The Best Baking Tools Every Baker Needs

A complete list of the best baking tools and equipment that every home baker needs in their kitchen. With these essential tools, you’ll be baking like a pro in no time!

Some of the most common questions that I receive are about the tools that I use when it comes to baking.

• Are some better than others?
• What are the best baking tools if you’re just getting started?
• Do certain baking sheets or pans make a difference? (yes, they actually do!)

Since I’ve spent a lot of time in my kitchen testing recipes with different baking tools and equipment, I know what works well. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorites! From baking sheets to measuring cups to appliances and more, I’ve covered all of the basics.

Now, you certainly don’t need every single thing on this list but I feel like this is a good starting point. I use all of these baking tools on a weekly basis and some I use almost daily. I feel confident that you’re going to love them too!

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Baking Pans & Sheets

When it comes to cookies sheets, muffin pans, etc. I really LOVE Calphalon and USA pans. I have a lot of the Calphalon products in the toffee finish and USA pans in light metal and everything just bakes more evenly. Here are my top picks for baking pans and sheets:

• Cookie Sheets – These Calphalon baking sheets are the ones that I use most often, but this USA cookie sheet is another good option.
• Square Pans – I really love this 8-inch pan and this 9-inch pan for making brownies, bars, coffee cake, etc.
• Glass Baking Dishes – I use these ALL of the time! This set comes with lids so that you can cover them too.
• Muffin Pan – These hold up really well and don’t warp in the oven, they’re incredibly sturdy too. This USA muffin pan is another great option!
• Round Cake Pans – I personally love Wilton cake pans, this 9-inch set and this 8-inch set are perfect for making layer cakes.
• Loaf Pan
• Pie Plates – I’ve used so many different pie plates over the years and these are my absolute favorite.
• Cooling Rack – These are the most sturdy cooling racks I’ve ever used and they work fantastic!

Measuring Cups & Spoons

• Angled Measuring Cups – I absolutely adore OXO angled measuring cups because they have the measurements on top too, which means that you don’t have to get down to eye level to check it.
• Measuring Cup and Spoon Set – I’ve had this set for over a decade and it still holds up as my favorite! The measurements are etched into the measuring cups so they don’t wear off in the dishwasher. 

Mixing Bowls

• Mixing Bowl Set – I’ve also used these for years and love the adorable colors! These hold up really well and remind me of Texas Ware dishes, which I really love too.

Cake Decorating

• Decorating Bags – I prefer to use disposable bags, it just makes cleanup much easier when it comes to frosting cakes or cupcakes. These are the perfect size and work great!
• Decorating Tips – This set of three are the piping tips that I use most often. The Wilton 1M is my personal favorite though.
• Icing Smoother – I’ve tried so many icing smoothers and this is THE best.
• Angled Spatulas – 9-inch & 13-inch – I use the larger one to apply frosting to cakes and the smaller one to touch up small spots. I use these for things other than cake decorating too!

Spatulas & Whisks

• Whisk –  I love this whisk with the scraper, but unfortunately I can’t find it anymore. I do own several others though and this OXO steel whisk works great.
• Silicone Spatula Set – Hands down the most used item in my kitchen. I own about 30 of these and use all of them!

Appliances

• Stand Mixer – When it comes to stand mixers, nothing beats KitchenAid. I still have an older KitchenAid Stand Mixer that belonged to Josh’s Grandmother and it works just as good as my new one.
• Stand Mixer Glass Bowl – I love this because you can easily see if your batter is well combined or if you need to scrape the bowl better.
• Flex Edge Beater – Works perfectly for creaming butter and sugar, I use this all of the time!
• Food Processor – I own a large KitchenAid food processor, but rarely ever use it. I bought this smaller food processor last year and use it quite a bit! It’s easy to clean and fits easily in the dishwasher as well.
• Hand Mixer – If you’re not ready for a stand mixer yet, this hand mixer is the next best option. I’ve had mine for over 10 years and it still works like new. It comes in a lot of different color options too!

Miscellaneous Baking Tools

• Pastry Cutter
• Cookie Scoop – I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for most of my cookie recipes. It makes the perfect size cookie – not too small, but not too large.
• Oven Thermometer – One of the most underrated kitchen tools! I use my oven thermometers on a daily basis.
• Kitchen Scale – A kitchen scale is a great tool for making sure your ingredients are measured accurately. I love using mine instead of measuring cups so there are fewer dishes to clean too. This is the kitchen scale that I own, but this Amazon basics scale is a great affordable option.
• Silicone Baking Mat – These make for easy cleanup, they’re easy to clean and reusable!

And that’s it! It was incredibly hard to narrow down my favorite baking tools and equipment, but this list is what I would consider the best of the best. I’d love to hear if you try any of these tools and how you like them!