What are the essential tools every cook needs in the kitchen? Both new and experienced cooks can benefit from going back to the basics. The last few weeks we at The Kitchn have been compiling a list of kitchen essentials, from prep tools and utensils to cookware. Up today: our essential guide to baking pans.
As in all of our guides, we've offered a few product recommendations in each category based on personal preferences, experience, and editor and reader reviews. Most of these tools can be bought on Amazon, but a terrific and cost-effective resource for basic kitchen tools is a restaurant supply store. Just buy the best quality you can afford!
We're not done with baking just yet! Look for guides to essential small electrics and essential gadgets in the future, many of which pertain to baking.
Must Read: Metal, Glass, Ceramic, or Silicone Pans: When To Use Each - this post is a great supplementary read when understanding what pan material is suitable for your cooking and baking needs!
1. A 9" x 13" Glass, Ceramic, or Metal Baking Pan: the standard pan size, this versatile pan typically holds about 3 quarts of volume. You can also convert almost any basic cake or cupcake recipe into a 9x13 size with no major adjustments. Glass is more presentable, particularly for things like casseroles and sheet cakes, but metal is more versatile. We recommend buying this pan with a lid. It'll make it so much easier for storage and/or to transport your dish across town.• Pyrex Bakeware 9" x 13" Rectangular Baking Dish with Lid, $40 from Amazon
• Nordic Ware 9" x 13" Cake Pan with Storage Lid, $16.99 from Amazon
• Emile Henry Artisan Rectangular Baker, $80 from Williams-SonomaRelated Reading: Halving Casseroles: Tips for Reducing the Size of a Recipe
2. An 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" Square Baking Pan: An 8" x 8" pan is just slightly bigger than a halved 9" x 13" pan. Great for brownies and bars.
• Pyrex Grip-Rite 8-Inch Square Baking Dish, $8.12 from Amazon
• Le Creuset Stoneware Square Dish, $40 from Le Creuset
• Nordic Ware Square Pan with Lid, $15.99 from Amazon3. Two Commercial-Quality Half Sheet Pans: We recommend commercial quality half sheet pans. They're more expensive, but worth it. Baking sheets are not a place to cut corners: look for heavy pans, and avoid nonstick and dark coated pans. (Why? Nonstick isn't that helpful and darker pans brown baked goods too fast.)
• Nordic Ware Bakers Half Sheet, 13" x 18" x 1", $12.51 on Amazon. Read our review here.
• Norpro Professional 9" x 12" Heavy Gauge Cookie Sheet, $10.94 at Amazon4. A 9" or 10" Round Cake Pan This is a standard size for traditional layer cakes, but it's helpful for other dishes, too, like biscuits, sweet rolls, even meatballs.
• Chicago Metallic Professional Nonstick 9" Round Cake Pan, $16.99 from Amazon
• Pro Line Nonstick Round Cake Pan, $14.95 from Crate and Barrel
• Chicago Metallic 9" x 2" Commercial II Round Cake Pan, $13.00 from Sur La Table5. A Muffin Pan OR Paper Souffle Cups: If you like baking muffins and cupcakes often, then a muffin pan is essential. If it's an occasional treat for you, then you can probably get away with paper soufflé cups. Cheap and recyclable, just fill them with batter, line them up on a regular cookie sheet, and bake!
• NordicWare Muffin Pan, $15.19 from Amazon
• Souffle / Portion Cups, $3.69 for a box of 250 at Webstaurant Store6. A 9" or 10" Pie Pan: A basic pie pan isn't just for pies: it's great for roasting a chicken or making a quiche, too! Look for extra deep pie dishes to accommodate lots of filling. Glass or ceramic is best here.
• Emile Henry Pie Dish, $45 from Emily Henry
• Pyrex Pie Plate Portable, $10.47 from Amazon
• Nordic Ware 10" Naturals Hi-Dome Pie Pan with Lid, $13.95 from AmazonRelated Reading: Baker's Tip: Choosing the Right Pie Dish
7. A 9" x 5" Loaf Pan: You can cook everything from pound cakes t banana bread, meatloaf, and yeast breads in a standard loaf pan. Heavy and plain is best.
• Farberware Bakeware 9-by-5-Inch Loaf Pan, $11.05 from Amazon
• Platinum Professional Pullman Loaf Pan, $29.95 from Sur La Table
Readers, do you have anything to add?
Supplementary Essential Tools Up for Discussion
• Cooling racks
• An electronic scale
• A French rolling pin
• A pastry scraper
The Kitchn's Other 'Essentials' Guides:
• The Kitchn's Guide to Essential Prep Tools & Utensils
•The Kitchn's Guide to Essential Cooking Tools & Utensils
• The Kitchn's Guide to Essential Cookware
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Straw Mat from The ...
10 No-Fail Decor Tricks & Tips for Small Spaces
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
A cooling rack and I'd suggest two round cake pans, same size.
a tart pan with a removable bottom and a springform pan (i make pies and quiches in the same cast iron pan i use on the stove top so i guess i think of a pie pan as not as necessary)
I agree with Ella T - I found myself with just 1 round pan recently when making a cake, and it took twice as long since I had to cook each half seperately! Plus they usually can stack. (also, what is a 9" x 10" round pan? I think the "x" should be an "or"!)
@Caralovesyou, you've never seen a 9x10 round pan?? Well, that's probably because it doesn't exist and that's a typo on my part. :) Thanks for the catch. You're right - it should say "or."
I'd also suggest doubling up on the 9x5 loaf pan. Most loaf recipes will make two loaves. A friend recently ran off with my second loaf pan, and I'm in deep mourning. Like, black clothing, sitting on the floor, staring at the wall.
Can't say that they're the most essential, but a good standard bundt or tube pan are good to keep around.
I agree on the springform pan. It's so versatile!
I use my loaf pan for mini casseroles. I can only eat so much of the same thing in a week, and a loaf pan fits about 1/3 of a standard casserole recipe, which is just enough for one or two :)
FYI you can find some nice Le Creuset pieces at Marshalls. I have that exact same LC 8x8 and got it for only $15-$20 from there.
A silpat/exopat or similar silicone sheet liner. You'll never have to grease a cookie sheet again! To be able to cook things that would ordinarily stick, from meatballs to those lacey shredded cheese things, to anything toffee-ish, oh the freedom! I use my silpats constantly. Relatedly, I suggest a cookie sheet with no edges (I guess the edges technically make it a jelly roll pan anyway?) or at least big enough so that your silpats will lie flat.
I found a silpat equivalent that was very thin and cheap that I cut to the size of my toaster oven tray. My mom was visiting and threw it away and I've never found a replacement and I miss it almost daily.
Also, maybe not ESSENTIAL, and a total unitasker, but we got the Baker's Edge pan for our wedding and it's the only way I make brownies any more. (I like the idea of making lasagna in it, but assembly seems too fiddly so I never have.)
I use my tube pan at least once a month for making coffee cakes and bread. A regular size tube pan holds about the same as two loaf pans, so I bake pumpkin bread and banana bread in it instead of using loaf pans. A tube pan is also essential for making my secret family recipe Tunnel of Fudge cake.
I don't do a lot of baking, and mostly have pyrex or ceramic. I want to buy a loaf pan but am trying to decide glass vs metal. One advantage of glass for me is that I can also use it as a serving dish.