Amazon offers a few muffin top pans that allow you to make just the top of the muffin, no muss no fuss. One such pan, the Chicago Metallic Gourmetware Original Muffin Top Pan ($13.95), made the cut because it had the best consumer reviews and the best price.

Now, I think Elaine was wrong when she said that you had to make the whole muffin just to get the scrumptious, fluffy top. This pan eliminates the need for the whole muffin, with its six oversize shallow cups. The pan itself is covered with nonstick coating, so you don’t have to worry about greasing the pan. Also, cleaning is relatively simple, as food just about falls off the pan. It is dishwasher safe though, in case you really bake it on there and that few minutes of sink scrubbing just won’t cut it.

With its 1/2″ deep cups, you’re not just limited to making the traditional muffin’s better half. If you think outside the box, the possibilities are endless…cornbread tops, hamburger buns, cookies, etc. An issue or two though, one being that the pan is completely covered in nonstick coating to aid in easier transition from pan to mouth, but this makes them incredibly hard to handle. Plus, the slippage factor is increased by the fact that the pan’s nonstick handles are smooth, so maybe a little bit of texturizing is needed for us klutzy bakers. The only other problem I had with this pan was that there were only six cups. Six cups? Come on, at least give me the traditional 12 so I can make a proper batch of deliciousness.

4 out of 5 stars.

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