My favorite is the Emile Henry pie plate that David (lakeguy) got me, it's beautiful and functional and gives me a nice crust.

Other than that, I like my Pyrex deep dish pie pans. I like filling, not crust, so the deep dish is really good for me.

I've got a couple of old metal pans but do not like them as well, plus with the clear glass I can peek at the bottom of the pie and see how it's browning, LOL.

I've got a stack of them and although I occasionally break one, they are about $5 each to replace. Definitely love the Pyrex, but don't ever sit a hot pie from the oven on a cold tile counter. Yeah, I learned.....

Annie

Chicago Metallic bread pans; pricey, heavy, worth every penny! I've got 3 and would like to get more when my "ship" comes in. I've had mine over 15 years and no rusting.

Teresa

I have a couple of Farberware SS bread pans that have got to be over 30 yrs old, used 1000's of times and still look like new.
Ditto on what Annie said about pie plates.

Nancy

Oh yes, Teresa, I agree, Chicago Metallic bread pans. I do have a couple of Kitchen Aid brand bread pans that are also pretty good, although I'm not wild about the "non-stick" finish (they were gifts).

I do not like glass bread pans, only pie plates!

Annie

I have a couple of ceramic pie dishes. For me they are the best. I have a bunch of deep dish Pyrex pie plates but everything I bake in them (mind you I only have a toaster oven right now) seems to burn. Same with metal.

What do you mean you only have a toaster oven???? You don't have a stove? Did you sell it in the garage sale?
:-)

I second the Emile pie pans! Give a lovely crust and are beautiful! I have two. I took a pie to a friend at a restaurant and threatened his life if he lost it. Actually, told him that if he lost it, he would have to pay for a new one. That worked!

I have switched to ceramic 9x9 pans for cornbread and such. They work much better than metal or galss.

I need to correct my post. I was just getting ready to bake some bread and flipped my pan over and read the name.

The bread pans are 1801 Revere Ware that I love so much. I don't think the new stuff is like the old however.

Nancy

I love my Emile Henri pie dish. I've used it a good bit, but not for pies. It's just so pretty! I bought it, a WS square baking pan and a loaf pan when I worked at WS a few years ago. For no more baking than I do they have served me well. The glass/ceramic baking dishes nowadays are so much easier to clean than the ones of old, at least they appear so to me. Burned on stuff generally will come clean without a lot of scrubbing.

One thing that bugs me about the rectangular pyrex baking dishes is that they don't stack well in my cabinets. One will be just enough thicker,wider etc. so they don't nest well. Therefore they stack lopsided.

Annie, I'd like to come along behind you and eat the crusts that you don't care for.:-)

jude

LOL, jude, come on along. When I was a kid, Grandma used to bake the pumpkin pie filling for me in custard cups, so that I didn't "waste" the crust!

Annie

My favorite pie plates and the ones I use most often are tin-lined copper. I also have a lot of old sapphire blue Fire King I used to use for dinner plates until we seriously downsized the size of our plates. Those glass pie plates are great for seeing how your crust is coming along if you're not sure of a new recipe.

My bread pans are regular old Chicago Metallic too, unless I'm making dinner rolls. In that case I use an old-fashioned cast iron muffin pan.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cast Iron Muffin Pan

I've two very old aluminum 9x5x3 bread pans that were my grandmother's - I've ten other ones and none work as well. She probably bought them in the '50's.

For pie plates, I use a variety of them, but have yet to find one that is deep enough for my Mile-High Apple Pie so I use a toss-away aluminum cake pan, then cut the pan away when the pie has cooled. For custard pies the only way to go is glass, as was already said, to watch it as it browns.

To clean any pan - glass, ceramic, teflon-lined, or metal - I use Bon Ami. It is a cleansing powder like Ajax or Comet but without anything added and never scratches. I even use it on my shiny chrome toaster and my glass top cooking surface.

Nancy

I usually use the aluminum ones (non stick) and don't really love them. I think I will try out the ones suggested, specifically, ceramic. I bought some mini loaf pans and really like them. Sorry, I'm showing them off but I really, really like them. I love fall coloured things. I also liked the crust of the cake from them - no burning. I plan on making breads in them too, soon, I hope.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://s641.photobucket.com/albums/uu136/shebagirl/?action=view&current=cakes005.jpg&newest=1

I typically lurk here, but I find this thread very interesting. I was previously searching for a glass pie plate that was smaller than 9", as there are only two of us here most of the time. Because I was unable to find one, I purchased a ceramic pie plate. I used it once, but the crust didn't cook right, and I thought it was BECAUSE it was ceramic. It seems though, that other people here have used ceramic pie plates with good results, so I'm wondering if it's possible that some ceramic pie plates bake crust better than others. I'm usually very good at making delicious, flakey pastry. I would be very interested if anyone could give input on this...

Susan, I can tell you that I have a very old and very cheap ceramic pie plate with a lid that looks like a basket of apples or some such thing. That ceramic pie plate is awful, I never use it.

the Emile Henry is heavier, thicker, it jsut works better for some reason. Plus I thnk of David every time I use it!

Annie

Cookie, I love your new loaf pans! I once had visions of making really great brioche and ordered the pastel ceramic pans from KA. Alas, the pans were more pleasing to me than the brioche. Of course I had already bought the individual metal ones at WS. One day I'll try making the brioche again...maybe.

Silicone bake ware is the most convenient. You also use less butter/fat because of the non-stick quality.

Clean up is very easy. It's obviously non-breakable.

dcarch

Thanks for all the replies. I'm really considering the Chicago Metallic for the bread pans. I would like to try the Emile Henry pie plate, but I'm not sure I can justify the price right now--maybe, I should hint for Christmas.

Thanks, Annie. You've validated my experience! Those Emile Henry pie plates look interesting, but I worry about having poor results after spending that money. Will have to think about it...

Recently I've been hunting for 8x4-inch loaf pans that are NOT non-stick and I can tell you, the manufacturers are moving away from non-nonstick (?) pans and also away from the smaller 1 pound size. I guess the supersize mindset has permeated the bakeware business too. Sheesh.....

I did find a couple from a vintage housewares dealer on Etsy. But that's another story....

I have and still use my Pyrex pie plates and I also have and use a green Emile Henry pie plate and the gold Longaberger pie plate that my Mother gave me. I like them all but have to admit that I find it easier to make a pretty pastry edge with the Pyrex!

I also over the years have used metal and glass loaf pans. And really had no trouble with either of them. But I finally got the USA loaf pan I kept seeing in the King Arthur catalog. They have a full range of these pans that are corrugated non-stick steel/aluminum that are silicone-coated with a lifetime warranty. That they are made in the USA was a plus. I actually found the pan in a neat kitchen shop on a recent trip to Lancaster, Pa. Haven't used it yet but I plan to soon. I really like the feel and weight of this pan. These pans are supposed to bake evenly and thoroughly without over-browning. We will see. If it lives up to the rating, I will be replacing some of my cookie sheets before Christmas.
Kat

I love Polish Pottery. I use it for most of my bakeware and have all sorts of casserole dishes, loaf pans and pie plates.