I have a dark non-stick one, but prefer aluminum pans. I also prefer regular size to jumbo. All my other baking pans are aluminum and i have much better results with them. I frequently find aluminum pans at estate sales.

This article may be helpful https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/07/how-to-choose-the-best-muffin-pans-and-liners.html

I have my grandmother's 12 muffin pan and two 6 ones that I got 30 years ago used. Plus I have some from the 40s I think that are smaller and make 8. And the other two are smaller than today's muffin tins I think!

If I baked a lot of muffins this would be my first choice for a pan. I make them maybe twice a year so I’ll just keep using my non-stick. https://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/muffin-pan-12-cup

Edited to say I just found this same pan at Bed, Bath and Beyond for $24.99.

I'm curious about the silicone pans. Some of the silicone kitchen items I have develop a strange old-oil smell after a while. Is there a secret to keep this from happening? Or do they just need to be replaced at a point? Even the pinch bowls, which aren't used for much of anything get this weird odor after a while.

I have a couple of heavy, shiny aluminum pans that were purchased at a restaurant supply store. I haven't had any problem cleaning them up, but don't use them very often either.

Mine are older, aluminum I think. I have the tiny ones that are rarely used, with medium used most often. I prefer to use the paper liners.

I saw some that are cast iron and think they might be nice to have.

Ecko aluminum, they brown the best. The non-stick doesn't brown worth anything.

I have lined them with squares of parchment paper, looked cute stacked on a tray for a party. The muffins that is, not the pans...

I have the tiny to the giant, too. Not fond of the giant. My favorite are the ones I bought at a church rummage sale about 40 years ago. The size is perfect.

I have 3, in different sizes from minis to jumbos, all aluminum (could be Ecko - haven't checked). I use the jumbo most often for muffins - a single muffin makes a whole meal! The mediums I use when I make cupcakes (rarely) and the minis I use for little tartlets. I use the paper cups except for the tartlets, which pop out easily without any need for a liner.

My DD bought me these:

https://www.amazon.com/Boston-Sweets-Silicone-Cupcake-Liners/dp/B00SS5M7DM/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1548862170&sr=8-20&keywords=silicone+muffin+molds

in 3 sizes. I love them and have gotten rid of my metal pans.

I have 3 sizes, the mini, regular, and jumbo, all aluminum. Also have a 24 muffin mini that is non-stick. Which ones I use depends on what I am making, and what I am baking for. When I was baking for the public, I used the jumbo size, it's what the customers wanted. Also prefer them when baking for immediate family. The regular size is usually used for larger gatherings, birthday parties, etc. And the minis are for specialty items, such as the mini pecan pie muffins. I also use the paper liners in them, because I prefer that 'look'. I only make muffins, never cupcakes.

Rusty

I have a nice shiny old fashioned aluminum muffin pan. I keep it nice and shiny by not using it! Yes it "gives me joy" to look at it, so that's that.

For actual muffin baking, I use paper liners in my slightly worn non-stick tins. I have two regular size tins of 12 each, and one mini-muffin tin of 24.

Bluebell, I have a similar KAF tin that makes 8 min-loaves. I love that pan ... so I second your recommendation.

One that I had and gave to a friend that I do not see above is a pan for muffin tops. I never found that it made evenly baked muffin tops but being nonstick it was perfect for making multiple small tart shells.

The various sizes and shapes of tins are one of the reasons when I see instructions to "bake exactly #### minutes" I wonder what planet the writer is living one if they think all size/shaped pans will cook in the same time frame.

I had even more sizes than Nicole but have been reducing the number. It is hard to give up old friends even if you have only used them a few times. I am holding on to a couple that have designs on the bottom of the cup just because I think they are pretty.

If it's an older recipe the time would be for the standard muffin tin. The two and three serving size muffins are a new thing. We usually had muffins with dinner in either plain or bran not as desserts.

I just inherited an aluminum oversized muffin pan and used it over the holidays for making yorkshire pudding/popovers. It made the popovers really spectacular. I had always used regular sized muffin tins - this was way better.

Just a FYI standard size for muffin pans like most things have changed over the years. At one time one that would bake two tablespoons full of batter was the standard size. During the late 50's through 70's it was three tablespoons of batter. Common muffin pans have also become wider at the bottom of the cups and the muffins no longer have a cut off V shape but a straighter side in more recent pans. Pour some measured water in pans that you think are the same size. Depending on the ages of the pans the amount of water held can be different.

I have both regular (in several sizes) and one that is silicone. I love the silicone one BEST. No matter what, you can get the muffin out without it sticking!

There's just 2 of us now and when I use a Jiffy muffin or cornbread mix I only fill 4 of my 6 regular muffin pan slots and bake the same amount of time as per directions. Works out fine. No cupcake liners - just a nonstick spray.

I do a lot of cupcakes when I bake. I have a 36" wide oven so I have one heavyweight nonstick standard sized muffin pan that holds 24 and 2 that hold 12 each. That way I can make any combination of a dozen, two dozen, 3 dozen or 4 dozen at one time.

My pans are super heavy weight heavy weight non stick Wilton. I ususaly prefer bake ware that isn't non stick but for muffins and cupcakes these are great. I rarely bake without liner. I also have a quite a few cast aluminum of cakelet pans by Nordicware. For over-sized muffing or cupcakes I like the paper bake ware by Simply Baked.

Most but not all of my standard sized rounds and sheets are aluminum pans by Fat Daddio. I also have a few of their tart pans and tube pans.

My favorite cookie sheets are Air Bakes and 3 over-sized Volrath cookie sheets.

Watchme that is an enviable collection of pans!

I have a set of four, three loaf commercial heavyweight loaf pans made by Chicago Metallic I got from a restaurant supply store. I really like them. So when I saw a lot of 6 Chicago Metallic commercial muffin pans on Ebay I decided to buy them. They should be here in a week. I also bought some varied pattern liners, it has been a while since I bought them and I did not realize they are making them so pretty.

I had to check the cabinet--two 12-cup regular size, one 6-cup regular, four 12-cup minis, two 6-cup large, and two 6-cup large with fluted cups, kind of like mini bundt pans. I rarely use the fluted pans because it takes extra time to grease them, but they make a pretty presentation for cupcakes, and when the cake is turned upside down, there is a depression in the center for a nice dollop of frosting.

I made parmesan popovers last week in the regulars--next time I'll try the large size.

I had to ditch my original non-stick muffin pans a couple of years after I received them as wedding gifts. While I was at work one day, my DH decided to make corn muffins. He thought he should prep them the same way he'd seen his grandfather do it, by greasing the cups, then pre-heating the pans at 450 before pouring in the batter. He forgot one important detail--Grandad's pans were cast iron. Makes a lovely crispy crust in a cast iron pan, but ruins the muffin and the pan if it's non-stick.

You have a lot of pans and I think you got a good DH. He did his best.

After that, I made the muffins, but I decided he was still a keeper. :)

Parmesan popovers? Tell me more.

I use the Williams Sonoma gold line for most of my baking. Love it! Nothing sticks and everything comes out perfect.

Daisychain, my recipe instructions are to spoon in half the batter, sprinkle in grated parmesan cheese, then add the second half. I was lazy last week and just spooned about a half-teaspoon of pre-grated cheese (from the plastic canister) on top of the batter, keeping the cheese away from the sides of the cup where it might scorch. They were still delicious.

Still have the 6 muffin tin from kitchen wedding shower, 56 years ago. Prepared many many baked eggs with it.