Glass vs Metal Pans: Difference and Comparison

Baking or cooking is the most essential and basic need of life. And we have a lot of utensils available in the market to cook different recipes in. Pan is one of the main utensils we use while cooking to make pancakes, curry, chicken, etc.

Sometimes we get confused about which material pan has to be used. So, the key differences between the glass pan and the metal pan are mentioned below.

Key Takeaways

1. Glass pans are non-reactive and better for baking acidic or alkaline foods, while metal pans can react with certain ingredients.
2. Metal pans heat up and cool down faster, providing more precise temperature control.
3. Glass pans are more prone to breaking, while metal pans are more durable and long-lasting.

Glass vs Metal Pans

Glass pans have a smooth and non-reactive surface, ideal for dishes that need to be evenly heated and transparent. Metal pans have a quick and even heating capacity, making them ideal for searing and browning, and they are also durable and can withstand high temperatures.

Glass pans cannot withstand higher temperatures. Also, glass is a poor conductor of heat, so it will take some time to heat up.

Although once it is heated up, it retains that heat for a long time. Dishes that have to be cooked at a moderate temperature should be cooked in glass pans.

Metal is a good conductor of heat, so metal pans get heated very quickly. Although they also cool down very quickly once they are detached from the heat source.

Metal pans are made of metal, and so they react when coming in contact with acidic food, so food with more acid properties shouldn’t be cooked in a metal pan.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Glass Pan	Metal Pan
Temperature	A glass pan can only be used with moderate temperatures as it cannot withstand high temperatures.	Metal pans can easily withstand higher temperatures.
Heat	The glass pan takes some time to heat up.	The metal pan gets heated up quickly.
Use on Stove	A glass pan cannot be used on the stove.	Metal pans can be used on the stove.
Reaction with food	The glass pan doesn’t react with acidic food.	Metal pan reacts with acidic food.
Best for	Best for cooking cake, casseroles, baked pasta, etc.	Best for baking brownies, cookies, etc.

What is Glass Pan?

A glass pan is heavier though it cannot be used to cook dishes at a higher temperature. Glass pan cannot handle higher temperatures or temperature transitions, so you cannot put a cold glass directly to heat.

The glass pan might crack because of the sudden temperature difference.

Glass is not a good conductor of heat, so the glass pan takes a little time to heat up though the heat is distributed evenly in the glass pan. And the crust of baked food will be baked even.

Also, the heat is retained in a glass pan, so the food stays warm. Another advantage of using a glass pan is that it does not react with acidic food, as glass is a non-porous and chemically inert material.

The taste of the food will remain intact without any taste change. Also, because a glass pan is transparent, you can keep an eye on the food.

The disadvantage of a glass pan is that it cannot be used on the stove or will crack.

A glass pan is perfect for baking or cooking dishes that have to cook at moderate temperatures, like casseroles, baked pasta, cake, lasagna, roasted meat, baked meat cobblers, pies, etc.

What is Metal Pan?

A metal pan is used widely while cooking. It can easily withstand higher temperatures up to 600 degrees. Therefore, metal pans are perfect for cooking dishes that have to be cooked at higher temperatures and in less time.

Also, metal is a good conductor of heat, so the metal pans heat up very quickly. Although once it is detached from the heat source, it will cool up easily as well. Also, metal pans can be used on the stove.

The color and coating of a metal pan indicate its cooking ability. A dark and shiny color metal pan will absorb heat quickly, so it will heat up quickly and cook the food faster.

Sometimes it can lead to overcooking a bit. And so light color pans are mostly preferred. They cook a little slower as compared to dark-color metal pans.

The disadvantage of metal pans is that metal reacts with acidic food like citrus, berries, tomatoes, etc. If acidic food is cooked in a metal pan, the metal reacts, and you will get a metallic taste in your food.

Food like brownies, biscuits, cookies, rolls, quick bread, muffins, meatloaf, roasted chicken, etc., can be cooked in metal pans.

Difference Between Glass And Metal Pans

1. Glass pans cannot withstand higher temperatures, while metal pans can.
2. Glass pans are heavier than metal pans.
3. Glass pans took some time to heat up, while metal pans heat up quickly.
4. Glass pans cannot withstand temperature transitions at all, while metal pans can.
5. Glass pans cannot be used on the stove, while metal pans can be used on the stove though carefully.
6. Acidic food can be cooked in a glass pan but not in a metal pan.
7. Food like cakes, casseroles, baked pasta, and crisps-crumbles should be baked in glass pans, while food like brownies, cookies, muffins, scones, and bread should be cooked in metal pans.

References

1. https://www.cerealsgrains.org/publications/cc/backissues/1990/Documents/67_448.pdf
2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1077727X7700500305