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The Best Springform Pans for Cheesecake and Beyond

These options will make baking a piece of cake

Springform pans we recommend displayed on wood table

The Spruce Eats / Rachel Knecht

Springform pans: They’re not just for cheesecake anymore. In past times, every serious home baker owned one large springform pan. It was stuck in the back of the kitchen cabinet only to be pulled out every now and then to make cheesecake (a large cheesecake), but now the world of springform pans has expanded enormously. Now there are big pans, small pans, pans with nonstick surfaces and special clasps, new designs to prevent leakage, and even glass-bottomed pans.

The reason for all this selection is that home cooks are finding and creating different recipes both sweet and savory—and the way these pans function makes the work of creating them so much easier. You can make traditional cheesecakes, Japanese cheesecakes, individual mini cheesecakes, monkey bread, lasagna, soufflé cakes, raised pies, vegetable tortes and tians, and—a favorite—torta di pasta, which is basically pasta (rigatoni works well) with sauce baked into a closed pie crust.

What We Like
  • Substantial lever

  • Top and bottom labeled on ring

  • Safe for citrus

What We Don’t Like
  • Wide base makes storage and some baking more difficult

  • Not dishwasher safe

Fat Daddio’s 10-inch springform pan is the best springform pan we've tested. The classic silver-colored springform pan with a durable nonreactive surface has a lot going for it. Made for professional bakers, the anodized aluminum performs exceptionally well, as the aluminum brings the product quickly to baking temperatures and maintains even heating throughout.

The size, meanwhile, is perfect for large gatherings since it yields between 12 to 16 servings. The well-built lever on the ring latches and unlatches comfortably and doesn’t feel loose on the hinges. We also appreciated that the ring labels the top and the bottom so that we knew we had it on the base correctly. The light-colored pan baked every test cake evenly and cooled down quickly (no burnt fingers here!). It’s also lightweight, which is helpful for a large size like this one.

Note that if you are planning on setting the pan on a sheet pan or inside another pan for baking, you’ll need to use an extra-wide roasting pan to accommodate the extended base. Additionally, the finish on the pan may scratch, but it doesn’t affect the pan’s performance. While we find the 10-inch to be a versatile, midsize option, Fat Daddio's offers the springform pan in both smaller and larger options as well.

Material: Anodized aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 550 degrees | Sizes: 6-inch, 8-inch, 9-inch, 10-inch, 11-inch | Dishwasher Safe: No

What We Like
  • Heavy-duty construction

  • Smooth latch

  • Heats evenly

What We Don't Like
  • Tray doesn’t extend past ring

The Farberware Nonstick Bakeware Springform Pan performed above and beyond our expectations and costs half of what we would expect it would. At around $15, this is a pan worth including in your kitchen.

It’s made of nonstick-coated steel and feels substantial without being heavy. The heavy-duty steel won’t warp or bend, and conducts heat evenly across the pan. This meant our graham cracker crust was perfectly browned and didn’t have any hot spots. The ring's industrial-looking latch opens and closes effortlessly. We were impressed by how sturdy the latch felt, and how smoothly it opened and closed the ring.

Speaking of the ring, it opens wide so that the sides of the cake weren’t damaged when we removed it. The tray fits snugly inside the ring and our no-bake cheesecake didn’t leak at all. Once the ring is off, it can be difficult to move the bake because the tray is the same size as the goods inside it. Luckily, the nonstick kept the cheesecake from sticking to the ring and made everything easy to wash. 

Material: Steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Sizes: 9-inch | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

What We Like
  • Tall height is great for a variety of dishes

  • Tight seal to prevent leaks

  • 10-year warranty

What We Don't Like
  • Hand wash only

The 7-inch Nordic Ware springform pan is a versatile, well-made pan that we turn to often. We appreciate the high-quality construction, size, and versatility, and that this can be used in a 6-quart Instant Pot.

It's made of carbon steel and coated in a PFOA-free nonstick coating that helps food release easily when the latch is opened and makes cleaning up a breeze. Carbon steel is known for heating uniformly, which eliminates any hot spots. The base of the pan extends past the ring making assembly stress-free, but it isn't too large so you can set it inside another pan for a water bath. The ring fits snugly in the base to create a tight seal that keeps batter from leaking, while the super-secure latch releases smoothly.

Like all nonstick pans, you'll want to hand wash this to keep the coating in the best shape possible. The base can be used to serve off of, but make sure to use a non-metal knife for cutting. The pan does comes with a 10-year warranty, so you know this is a quality piece of bakeware.

Material: Carbon steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 400 degrees | Sizes: 7-inch, 9-inch | Dishwasher Safe: No

What We Like
  • Wide base bottom designed to minimize leaks

  • Heavy gauge material prevents warpage

  • Silicone grip on spring makes release easy

What We Don’t Like
  • Heavy

  • Hand wash only

"If you are looking for more unusual shaped springform pans, such as square, Anolon makes some good ones," says Peabody Johanson, founder of Sweet Recipeas and author of "Holy Sweet!"

We think a square pan is a baking staple, which is why we loved this square springform pan. We can bake everything from brownies to cheesecakes to classic icebox cakes with ease, as well as serve directly off the tray. The cheesecake bars we made in this pan baked evenly and we didn’t have any batter leakage. The silicone grip on the lever made it comfortable to latch and unlatch the sides from the bottom.

We didn’t need to run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake beforehand, since the nonstick surface allowed it to slip right off without taking any of my cheesecake bars with it. This pan is heavier than other springform pans, and you’ll have to use some math skills to turn your round cheesecake recipe into a square one, but once you do, you’ll use this pan time and time again.

The Teflon coating will resist peeling and chipping with proper care, so be sure to only hand wash and never use metal utensils directly on the tray. As a backup, Anolon offers a lifetime warranty for its products.

Material: Carbon steel | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Sizes: 9-inch | Dishwasher Safe: No

What We Like
  • Waffle bottom texture means food releases easier

  • Reasonably priced

  • Limited lifetime warranty

What We Don’t Like
  • Might need to buy multiple sets

Cheesecake is an impressive dessert but can take a long time in the oven. Solve this problem by using a mini set of springform pans! The set comprises of three 4-inch pans, each with a nonstick ring and base.

We loved the size of these mini springform pans—the desserts could be split between two people or be one substantial serving. They were also super easy to decorate and looked nice on a plate. Baking was a breeze with these pans since they heated evenly without having any hot spots. The small size resulted in a quick bake, while still being creamy with no cracking or browning. When releasing the mini cheesecakes, we didn’t even have to run a knife around the sides or use parchment paper to get a perfect release. It was easy to lift the ring off the base and the base was barely visible when serving, which we appreciated.

Cleaning the pans was no problem at all as they wiped up without a problem. The 3-piece set stacks neatly in the plastic container they come in, so storage is easy. The only slight difficulty we had was ensuring that the base was set in the ring correctly. The ring can close without it being in the correct place so it's worth taking an extra second to check that it is locked in place at the bottom of the pan.

Material: Alloy steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Sizes: 4-inch | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

What We Like
  • Nest together for easy storage

  • Standard sizes

  • Inexpensive

What We Don't Like
  • Minor leaking

Springform pans come in various sizes and having a couple different options at your disposal allows you to bake both an 8-inch deep-dish pizza and a large 10-inch cake. That's why we love this set, which comes in 8-inch, 9-inch, and 10-inch sizes so that you can bake exactly how much you want.

The bottom tray for each has a diamond pattern that differentiates it from other springform pans, and the black latch opens and closes smoothly and easily. We baked different recipes in each one, and all of them came out evenly baked with the pans cooling down quickly afterwards. We did have some slight leakage with the cheesecake and the apple torte, but our berry cake didn’t leak at all. We found the rings to be a little snug to pull off after baking and wish they opened slightly more for easier removal.

Afterward, the pans were all incredibly easy to hand-wash and our bakes didn’t stick to the ring even without greasing beforehand. Honestly, we would expect to pay this price for one pan so getting three is a bargain.

Material: Steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Sizes: 8-inch, 9-inch, 10-inch | Dishwasher Safe: Yes

What We Like
  • Fits in 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pots

  • Budget friendly

  • Works in traditional ovens too

What We Don’t Like
  • Smaller size means some recipes will be too big

Fans of Instant Pot, your favorite kitchen gadget just got even more versatile. With this springform pan, you can use your Instant Pot to make cheesecakes as well as other desserts, and even savory dishes like lasagna or macaroni and cheese. With an 8.3-cup capacity, the size is great for making a quick homemade dessert for small families. But you will need to account for that smaller capacity with most recipes.

This is made of aluminized carbon steel with a BPA-free nonstick surface and can also be used more traditionally in the oven (oven-safe to 450 degrees) if desired. It's compatible with 6-quart and 8-quart Instant Pot models.

Material: Alloy steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Sizes: 7.5-inch | Dishwasher Safe: No

What We Like
  • Thick durable tempered glass bottom

  • Glass bottom functions as a serving plate

  • Glass bottom doesn’t overcook like metal

What We Don’t Like
  • Spring clip can be difficult to use

  • Slightly smaller than advertised

If you’re looking for an easier way to display your large cheesecakes straight out of the oven, this 3-inch-high glass-bottomed springform pan does the trick. There’s no need to remove the base pan when serving because it’s made of a solid, clear tempered glass to showcase your masterpiece and act as a beautiful serving piece on any table. The springform itself is heavy-gauge steel with a nonstick coating and a tight spring latch. The base is a heat-resistant, scratch-proof, and tempered glass.

Material: Steel with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 440 degrees | Sizes: 10-inch | Dishwasher Safe: No

Final Verdict

If you’re shopping for a springform pan with a lot of flexibility to try different recipes, the Fat Daddio's Aluminum Springform Cake Pan is the one because of its mid-range size and great design. If you already have a traditional springform pan in your collection and are looking for something new to expand your horizons, the Wilton 4-Inch Nonstick Mini Springform Pan is a great option.

How We Selected

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best springform pans, evaluating their key features—like performance, material, or price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Then we send out springform pans to the home kitchens of our experienced product testers. As with many of our recommendations, our testing is ongoing. While using the products, our testers examine:

  • The pan's heat conductivity and how evenly the cake inside bakes.
  • The ease of setting up the springform pan and the tightness of the seal.
  • The security of the latch during the entire baking process
  • The ease of unmolding the cake and the final clean-up

About Our Tester

  • Rachel Knecht is a recipe tester, blogger, and former head baker, who really loves cheesecake and her Nordic Ware 7-inch springform pan.

Other Options We Tested

Chicago Metallic Professional Non-Stick Springform Pan: This inexpensive pan with a sleek design is made from carbon steel coated in a silicone-based nonstick coating, and did do well in testing. Cheesecake did release easily without parchment paper or greasing, and the pan looks nice enough to use for presentation. Our issue came with the latch. It was comfortable to move back and forth in place, but we found that the spring didn’t release as smoothly as other options. It jerked the ring open which can lead to tearing if the cake happens to not loosen perfectly.

What to Look for in a Springform Pan

Material

Most springform pans are made of metal such as anodized aluminum or stainless steel. They can be nonstick-coated or hard-anodized, which is not a coating but a treatment for the metal itself. Keep in mind darker metal can bake or cook faster so adjust your temperature or time when baking. 

"If you bake a lot of springform type items, it’s nice to have a darker metal one and a lighter one, because I find that the finish on a springform can really affect how dark a crust or cake can get," says Shauna Sever, baker and author of "Midwest Made."

Peabody Johanson, founder of Sweet Recipeas and author of "Holy Sweet!" adds that you want to pay attention to the material's weight as well. "When looking for a springform pan I want one with some weight to it and a good tight seal," says Johnson. "Cheesecake is what most people use springform pans for and they tend to be quite heavy. If you purchase a lightweight pan you are waiting for a disaster to happen."

Silicone springform pans are also available, but their flexible sides are less rigid and that can make it challenging to move the pan in and out of the oven. Be sure to support the pan by the rigid bottom if you are using a silicone pan or place the pan on a baking sheet for easy removal from the oven.

Most springform pans also have a metal bottom, but a few have tempered glass as a bottom piece which makes them suitable as a serving platter. Tempered glass also prevents the bottom crust from overcooking but it can be more fragile than metal The material will also determine whether or not the pans are dishwasher safe, so if that's a consideration, check the manufacturer's recommendations before purchasing.

Size

Springform pans come in many sizes as small as 4 and 6 inches in diameter, to sizes such as 7, 8, 9, and 10 inches in diameter. Springform pan sizes seem to be more varied than your standard cake pan sizes, which accounts for their versatility way beyond cheesecake: think torte, quiches, deep-dish individual pizzas—the list could go on and on.

Leakproof

Almost all springform pans have the potential to leak because of the nature of the removable bottom. But some leak worse than others, and some are tightly sealed with minimal to no leakage. Test yours by fitting the ring into the base and closing up the sides of the pan. Fill the pan with water and see if it leaks out the sides. If it does, be sure to only use thicker batter or wrap a layer of foil around the outside of your pan before using it for thinner batters.

"For springform pans, a tight seal is always the most important thing—if it’s a baked item with a batter, it’s never a bad idea to reinforce by wrapping in aluminum foil," says Sever.

When in doubt, the best way to prevent oven spills and messes is use foil around the bottom outside of the pan and to place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. The baking sheet will catch any drips and keep the interior of your oven clean.

FAQs

What is special about a springform pan?

A springform pan is special because it has removable sides that take their shape from a ring of metal that snaps into place into the base. Removing the ring enables you to make things like cheesecakes or quiches without worrying about how you'd get them out of the pan, as springform pans are designed for cakes that you can't turn upside down in order to remove them from the pan. The pan's construction also makes it easier for you to slice and serve right from the pan's base.

Can I use a springform pan for regular cake?

You can use this cake pan instead of a regular pan for any cake recipe. Once the ring is closed and snapped firmly into place and it's placed into the oven, the pan functions much the same as any other cake pan.

What are the parts of a springform pan?

Springform pans have two parts: a bottom piece with a beveled edge that the top piece, which consists of a high-sided metal ring, snugly fits into. This metal ring has a spring in it that enables you to clamp it down and then tighten it into place around the bottom piece.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Karen Resta is a writer specializing in food culture and history, cooking, pastries, and restaurants. She's also a former pastry chef and has traveled to Budapest, Kyiv, and Paris during their Fashion Weeks as a photographer and writer, always finding the best authentic pastries along the way. She wrote the original list of recommendations.

Irvin Lin, is a cookbook author of "Marbled, Swirled, and Layered" and an ongoing contributor to The Spruce Eats, Simply Recipes and Serious Eats. He runs his own blog Eat the Love and is a professional recipe developer and food writer. He owns numerous springform pans and has baked numerous cheesecakes and as well as other cakes in them, as his husband adores cheesecake and cakes in general.

Rachel Knecht is a recipe developer, food writer, and recipe tester based in Seattle. Her recipes and writing have appeared on Simply Recipes and she began writing for Spruce Eats in 2022.

Originally written by
Karen Resta
Karen Resta

Karen is a freelance writer who covers food and drinks for The Spruce Eats. Her work has appeared in Lucky Peach, Edible Manhattan/Brooklyn/Queens, Chowhound.com, Frenchly, PasteMagazine.com, and more.

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Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Technical Fact Sheet - Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)

  2. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Bisphenol A (BPA).

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