The Best Meatloaf Pans (Review) in 2020

What is a Meatloaf Pan?

Meatloaf pans are specially designed to fit with the ideal cooking measurements of meatloaf. Longer than other pans on the market, this allows for heat to circulate at optimal levels, ensuring your meal is cooked thoroughly but efficiently. Many even come with an inset, which allows for grease to run from the meat into the tray, making your meal healthier.

What to Look For When Buying a Loaf Pan

• Size

The size of your pan is important for one main reason: the cooking time. If you need to serve a lot of people at once, then opt for a longer and deeper pan for your kitchen, rather than a wider option. They can be a little harder to store when not in use, but they will ensure your finished meal remains delectable, each and every time. Buying a pan that is too wide will often lead to undercooked areas, which nobody wants!

The standard size is around 8-10 inches long, 5 inches wide and around 3 or 4 inches tall – measurements that do not fall into this ratio are more likely to provide you with an uneven meatloaf. However, this will usually fit in around 4 servings, so is usually enough to feed a small family.

• Material

The material for any cookware will always be one of the most important factors when purchasing new equipment for your kitchen. Reading up on the different information each material offers is key to finding the right choice for you. For example, glass is non-porous, allowing you to cook all manner of foods without absorbing the smell or taste of any stronger meals. Meanwhile, stoneware will need to be coated, in order to achieve the same effect.

Metal options are one of the most versatile, as they heat and cool very quickly, making cooking time more precise. Options such as stainless steel are inert, and therefore won’t react with your food, and they are often thinner, lighter and cheaper than stoneware or glass options. That said, they often have a shorter lifespan than other choices, as their coating will wear off more quickly and some are not suitable for use in a dishwasher.

• Design and Features

As well as providing excellent cooking times, the design and features of your new purchase can make cooking your meatloaf all the more convenient or even improve on the taste of the final product. Opting for a pan that uses ergonomic handles will help you gain a good grip, when using your pan, ensuring you don’t spill anything or burn yourself when removing the dish from the oven.

Meanwhile, added insets with a perforated base can improve the overall nutrition of the loaf. These work by draining away excess fat during cooking, leaving you with a healthier alternative. Finally, added benefits such as easy cleaning and durability can make it easier to clean and store your pan, too.

Types of Meatloaf Pans

Loaf pans are the traditional meatloaf pan, which come as a long, deep pan that offers excellent cooking times.You can find these in a variety of materials, allowing you to bypass any risk of exposure to PTFE, PFOA or BPA, all of which might be found in plastic or those pans with a nonstick element.

However, the best meatloaf pans are those which come with an inset– and these can only be found in metal options, at the moment. This allows for fat to drain off the meat and keeps your loaf delightfully crispy on the outer side, without any sogginess or added grease in your meal.

Benefits of Using a Loaf Pan

The biggest benefit to using a loaf pan is that your food is cooked evenly, each and every time. While using a normal pan can sometimes result in hot spots or raw areas in your meatloaf (which is both a health hazard and not at all appetizing), a good quality loaf pan will do neither. Instead, it provides you with a thoroughly cooked, crispy yet moist meatloaf that tastes great, every time.

They can also come with the added benefit of an additional tray or pan, which is perforated, to allow for grease and moisture to fall to the bottom of the tray. This keeps your meals healthier, allowing you to partake is an otherwise relatively unhealthy meal, and enjoy the benefits of your dinner instead.

Best Meatloaf Pan FAQ:

Q: Is it better to bake in a glass or metal pan?

A: The answer to this comes down to your personal preference, as both metal and glass cookware options will work brilliantly for this meal. Glass has the added benefit of being naturally nonstick, and you can easily see how well-cooked the meal is, without opening up your oven. Metal, on the other hand, tends to hold heat better and cook a little faster and often comes with some nice features, such as the perforated tray.

Q: Should I grease the pan for meatloaf?

A: Many options come with an additional coating, to make it easy when it comes to removing the loaf and cleaning the pan, but this isn’t essential. One of the great things about this meal is that the fat provided from the meat itself will naturally grease the pan.

That said, it can be handy to grease a pan if you’re worried about cleaning up afterwards. Bits of meat and leftovers can often burn onto the sides, if they are left for a little too long, and using a little grease can help add a nonstick element to the pan. This will also make the pan easy to clean, after you’ve used it.

Q: What can I use if I don't have a meatloaf pan?

A: If you don’t have a pan, you can always opt to use an easy recipe that allows the loaf to hold its shape, without a pan. You just need to shape the ingredients until it forms the correct shape (this is more important for cooking times than any aesthetics), then you can simply place this on top of a baking sheet or tray and cook as normal.

Do be aware that using this method may mean that your loaf might lose its shape – but it may also require a lower cooking heat, and a longer cooking time. This is to ensure the meal is thoroughly cooked, without burning the outside of the loaf itself.

Our Top Pick

The meatloaf pan from Chicago Metallic is a great choice for loaf veterans and rookies alike, as it provides consistently high quality, no matter what your skill level. Incredibly easy to use, it comes with an insert to keep your loaf as healthy as possible.

At the same time, it is incredibly easy to clean due to the non-stick coating and suitability for use in a dishwasher. If you’re after using your pans for other baked goods, you’ll be pleased to know you can simply remove the tray and utilize this pan as standalone cookware, too.