We Asked A Pro Baker What Pans Are Worth Buying And Why

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If your bakes aren't turning out exactly like you'd hoped, you might be making one (or more) of these 13 mistakes. Or maybe you aren't sifting dry ingredients like you should (Duff Goldman says that's a huge no-no). But if you're not making any ingredient, prep, or mixing mistakes, it could also be an issue with the pans you're using. According to pro baker Kat Buckley of The Baking Explorer, your pans matter more than you might think.

"It is worth investing in good quality heavy gauge tins," she told Food Republic, because "they will last longer and you'll enjoy using them again and again." She even came with brand recommendations, including PME, Nordic Ware (which sells a basic 8" round cake pan for a reasonable price), Wilton, and Silverware; these are all what Buckley deems "great quality."

If none of those brands has what you're looking for, Buckley suggested you at least opt for pans that are made of anodized aluminum, because that material best distributes even heat throughout the bake, so you can count on them for consistent results. "I recommend choosing tins in a lighter metal colour, as dark pans can cause over-cooking of your bakes," she added.

You might be wondering where that leaves any glass pans that you already own and don't want to get rid of. As it happens, our expert Kat Buckley didn't mean for you to put them in storage, never to be used again. Rather, it's a matter of knowing what specifically bakes best in glass pans. "They are ... great for baking pies, crumbles[,] and bread puddings," she informed us. And they aren't just for sweets; you could also bake scaled back (in terms of volume) casseroles in them, as well as quiches (using canned crescent rolls for the crust, at that); just be sure to spritz some olive oil spray so you're not stuck scraping off baked-on gunk. Buckley reminded us, too, to be sure before putting any glass pie plates in the oven that they're made for it, as "some glass is not oven-safe and can shatter when it gets too hot," she said.

As for the bakes where you should stick to aluminum, Buckley advised that cakes, cookies, and brownies should not be baked in or on glass pans, because they're not as even and consistent as metal at distributing heat. So if you use a glass dish to bake brownies, you could end up with one side perfectly gooey, while the other side is overcooked. She also mentioned that glass holds heat longer, so you can't trust your brownies not to over-bake once you pull them from the oven, either. With these tips in mind, your chance of baking success is much higher!