The 9 Greatest Pie Weights of 2025, Examined and Reviewed

Pie weights are important for correctly blind baking a pie shell. The load needs to be evenly disrupted throughout the pie shells to carry the dough in place whereas it units within the oven, stopping bubbly bottoms and slumped sides. Whereas there are numerous options to conventional pie weights (dry beans and granulated sugar are fashionable decisions—extra on each under), pie weights are a baking instrument you should buy as soon as and preserve for all times. If you happen to’ve bought a dependable set of pie weights available, there’s no questioning when you’ve bought sufficient dry beans in your cupboard or what to do with the toasted sugar.

Whereas I’ve my very own difficult relationship with pie weights as knowledgeable baker, it not too long ago grew to become time for me to exchange the set I misplaced in a transfer three years in the past. (Learn: My pie weights spilled out of their field and throughout our transferring container.) So, on a hunt for my new pie weights and your new pie weights, I examined 9 fashionable units, alongside granulated sugar and dry beans as controls. I selected two winners which are really the perfect resolution for blind baking pies with out taking over an excessive amount of pantry area. 

The Winners, at a Look

Of all of the ceramic pie weights I examined, these had simply the correct amount of beads for filling a nine- to 11-inch pie shell. Whilst you might purchase multiples of different units (or divide larger units), these additionally had a storage container that made them an ideal one-time buy that may be maintained simply for loads of future makes use of. 

Whereas I examined these pie weights with a smaller set (simply eight ounces) they carried out in addition to the successful weights by way of even crispness on the pie bottoms with no denting or dimpling. My solely caveat? I want I had two of those half-pound units or had bought Mrs. Anderson’s bigger set, which has one and a half kilos of beads. Each units include thick plastic containers with tight-fitting lids for storage. 

Critical Eats’ former baking editor Stella Parks championed this low cost and efficient various to pie weights and it really works extremely effectively. Goal for utilizing about two kilos of sugar for a nine-inch shell. You possibly can reuse the sugar for blind baking about 3 times earlier than it turns golden, and it may well then be utilized in baking recipes. If protecting this a lot sugar available for blind baking is cumbersome, take into account investing in ceramic bead pie weights. 

The Assessments

• Blind Bake Pie Take a look at: I used store-bought pie dough to line nine-inch chrome steel pie pans with dough. Earlier than baking, I crimped the pie’s edges and docked their bottoms with a fork. I lined every pie pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil and crammed it with a distinct pie weight. I baked every pie shell on a sheet pan for 20 minutes at 375˚F, then allowed it to chill for 10 minutes with the pie weights in place. After cooling, I eliminated the foil and pie weights. I recorded the benefit of removing and the way every pie crust had blind baked within the oven. 
• Management Assessments: As with the opposite pie weights, each beans and sugar had been used as management checks. For the beans check, I used two kilos of dried pink kidney beans. For the sugar check, I used two and a half kilos of granulated sugar. 
• Basic Use and Care Assessments: Earlier than use, I washed and dried any pie weights that required washing, primarily the ceramic beads. After testing, I washed, dried, and saved every pie weight, noting how simple or exhausting every of those duties was. 

What We Discovered

Weight Mattered Extra Than Materials

Even weight distribution is essential to blind baking—an excessive amount of weight could cause dimpling within the dough or result in underbaked areas, whereas too little weight results in effervescent and slumping. So having sufficient of no matter materials (weights, beans, or sugar) in an empty pie shell finally makes for fewer bubbles, much less aspect slumping, and extra even browning. The very best pie weight units weigh between 1.2 and two kilos in whole. For instance, BC Precision Slingshot Ammo Balls product of carbon metal appear perfect for blind baking however they left the examined pie crust unbaked and closely dimpled. 

However Ceramic Pie Weights Outperformed Metallic

Ceramic pie weights, just like the FurRain Ceramic Pie Weights and Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Ceramic Pie Weights, and the granulated sugar management had essentially the most evenly baked crusts of all of the completely different pie weights, whereas some chrome steel and aluminum weights in related weight lessons got here out of the oven with moist, unbaked bottoms. The Jefferson Road Ceramics Clay Pie Weights and Matfer Bourgeat Baking Beans pie weights had been significantly dangerous offenders; each had promising supplies (clay and aluminum, respectively) however the examined pie shells had been dimpled and underbaked.

Another excuse to like ceramic beads? They cool and dry shortly. Cooling shortly means you could get them again into their storage container sooner after washing. As for laundry, all beads take about the identical time to scrub—use a colander to dunk them in scorching soapy water, drain, and rinse—however the ceramic beads dry sooner than metal or aluminum. This was true of ceramic units that had extra quantity however smaller beads, like Jefferson Road Ceramics Clay Pie Weights, in addition to the smaller set with larger beads like Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Ceramic Pie Weights and FurRain Ceramic Pie Weights

Storage Was an Essential Consideration 

Having misplaced my very own pie weights a couple of years in the past through the aforementioned transferring catastrophe, I can converse to the necessity for a dependable pie weights storage resolution. If you wish to have your pie weights available for a few years with out dropping them, search for a set with a container product of sturdy plastic with a tight-fitting lid. Keep away from glass jars (they break!) or luggage, which may come free in your cupboard. Though fairly, the mesh bag of Jefferson Road Ceramics Clay Pie Weights was exhausting to refill and the string was not safe sufficient to maintain the beads in when it was inevitably loosened. I favored the thick plastic containers with tight-fitting lids of FurRain Ceramic Pie Weights and Mrs. Anderson’s Baking Ceramic Pie Weights. 

The Standards: What to Search for In a Pie Weights

Search for a set of ceramic pie weights within the 1.2 to 2.5-pound vary. You should purchase a number of units of 1 model if that works in your finances and storage. A sturdy storage container produced from thick plastic with a safe lid is a should for making your pie weights helpful for years to come back. 

Our Favourite Pie Weights

What we favored: Weighing in at just-enough 1.2 kilos of ceramic beads, one set of those pie weights evenly distributed themselves throughout the pie plate and crammed it about midway. This implies when you’re baking with a nine-inch pie pan, you received’t have any bubbly bottoms or slumped sides. Plus, the ceramic development ensures the underside will bake evenly as they’ve sufficient weight and quantity whereas additionally insulating the pie crust throughout baking. These had been simple to scrub in heat soapy water and so they dried shortly. 

What we didn’t like: Do observe the producer’s instructions to scrub and dry these earlier than use, as a result of they got here out of the package deal dusty! Whereas the storage container is nice for, um, storage, it may be exhausting to maneuver used pie weights from the foil again to the container due to its slim opening. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Ceramic 
• Weight: 1.2 kilos
• Storage container: Heavy-duty plastic with a tight-fitting lid

What we favored: Like my different successful set, these beads are sufficiently weighty. They produced a superbly parbaked pie crust on the underside. Just like the FurRain beads, they retailer properly. I examined with an eight-ounce package deal however a 1.5-pound container would seemingly have been tied neck-and-neck with our winner. 

What we didn’t like: A single set is lower than $10, making this an reasonably priced choice, however at eight ounces, there’s not sufficient quantity to carry the pie crust’s aspect up whereas baking. Meaning there was some shrinking and slumping alongside the edges. A simple resolution could be shopping for a number of eight-ounce units or shopping for Mrs. Anderson’s 1.5-pound set of the identical beads. 

• Materials: Ceramic 
• Weight: 8 ounces
• Storage container: Heavy-duty plastic with a tight-fitting lid

What we favored: Sugar is reasonable and available! Plus, after a couple of makes use of it should flip golden and caramelized, making it scrumptious for baking. 

What we didn’t like: It should spill a bit as you switch it out and in of the container and pie shell, plus you’ve bought to determine a storage resolution that works for you.  A large-mouth glass storage jar is right for holding the sugar between makes use of and a canning funnel will enable you to transfer the sugar from pie to jar, as soon as cooled. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Sugar  
• Weight: Use 2 kilos per pie shell 
• Storage container: Use a zip-top bag or jar with a tight-fitting lid between makes use of 

The Competitors

• Jefferson Road Ceramics Clay Pie Weights: I wished to like these wonky, imperfect pie weights and would love to check them once more, dividing the two.4 kilos between two shells. I additionally hated the mesh storage bag as a result of it was exhausting to refill and spilled when knocked over. 
• Williams Sonoma Pie Weights Jar: Just like Mrs. Anderson’s, these could possibly be nice when you purchased two or three units. The glass storage jar harassed me out as a result of it felt each tiny and extremely breakable. 
• Chicago Metallic Pie Weight: This distinctive weight did an honest job of guaranteeing a baked backside because of the chrome steel center, however there was some cracking on the edges the place silicone flaps struggled to maintain the crust in place. 
• Matfer Bourgeat Baking Beans: I actually wished to love these cool aluminum beans and suppose they might work in a distinct portion with fewer beans within the pie shell.  
• Hannah’s Baking Pie Weights Chain: This chrome steel chain really did a terrific job stopping bubbles on the underside of the pan and baked evenly, however with no aspect assist there was a number of slumping. 
• BC Precision Slingshot Ammo Balls: One other too-heavy contender that resulted in a soggy, dimple backside! Additionally, the container broke in delivery and I spent a while pulling plastic shards out of the balls earlier than baking. 
• PressPerfect Silicone Pie Weight: This didn’t match the 9-inch pie shells and it felt prefer it was lacking a aspect piece to maintain the entire thing in place. (Spoiler: It was.) 

FAQs

Do you actually need pie weights?

For any pie recipe requiring a parbaked or fully-baked pie shell, sure, you do. Pie weights primarily maintain the crust in place because it bakes, which prevents slumping, shrinking, and enormous bubbles from ruining the form and construction of the completed pie 

What can be utilized as a substitute of pie weights?

Dried beans, rice, and sugar can be utilized as a substitute of pie weights. Our favourite various is granulated sugar, because it’s cheap and reusable. That stated, sugar may be messy to work with and also you want a big quantity to fill every pie. Pie weights have sufficient density to carry down crusts with out filling the pie pan to the highest, plus they’re infinitely reusable and received’t go away your work area sticky. 

How heavy are pie weights?

Pie weight units can differ in measurement from eight ounces to seven kilos. A set within the 1.5 to 2.5-pound vary is the perfect for many dwelling cooks. 

Are you able to cook dinner beans after utilizing them pie weights?

You reuse dried beans as pie weights, however you can not cook dinner them as beans for consuming after baking. 

Why We’re the Specialists

• Meghan Splawn is a meals author and recipe developer who has labored in meals media since 2006. 
• Her work consists of 15 years within the check kitchen with Alton Brown in addition to at websites together with Merely Recipes, TheKitchn.com, and Critical Eats. 
• Meghan’s freezer is totally stocked for vacation pies after baking over 16 pies for this story.