19 Baking Tools to Feel Like You’re on “The Great British Baking Show” at Home

“The Great British Baking Show” is a favorite comfort show for many people, from its quirky judges like Dame Prue Leith to its delightfully wonky soundtrack. Plus, who can forget the comedy mastery that was the “Derry Girls” episode? On top of being tip-top entertainment, the show also teaches viewers a lot about baking and provides ample inspiration for making your own pastry confections.

If you want to feel like you’re a contestant in the show’s iconic tent yourself, it might help to invest in a few fun baking tools that will up your patisserie game — and maybe even earn you a Paul Hollywood handshake. From commanding stand mixers to specialty pans to decorative cookie stamps, I’ve gathered some essential baking items that are a joy to use and are sure to help you pull off some impressive confections. You by no means need all of these to be a star baker, but you might find something for your next baking project or even a gift idea for the cake-making lover in your life.

There’s nothing wrong with measuring cups, but a kitchen scale is a much more reliable way of determining how much you need to include in your yummy batters and doughs. Also, many European baking recipes use weight in place volume, so this tool will open up a whole new category of recipes for you. The Escali Primo scale reads in increments of 1 gram or 0.05 ounces, has a capacity of up to 11 pounds (or 5 kilograms), and will stay on for about four minutes before automatically turning off.

Baking is messy, and you’re going to want something to keep all that flour and egg off your clothes. This Nathalie Lete for Anthropologie apron is cute and affordable, with useful pockets. Plus, it made an appearance on “And Just Like That” … can you guess which character was wearing it?

This product is so iconic that it speaks for itself. Every contestant on the “Great British Baking Show” uses one because it makes baking a much more seamless process by uniformly mixing your ingredients together with ease. KitchenAid is the best brand of stand mixer out there, but it’s also quite pricey, so go with this equally gorgeous option from Cuisinart if you’re on a budget. 

A hand mixer is a great item to have, whether you’re not ready to splurge on a stand mixer or whether you want something that doesn’t claim so much counter space. This cordless one from KitchenAid has seven speeds and can make up to 200 cookies on a full charge.

From the pretty fluted perimeter to the shallow depths, tarts are a unique dessert to bake. Pulling off a show-stopping tart calls for a pan built for just that purpose — make sure you get one with a removable bottom like this Wilton Excelle tart pan, so you don’t break the delicate pastry crust when you go to serve it up.

Mixing bowls are non-negotiable if you want to be a master baker. These classic glass Pyrex ones are a perfect choice because you can clearly see what’s in each bowl, plus they come with lids for easy storage.

A silicon spatula is just the tool for scraping batter or melted butter out of the pan so you don’t leave any behind. Plus, they work perfectly when you want to reach into a blender or food processor to eke the last bit out.

A scraper will come in handy, especially if you’re looking to bake breads with sticky or wet batters. It helps you knead and cut dough into pieces, as well as clean surfaces where you’ve rolled dough out. This bench scraper from Williams Sonoma has a comfortable olive wood handle, as well as a ruler for measuring out exact length.

An offset spatula is the best tool for frosting cakes evenly. This navy blue and gold Wilton spatula set will make baking feel whimsical and fancy. 

A springform pan is the smoothest way to make circular cakes. No need to turn the pan over and pray it comes out cleanly — just unfasten the clasp and watch your cake appear like magic.

Sure, you could get a boring loaf pan. Or you could get this stunning one from NordicWare and end up with loaves that could grace a medieval royal’s banquet hall — or help you win a themed “Great British Baking Show” contest.

These cookie cutters from NordicWare elevate a simple sugar cookie into a work of art. All it takes is one press of the stamp into your dough and it’ll look like it took you years of practice to get this detail of a design.

These strainers are wonderful for sifting flour, cocoa powder, or powdered sugar so you don’t have lumps. A must-have for any serious baker.

You’re definitely going to need a rolling pin if you’re going to have perfect pastry done in record time. A marble pin is great because it stays cool, which keeps buttery doughs from melting. It also means less of your dough will stick to the pin.

Want to make Prue proud? A great cake stand is a must for displaying your cakes, tarts, and pies, especially when you have company. This one from Target is simple yet pretty with its wood base and glass dome.

Pies are a year round affair, and they’re made to be shown off. This gorgeous bistro tile pie pan from Anthropologie is perfect for entertaining or for taking a great picture of your creations.

These OXO storage containers are a great solution for frequent bakers who want to easily access their flours and sugars without spilling everything everywhere out of floppy paper bags. Plus, they look super classy in your pantry.

A cast iron pan can do anything — include helping you become a top baker. Cast irons are ideal for things like cornbreads, fluffy rolls, and English muffins. Their most satisfying feature is crispiness they’ll give to the bottom of whatever you’re baking.

If you want to master the same basics that the contestants do, then grab the show’s newest cookbook. It’s filled with great recipes for cakes, pastries, pies, tarts, breads, biscuits, and more.