin” with the review. Sorry, it might have been a bad pun but we just had to put it!
Muffins are a healthy choice. The ingredients they are traditionally used are more health conscious and are aimed for giving you a boost of energy without really being covered with sugar. There are various recipes for muffins and our favorite is pumpkin muffins just for your information.
Now if you are already keen on baking muffins, the first you need is an oven which we presumably think that you already have. But the second thing is also most important because of its identity, and that is the muffin pan. It doesn't matter what you bake, because, without any solid structure, nothing will happen other than your food gets possibly burned.
When it comes to muffin pans, there are various types of muffins pans. It can be made from aluminum, steel, cast iron, or even silicone. And with each type, there are various advantages that can be hard to understand when just looking. That is why; we have selected some of the best muffin pans that are found and available on the market and have given a thorough review so that you will be able to understand the differences and can certainly make a happy choice.Budget Pick
Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Muffin Pan
The reason as to why we give our verdict from the beginning is so that as you continue reading, you will keep our answers in mind and we move forward, you will find out as to why we have chosen them as our best and budget pick. Now we will continue with our grade table, comparison table and then onward with the reviews.
1. USA Pan (1200MF) Bakeware Cupcake and Muffin Pan
USA Pan is pretty famous for their baking utensils and this one is no different. This muffin pan is constructed from Commercial Standard Aluminized Steel, making it very sturdy and can be able to stand harsh use and environment.
The pan has a unique fluted surface that not only gives it a different look but also helps in better airflow and even heat spread. The muffin pan from USA Pan comes with Americoat Plus. Americoat Plus is a silicone-based nonstick coat that is PTFE and PFOA free.
Because of it, your muffins won’t be affected by toxins. Plus because of the coating, popping the muffins off should be a piece of cake and not to mention cleaning as well. With this muffin pan, you can bake up to 12 muffins at a time.
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2. Keliwa 12 Cup Silicone Muffin - Cupcake Baking Pan
Muffin pans can come in various shapes, sizes and even in different construction. The muffin pan from Keliwa is made from silicone. Silicone is made of a polymer material that is heat resistant and is of rubber-like substance.
From the outside, the red color of this muffin pan will definitely catch your eye. And with that eye-catching moment, also know that the silicone is of 100% food grade level, hence its toxins free and won’t have an effect on your food.
Not only that, this muffin pan is non-stick and dishwasher safe because of its silicone material. Because of that, it’s easy for you to bake and clean. This muffin pan is also microwave safe; hence if you have an electric oven, you can whip up your baking with no issues.
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3. Wilton Recipe Right Nonstick 12-Cup Regular Muffin Pan
Wilton is a company that has been there since 1929 and has been serving baking utensils since then. With that, we have a muffin pan from Wilton that can bake up to 12 muffins at one go. The pans itself are made from steel, which increases the durability.
And it is non-stick, making it easier for you to bake and clean. On the side, you can see that it is curved; giving it just enough space to hold on as you move from one place to another. Also, the muffin pans are dishwasher safe, making it possible to spend your time on important things rather than cleaning up your muffin pan.
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4. OvenArt Bakeware OV-SB50-01 Silicone Muffin Pan
This muffin pan from OvenArt Bakeware comes in silicone made It uses European premium silicone. Due to the construction material, the color is red and sends a vibrant tone to your kitchen. The muffin pan is BPA free so you won't worry about your muffins being baked in toxins.
The muffin pan goes through FDA and LFGB regulations, which ensures that it is under top quality.With this muffin pan; you can bake up to 12 muffins. It is non-stick; hence baking hasn’t been easier than this. And because of this, it is also dishwasher free, so goodbye to spending time on washing it manually.
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5. OXO Good Grips Non-Stick Pro Muffin Pan
OXO brings something unique to the baking table. The muffin pan made from heavy grade aluminized steel which increases durability and ensures even heat spread. But what is interesting about this pan is the two layers of nonstick coating, and ceramic-reinforced .
Because of this, you are getting an exceptional quality product which will help against corrosion, staining and is scratch resistant. The coating is PFOA free. In this muffin pan, you can bake up to 12 muffins. Other than the construction, the visual is also appealing.
It has a golden accent to it that makes it look bold and heavy. The edges are square rolled hence there are no pointy edges that can harm you. The microtexture pattern on the pan helps on better airflow hence making you bake faster. Also, they have put enough space on the sides of the pan giving you the accessibility of getting a good hold as you move it from one place to another. This pan is also dishwasher safe which can save time.
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6. Rachael Ray Cucina Nonstick Bakeware
Rachel Ray comes in and saves the day with its colorful utensils that keep all the essentials you need in your kitchen. This muffin pan from Rachel Ray is made from durable steel where the edges are rolled in; hence there are no pointy edges. Because of the construction, its durable and the color tone sends the same vibe as well.
But the curiosity is in another place. The cups in the muffin pan are shallow and the edges of each cup are vertical. This might seem small but it does bring a new tone to muffin pans and this helps you different ways as well.
For one, your muffins will have a different design which can always be a good thing. And because of the vertical edges on each cup, it will be easier for you to pick up your muffin. As usual, the handles are as colorful as Rachel wants it to be. The handle grips are made from silicone so it is heat resistant and allow you to get a good grip when holding. The pan is also dishwasher safe so you don’t have to worry about cleaning it manually all the time.
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7. Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Muffin Pan
You don't really get to see a lot of ads that say that this or that is made out of pure aluminum. While over here that is true, a question does pop up and that is, what is pure aluminum? To put it simply, it’s aluminum in its purest form without any other element being added in the process. Because it is pure aluminum, it’s highly resistant to corrosion.
Now that we know about the material, let’s go to the nitty-gritty of this product. This muffin pan from Nordic Ware can bake up to 12 muffins at a go. The sides of the pans are rolled in so you can be safe from the edges being pointy.
Because of the aluminum, the heat conductivity is great making it possible for you to bake with less time being involved. Also because of the enclosed rims, it prevents the pan from warping.
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8. Wilton Premium Non-Stick Bakeware Muffin and Cupcake Pan
We have another Wilton product amongst ourselves. This one is made from steel, giving it a hard and durable exterior. This pan is nonstick, so baking won’t be an issue and neither will be cleaning.
The muffin pan can bake up to 12 muffins or cupcakes in 1 batch. The sides of the pan are curved, giving you the extra space for holding it. The pan is also dishwasher safe, so you won’t have to worry about cleaning it manually and spending time.
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9. Jubilee Sweet Arts 50 Count Foil Cupcake Muffin Baking Cups
When thinking of pans you wouldn’t normally think of these, but here we are. From the start, we see that these are of foil hence soft but add design and as a holder for your muffins as you eat them. These are best used when having parties and when you want to decorate your muffins.
In that sense, the royal blue color adds a depth to your muffins. From the start, you get 50 pieces which are a perfect amount for parties or for any other occasion. These cups are greaseproof, so you won’t have any issues when baking with these. These cups are also of a standard size for your muffins and can be used 1 time only.
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10. Bovado USA Ceramic Coated Copper Muffin Pan
This copper-based muffin pan that is coated with ceramic brings in a unique color when it comes to muffin pans. The copper is of heavy gauge and is superior to heat conduction. The coating is PTFE and PFOA free meaning you won’t have any toxins in your muffin while you bake and is environmentally safe to use.
These muffin pans can bake up to 12 large muffins at one go. And because they are nonstick, you won’t have a hassle when it comes to baking and cleaning. It is dishwasher safe so you don’t have to worry about washing it manually.Highlighted Features
Things You should Know Before Buying Best Muffin Pans
Construction
When it comes to muffin pans, the most important thing to know and understand is the construction of the pans. Because depending on what the pans are made of, your muffins can vary when it comes to texture, how long it takes to bake and maybe even sometimes flavor.
Aluminum muffins pans are a commercial standard muffin pan. Aluminum is a great conductor making your batter to bake really fast. Aluminum also reflects light and radiation from the oven, making it hard to brown your muffins while being baked. The issue with aluminum pans that it’s not nonstick, so you will have issues with popping them out after being baked and cleaning as well.
The nonstick pans are most common when it comes to household purposes. Underneath the nonstick coating, it is most of time stainless steel. Because of this, the baking time is heavily increased. But that delay can improve the rise of some particular batter. And because the pan absorbs light, there is more browning. Silicone pans are interesting. They are more flexible; don't have any hard edges, and toxic free. But because of the solidity of the pans, the muffins don't rise much unlike the aluminum one and expands more.
Capacity
Capacity is the second most important thing. You need to know of how many you want to bake. You really don’t want to buy a pan that can bake 4 muffins but you need to bake 8. In that case, you need to bake two batches which consume time. But also at the same time, you really don’t want to buy the biggest muffin you can find because that will hinder you in baking, cleaning and storing your pan as space can be an issue. Hence try to find a medium between the two, so that you bake just enough.
Unique features
Unique features can be a far-fetched thing when it comes to muffin pans. I mean, it’s just muffins, what unique features you can want. But you’d be surprised by some pan, as it might not look useful but it can come in handy. Hence understanding your needs is the first issue. Once you know of what you lack, finding exactly that can help you in baking better and easily.
Conclusion
Baking is in the making. And what makes a good bake? Family, friendship, and fun. And there's nothing more fun than you doing that at home. Muffins are a great addition to the baking family. It’s not only healthy but good to eat. In the beginning, we had to distinguish between muffins and cupcakes, and that is because to not mix in the two types which will be a disaster in the making. Each of the two as different characteristics. And in this review, we are talking about muffins.
And we hope that we give you some insight about muffins which will give you a better understanding of what it is and how to bake it better. We have reviewed some of the best muffin pans there is in the market so that you can know the difference and usability and choose on your own. And with that, we hope that you start baking your muffins and have a smile on your face as you start having them.
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