If you are looking for an accessible introduction to essential baking tools, do not overlook this article! Indeed, these tools are not just about mixers, measuring cups, or baking sheets. More than 30 must-have items will assist you in your baking journey.
With these utensils and equipment, you can create various greatest cakes (internal link Best cake recipes) or try many bread recipes for breakfast. What’s more, they are also incredibly helpful in other cooking tasks.
Wait no further! Let’s keep scrolling down the page to learn more about these useful tools to take you one step closer to the world of baking.
What Are Critical Baking Tools/Equipment That You Should Buy?
Below is the list of must-have tools that can help you to create baked goods precisely and save more time in the baking process. In this part, you can also grasp more details about its usage and advantages.
1.Hand/Stand Mixer
Every baker must have a mixer. For a tighter budget and easier maneuver, a hand mixer is preferable. But if you do not mind spending more money on a machine that can perform different speeds in whisking, mixing, and kneading the dough, a stand mixer is a better choice.
Of course, the latter is more expensive than the former, but you can still find an average stand mixer made from plastic. From my perspective, if you are a newbie, a hand mixer is enough because it can still mix dough effectively without fatiguing your arm.
Regardless of hand or stand mixer, you can find several attachments, including in one purchase. The standard ones are dough hook, stick blender, strip beaters, or whisk.
Here are some differences between a hand mixer and a stand mixer that you should know.
2. Pastry Board
Pastry board is another common item performed as a surface on which you can mix, knead, or roll the dough. You can find many ideal options for a high-quality pasty board on the market currently.
Plus, the pastry boards’ materials are diverse. Different types will have different good and bad sides. For example, if you opt for a wooden one, you will have an average-cost yet durable board. Those made with acrylic are better for cleaning, but their shelf life is not as good as others.
If they are made with marble, you can roll the dough easier because it can stay cooler than room temperature. Plus, the dough will not stick to it. The only drawback is its high price and prone to breakage.
3. Digital Scale
You will always need an accurate tool to read the weight of ingredients because volume precision is the top priority in baking. For instance, if your cake contains too much flour and less butter, the final result might end up dry.
With a digital scale, you can check the volume to the smallest decimal. Most of them allow you to switch between various metric units like ounces, grams, kilograms, or pounds to ensure the highest accuracy.
Digital scale normally comes in a compact, slim shape and is extremely lightweight so that you can easily store it in your kitchen. Its price ranges based on the brand, quality, or material. But do not worry! You will find a reliable and affordable scale.
4. Measuring Cups
A measuring cup is mainly used to measure liquid or wet components. The capacities range from 250 ml (about 1 cup) to 1,000 ml (about 4 cups). The typical materials of these cups are plastic and glass (more common).
On the sides of these cups are measuring markings. The top marking is always below the rim so you will never spill the liquid out over the edges. Overall, it is very easy to use as all you need to do is pour the liquid (or wet) component into the cup and check the marking.
There are other handy cups to measure dry objects, which I will explain in more detail below. But the main difference between the dry and liquid measuring cup is the former allows you to level off the ingredient, while another cannot.
5. Measuring Spoons
Measuring spoons (also known as dry measuring cups) are proper tools to measure if you do not have a scale. The regular sizes are 1, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4 cups.
You can fill it to the top of the spoon since it has a flat edge. Therefore, it can hold the exact amount you need to use without spilling over the sides. And these spoons have long handles.
The ideal utensil to be measured in these spoons are flour, sugar, spices, fruits, chopped veggies, etc. Regarding the material, metal measuring spoons are the most popular.
6. Cookie Scoops
It is not hard to find an effortless cookie recipe out there, but a cookie scoop will surely make your job easier in shaping cookie dough. In the end, you will have a big batch of perfectly and uniformly shaped treats.
Indeed, these spring-loaded tools deliver even proportioned cookies to ensure your foods bake evenly and are done at the same time. Hand-held, convenient, and inexpensive, there is no reason that you should not buy a cookie scoop.
Feel free to use this versatile item to shape truffles, ice cream, meatballs, muffins, etc. There are also several sizes for you to choose from.
Let’s learn a quick trick to fix your cookie scoop with this guide.
7. Candy Thermometer
A candy thermometer (aka jam/sugar thermometer) is especially important in making soft and hard candies, like brittles, caramels, candy syrups, etc. By using it, you can check when the cooked sugary object has reached the desired consistency by checking the temperature.
Plus, it is not only for candy. You can also use it to measure the temperature of deep-fried hot oil. These thermometers normally can read up to 400 degrees F (around 200 degrees C).
Candy thermometers are available in different styles. The most basic and oldest type comes with a liquid base. Furthermore, some digital styles allow you to check and read the temperature.
8. Oven Thermometer
Similar to the above item, an oven thermometer’s key purpose is to ensure temperature accuracy. You can test the heat of a specific position in the oven or use it as a heating indication during the baking process.
You might wonder why you need an oven thermometer when you can set the temperature directly on the machine. Please note that not all ovens feature accurate temperatures.
However, there are many challenging and sophisticated baking recipes that require the exact heating level. That’s why you need this tool as it really helps you ensure the right temperature and cooking time for the best results.
9. Baking Tray/Sheet Pan/Baking Sheet
Baking trays (aka baking pan, sheet pan) are available in a lot of sizes and price ranges. And thanks to its low price, you might need at least 1 baking pan, especially when you live in a big household with many family members.
In general, they are flat and spacious pans that you can place your food on. Some come with raised sides; some have flat edges. If you prefer a tool to retain your food, go for those with raised edges.
Baking trays are ideal for making cookies, pastries, scones, bread, rolls, etc. The typical materials of this bakeware are stainless steel and aluminum.
10. Round Cake Pan
Baking pans have many styles, shapes, and sizes (the most popular is a 9-inch tool). Among a lot of high-rated baking pans, you can easily spot some with a round shape.
In fact, the round cake pan is an umbrella term to refer to bakeware that comes with a circular shape. Therefore, high-quality springform pans can be listed in this group.
With straight and high sides, these pans allow you to make layered cakes effectively.
11. Muffin Tin
Muffins have been everyone’s favorite breakfast/lunch/snack, including me, because of their convenience and simplicity. That’s why I usually spend my leisure time whipping up a large batch of freshly-baked muffins.
One muffin tray contains from 6 to 24 cups with angled walls so you need to depend on your need or family size to consider the size. You can also find muffin pans in the form of silicone molds that enable you to release the food effortlessly.
If you are a big fan of cupcakes, you can also utilize these pans to make them. Easy-peasy!
12. Loaf Pan
Who does not love a fluffy loaf of bread? To ensure the shape, you definitely need a good loaf pan to make bread. My favorites are pumpkin bread, banana bread, and zucchini bread, which are a good start for beginners.
It is also an excellent pan for making brioches, sandwich loaves, babka, and meatloaf. After baking, you can simply turn the pan over to remove your food from a tool. As long as you grease your pan in advance, the bread will easily fall out.
There are several pans made from aluminum. This is a good choice for tight budgets yet functional. Its heat distribution is really good, but you always need to grease or line a paper parchment on it before pouring the batter.
In contrast, a glass-made loaf pan is not a great choice since it asks for a longer cooking time. It is not as lightweight as an aluminum pan.
Still unsure which bread pan size is ideal? This introduction might untie your knot.
13. Square/Rectangle Pan
These are the choicest pan to bake brownies, cornbread, cookie bars, cobblers, and more. In reality, square pans might come in a rectangle shape as well. In the end, you can cut your treat into smaller squares for individual serving.
Do you know that the interior of these nice vessels can be 25% greater than the round ones? So if you need bakeware that offers ample space to bake, square pans are top candidates.
Their depth and width are other advantages to keep your dishes juicy and moist, especially veggie and meaty-based delights.
14. Plastic/Silicone/Rubber Spatula
One thing to be sure about spatulas is their flexibility in cooking. They are flat and broad kitchen utensils that you can mix, spread, or scrape the batter/dough/jam, remove your food from cookware, or lift and flip dishes (e.g., omelette, pancakes, etc.) during cooking.
Another characteristic to love them more is their low cost yet high durability. They can be made from various materials, such as silicone, rubber (more common), or plastic.
Please remember that silicone spatula’s heat resistance is much better than rubbery types. However, a rubber spatula is more efficient in scraping. Regardless of these types, you should go for those with a long handle.
15. Offset Spatula
Do not mistake the offset spatula with the previous. It is a thin, long utensil with a metal, pointless blade (which is not sharp at all) attached to an angled handle made from wooden or plastic.
People also know it as a cake spatula because its main usage is spreading the frosting and making the cake surface look smooth and flat before decorating it. You can use it to make the cake layer more even.
Of course, they are very affordable. You can get a small offset spatula for less than 5$.
16. Mixing Bowls
It is hard to imagine baking without mixing bowls. They seem to be the core tool for combining ingredients. As they are deep bowls, many people use them to store food as well.
For more convenience, you should buy them in sets, including various sizes for multiple purposes. For instance, the smallest one is best for beating eggs.
However, if you need a bowl that you can use with a mixer, you should use a big bowl with taller sides so the food will not splatter.
You also have a wide array of options regarding their materials, namely ceramic, plastic, stainless steel, or copper. If you usually cook with acidic components, an aluminum bowl is a big no-no.
17. Food Processor
If you ask me whether a food processor is critical, I guarantee you will not regret this investment. It makes everything involved in the prep step much simpler.
The gadget can grind, puree, dice, chop, or blend foods much faster than the traditional manual works. If you are concerned about how expensive it is, there are many excellent choices for a food processor blender in the marketplace. Some models are affordable and powerful.
It is even handier as the cleanup is stress-free. In short, a food processor is a heavy-duty appliance many chefs would love to work with.
A food processor is truly the best buddy in your kitchen. Here are 12 ways to take advantage of it.
18. Balloon Whisk
Beating eggs, mixing ingredients to form a blended mixture, or whipping the air into a liquid to make them frothy, is what a whisk can perform effectively. This is a lightweight utensil featuring a narrow, long handle with a wire loop attached to the handle.
The wire is usually made from metal, but if your kitchenware is non-stick, a plastic or silicone whisk is better. However, they are not sufficient to deal with heavy mixtures. In order to pick the right size, a 10 or 11-inch balloon whisk is fine.
19. Pastry Brush
A pastry brush is a basic item to coat a thin layer of egg wash, melted butter, sauces, etc., on various surfaces of puff pastry, pie dough, or biscuits to make the final result look shiny and more appealing with a golden brown crust.
Its usage for cooking, in general, is also wonderful as you can use it to brush marinade on meat or grease the pan before adding the batter to prevent stickiness.
Speaking of its structure, the most important part of a pastry brush must be the brush, which can be made from silicone or natural bristles. Another part is a plastic or wood handle with various lengths.
20. Rolling Pin
When it comes to rolling the dough, puff pastry, or pie crust, nothing works better than a rolling pin. It is a cylindrical, long, and heavy utensil that you should place on the dough’s center and roll the pin to flatten the surface.
The designs of these pins are diverse, but you can group them into 2 main categories: traditional and French rolling pins.
The traditional ones normally have handles on each end, while the French versions look simpler as a long rod with straight (or tapered) sides and do not have handles.
Like other cookware, rolling pin’s materials vary. If you like making dishes with puff pastry, a marble rolling pin is preferable as you can chill it in the fridge, and it can retain the coldness of your dough while rolling.
21. Parchment Paper
Parchment paper is another good supporter of your baking journey. It is a cellulose-based object to offer a non-stick, humidity- and grease-resistant surface, so your cleanup after baking would be a breeze.
Therefore, it reduces the need for oil on the baking pan/tray. All you have to do is just simply line a thin layer of parchment paper on it. No more worry about stickiness! It also acts like insulation to make sure even cooking.
There are some parchment paper replacements that you can use in a pinch, such as Silpat paper or wax paper.
Check this short yet informative instruction to line a parchment paper on your round pan like a pro.
22. Mesh Strainer
A fine mesh strainer is another multi-purpose kitchenware that plays a certain part in baking as it can strain dry ingredients, like flour, baking soda, baking powder, etc. To add a fancy look to cake, brownies, or cookies, bakers can use it to dust powdered sugar over these sweets.
How about wet elements? Mesh strainer works excellently too! It can drain excess liquid pasta, quinoa, beans, rice, and more. It is acceptable to smooth purées or separate seeds from fruit-squeezing.
23. Kitchen Scissors
Kitchen scissors (or shears) are always a handy utensil that offers an efficient way to cut multiple food types, from poultry’s small bones to a bread loaf. It can snip herbs too! So basically, this is a multi-purpose kitchen essential.
All kitchen shears’ handles have a rubber (or plastic) coat so you can grip and use them safely without any slipping. These scissors’ blades are normally bigger than conventional ones and are commonly made from aluminum or stainless steel.
24. Wire Cooling Rack
It is easy to spot cooling racks at professional chefs’ restaurants because they are key to keeping your foods in their finest form.
People normally use it during the cooling time after baking as a wire cooling rack boosts the air circulation to release residual steam and prevent soggy cakes, bread, or muffins. Furthermore, you can consider a tight-grid rack if your baked food items are thin.
Wire cooling rack advantage is not only for baked treats. They work well with fried dishes as the excess grease/oil/fat in these delights can drip off.
25. Silpat Mat
Actually, you can see Silpat mat is a reusable option for parchment paper. So the function of this item is similar to parchment paper to provide a non-stick baking surface without using extra oil or grease.
How to use it is the same as how you use your parchment paper. And it can handle any kind of cookies, pies, cakes, bread, etc., no matter how fragile they are.
But please keep in mind that the Silpat mat is not dishwasher-proof. Do not worry! Cleaning it by hand with water and soap is very easy.
26. Lame
What is lame as a kitchen tool? When it comes to making bread, a lame is highly recommended by chefs as it can “score” the bread.
Scoring is simply cutting into the dough loaf before baking it so it can expand to its full size beautifully. Otherwise, the bread might end up bursting open and creating ugly cracks. So what are tips for using a bread lame correctly?
As they are double-sided blades, you can score some simple straight lines or patterns (like a cross) over the top surface of your bread. Proper scoring will ensure your food comes out nicely as you expect.
There are ways to let your creativity fly in scoring bread.
27. Dough Scraper
Another ultra-affordable kitchen essential is a dough scraper. It can act like a knife to slice or portion the raw dough besides its main function as a scraper. No matter how sticky, dry, or wet the object is, this tool can scrape with ease.
Thanks to its extra width and super straight edges, you can use it like the way you use a spatula to loosen pastries, pick up, or transfer other compatible-sized foods. Plus, many bakers use it to create smooth, sharp edges for cake decor.
A dough scraper is usually made from stainless steel with a plastic or wooden handle. Some varieties come with curved edges as well.
28. Pastry and Cookie Cutters
A pastry cutter (aka dough cutter/butter cutter) is a handheld utensil to cut a large-sized butter into small bits. You can use it to cut solid fat into the flour and other dry components.
At a quick look, this small tool has several metal strips with a handle to grip onto. It is extremely handy as it allows you to mix all ingredients without causing any mess.
Cookie cutters, on the other hand, are in different forms. They are devices with various particular shapes, such as circles, stars, Christmas trees, and more.
All you need to do is just place it on the rolled dough and firmly press it into the dough. Overall, these cookie cutters increase the simplicity and uniformity in prep.
29. Pastry Bags and Tips
Pastry bags (aka piping bags) and tips are indispensable kitchen tools for decorating various baked goods.
A bag’s main function is to hold semi-solid food, while the tip, which needs to fit with the pastry bag, will allow you to squeeze the food on the object, like pastries, cakes, or cookies, beautifully.
Many pastry bags are canvas-based, so they are durable and easy to clean for your next use. The tips, on the other hand, come in different shapes that you need to rely on your requirement to pick suitable ones. Common shapes are round, star, and petal tips.
30. Serrated Knife
There are several kinds of kitchen knives, but if you ask me which one is critical for baking, my answer is a serrated knife. It excels at cutting foods that have soft interiors and crusty exteriors, like bread loaves, cakes, or other foods.
On the cutting surface, a serrated knife features various saw-like or toothed edges. So when you use it to cut something, you need to move a knife back and forth. The knife tip can be pointed or rounded, but this characteristic will not affect its usage in cutting,
The typical length of a serrated knife is from 7 to 10 inches, but you can buy a longer tool based on your needs in cooking or baking.
Here are some reasons you should have a serrated knife.
31. Oven Mitts
Whether cooking or baking, you always have to handle hot pots, trays, or dishes. That is where oven mitts shine. They are not expensive but how they can protect you from getting burns is priceless.
These gloves typically have a thermal insulation layer under the cotton-, synthetic-, or silnylon-fabric layer. You can also find some newer styles made from silicone. They are stain-proof, high-temperature withstands, and you can wash them in a dishwasher.
32. Cake Stand
The last tool might be the “least” necessary one compared to the 31 items above. However, from my perspective, a cake stand is an indispensable tool that helps you to decorate the cake easier due to its turnable dolly yet it can still hold your food perfectly.
In fact, there are 2 main variants. The one that I just mentioned is the decorator cake stand. Another variant, technically, is tableware that aids in storing and showcasing cakes, cookies, brownies, or pies on it. So for decorative purposes, a displaying cake stand is essential.
You should consider many factors before getting a first-rate cake stand, such as its size, materials, tiers, or appearance. Its basic structure can be a single or multi-tier, and the plates are normally circular. Regarding the materials, the common styles are metal, plastic, glass, or wood.
These Baking Assistants Are Money Well-Spent!
Yes, one thing to be sure about these 32 tools is they are totally worth your investment. Actually, most of the items I have introduced here are cost-efficient ones, and their benefits in baking tasks are unquestionable.
Finally, I really hope there will be no confusion in identifying suitable equipment and gadgets to begin baking as well as learning their advantages or how to use them correctly.
In case you still have other questions regarding this topic, or you want to share your opinion, please drop your comment below. Your likes and shares are also my great support for creating more insightful kitchen articles. Thank you!
