15 Kitchen Tools Every Home Baker Needs

Having the proper baking tools is important for success in the kitchen, and these 15 must-have kitchen tools are perfect for the everyday home baker.

Almost every item I will talk about here today was gifted to me and my husband when we got married a little over two years ago.

These baking tools are super important for the everyday home baker because of how frequently you'll use them in your own kitchen. So, if you don't have one of these items and you bake often enough, I highly recommend you get it!

Because I use these baking tools quite often, I am confident you'll really enjoy these too!

Please note: There are affiliate links on this post linking to the products that I have. If you make a purchase through any of these links, that means I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. 🙂

1. Glass Baking Pans

I recommend having two sizes of glass baking pans on hand: 9x13 and 8x8-inch. Pyrex is the brand I use because not only were they gifted to me (yay for wedding registries!), but they also hold up very well. Plus, the blue tint around the edges of the pans is pretty cool!

What to use glass baking pans for:

• Brownies
• Oat Bars
• Rice Krispie Treats
• Sheet Cakes
• Coffee Cake

2. Cookie Sheets

Cookie sheet pans (measuring at 12x17-inches) perfectly fit one dozen cookies and I recommend having two of these. Nordic Ware brand is my favorite because they do not rust over time, and with how frequently you'll use these, that's a game-changer! They also have rounded edges to them, so you can use them for a multitude of recipes without worrying about spillage.

What to use cookie sheets for:

• Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Sheet Cakes
• Savory Cooking (meats, veggies, potatoes)

3. Muffin Pans

You'll use a 12-count muffin pan quite often. I have two, but having one is just fine too! I love my Wilton muffin pans because they're non-stick and super easy to clean. Besides muffins, these pans are used for cupcakes and mini pies in my house.

What to use muffin pans for:

• Vanilla Cupcakes
• Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins
• Mini Strawberry Pies

4. Cake Pans

I recommend having two 9-inch cake pans, for this is a common size with a lot of cake recipes out there (including mine). I like Good Cook when it comes to cake pans because of the handles that are on each side. It makes it a lot easier to remove them from the oven.

What to use cake pans for:

• 1 Layer Banana Cake
• Chocolate Cake

5. Bread Pans

I have two bread pans, which is great for when a quick bread recipe calls for two pans. Good Cook bread pans are really nice because they also have handles to them, making it much easier to remove from the oven. Bread pans are perfect for making quick bread, loaf cakes, and even ice cream!

What to use bread pans for:

• No-Churn Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Cream
• Lemon Blueberry Bread
• Banana Bread

6. Cooling Rack

Having a cooling rack is so important for your baked goods! You never want your cakes, cookies, muffins, etc to cool in the pan in which they were baked in. Cooling racks ensure that the baked goods cool evenly. I love my Ultra Cuisine cooling rack because it's the same size as my cookie sheets and they have raised feet on the bottom, which help even further for consistent cooling.

What to use a cooling rack for:

• Cookies
• Cakes
• Cupcakes
• Muffins
• Quick Breads

7. Measuring Cups & Spoons

I have stainless steel measuring cups and spoons because they last a lot longer than plastic (I know from experience). I like these measuring cups from Cuisinart because it comes with the four sizes you'll almost always use: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2. and 1 cup. And then I have these exact measuring spoons from U-Taste. I really like them because it's a seven-piece set: 1/8 tsp, 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 3/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 tbsp, and 1 tbsp.

Bonus: Pyrex Liquid Measuring Cup. This guy holds up to 4 cups of liquid, which is great!

8. Mixing Bowls

I love my stainless steel mixing bowls, which were also a wedding present. There are six sizes, ranging from extra small to extra large, giving you a wide variety of sizes to work with. They also stack together, giving you more space in your cupboard.

What to use mixing bowls for:

• Dry Ingredients
• Wet Ingredients
• Combining Ingredients

9. Silicone Spatulas

These are a MUST in the kitchen. So many recipes I use call for you to grab your silicone spatula to mix, fold, or even smooth out your batter. I recommend having a few on hand because sometimes (not that I've experienced this, ha!) they'll burn if you leave them on a hot burner.

I like these ones because they're fun and colorful. I also like the ones that have a wooden handle, like this one.

What to use silicone spatulas for:

• Mixing
• Folding
• Combining
• Smoothing
• Scraping

10. Wooden Spoons

Wooden spoons are another baking tool I highly recommend having. Before owning a wooden spoon I didn't think I actually needed it. Boy was I wrong! Now I have, like, six! OXO brand is great and comes in three different sizes, which I find helpful depending on what I'm baking!

What to use wooden spoons for:

• Mixing
• Combining
• Stirring

11. Whisks

Stainless steel and silicone whisks are both great to have on hand. I use my stainless steel whisks a lot with my mixing bowls, since they're both stainless steel and won't harm one another. Then with my silicone whisks, these are great to use on non-stick items, as they are more gentle and won't scratch.

What to use whisks for:

• Combining dry and wet ingredients
• Whisking heavy cream
• Whisking egg yolks
• Pudding that's cooked on the stovetop

12. Silicone Baking Mats

Silicone baking mats are one of my favorite kitchen tools when I'm baking! These are placed on top of your cookie sheets for anything that you bake on them. They make cleaning up an absolute breeze! I don't have these exact ones, but they're pretty similar. The only difference is the colors. Again, get yourself some silicone baking mats!! I never bake without them.

What silicone baking mats are used for:

• Cookies
• Sheet Cakes
• Anything you use a cookie sheet for

13. Cookie Scoop

This is one of those tools where I didn't realize I was missing out on it until I had one. My mom gave me her old ones since she got herself some brand new ones. Thank you, mom! Cookie scoops are awesome because they help for every cookie to be the same size when baking. I also use it to evenly fill up my cupcake liners with batter for cupcakes and muffins. The one tablespoon cookie scoop is the one I use every time because I love the size. Not too big and not too small.

What to use a cookie scoop for:

• Scooping out cookie dough
• Cupcake or muffin batter

14. Pastry Blender

Up until about a month ago, I did not own one of these! Now with having a pastry blender, I tell you it is definitely essential. I like Spring Chef's pastry blender because it has a nice gripped handle, which makes it easier to hold. Pastry blenders are perfect for making pie dough or even combining your cold butter into a streusel. You may think you don't need this tool (like I did for so many years), but it really is a game-changer in the kitchen.

What to use a pastry blender for:

• Pie Dough
• Anytime you need to cut in cold butter into dry ingredients (like a streusel topping)
• Crushing up large, dry ingredients (like graham crackers)

15. Electric Stand Mixer

Now, this is the most expensive kitchen tool on this entire list, but if you plan on baking a lot, it's definitely worth having. I use my electric stand mixer probably about 70% of the time when I'm baking. It makes my life a lot easier! Kitchen Aid brand is what I use and recommend because of the quality. There are many colors to choose from, which is fun and allows you to be creative with your choice (I really like my black one!).

What to use an electric stand mixer for:

• Creaming
• Whisking
• Combining wet and dry ingredients
• Making cookie, cake, and muffin batter

And there you have it! These are the 15 kitchen tools I believe every home baker should have. Do you have any of these already? Which one(s) are your favorite? I'd love to chat about your kitchen tools. 🙂

Leave a comment below! Also, was this list helpful for you?