best pie pan

If you looked in my pantry you'd easily see I prefer Pyrex. I have four vintage Pyrex pans. I've been wishing someone would give me an Emile Henry one, but I'm refusing to pay for it! ;)

I love my old, glass Pyrex pie dish. It came from a thrift store, priced about $2. Evenly browns the crust, 9.5' dia., has two "ears" for easy lifting, it's deep to prevent bubbling over, and with fluting to give the crust edge a little shape. Vintage ones can be had on eBay.

The best pan is the simplest---I believe it's the Chicago metallic one. It is lightweight and cooks the most evenly in my experience. It has tiny holes in the bottom. And it's cheaper/easier to store. I use the Emile Henry pan if presentation needs to be an issue.

I love my Emile Henry pie plate for its presentation value but sadly its deep dish design isn't what I need most of the time. :-(

An Emile Henry pie plate may be a bit of an investment, but it will never let you down. Made of Burgundian clay, the overall browning and crispness it yields are unparalleled. And then there's that 10-year warranty. You can read about them here:
http://www.emilehenryusa.com/info/About-Emile-Henry.html
And here's one that's on sale:
http://www.emilehenryusa.com/Pie-Dish-Figue-plu376131S.html

Thanks. That's what I was about to buy and then I read all these comments at Amazon about how the "new" pyrex is less durable than the "old" pyrex. Who knew?
Glass pie pans shattering in the oven? Yikes! BTW... the more ubiquitous the better.

Aren't all pie pans round?

I think Pyrex is the way to go, at least while you're learning the art. Clear glass allows you to see what's happening while the pie is baking. It doesn't hurt that it's ubiquitous, inexpensive, durable and transmits heat appropriately for the purpose.