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Six Kitchen Tools Every Beginning Baker Needs – These are the tools you will most likely need if you’re starting out as a baker.
In the 15 years that I’ve been baking, I have acquired almost every kitchen tool and gadget that you can think of. I’m not kidding. I have some random stuff: a french bread pan, a cherry pitter, two fondue pots (why two?!), and multiple candy molds.
These obviously aren’t the essentials. So what are the essentials? What tools does every beginner baker need to have?
I thought long and hard about this and narrowed down my list to the top 6 tools every beginning baker needs. If you’re just starting as a baker and aren’t sure what tools you need, check out my list below and add these to your Amazon wish list or even your wedding registry:
1. A set of mixing bowls
You will use these bowls for everything: servings, mixing, and even eating! I use the medium pink one for large salads all the time. Also, there’s nothing more annoying that not having enough bowls to get through a recipe. Then you have to stop what you’re doing, wash and dry a used bowl before you can get that cake done. When you have a set of mixing bowls, you’ll never run into that problem again. I love these mixing bowls
2. A good-quality spatula
You will use a spatula a lot! It is the best tool for scraping dough and batter out of a bowl. The flat edge at the top helps with smoothing out cake/brownie batter to they have even coverage on top.
I’m not talking about anything fancy. By good-quality, I mean one where the silicone head won’t come off after going in the washing machine. This happened to me. Twice! Never again will I buy a cheap spatula. This is the one I use now
3. Measuring cups and spoons
This may sounds like an obvious one but in case you were on the fence, this is non negotiable. Baking is so exact so you can’t just “eye-ball” your ingredients. I use them everyday and for pretty much every recipe. If you want to get really serious, I recommend measuring spoons that have 1/8 teaspoon. You’ll be surprised how many times you’ll use it. If a recipe ever says to add a pinch, you can use 1/8 teaspoon if you don’t know what a pinch looks like. These cups
4. Sturdy baking sheets
If you only want to buy one type of pan, you need baking sheets. This was the first pan I ever used when I started baking (for cookies, of course!) and still the one I use the most. You can use them for both baking and cooking. In fact, I use them all the time to make some wicked roasted potatoes.
What do I mean by sturdy? Non-flimsy. Still not sure? You want pans that don’t warp or bend when they are baked at high temps (>300 degrees). Have you ever baked something on a baking sheet and then, all of a sudden, hear a sharp sound, like the pan is bending in half? That’s the sound of it warping. I just bought these half sheet pans
5. A whisk
A whisk is a bakers best friend. You will use it to whisk eggs, mix pancake batter, make a chocolate ganache, you name it! And if you don’t have a hand/stand mixer, you will use it even more.
Do not underestimate the power of a good whisk. I bought one from my local grocery store because I was desperate. Well, to no one’s surprise, a few months after I bought it, it began to rust at the handle and then suddenly the base of the whisk just came undone. So it pays to invest in a good whisk with a good handle. Here’s a good one
6. A rolling pin
When you need a rolling pin, there really is no substitute. Have you ever tried to roll out sugar cookies without one? It’s ain’t pretty. A rolling pin is used for many classic recipes: pie crust, biscuits, cookies, puff pastry, cinnamon rolls and many more. Once you have it in your home you’ll find a lot more uses for it that you’d think: crushing graham crackers for pie crust, turning corn flakes into crumbs, and smashing Oreos to make these truffles. Mainly crushing things. But it really works! You don’t need to spend tons on a rolling pin. This one
Now you’re equipped to start baking up a storm! Is there anything else you think needs to be on this list? Are there other kitchen tools you want advice on? Let me know in the comments below!
Great list! I’ve learned that mastering a few reliable tools is much more valuable than filling the kitchen with gadgets you rarely use. The same idea applies to apps understanding the core features makes a big difference. I found this helpful because it clearly explains Snapchat’s Planet rankings and how the Friend Solar System actually works.
Hello,
Great list having the right tools really makes baking less intimidating at the start. I’d add that keeping track of measurements and consistency is just as important as the tools themselves. It reminds me of how students track weighted results using something like academic evaluation resources
saves time and prevents small mistakes from affecting the final outcome.
When I first started baking, I quickly realized that having the right tools makes all the difference. My essentials now mirror this list: mixing bowls, a reliable spatula, measuring cups, sturdy baking sheets, a good whisk, and a rolling pin. These tools save time, prevent frustration, and actually make baking enjoyable. Interestingly, organizing your kitchen efficiently reminds me a bit of managing investments—having the right resources at hand is key. For example, when I’m tracking crypto conversions, I often use tools like https://paybis.com/eth-to-eur/ to keep things precise and avoid guesswork, just like in baking.
To this list I would add great pans. I’ve been using Fat Daddio’s pans for two years and am slowly replacing all of my cake pans with Daddios. Why? Because the grocery store cake pans, and even better quality pans, allow the cake layers to cook too fast on the edges (which makes for domed layers). Daddios bright anodized aluminum pans cook far more evenly and the cakes are moister and never dried out on the edges.
Daddios come in a fantastic range of sizes and shapes. They release the cake cleanly when prepared with Baker’s Joy or other pre-gressing routine (but why use anything other than Baker’s Joy?). I add that because I was devoted to teflon pans (which are dark and like all dark pans, over-bake anything you put in them).
I have no connection at all with Daddios-I’ve just spent a lot of money on their pans! They are roughly twice as expensive and well worth the money. I order from the website, but I have seen some Daddios at Bed, Bath and Beyond.
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Omg, buying kitchen stuff is a dream for me. I always go overboard though and buy more and more util my cupboards explode with baking accessories lol! xo
Haha me too! I go crazy with it. Registering for my wedding was a dream 🙂
Lovely post! I think I have the same baking sheets. I just found them last year and they are wonderful! I would include either silicone mats or parchment paper too but they aren’t truly necessary. They just make things a little easier.
Exactly! I was on the fence about adding in parchment paper because I go through a roll so much. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you so much for this post! I love baking but am terrible at it. 🙂 Now I know what tools I need, I feel very motivated to give this whole baking thing another try. Wish me luck. 🙂
You’re so welcome! I am so happy you found it helpful! Good luck!
Lovely post. Sharing with my friends now
Thank you! I hope they find it helpful
I wish that by having these things I could automatically be a good baker… LOL! I can cook fantastically… Baking, that’s a whole other story!
Haha I get what you mean. It takes practice but there are tons of recipes that are easy for new bakers. Especially my 3-ingredient truffles!
I love this!! I want those mixing bowls!
I love them! Anything with color will get me haha
I really want measuring cups and spoons! They are more helpful that people think
I know right! I’ve always needed them so I shocked when people say they “wing it”