I'm a professional baker — 10 kitchen tools I've tried and would re-buy (so many are on sale right now)

Yahoo

9 hours ago

In my friend group, I'm definitely the personality hire, except when it comes to cooking advice. After a decade of working on food trucks and in bakeries (even opening my own in 2015), I've become the go-to person to ask, 'Why did my cookies go flat?' or 'What should I make for Easter dinner?'
Cooking and baking professionally, combined with years of trial and error as a home cook, means I've tested (and tossed) a lot of kitchen equipment in my life. Over the years, I've formed very strong opinions about what to splurge on and what to skip altogether when it comes to outfitting your kitchen. I've cooked up a list of my favourite kitchen appliances, utensils, and accessories that have proven to be ride-or-die for the everyday home chef.
My favourites range from investment pieces like a Staub Dutch Oven to a set of silicon baking mats that are under $15. And the best part? So many items are still on sale after Amazon Prime Day 2025. Keep scrolling for the best Amazon kitchen deals.
Related post-Prime Day articles:
60 best extended Amazon Prime Day deals you can still shop in Canada — Apple, Nespresso, Dyson and more
20 of the most popular deals Yahoo Canada readers bought during Amazon Prime Day 2025
Amazon Prime Day is over, but this 'lifesaver' power bar is still on sale for $16
I can't be the only little girl who dreamed of owning an entire line-up of Dutch ovens, all matching in the same bold colour. When it finally came time to invest in one of my own, the research was all pointing to one brand: Staub. I opted for their 5.5-qt Round Cocotte, realizing very quickly it's the only Dutch oven I will ever need to own.
Made in France, these hefty pots are built to last, transferring seamlessly from stovetop cooking to oven braising. Trust me: It's more than worth the investment.
This may be surprising, but this set of mini spatulas is my most-used item in my kitchen. I actually have two sets because they're just that good.
These spatulas are perfect for everything from getting the last little morsels out of a jar of honey to cooking scrambled eggs. I find myself reaching for one multiple times a day. This set has the lowest cost per use of any tool in my entire kitchen.
As a professional baker, an accurate food scale can be the difference between an airy loaf of sourdough and an inedible brick of flour. I recently switched to the Oxo Good Grips Food Scale, and it has upped my baking game tenfold.
The unique feature of this scale is the pull-out display, making it easy to see no matter the size of the bowl you choose. This scale's utility goes way beyond a dynamite focaccia dough — perfectly portioning bulk groceries and divving up this week's prepped meals.
Please accept this as my formal declaration of love for hand blenders. Do I have a traditional blender and also a food processor? Yes. Do I reach for either of those even half as much as I reach for my KitchenAid Hand Blender? Not even close.
Soups, sauces, jams, compound butters — do I need to go on? I still have the exact KitchenAid Hand Blender I opened my bakery with ten years ago, and it hasn't skipped a beat.
You often hear chefs say that the one tool you need in your kitchen is a high-quality knife—this fact became very clear when I finally bought one for myself.
I've become a huge fan of the entire catalogue of Global Knives since purchasing my first one a few years ago, but even with a drawer full of knives I'm always reaching for the GS90 Santoku Knife. The super sharp fluted blade makes chopping vegetables less of a chore, and the lightweight handle fits perfectly in my small hands.
There are dozens of digital thermometers on the market these days, ranging in price from $10 to more than $100. You may be shocked to find that the thermometer I've trusted for over five years is one of the most inexpensive on the market.
I use the Thermo Digital Thermometer for everything from checking whether my roast chicken is cooked through to making sure boiled sugar is hot enough to turn into marshmallows. It's compact and easy to read, and I can't even remember the last time I needed to change the batteries—sometimes, simplicity is best when it comes to cooking.
Getting to feed delicious things to the people I love is a big part of why I enjoy cooking. After years of entertaining, I recently found a new favourite hosting hack: Pacolit P's Warming Mat.
The pressure of making sure everything on the Thanksgiving table is ready at the same time has finally been lifted. This mat has three temperature settings to keep the mashed potatoes from cooling while you're carving the turkey. I'm never hosting another dinner party without it.
A bench scraper is a non-negotiable tool in any kitchen I cook in. I first learned how handy they can be working in professional bakeries, and it turns out they're just as useful in my home kitchen.
Dividing pizza dough, scrapping flour off counters, and scooping up chopped onions — this may be the most versatile tool in my kitchen that's under $20! The Anaeat scraper has the added benefit of measuring guides, making it the perfect gift for amateur bakers.
It doesn't take a professional baker to know that KitchenAid Stand Mixers don't always do the greatest job of incorporating everything in the bowl. I've owned five of their mixers, and the one thing that consistently improves every batter and dough is the Flex Edge Beater. The added silicone covering drastically reduces the number of times I find myself scraping down the bowl with a spatula, often allowing me to skip that frustrating step altogether.
Whether in my home kitchen or a professional bakery, I always find that most of my waste is parchment paper. Silicone baking mats not only reduce my use of parchment paper, but they also save my pans from the wear and tear of stuck-on food.
Pro tip: If you've ever pulled out your hair trying to master a French macaron, a silicone mat may be the missing piece.
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Save 77% on a Canoly Masticating Juicer | Shop for $149 $640
52% off: HOSHANHO Kitchen Knife | Shop for $38 $80
Take 38% off a Keurig K-Supreme Plus K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker | Shop for $130 $209
31% off: KitchenAid Digital Air Fryer Countertop Oven | Shop for $200 $288