If you don't think of your muffin pan as one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen, chances are you're using it wrong. A quality muffin pan is a workhorse that can be used to make everything from delicate cupcakes to hearty meatballs. We love them for meal prepping big batches of mini quiches just as much as we love them for cooking up light and airy popovers for Sunday brunch. Having a durable, sturdy muffin tin is a kitchen essential, so we tested muffin pans from 11 different brands to find the best ones. From silicone to cast iron and everything in between, read on to see our top picks.

Related: The Best Stand Mixers for Every Kind of Baker, According to Thousands of Reviews 

In our search for the best muffin pan, we ran each pan through a series of culinary tests that aimed to assess versatility, functionality, durability, and brand promises. We took each pan's ability to evenly conduct and distribute heat into consideration to produce muffins that were the same color, texture, and size from well to well. To assess versatility, we cooked one sweet recipe: blueberry banana muffins, and one savory recipe: mini meatloaves. We evaluated each pan's ability to produce consistent results while also assessing how easy each pan was to use and clean. We baked each recipe twice without muffin liners and followed the brands' recommendations for cleaning and care. If a muffin pan was labeled nonstick, we did not use any cooking spray or muffin liners and selected recipes that were chunky, juicy, and sticky. 

A great muffin pan should allow its contents to rise slightly, producing a nicely domed top on cupcakes and muffins. We tested each pan's ability to conduct heat evenly by looking at each muffin's size, shape, and color to make sure that the batter in the middle of the pan reacted the same way as the batter in the outer wells of the pan and the color and shape were consistent throughout.

One of the most important considerations we have when choosing a muffin pan is whether we can  grab it by the sides without the edge of our oven mitts dipping into the batter. That's why we made sure to take weight, size, and grip space into account during testing. Also, we assessed how heavy the pan was and how much strain it put on your wrists. If taking the pan out of the oven with one hand, did it feel balanced? Or was it too heavy, causing the pan to dip and batter to spill over the edge of the wells?

When it came to assessing ease of care and cleaning, we followed the manufacturer's instructions for each pan to test whether or not their claims were valid. If a pan was dishwasher-safe, we ran it through a cycle to see how it affected functionality. If a pan was nonstick, we cooked each product without any added oil, butter, or muffin liners to test how slick the surface was. 

To buy: $26 at amazon.com  To buy: $26 at oxo.com

Pros: Ample space to grip makes taking it in and out of the oven super easy.  Cons: This pan is slightly larger than some others we tested, so you can only fit one on an oven rack at a time, which is important to note if you're making multiple batches of a recipe. 

This heavy-duty muffin pan passed our tests by producing consistently cooked and delicately domed muffins and meatloaves every time. The extra-wide sides make it easy to grab from the oven, and despite how sturdy it is, it's still surprisingly lightweight. We loved that the nonstick coating allows you to cook even the stickiest batters without any form of cooking spray or pan liner, and each muffin came out without leaving much residue behind. Heat distributes evenly, ensuring that the batter in the center cooks as thoroughly as the batter on the sides. Although it isn't dishwasher-safe, we love how easy it is to clean by hand.

To buy: $20 at amazon.com

Pros: This non-toxic ceramic pan is completely nonstick. Cons: It isn't dishwasher-safe, so be sure to wash it by hand. 

This chic ceramic pan had one of the slickest nonstick coatings, and we love that it's made free of toxins like PFOA, PFAS, and lead. Muffins and meatloaves came out easily, leaving minimal residue behind. The pan is lightweight yet durable and felt completely sturdy no matter how heavy our batter was. Keep in mind that it's not dishwasher-safe, but we had no trouble cleaning it by hand. 

To buy: $63 at amazon.com To buy: $63 at williams-sonoma.com

Pros: The flexible, silicone molds make it easy to pop out muffins when they're finished baking.  Cons: It's one of the priciest pans on the list. 

The Silpat muffin mold transfers heat evenly, is completely nonstick and is dishwasher-safe. Out of all the silicone molds we tried, this produced the most evenly cooked results and was the easiest to clean. Each muffin well is widely spaced out, so this pan is particularly handy if you're making a recipe that will rise or expand. Though lightweight, the mold is large and easy to handle, with ample space to grip the sides. However, keep in mind that this pan isn't as sturdy as the metal options, so be sure to place it on a sheet tray before transferring it to the oven. 

To buy: $44 at amazon.com To buy: $35 at target.com

Pros: Nonslip grips make it one of the easiest to maneuver out of all the pans we tested.  Cons: This is one of the priciest pans on our list. 

We love how perfectly slick the coating on this nonstick pan is. It passed all of our tests without leaving any residue in the pan and was super easy to clean by hand. All of the muffins came out of the oven with delicate domes and golden brown crust. The nonslip grips and ample space to grab made this pan extra easy to maneuver. We liked the Analon pan's functionality, versatility, and durability, but it's slightly pricier than some of the others.

To buy: $13 at amazon.com 

Pros: This is a super slick nonstick pan at the best price point we've seen. Cons: There isn't extra space to grip the sides, so be careful not to stick your oven mitt in the batter. 

This pan performed exceptionally well in all the tests we put it through. No food stuck to the pan, and each muffin came out evenly cooked and consistently puffed. This Wilton pan is one of the most affordable options on our list, making it an excellent option for anyone looking to tackle various cooking and baking projects. 

This pan was the sturdiest of the silicone muffin pans we tested but our blueberry banana muffins stuck to the pan and did not release easily. Also, it's important to note that this pan is only oven-safe up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

To buy: $8 (originally $10) at amazon.com

This mini muffin pan is super lightweight and easy to use. The darker color creates even browning and left us with consistently golden muffins. The coating was completely nonstick, making this mini muffin pan a solid option for a variety of uses; no cooking spray required. 

To buy: $10 (originally $15) at amazon.com 

This compact pan is lightweight and easy to maneuver. We love that the slightly smaller size makes it easy to fit in the oven with other bakeware, and we found that the PFOA-free coating was completely nonstick. Handwashing is recommended, and though there was residue left behind after baking, we found that it came out easily with hot water and soap.

To buy: $22 at amazon.com

This standard muffin tin produced even results and was easy to maneuver. Made of aluminum, this is one of the only pans we tested that was not nonstick, and we didn't notice any difference in the shape or color of the muffins made in this pan versus the Nordic Ware nonstick pan. It's durable and easy to clean, but be sure to use cooking spray or muffin liners.

To buy: $20 at amazon.com

Though cast iron probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about cupcake pans, this heavy-duty pan is the perfect vessel for making golden, crusty baked goods. Keep in mind that this pan is considerably smaller than others, and the narrow sides make it difficult to pick up. For best results, place it on a sheet tray before transferring it to the oven. 

To buy: $18 at lodge.com

The Keliwa silicone pan was completely nonstick, and we noticed that any residue left in the wells came off in the dishwasher. Although we were impressed with the even heat distribution, we noted that muffins made in this pan came out flat rather than dome-shaped. 

To buy: $10 at amazon.com