A loaf pan is a must-have for any baker aiming to build a well-rounded bakeware collection. It’s vital for pound cakes, meatloaf, and quick loaves like banana bread and zucchini bread. Some of the best loaf pans are made out of various materials tailored to suit your baking style.
So with that said, what are some of the best bread loaf pans?
In this guide, we’ll be running through some of our favourites, including the:
- USA Pan 1-Pound Laof Pan
- Racheal Ray Yum-o! Loaf Pam
- Trudeau Silicone Loan Pan
- OXO Glass Loaf Pan
- Le Creuset Heritage Loaf Pan
- Pyrex Easy Grab 1.5-qt Loaf Pan
- AmazonBasics Nonstick Carbon Steel Bread Pan
- Staub Cast Iron Loaf Pan
- Emile Henry Ruffled Bread Loaf Pan
We’ll be looking at a variety of metal, tempered glass, ceramic, and silicone loaf pans.
Cookware selection may be perplexing, especially if you’re new to—or rediscovering—the pleasures of cooking and baking.
So, let’s have a look at why these bread loaf pans are the best.
The Best Bread Loaf Pans
Loaf pans may be simple no-frills kitchen workhorses or beautiful serving pieces to showcase on the kitchen table.
If you’re looking for a loaf pan, here are 9 excellent picks for various requirements:
USA Pan 1-Pound Loaf Pan
Best Overall Value Loaf Pan
Everything about these folded-steel pans screams that you know what you’re doing (even if you’re a complete beginner). The robust construction supports the yeast rise of Anadama loaves of bread and heavier quick-bread mixes and provides those beautiful, crisp loaf corners.
The aluminized steel provides excellent heat transmission, resists corrosion, and is non-stick without being coated. This loaf pan is one of our top picks when it comes to convenience and versatility. Most professional bakers start by looking for a pan that has a pleasant weight to it, and this one feels just right.
These folded-steel loaf pans can last you a lifetime as a baker and may even be passed down to your children if adequately cared for.
Pros
- Affordable.
- Not too heavy.
- Lasts an eternity
- The pros’ pick.
- The easy release is aided by corrugation.
Cons
- There are no handles (negligible)
Racheal Ray Yum-o! Loaf Pam
Best Non-Stick Loaf Pan
This is a terrific choice if non-stick is one of your top priorities in a pan. The rubberized handles made it simple to remove from the oven, and it performed admirably as a non-stick pan, with the most straightforward release of all those tested.
There are better pans out there, but if you want to wipe your pan clean with the least amount of work, this bread loaf pan will suffice.
Pros
- An excellent non-stick pan.
- It can heat up to 500 degrees.
- With the grip, it supplies easy handling.
- It has excellent reviews.
Cons
- May rust if not looked after correctly.
Trudeau Silicone Loan Pan
Best Silicone Loaf Pan
Silicone bakeware has long been popular in Europe, especially for specialist pans and molds, while traditional metal counterparts require greasing and flouring.
This Trudeau loaf pan is made of food-grade silicone and is ideal for individuals who want a lightweight, easy-to-clean pan that doesn’t require any additional prep work before use.
This revolutionary design blends the durability of conventional bakeware with the non-stick, easy-to-clean material-removing your bread from its baking pan requires no tools. This material cools fast and resists thermal stress, allowing you to move from the oven to the freezer and back.
Pros
- Lightweight
- It is reasonably priced.
- Cools rapidly and readily releases food
- Microwave and dishwasher safe
Cons
- Only heat to 430 degrees in the oven.
- Sharp utensils can cause injury.
OXO Glass Loaf Pan
Most Versatile Loaf Pan
The OXO glass pan is by far the most versatile of the pans on this list. It has a cover and may be used in the oven, freezer, or tabletop, making it ideal for leftovers.
The OXO pan is broader than many others on this list.
The wonderful thing about glass is that you can see the edges burning and ensure they’re not scorched before putting it in the oven.
Pros
- The thermal-shock-resistant borosilicate glass may be transferred from the freezer to the microwave or oven without splitting.
- The large handles provide a secure and comfortable grip.
- Dimension markings that are easy to see, measuring 6 inches by 10 inches.
- The 1.6 Qt Loaf Baking Dish is ideal for loaves of bread, pound cakes, and other baked goods.
- Microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher safe, as well as BPA and PVC free.
Cons
- Made out of glass, so it will break if it falls.
- Handles are a bit short.
Le Creuset Heritage Loaf Pan
Best Ceramic Loaf Pan
Le Creuset is best known for its brilliant enameled Dutch ovens, but its stoneware range is impressive. “Ceramic warms evenly and is quite robust,” says Los Angeles chef Leslie Durso, who bakes her bread in a Le Creuset loaf pan. “It gets bonus points for adding a stunning burst of color to your kitchen!“
The Heritage Loaf Pan, manufactured of high-fired stoneware, is a practical and attractive addition to any bakeware collection. This vintage-inspired design comes in various colors and has beautiful scalloped handles for easy carrying from the oven to the table.
Thanks to a durable enamel-glaze finish, it will withstand stains, smells, and scratches and is easy to clean. It can bear temperatures of up to 500 degrees in the oven and microwave.
Pros
- Color variation and a lovely design
- Stoneware evenly distributes heat.
- Oven, broiler, freezer, and microwave safe
- Cleaning is a breeze.
Cons
- Bulky and expensive to store
- If dropped or smashed against a hard surface, it may chip.
Pyrex Easy Grab 1.5-qt Loaf Pan
Best Glass Loaf Pan
Consider the Pyrex Easy Grab Loaf Dish if you’re dead set on avoiding non-stick.
Just make sure the glass is thoroughly greased before using it for baked items. The Easy Grab is a terrific update on the essential Pyrex glass pan because its oversized handles live up to its name and allow you to get a firm grasp even with bulky oven gloves.
Unlike many metal pans, this can be washed in the dishwasher. It can also be used in a microwave.
Pros
- It has great handles
- It is microwave safe
- It is dishwasher safe
Cons
- It would help if you greased well.
AmazonBasics Nonstick Carbon Steel Bread Pan
Best Cheap Loaf Pan
The Amazon Basics Nonstick Carbon Steel Bread Pan, which comes in a set of two, has an unbeatable price.
The dark non-stick gives the bread a nice dark crust, although it sometimes has a few hiccups releasing the bread without a struggle. Even though the pan has handles, they are tiny and difficult to grab with bulky oven mitts.
Pros
- These pans are sold as a set of two.
- It has a dark non-stick coating.
- Brilliant at crusting.
- Easy to clean.
Cons
- Non-stick does not always work that well.
- Not too durable.
Staub Cast Iron Loaf Pan
Best Cast Iron Loaf Pan
This enameled cast iron loaf pan produced a wonderful loaf of banana bread with a beautifully browned surface and an evenly cooked interior. Even though it is the heaviest loaf pan we’ve tried, its two handles make lifting and moving it to and from the oven much simpler.
The Staub will not disappoint those who frequently bake in loaf pans and demand excellent results every time. It can be heated to a greater temperature than other pans we’ve tested because of its cast-iron composition, and it retains that temperature, so the food cooks evenly.
However, the dark hue made it difficult for our tester to notice the food particles that became caught in the pan during cleaning and maintenance.
It’s also expensive – as you’d expect with a cast iron pan.
Pros
- The interior is textured black matte enamel, which guarantees that golden crusts brown more evenly.
- Enameled cast iron requires little seasoning and is easy to clean.
- The heat retention and dispersion are superb because of the durable cast iron design.
- Dishwasher safe; easily transitions from freezer to oven to table
- Safe to use in the range at temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cons
- Cast iron loaf pans are pretty heavy.
- Expensive.
Emile Henry Ruffled Bread Loaf Pan
Best Designed Loaf Pan
This ceramic ware is made in France. The Emile Henry Ruffled Loaf Pan comes in various classy hues, including burgundy, charcoal, and wood. It has a decorative edge, making it an excellent choice if you want to serve anything you bake directly from the pan.
While cooling loaves of bread and pastries in the pan aren’t recommended, you might use the Emile Henry to make a spin on traditional mac ‘n cheese or lasagna. In addition, you may use it in the microwave and dishwasher.
It is difficult to maneuver in and out of the oven – it lacks handles and is somewhat hefty. We love the design, but it’s not the most practical of loaf pans.
Pros
- It comes in various colors.
- Decorative design
- Great reviews
- Microwave friendly and dishwasher safe.
- Versatile dish
Cons
- Smaller capacity.
- Pretty heavy.
- It does not have any handles.
What To Consider When Buying A Bread Loaf Pan
Pans for loaves are available in a range of sizes, colors, and materials.
It’s important to use the size specified in your recipes for the best outcomes. If you choose a different size, your baked items may not have the texture or height you expect, and they may also take longer or shorter to bake than the recipe specifies.
Dark-colored pans retain more heat and, as a result, produce a darker, thicker crust, making them ideal for loaves of bread. However, if you’re baking cakes and want a lighter, more delicate crust, you might want to have a more lightweight colored pan in your collection.
Metal pans are unbeatable in terms of ease of use.
They’re light and straightforward to handle, and they’re virtually unbreakable. Ceramic or glass pans are more appealing if you want to serve directly from the pan. They may not, however, brown as deeply or uniformly as metal pans.
In our experiments, non-stick pans are certainly worth investing in if you hate the clean up! Even if you’re using a non-stick pan, it’s a good idea to oil it to ensure that the food doesn’t stick.
Final Thoughts on Loaf Pans
An excellent loaf pan is a baking must-have, and you’ll almost certainly need more than one.
Stocking your cupboards with specialized pans isn’t necessary, but you should probably buy at least two of the same size if you are planning to indulge your baking hobby.
Our current favourites are USA Pan or Rachel Ray, but all of the items in our list are well reviewed.
What’s your favorite bread loaf pan – and why?