04.Pros & cons
What are the benefits? While all the brands cooked well, so did their conventional metal counterparts. Regular non-stick metal cookware did as good a job overall as the top three silicone brands, so there’s little or no advantage in cooking performance.
Pros:
The big advantage of silicone bakeware is its ease of use:
- It’s flexible.
- It can be rolled up, folded or stacked.
- It can be put in the dishwasher without rusting.
- It’s very light.
- It won’t rust, corrode, scratch, dent or peel.
Cons:
However, there are also downsides:
- Transferring the bakeware to the oven when it’s filled with heavy raw ingredients can be difficult because some of the silicone is very floppy. In fact, manufacturers recommend placing silicone bakeware on a metal baking sheet to keep things stable.
- It can be expensive. A typical muffin pan costs from $15 to $50 — much more than standard metal or even non-stick bakeware.
- While it’s non-stick, most brands still need to be greased with every use to ensure the baked items come out easily.
For people with a disability
Silicone bakeware may not be suitable for some people with a disability, such as hand weakness or the use of only one hand. Two hands are needed to transfer the bakeware to the oven or onto a tray.
Bakers tip:
When you’re baking muffins or cakes in a silicone pan, try leaving them in the pan to cool down a little longer than you would with a traditional metal tin, say 15 minutes. This should help your baked goodies come out of the pan with even less chance of sticking and damage.