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Which pie plate is best?
Apple, cherry, peach, banana cream — whatever your favorite flavor, few desserts beat a freshly-baked pie. You don’t need much specialist equipment to bake pies, but you will need a suitable pie plate.
Whether you’re buying your first pie plate or replacing an old model that’s seen better days, it can be tough to decide which to buy. If you’re looking for great all-round pie plates from a trusted brand, the Pyrex Easy Grab Glass 9.5-Inch Pie Plates are excellent choices.
What to know before you buy a pie plate
Materials
Pie pans are available in a range of materials, the most common of which are ceramic, metal and glass. Each pie plate material has its pros and cons, so it’s a good idea to learn more about each and decide which will work best for you.
A ceramic pie plate might look great, but it doesn’t have the greatest heat-transfer properties so it can leave your pies with soggy bottoms — especially if your chosen pie recipe has a short baking time and you don’t blind-bake first. That said, ceramic works well for pies with long bake times that can come out with an over-baked crust when using a metal pan.
A metal pie plate is affordable with excellent heat-transfer properties, so pie crusts brown quickly and evenly. However, this can lead to over-baking if you’re baking pies that need a long stretch in the oven. Metal pie plates are most commonly made of aluminum with a nonstick coating or stainless steel with an aluminum core.
A glass pie plate is a versatile option that browns pie crusts quicker than ceramic but slower than metal, making it an excellent all-round choice for most pies. In addition, it has the bonus of being transparent, so you can easily tell whether the crust is underbaked or overbaked.
Size
You can find everything from tiny 2-3-inch pie pans for individual desserts to huge 12-inch pie plates to feed a crowd, so it’s up to you to buy the size that best meets your needs. An average pie plate measures 8-9 inches. Most pie recipes are designed to fit pie pans of this size, so there’s no need to scale the recipe up or down. However, if you’re unsure what size to buy, a 9-inch pie plate is a safe bet.
What to look for in a quality pie plate
Color and design
While metal and glass pie plates all look fairly similar, you can find ceramic options in a wide range of colors and with all kinds of decorative designs.
Fluting
Fluted pie plates have a wave-like shape around the edge of the rim. You can press the pastry into the troughs and peaks of the waves to create a fluted edge around the outside of your pie. This doesn’t serve any particular purpose, but some bakers just like the look of it.
Maximum temperature
Check the maximum temperature that your pie plate can safely tolerate — metal pie plates generally have the highest maximum temperature, up to 550-700 degrees Fahrenheit. If you put your pie plate in a too-hot oven or under a broiler, it could crack or shatter.
How much you can expect to spend on a pie plate
The majority of pie plates cost $5-$25 each. However, you can find some pie plates that cost upward of $50, particularly those that are extra large or come from a designer cookware brand.
Pie plate FAQ
What is a pie plate used for?
A. A pie plate is used for baking both sweet and savory pies. Some people get confused by the name and think a pie plate is used to serve pie, but it’s simply another name for a pie tin or pie dish.
How many slices are in a 9-inch pie?
A. This depends on how large you want your slices of pie, but a 9-inch pie is typically divided into six to eight servings. If you need to serve a larger group of people but don’t want to serve smaller pie slices, you can scale up to a larger pie pan or simply bake two or more 9-inch pies.
What’s the best pie plate to buy?
Top pie plate
Pyrex Easy Grab Glass 9.5-Inch Pie Plates
What you need to know: This set of two 9.5-inch pie plates is an ideal choice for most users as they’re durable yet reasonably priced.
What you’ll love: The easy-grabbed rims make these pie plates easier to grab from the oven, plus the edges are fluted for a traditional pie appearance. Thanks to the glass design, it’s easy to see how your pie is browning. These pie plates are made in the U.S.
What you should consider: Some reports of pie plates shattering in the oven, but this might be down to user error.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top pie plate for the money
Lindy’s Stainless Steel Pie Pan
What you need to know: This pan is a highly affordable option that’s perfect for buyers who like the quick, even heating of metal pie plates.
What you’ll love: With its highly polished finish, this stainless steel pie pan helps prevent the crust from sticking to the pan. The metal is heavy for durability and heat retention.The 9.5-inch size is perfect for most pie recipes.
What you should consider: As it’s only 1.5 inches deep, some users don’t consider it a deep-dish pie plate.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Wireless The Pi Dish
What you need to know: This funny pie dish is perfect for mathematicians or Pi Day, featuring the pi symbol in the center and the number pi to 100 digits around the rim.
What you’ll love: This ceramic pie plate is functional as well as amusing. It measures just over 9 inches in diameter, excluding the rim, so it works well with most standard pie recipes. In addition to being oven safe, it’s microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe and feels sturdy.
What you should consider: It could be deeper, and it’s not to all buyers’ tastes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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