I Put 8 Pie Pans to the Test For Weeks to Find the Best Ones

Nothing feels cozier to me than making pies: rolling out dough, layering it meticulously, spooning in fillings, and baking them off. The season doesn’t matter. Whether I’m leaning on blueberries in the summer or puréeing sweet potatoes in the dead of winter to pour into a buttery crust, I always find comfort in a slice. It’s a feeling I never get tired of.

However, as much as I love the magic of baking this dessert, not all pie pans are created equal. I’ve used a few so shallow I could barely fit any pumpkin purée inside. Others had such intricate rims that by the time I cut a slice, the whole piece crumbled apart. And after hours in the kitchen, few things feel worse than ending up with a disappointing result.

So, to find the best pie pan, I tested eight of them by layering each with crust, blind-baking them to check for even browning, gauging ease of use, and seeing how much cleanup they required. In the end, five clear winners emerged.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Metal Pie Pan

Norpro Stainless Steel Pie Pan

$17 at Amazon

Former Serious Eats baking expert Stella Parks says "Cheaper is better," and this pie pan proves her right. The Norpro is a simple, lightweight pie pan. It's not a head-turner, but in our tests, it produced the most evenly-baked, prettiest pie crusts.

The Best Glass Pie Pan

Pyrex 9-Inch Glass Pie Plate

$17 $14 at Amazon View on Walmart

Another lightweight pan (just one pound), the Pyrex powered through all my tests. The crust came out evenly browned during both the blind-baking and apple pie tests. Its wide rims make it more grippable and easier to maneuver in and out of the oven. It’s also simple to clean.

The Best Deep Dish Pie Pan

Emile Henry Modern Classics Pie Dish

$50 at Amazon View on Sur La Table View on Emilehenryusa.com

I loved the nostalgic, old-school look of this pie pan, and the fact that it comes in a few different colors is a nice bonus. More importantly, it passed both the blind-baking and apple pie tests with ease, turning out golden-brown crusts. Even after running a knife across it, I didn’t see any scratches pop up.

The Best Glass Pie Pan With a Lid

OXO Good Grips Glass Pie Plate with Lid

$15 at Amazon $20 at Target $15 at Kohls.com

This was the only pie pan I tested that came with a lid, which definitely comes in handy when you’re transporting your pie to a gathering. On top of that, it performed really well in both the blind-baking and fruit pie tests.

The Best Ceramic Pie Pan

Great Jones Sweetie Pie Ceramic Pie Pan

View on Greatjonesgoods.com

This vintage-looking pie pan is stylish and easy to use. For starters, its spacious rims make it easy to maneuver in and out of the oven. During both the blind-baking and apple pie tests, the crust came out flaky and evenly browned. Cutting and serving slices was easy because its surface is made with naturally nonstick ceramic.

The Tests

• Blind-Baking Test: I lined each pan with store-bought pie crust, covered it with aluminum foil, filled it with pie weights, and baked it according to the instructions on the box. After baking, I noted any hot spots or uneven browning in the crust.
• Durability Test: To simulate slicing a piece of pie, I ran a steak knife over each empty pie plate 10 times and then checked for scratches.
• Fruit Pie Test: To test the winning pie pans further, I followed this apple pie recipe to see how well they performed without the blind-baking step and to observe how easy they were to maneuver in and out of the oven.
• Usability and Cleanup Test: I paid attention to how easy the pie pans were to use and clean throughout testing.

What We Learned

Metal, Glass, and Ceramic All Have Advantages

Metal is a better thermal conductor than stoneware or glass. In other words: It transfers heat to the pie crust, rather than retaining it. That means metal pie pans, like the winning one from Norpro, produce the most golden and evenly cooked pie crust. Very heavy stoneware tends to be the worst offender, resulting in pale crusts. But there are reasons to buy glass or stoneware. During the durability test, I noticed a clear pattern: All of the metal pans got scratched after I ran a knife over them a few times, while the ceramic and glass ones remained unmarked. And if you want to sneak a peek at the bottom of your pie to visually clock its doneness, you can't do better than transparent glass.

Pie Pans With Larger Rims Were the Easiest to Remove From the Oven

When I pulled the pie pans out of the oven, I noticed that those with wide rims were the easiest to handle. Pans with rims at least 0.75 inches wide, like Pyrex, Emile Henry, OXO, and Great Jones gave me enough room to safely grip them with my oven mitt without accidentally digging my thumb into the filling. Other pans I tested had narrow rims (less than half an inch), making it difficult to remove them from the oven without risking damage to the pie.

Pie Pan Depth Matters, But It Depends on What You’re Baking

Pie pan depth matters, but only depending on the recipe you’re making. For example, if you’re baking a pie with large chunks of fruit that cook down (such as apples), you’ll want a pan with sides at least two inches tall, like the Emile Henry or Great Jones. On the other hand, if you’re making a pie with a smooth, puréed filling, like sweet potato, a shorter pan, like the ones from Norpro, Pyrex, or OXO, will work perfectly, providing just enough space for a flaky crust and custard-like filling.

Serving and Cleaning Were Simpler With Naturally Nonstick Pie Pans

Not all pie pans are nonstick, a fact that became evident while baking crusts in the metal Nordic Ware Naturals and USA Pans. After the crust cooled and set, it became difficult to scrape off. By comparison, the ceramic and glass pans, like the Pyrex and Emile Henry were made from naturally nonstick materials, which made them much easier to use and clean.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Pie Pan

When choosing a pie pan for your kitchen, material matters. But what do you value? In testing, I found that glass pans like the Pyrex and OXO and ceramic ones from Emile Henry and Great Jones were easy to clean. These pans also resisted scratching, so they’re built to last. But metal pans produce the most evenly-baked, golden crusts. I also liked naturally nonstick pie pans, which made cleanup and serving slices a lot easier. I appreciated wide rims, which made the pans easier to grip, especially when taking them out of the oven. For deep-dish pies, go with a pan that has two-inch sides, like the Emile Henry. If you prefer regular-sized pies, Norpro or Pyrex work just fine.

Our Favorite Pie Pans

The Best Metal Pie Pan

Norpro Stainless Steel Pie Pan

$17 at Amazon

What we liked: This humble, unassuming pie pan was a top performer. It consistently baked beautifully golden, perfectly even crusts. It has slanted sides, which make it a cinch to line the pan with dough—or graham cracker crust. Serving slices from the pan is easier, too. The flat, non-textured rim ensured maximum versatility. Sometimes, cheaper really is better.

What we didn't like: It's not dishwasher-safe, and its rims are narrow.

Key Specs

• Diameter: 9.5 inches
• Depth: 1.5 inches
• Weight: 9.7 ounces
• Material: Metal
• Care instructions: Hand-wash only

The Best Glass Pie Pan

Pyrex 9-Inch Glass Pie Plate

$17 $14 at Amazon View on Walmart

What we liked: Its wide rim made it easy to put in and take out of the oven. I liked its borosilicate glass construction, which is naturally strong, even when heated to high temperatures. It produced flaky, evenly baked crusts without any hot spots. During the apple pie test, serving slices was easy thanks to its smooth, naturally nonstick surface. Cleanup was quick too, and wiping off baked-on fruit was effortless.

What we didn’t like: This pie pan isn’t designed for deep-dish baked goods. If you’re after a thicker pie, I recommend choosing one from Emile Henry or Great Jones instead.

Key Specs

• Diameter: 9 inches
• Depth: 1.2 inches
• Weight: 1 pound
• Material: Glass
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Deep Dish Pie Pan

Emile Henry Modern Classics Pie Dish

$50 at Amazon View on Sur La Table View on Emilehenryusa.com

What we liked: This pie pan comes in a few colors—red, evergreen, white, gray, and navy blue—so you can pick one that fits your style. But beyond looks, it’s deep, giving you 2.56 inches of depth to work with—perfect for bountiful amounts of fresh fruit. During both the blind-baking and apple pie tests, the crust came out evenly browned and flaky. And thanks to its smooth surface, I had no trouble scraping off leftover bits of crust or filling.

What we didn’t like: If you’re using a classic store-bought crust, you might need to roll it out a bit thinner or grab an extra one to fully cover the surface of this pan.

Key Specs

• Diameter: 10.2 inches
• Depth: 2.56 inches
• Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Material: Ceramic
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Glass Pie Pan With a Lid

OXO Good Grips Glass Pie Plate with Lid

$15 at Amazon $20 at Target $15 at Kohls.com

What we liked: This pan performed just as well as the Pyrex but it’s slightly deeper and a bit heavier. Its wide rims made it easy to maneuver around the kitchen. During both the blind-baking and fruit pie tests, the crust looked perfect. I was also surprised to see no scratches, even after trying to scuff the surface with a knife. I didn’t have to worry about scrubbing off crusts or sticky apple pie filling because of its nonstick-like coating; all bits wiped off easily with warm water and soap.

Another bonus: This pie pan comes with a lid. So if you’re taking your pie on the go, you don’t have to bother with aluminum foil or food wrap. 

What we didn’t like: This pie pan was the heaviest of all the winners I tested, but at just 2.5 pounds, that wasn’t too much of a hassle.

Key Specs

• Diameter: 9 inches
• Depth: 2.1 inches
• Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Material: Glass
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe

The Best Ceramic Pie Pan

Great Jones Sweetie Pie Ceramic Pie Pan

View on Greatjonesgoods.com

What we liked: Not only does the Great Jones pie pan come in the most adorable “blueberry” color with a fun, vintage-inspired print, but it also held up really well in all of my tests. For starters, there were no hot spots. The wide rims also made it easy to grip, even with oven mitts or a kitchen towel. Even after running a knife across the surface a few times, I didn’t see any scratches. And when it came time to clean up, washing it was just as easy as baking with it.

What we didn’t like: Like the other deep-dish pans I tested, this one will require a bit more crust to fully cover its surface.

Key Specs

• Diameter: 10 inches
• Depth: 2 inches
• Weight: 2 pounds
• Material: Ceramic
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe

The Competition

• Made In Pie Dish: This pie pan came close to winning, but its rims weren’t wide or easy to grip, which made it tricky to put in and take out of the oven.
• Nordic Ware Naturals Pie Pan: I couldn’t call this one a winner because it failed the durability test and was also harder to clean than the others.
• USA Pan Aluminized Steel Pan: This pan didn't heat as evenly as the Norpro. On top of that, running a knife over it left plenty of scratches.

FAQs

What’s the difference between pie tin, pie pan, and pie plate?

Brands often use the terms “pie tin,” “pie pan,” and “pie plate” interchangeably, but all of these serve the same purpose: helping to make baked goods like pies or quiches.

What are the benefits of borosilicate glass pie pans?

Both the Pyrex and OXO pans are made from borosilicate glass, a translucent material that contains boron trioxide. This glass withstands extreme temperature changes without cracking, which is a huge plus when baking, especially if you chill the pie first. It’s also usually free of heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Many people appreciate it because it doesn’t absorb stains or odors from food.

How do you use a deep-dish pie pan?

There’s not much difference between baking with a deep-dish pie pan like the one from Great Jones or Emile Henry and a regular pie pan like our Pyrex winner. The main thing to keep in mind is that deep-dish pies need more dough since there’s more surface area to cover. Also, deep-dish pans usually require a bit more baking time to get that crust evenly browned and flaky compared to regular pie pans.

Are pie pans dishwasher-safe?

Always check the label on your pie pan before cleaning to be sure it’s dishwasher-safe. All of our winning pans from Pyrex, Emile Henry, OXO, and Great Jones are dishwasher-friendly.

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashia Aubourg is a Serious Eats contributor with experience reviewing cooking gear and working in kitchens (and farms!). Her work with Serious Eats spans gift guides, educational pieces, and product reviews. She recently fried tons of eggs, seared several pork chops, and made pounds of pasta to find the best non-toxic cookware sets.
• Grace Kelly, a senior editor at Serious Eats, also contributed research to this review.
• For this review, Ashia blind-baked a bunch of store-bought pie crusts, ran durability and cleaning tests on all of the pans, and baked an apple pie in each of the four winning pans. These experiments looked at how well each pan distributed heat, whether it produced a flaky, evenly baked crust, and how easy the pans were to use and clean.