Beginner's guide to baking pans and tins

16 Jun.,2025

 

Beginner's guide to baking pans and tins

Did you know that one of the top reasons why most cakes fail is because of the wrong usage of baking pans? Baking pans and tins now come in a multitude of sizes, shapes, variants, prices, and more. Admittedly, it is a tough task to pick out the right one. So, today, we are going to discuss all about the top five basic baking pans. This guide is for beginners but I have personally seen even professionals looking for guidance on this particular subject. So, here you go!

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These basic baking pans should be a staple in your pantry and they yield the best results. To help you out, even more, I am going to talk about the best brands for the same. Please note that Amazon does have a lot of options for baking pans too. But, always be careful about the sizes and dimensions as they can be a little deceptive! Trust me when I say this, I wish someone would have helped me out with this kind of a guide when I was starting out. God knows I would have saved up a good amount, haha!

Types of baking pans and tins

Now, there is an uncountable amount of tins and pans available. Different sizes and different shapes serve a different purpose. The first distinction I am going to focus on is the distinction based on the shape and what their primary purpose is.

BAKING PANS- DISTINCTION BASED ON SHAPES

There is no end to the types of shapes of baking tins. But, for now, let’s get it down to the very basics.

1. The Circle (Round Cake Pan)

The most common type of baking pan is a circular tin. They serve the purpose of making round desserts, obviously the most common being cakes. Round tins are really preferred all over the world because they help in a very evenly distributed amount of heat. This factor allows your cake to cook thoroughly and faster too. Hence, they are time-saving as well! Plus, when it comes to decoration, you do not have to fret over perfect corners like you have to when it comes to square or rectangle cakes. Round baking tins also come in varieties of heights. You can purchase a deeper round tin and get multiple cake layers from it!

If you are a beginner, you are looking at a 6 inch or a 7 inch round baking tin.

2. The square baking pans

Most commonly used for brownies, a square tin is a must-have baking tin. You can also use them to make some chocolate fudge or some no-bake bars. Being equal from all sides, they allow you to have well-proportioned quantities of anything you are using them for. I like to use them when I am looking for a different way to design my cakes. Like in this gluten-free plum cake- I loved how the square baking pan transformed its look!

The ideal size if you are a beginner is either 8X8 inches or 9X9 inches.

3. The Rectangular Pan

The only difference between a rectangular tin and a square tin is the dimension. They end up serving a similar purpose. Hence, if you are just starting out as a beginner baker and you’re on a budget, instead of in either a rectangular tin or a square baking pan. Then, as you advance, you can experiment with them! I loved making these Date and Walnut Bars in a rectangular tin because they gave me a very nice cut to the final bars. You can also use rectangular baking pans for making sheet cakes or swiss rolls! That is where they come super handy!

4. The Bundt Cake Pan

The only reason to own or invest in a Bundt cake pan is for how beautiful they make your desserts, haha! Bundt cake pans have a protruding center. This means that your cake will have a hole in the middle. Depending upon the type of bundt cake pan you choose- with a wider protruding middle or with a different edge design, all bundt cake tins differ in the final cake design. I have shown a comparison here which will help you out!

5. The Loaf Tin

Goes without saying, the loaf tin allows you to have a cake that resembles a bread loaf. Ideal for some delicious banana bread and obviously, for breads and even babka, a loaf tin is a definite have if you are starting out as a beginner!

For all your tea cakes and trials- in which you might be testing a recipe out, a small baking tin like a loaf tin will come too handy!

The ideal size should be somewhere around 26 x 13.5 x 6.5 cm or any loaf baking tin that yields 150 Grams.

5. The Muffin Tin

A basic muffin tin has about six to eight dents for your muffins! Do not think that a muffin tin is only limited to producing muffins and cupcakes. From mini cakes to cheesecake cups and even to no-bake bites, a muffin tin is really useful! If you are a beginner, your best bet is to start with a small muffin tin with 6 dents. Please also make sure that you are getting some muffin liners too. The best ones are white or golden- this is my personal opinion!

5. The Tart Tin

Tart tins are of course for tarts and pies. I would recommend using a tart tin with a removable base so it is easy to de-mold your tarts. Like cakes, you can not reverse it onto a plate and I would not recommend this either- haha.

BAKING PANS- DISTINCTION BASED ON MATERIAL

You would not believe the various baking tin material available in the market today. We are going to limit this article to the topmost common ones- aluminum baking tin, non-stick baking tins, silicone tins, and glass dishes.

1. Aluminum baking pans

The most commonly used baking tin material (at least in India) is aluminum. It’s economical, super-duper durable, and very easy to use. Since it is not a non-stick material, greasing the tin very well is extremely necessary. Because of its metallic nature, it also conducts heat very well and allows even heating and baking of your dessert. If you are a beginner looking to invest in a baking tin- aluminum baking tin is an excellent choice! Look for a medium weight tin so it goes on for even longer! It is most commonly used even by professionals!

You can get Aluminium tins online on a number of platforms. Going ahead with Amazon rating is always a good choice as there is no specific brand for such tins. If you have a big budget, you can try USA Pan Bakeware.

2. Non-stick baking pans

Non-stick cake pans are also a good option! You will mostly see non-stick baking pans coming along with your new microwave or new oven/OTG. They are usually seen to have a grey or black coating on the inside. Even non-stick baking tins require some greasing before you pour in your batter. The release is comparatively better than aluminum. When purchasing this, please keep in mind that they will be considerably more expensive than an aluminum baking tin and a low-grade non-stick baking pan will be the worst investment.

Why I would not recommend a non-stick baking tin to a beginner is because they require extra care. This is something most beginners are not very aware of. Because these tins have a non-stick coating that can come off very easily too, it’s best if beginners go for an aluminum tin to start with.

On Amazon, there is a huge variety of such tins. Try out Syga, Femora, or Bulfyss.

3. Silicone Baking Pans

Silicone-based bakeware has completely changed the face of the baking industry. While silicone spatulas are a compulsory staple in most kitchens and bakery, silicone baking molds are not that preferred. If you are into entremets and other frozen desserts, silicone will come handy. But, not always. I personally am not a fan either. The material is good- it sometimes requires absolutely no greasing and silicone molds help in easy unmolding too. But since they are not excellent conductors of heat and sometimes, they tend to really disappoint. They are good for desserts that do not require baking- like fudge, granola bars, and more!

Amazon has a very nice variety of silicone molds. You can try the brand known as ‘Bulfyss’. The reviews of the same are excellent!

4. Glass Baking Pans

Glass baking tins are awfully famous and really really helpful when it comes to baking pies and also for no-bake desserts! But, baking in a glass dish is a little dicey, to say the least. Glass does not conduct heat as well as metallic or steel baking tins. This common fact has to be kept in mind especially when you are baking in a microwave. Since the heat is not coming from below and only from above, desserts like brownies can not be baked in a glass dish. In general, it is best to be safe rather than sorry and the best shot is to avoid glass dishes when it comes to baking.

In case you need glass baking dishes for no-bake desserts, Borosil has an unbeatable variety!

Removable Base Baking pans

I have baked an innumerous amount of cheesecakes and mousses in removable tins and I believe for these desserts, they are the best. Some removable base baking tins have a lever on the side of the tin which helps to adjust, release, and freeze your base. Others just have a removable base which you can easily push a little to release your dessert. It makes the release of any dessert you bake in it a super easy process. I personally stick to baking in aluminum baking tins.

I hope you liked this article and found it informative. If any of these tips came handy, please visit me on my Instagram and Youtube pages to know more!

Bakery Equipment: 40 Items for Your Bakery Equipment List - BlueCart

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Having the right bakery equipment is crucial to running a successful bakery and restaurant business. Like other restaurant supplies and equipment, it is important to invest in high quality bakery tools and equipment when starting a bakery or baking subscription box business.

A number of things go into opening a bakery. These include choosing the right bakery design and interior décor, making great recipes of baked goods to sell, and having a solid eCommerce marketing plan.

Key Takeaway - Using the right bakery tools and equipment will save you time and help you make more money. High quality bakery equipment will help you create the perfect desserts, cakes, breads, and other baked goods.

So, what equipment do you need for your bakery to achieve the highest level of success? Let’s look at the essential bakery equipment list for every baker.

What Equipment is Needed to Start a Bakery?

As a bakery owner, it is important you have specialized equipment for your bakery to reach the highest level of efficiency. Bread and pastry shops, cake shops, and ice-cream shops require different types of tools and machines.

For instance, bakeries that specialize in making cakes, having the right tools and equipment is important. Although basic cake modeling can be done by hand, It is easier to use cake making and decorating equipment to make cakes professionally. 

There are a number of things to consider before buying bakery equipment. We’ll get to that part in a bit. 

First, let’s review the ultimate equipment list for a bakery business.

Ultimate Equipment List for a Bakery

Bakery Kitchen Equipment

This category of bakery equipment and tools includes the basic kitchen equipment every baker needs to get started with their bakery business. Basic kitchen tools are usually affordable and you don’t have to worry about the high maintenance costs, unlike heavy equipment.

Let’s check some basic bakery equipment out:

  1. Measuring Tools in Bakery

Measuring tools come in all shapes and sizes. Like the name suggests, they are used for taking accurate measurements of dry and wet ingredients like flour, sugar, milk. 

  • Dry Measuring Cup

Uses: You can use dry measuring cups to weigh dry ingredients such as spices, salt, flour, sugar, or baking powder.

Size: Comes in four standard sizes - ¼ cups, ⅓ cups, ½ cups, and 1 cup.

Types: Measuring cups are available as plastic, stainless steel, and porcelain.

  • Liquid Measuring Cup

Uses: You can use a liquid measuring cup to measure wet ingredients like milk, yogurt, or water.

Size: Usually comes with graduated measurement lines and in liters, centiliters, and milliliters.

Types: Liquid measuring cups are usually made of transparent plastic or glass.

  • Measuring Spoon

Uses: You can use measuring spoons to measure small quantities of wet or dry baking ingredients.

Size: Measuring spoons typically come in sets of four and six spoons with different measurements and sizes.

Types: Measuring spoons some in plastic, metal, and other materials.

  • Baking Scale and Spoon Scale

Uses: Baking scales and spoon scales can accurately measure food ingredients conveniently.

Size: Baking scales and spoon scales are digital scales and come in grams and ounces. Depending on the type of scale you buy, baking scales have different measuring capacities.

Types: Baking scales are either digital with automatic measurement features, or analog.

  • Timer

Uses: You can use a timer to time the preparation of ingredients and cooking of the food.

Size: A timer typically has a countdown of up to 60 minutes.

Types: Digital timers, Egg times, and so on.

  • Oven Thermometer

Uses: An oven thermometer is used to measure the temperature of oil, water, and food when using the oven. It can also be used to measure the temperature when melting chocolate.

Size: The temperature range is usually between 60 degrees and 580 degrees Fahrenheit.

Types: Digital instant-read, dial oven-safe thermometer, digital fork thermometer, and dial instant-read thermometer.

  1. Mixing Tools in Bakery

Mixing tools are used for mixing ingredients, either wet or dry. Some can also be used to store and knead doughs. There are both manual and automatic mixing tools available.

  • Electric Mixers

Uses: Electric mixers are automatic mixing tools that can automate the mixing process. They can be used to whisk eggs and other wet ingredients. When a dough hook is attached, you can also use an electric mixer to knead dough.

Types: Handheld electric mixers and stand mixers.

  • Mixing Spoon

Uses: Mixing spoons come in different lengths and are used for mixing ingredients in containers. They are easy to use and can make life easy for any baker.

Types: Metal mixing spoons, wood mixing spoons, porcelain mixing spoons, and plastic mixing spoons.

  • Mixing Bowls

Uses: You can use mixing bowls to prepare and mix dry and wet baking ingredients. Mixing bowls are also used to store and knead doughs.

Types: Glass mixing bowls, stainless steel mixing bowls, plastic mixing bowls, and porcelain mixing bowls.

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  • Whisks

Uses: Similar to electric mixers, whisks are used to mix ingredients smoothly.

Types: French whisks, balloon whisks, flat whisks, spring whisks, and ball whisks.

  • Spatula

Uses: Spatulas are flat and flexible mixing tools used for mixing and scraping mixing bowls and plates.

Types: Silicone spatula, stainless steel spatula, rubber spatula, and plastic spatula.

  1. Preparatory Tools in Bakery

Preparatory tools and equipment in the bakery are used for the initial preparation of baking ingredients. They are essential parts of your bakery kitchen that you need to open your bakery business.

  • Flour Sifter

Uses: Bakers use flour sifters to sieve or separate clumps from bulk flour, baking powder, and other powder-like ingredients. A flour sifter ensures that your ingredients are an even consistency.

Types: Battery-operated flour sifters, electric flour sifters, and stainless steel flour sifters.

  • Pastry Brush

Uses: Pastry brushes are used to spread butter, egg wash, or oil on food. 

Types: Silicone bristles pastry brush and natural bristles pastry brush

  • Cake Tester

Uses: A cake tester needle helps bakers to check if the cake is baked well without causing damage to the cake. They can also be used as cake decorations and exhaust needles. Although you can simply use a long toothpick to check for the doneness of cakes.

Types: Stainless steel cake tester

  • Baking Paper

Uses: Baking paper is usually lined in baking pans so food can bake better and to prevent the food from touching the pan directly. Using baking paper will also save you a lot of cleaning troubles.

Types: Silicone mat. Parchment paper, wax paper, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap.

  • Pastry Mat

Uses: Pastry mats are non-stick surfaces that bakers use for kneading, forming, and cutting dough.

Types: Silicone pastry mat, marble pastry mat, and granite pastry mat.

  • Egg Separator

Uses: Egg separators help to separate egg yolks from egg whites. 

Types: Easy squeeze silicone egg separators.

  • Cooling Rack

Uses: A cooling rack allows air to flow and circulate around baked food. This ensures that the food is cooled when out of the oven.

Types: Stainless steel cooling racks, chrome-coated cooling racks, and aluminum cooling racks

  1. Cutting Tools in Bakery

Cutting tools are essential items you need to start your bakery business. 

  • Grater

Uses: Graters are used for shredding food ingredients, such as lemon, cheese, carrots, and other items, into smaller sizes.

Types: Box grater, rasp grater, rotary grater, spice grater, hand grater, and electric grater.

  • Pastry Blender

Uses: A pastry blender or dough blender is used for blending solid ingredients like butter, or lard, into flour or other powder-like ingredients to create a dough.

Types: Stainless steel pastry blender.

  • Cookie Cutters

Uses: Cookie cutters are molds with sharp edges that are used for cutting dough into different shapes.

Types: Plastic cookie cutters, aluminum cookie cutters, stainless steel cookie cutters, and copper cookie cutters.

  • Dough Cutters

Uses: Dough cutters are used for slicing and portioning out dough.

Types: Thin plastic dough cutters, rubber dough cutters, and stainless steel dough cutters.

  • Pastry Cutting Wheel

Uses: Pastry cutting wheels are used for cutting dough and making patterned edges.

Types: Manual pastry cutting wheel, multiple wheel pastry cutter.

  • Chef’s Knives

Uses: A knife is used for cutting and chopping large food items into smaller pieces. You can also use knives for peeling and coring fruits and vegetables.

Types: Paring knife, carving knife, Boning knife, and bread knife.

  1. Cake Making and Decorating Tools

No bakery equipment list is complete without cake making and decorating tools.

  • Cake Turntable Stand

Uses: A cake turntable stand is used for smoothing sheets of icing, applying buttercream, pipe frosting, and decorating cake.  

  • Cake Board

Uses: A cake board is a flat and thick board used for supporting and carrying cakes. 

Types: Corrugated cardboard, marble cake board

  • Cake Leveler

Uses: A cake leveler is used for cutting and leveling cakes in order to ensure stability.

Types: Ring cutter with knife and ring cutter with single or more thin blades.

  • Cake Spatula

Uses: Cake spatulas are used for smoothing out icing and buttercream on the surface and sides of cakes.

Bakery Machine Equipment

This category reviews the heavy machinery and equipment you need in your bakery. If you manufacture or sell them, know that they're some of the most high demand products for a bakery. Let’s check out what they are.

Refrigerators and Freezers

Uses: Freezers and refrigerators are used to chill and preserve foods and baked goods.

Types: Chest freezers, drawer freezers, upright freezers, portable freezers, walk-in freezers, and cube freezers.

Ovens

Uses: Ovens are the soul and life of every bakery. They are used to bake and cook pastries, cakes, pies, breads, cookies, and other baked goods. Meanwhile, certain models like deck ovens will allow you to bake more items at once.

Types: Combination ovens, convection ovens, conventional gas ovens, conventional electric ovens, deck ovens, toaster ovens, and microwave ovens.

Display Cases

Uses: Display cases are used to show ready-to-eat, ready-to-buy, and freshly baked goods.

Types: Bread case, display bin, cake stand, and bulk bin.

POS System

Uses: A bakery or restaurant POS platform streamlines your bakery management processes. With a POS system, you can easily integrate restaurant inventory management software, invoice management software, and order management solutions to run your business.

Bakery Safety Equipment

Complying with food safety regulations is a must, if you want to stay in business. Besides consumer food safety, it is important to keep your employees safe from bakery accidents as well. Here’s a list of safety equipment to purchase for your bakery:

  • Gloves
  • First aid kit
  • Aprons
  • Bar rags
  • Food grade chemical supplies
  • Chemical safety data sheets
  • Date labels
  • Sani-buckets

6 Things to Consider Before Buying Equipment for Bakery

So, what should you do before buying bakery equipment and tools? Let’s see.

  1. Budget. It is important to draw out your budget and plan. As a new business owner, it is easy to get carried away by all the expenses that comes with opening your business. Drawing out your business process flow and plan will help you know exactly what you want to do and how you want to do it.
    With a financial plan in hand, you can deduce if your business will survive with the money you have at hand or if you need to get a loan. Your budget will also determine the type of bakery equipment you’ll purchase at first.
    Most basic bakery equipment are not too expensive. However, heavy machines and commercial bakery equipment will definitely cost a lot of money.
    So, lay it all down and review carefully. You can research equipment prices and consider buying second-hand equipment from wholesale distribution companies that sell bakery equipment.
  2. Baking Equipment Supplier. There are a lot of baking equipment suppliers. However, it is important to work with a supplier that sells high quality tools and equipment. It is also crucial that your supplier can balance affordability and quality without compromising.
    The best place to find suppliers is using a wholesale marketplace online like BlueCart. You can also reach out to wholesale dropshipping suppliers and vendors that work directly with baking equipment manufacturers.
    Before making a purchase, check if the equipment as a warranty. When working with international suppliers, ask beforehand about the shipping and handling fee.
  3. Cost of Maintenance. Another important thing to consider before purchasing bakery equipment is the cost of maintenance. Every machine breaks down after a while, but, the cost of maintaining it should not send you out of business.
    Be prepared to do regular servicing and maintenance of the machinery. You can also read about the care of the equipment.
  4. Trainings. When choosing a supplier for your bakery equipment list, make sure they offer additional services such as trainings for the staff. That’s important in order to use the full capacity of the bakery equipment. Bakery businesses often need to organize other trainings for their staff as well. That includes workshops on trendy products, safety trainings, and more.
    Most companies that sell bakery equipment also offer after-sales services like installation, maintenance, repairs, and trainings.
  5. Innovations and Automation. As with other sectors in the food industry, there are multiple innovations in the field of baking. Businesses that aim to reduce their labor costs and benefit from modern solutions should constantly look for ways to integrate innovations. Modern bakery equipment helps businesses with mixing, slicing, and baking pastry or other baked food. Furthermore, by investing in the top-notch bakery equipment list, the consistency of your products is guaranteed.
  6. Scaling. The goal of every business is to increase profits and grow its operations. That’s why when purchasing products from their bakery equipment list, businesses should consider how these tools and machines help them scale their operations. For example, investing in high-end packaging equipment can be especially beneficial for bakery businesses that wish to sell more products to other businesses like grocery stores. Bakeries that work primarily with end customers should be more concerned with the quality of their products and brand awareness. They might find it more beneficial to invest in bakery marketing and lay the groundwork for a successful chain of bakeries.

Pros and Cons of Buying Second-Hand Bakery Equipment

One of the biggest startup costs for commercial bakeries is purchasing and installing bakery equipment. That’s why some companies prefer to buy used appliances and other pieces of their bakery equipment list. There are both pros and cons to purchasing second-hand tools and machinery. Let’s briefly examine them.

Advantages of Buying Used Bakery Equipment

  1. Lower costs. Undoubtedly, cost savings are the biggest pro of purchasing used bakery equipment instead of brand-new ones. This can allow the business to allocate funds to other crucial areas for a starting company, such as marketing and advertising.
  2. Access to high-end equipment. Buying second-hand bakery equipment means purchasing these items at a discount. Thus, a company can afford higher-quality ovens and other expensive bakery equipment at the same price as lower-grade new ones. Most types of bakery appliances are built to last many years. That’s why a few years of exploitation and some transportation damage won’t affect their efficiency.
  3. Lower cost depreciation. Purchasing new bakery equipment is like buying a new car – its value will drop as soon as it’s used for the first time. On the other hand, second-hand equipment doesn’t depreciate in cost as fast and can be sold at roughly the same price in a couple of months.

Cons of Buying Used Bakery Equipment

  1. No warranty. Although some sellers of second-hand bakery equipment might offer products that have a limited warranty, in most cases, used appliances come without a warranty whatsoever.
  2. Lower efficiency. Modern bakery equipment has very good energy efficiency. That’s why purchasing second-hand appliances can result in higher utility costs and a bigger environmental impact.
  3. No way to customize the equipment. Industrial and commercial equipment is often customized to fit the particular needs of the company. However, these customization options are not available for businesses that purchase used bakery equipment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bakery Equipment

The bakery equipment you get for your business will determine your work output and the general productivity of your business. Here are some frequently asked questions about bakery equipment and tools.

How Much Does Bakery Equipment Cost?

The cost of bakery equipment depends on the cookware and category of equipment you want to purchase. Basic bakery equipment like spatulas and mixing bowls can cost between $12 - $50. Heavy bakery equipment like baking ovens and refrigerators runs between $350 - $15,000. To minimize costs, you can buy used bakery equipment from trusted suppliers.

Are Bakeries Profitable Businesses?

Yes, owning a bakery can be a profitable business if run properly. Here are the main things you need to keep in mind when running a bakery business.

  1. Invest in good bakery equipment and products. In the field of food preparation, the results are only as good as the equipment and materials used. That’s why owners of bakeries should benefit from modern technology and automation opportunities in order to increase profits, reduce the cost of goods sold, and scale their business.
  2. Adapt to the demand. Although people buy food primarily to feed themselves, eating can also be an experience for some. That’s why there’s an increasing demand for unique food products or custom-made goods. Baked products are no different. Marketplaces like Etsy have become popular places to sell unique food products.
  3. Offer services and sell additional products. Although bakeries are primarily associated with selling baked goods, they can add additional revenue streams. For example, a bakery brand can sell its own line of bakery equipment. This can be a great gift for people who enjoy baking from the comfort of their homes. In addition to selling bakery equipment, businesses in this field can offer various services as well. Good examples of that include baking classes, workshops, and even experiences for the whole family.

What Is the Most Important Equipment in a Bakery?

There are a lot of bakery equipment. However, here’s a list of the most important baking tools:

  • Measuring cups
  • Dough mixers
  • Dough dividers
  • Dough sheeter
  • Rolling pin
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Knives
  • Mixing bowls
  • Safety equipment

How Much Money Does it Take to Start a Bakery?

To start a bakery business, you need between $10,000 and $50,000. However, this amount depends on your other overhead expenses, equipment costs, rent, and, labor costs.

What Is the Difference Between Bakery Equipment and Restaurant Equipment?

The main difference between bakery equipment and restaurant equipment is that restaurant equipment focuses more on cooking food, like deck ovens. Meanwhile, bakery equipment includes tools that you use for preparing the ingredients, such as dough mixers and dough dividers. Then, there are tools like piping bags, cooling racks, and so on that are used once the baked goods are out of the oven.

Now For the Final Touches

With this essential bakery equipment list you can create a full proof plan and draw a budget. The equipment solutions that you purchase will determine how much you can make from your bakery business - get the best ones!

Want more information on Cake Tray Forming Machine? Feel free to contact us.

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