Is bread baking really the new “national pastime,” as a King Arthur Flour executive proclaimed in April? Sales of flour, yeast, and baking supplies are up by double and triple digits over this time last year, according to data from Nielsen, and companies including King Arthur Flour don’t expect demand to slacken anytime soon. Bread isn’t all that hard to bake — you could do it with just a spoon and bowl if you really wanted to — but the proper tools will make it a lot less frustrating, especially if you’re new to baking or want to make fancy fruit or grain loaves. To get you started, we’ve compiled a wish list of some of the best stand mixers, food processors, loaf pans, and other bakeware essentials you can buy.
Prices and availability are subject to change.
Related: 20 Must-Have Items Under $20 That Every Baker Should Have in the Kitchen
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer
Price: $279 from Amazon Buy It
When it comes to stand mixers, there’s KitchenAid and there’s everyone else. If you’re a serious baker of breads, cakes, and other goods, reviewers say the Artisan mixer series is your best bet. With a powerful 325-watt motor, it’s a perennial winner in stand-mixer tests by Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping, Wirecutter, and other trusted sources. (If you need an even heavier-duty version, check out the 6-quart Professional model.) A dough hook, flat beater, and wire whisk attachments are included.
Hamilton Beach Stand Mixer
Price: $100 from Amazon Buy It
If you don’t want to pay top dollar for a stand mixer but still want one that’s powerful enough to handle bread dough, this 4-quart, 7-speed Hamilton Beach model (63391) is worth considering. It performed nearly as well as the KitchenAid Artisan in tests by Good Housekeeping, which names this model a “Best Value,” and also gets the thumbs-up from The Kitchn for its powerful 300-watt motor. Attachments include the usual flat beater, wire whisk, and dough hook.
Hamilton Beach Eclectrics Stand Mixer
Price: $140 from Amazon Buy It
For a bit of a premium, this Hamilton Beach model is even more powerful than its brandmate, with a 400-watt, 12-speed motor. In hands-on tests, reviewers say it does a very good job of kneading thick bread doughs and is very quiet compared with other models.
Cuisinart Custom 14 14-Cup Food Processor
Price: $178 from Amazon Buy It
Although stand mixers are the go-to appliance for most bread bakers, a heavy-duty food processor can also knead bread dough with ease. For professional reviewers and home bakers alike, this Cuisinart model (DFP-14BCWNY) is among the best, with a generous capacity, powerful 720-watt motor, and three sharp stainless-steel blades and slicing discs. Wirecutter, Consumer Reports, and Reviewed.com all give this model a ringing endorsement, and negative owner reviews on Amazon are rare.
Zojirushi Home Bakery Virtuoso Plus
Price: $340 from Amazon Buy It
Bread machines take the guesswork out of baking bread, something a lot of consumers appear to be rediscovering. Good luck finding this frequently sold-out model in stock anywhere — if you do, grab it. This bread machine is the hands-down favorite of Good Housekeeping, Wirecutter, and many other professional testing organizations because it’s versatile (with 14 settings, including one for gluten-free bread) and bakes a traditional 9-by-5-inch horizontal loaf, something many bread makers can’t do.
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My Weigh KD-8000 Kitchen Scale
Price: $49 from Amazon Buy It
A kitchen scale isn’t a must-have but can come in handy, especially for complicated bakes that call for very precise measurements. A lot of commercial recipes list dry ingredients by weight. Reviewers say this scale delivers precise results quickly, time after time. It’s also very simple to use and has an impressive 17.6-pound capacity.
Cuisinart Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowls
Price: $21 from Walmart Buy It
Mixing bowls are a must for mixing dry ingredients and proofing dough. Stainless-steel bowls such as these are easy to clean, and this set in particular earns high marks from sources including Wirecutter and Reviewed.com. The high walls keep ingredients from spilling out, reviewers say, while the rolled edges are easy to grasp and turn as you mix. The set includes 5-, 3-, and 1.5-cup-capacity bowls with lids.
KitchenAid Gourmet Bowl Scraper
Price: $11 from Amazon Buy It
Anyone who’s baked bread knows some doughs can be really sticky, making them tough to get out of a mixer or bowl. A flexible plastic bowl scraper such as this will pry any difficult dough free and make sure no scraps are left behind. Use it to help shape the dough into a ball and cleave it in two for loaf baking.
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AmazonBasics Multi-Speed Stand Mixer
Price: $95 from Amazon Buy It
“White label” goods such as this mixer are made by a third party that cranks out the same basic item with cosmetic differences for a number of brands. (That explains why you’re likely to see this same mixer branded as something other than AmazonBasics.) With a 350-watt motor, 4.5-quart bowl, and seven speeds, this model is adequate for occasional baking projects such as quick breads, though owner feedback indicates it may struggle with heavier doughs.
KitchenAid 14-Cup Food Processor
Price: $239 from Amazon Buy It
The great thing about food processors is that they’re so versatile: They shred cheeses in seconds, slice and dice veggies, make sauces and purées, and of course, knead bread dough. Serious home cooks will find all sorts of uses for this pricey 14-cup KitchenAid food processor. It’s a heavy-duty model (KFP1466) that comes with two stainless-steel blades and two slicing discs, plus a plastic dough blade, in addition to a second 4-cup mixing bowl. The 480-watt motor isn’t as powerful as other models’, but most owners who leave comments online say it gets the job done admirably, although a few say the push-button controls require more effort than they like.
Bellemain Stainless-Steel Measuring Cup Set
Price: $19 from Amazon Buy It
Good dry measuring cups are invaluable, and this Bellemain set is about as universally loved by buyers as any you’ll find online. Nearly 4,000 Amazon customers give the set a near-perfect average rating. Reviewers love the sturdy handles, which don’t have any crevices where dry ingredients such as flour can collect.
Pyrex 2-Cup Liquid Measuring Cup
Price: $6 from Pyrex Buy It
Who loves this Pyrex liquid measuring cup? Just about everyone. Nearly every professional resource we consult regularly recommends this essential kitchen gadget for being tough, easy to use, and microwave-safe. The price couldn’t be better either.
Spring Chef Stainless-Steel Measuring Spoons
Price: $12 from Amazon Buy It
This set of measuring spoons gets plenty of love from professional testers including Epicurious for being simple, study, and slim enough to slip into spice containers other spoons can’t reach. The set also earns a near-perfect average score from some 4,500 Amazon reviewers.
Breadman Deluxe Rapid Bread Machine
Price: $60 from Walmart Buy It
Owners say a cheap bread machine such as this Breadman model is a good choice for the baker who wants to experiment with a bread maker but doesn’t want to commit. You won’t get perfectly browned, rectangular loaves as you would with the pricey Zojirushi, but you will get a machine that takes the guesswork out of bread with eight programmed baking functions, including a one-hour “super rapid” mode for when the urge to binge on carbs strikes. Note: This model goes in and out of stock frequently.
Related: 50 Kitchen Gadgets That Are a Waste of Money
Kenmore Elite Ovation Stand Mixer
Price: $300 from Amazon Buy It
This 5-quart stand mixer has a 500-watt motor that will make short work of tough bread doughs and delicate meringues alike. Unlike most mixers, this Kenmore model (49090) has a lid with a slot for adding ingredients to the mixing bowl, a feature that Reviewed.com editors say is effective at preventing messes while you mix. The glass bowl allows you to see what you’re mixing (though at 6 pounds, it’s considerably heavier than the stainless-steel bowls found on similar stand mixers), and it comes with a flat beater, wire whisk, and dough hook attachments. It also comes with a five-year warranty, which is considerably longer than those offered by competitors such as KitchenAid.
Cuisinart Precision Master 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer
Price: $175 from Amazon Buy It
With its 5.5-quart mixing bowl, 500-watt motor, and 12 mixing speeds, Cuisinart’s SM-50 model is big and burly enough for any baking job. It’s also as versatile as the pricier KitchenAid, according to test results at Top Ten Reviews and Reviews.com, making it a potentially valuable appliance for home cooks whose culinary ambitions don’t end with bread and cakes.
USA Pan
Price: $21 from Amazon Buy It
Whether you’re baking a loaf of sandwich bread or a pound cake, a heavy-duty loaf pan is essential for turning out evenly baked loaves that release without sticking. The USA Pan has been endorsed by several reputable pros, from Wirecutter to Best Reviews to the Chicago Tribune, for turning out loaf after golden loaf of bread. If this 1-pound pan, which measures 8.5 inches by 4 inches, isn’t big enough, the company also makes a 1.5-pound version, as well as a pan with handles. One possible drawback: You’ll have to hand-wash this pan if you want it to last.
Related: 27 Kitchen Essentials That Are Built to Last
Thermapen MK4
Price: $99 from Thermoworks Buy It
True, you don’t need a cooking thermometer to bake bread, but like other tools in this roundup, it’s nice to have, because you’ll always be assured of an even bake. And when it comes to cooking thermometers, the pricey but exceptionally fast and accurate Thermapen is in a class by itself, able to go from oven to stovetop to grill with ease, with an impressive temperature range of -58 to 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lavatools Javelin Digital Thermometer PT12
Price: $27 from Amazon Buy It
Far less expensive than the top-ranked Thermapen but just as beloved by bakers and reviewers is the Lavatools PT12. Serious Eats and Wirecutter give it the thumbs-up for accurate if slightly slower readings, and a somewhat lower but still respectable temperature range of -40 to 482 degrees Fahrenheit.
Better Homes & Gardens Silicone Pot Holders
Price: $7 from Walmart Buy It
Once that oven timer goes off, you’ll need something to protect your hands from that hot loaf pan. These cotton pot holders have silicone on the business end for a firm grip and pockets to slip your hands in. And they’re machine-washable, always a plus.
Oster Total Prep 10-Cup Food Processor
Price: $40 from Target Buy It
Keen to try bread baking for the first time but don’t want to spend much money? This Oster food processor won’t match the performance of pricier models, but it does have just enough oomph to handle lighter bread doughs, reviewers say. (It also comes with a dedicated dough blade.) If making bread isn’t your thing, this food processor can still earn its keep in the kitchen by dicing and chopping, two tasks it does well for the low price.
Breville Custom Loaf Bread Maker
Price: $300 from Williams-Sonoma Buy It
The Breville bread machine has nearly as many bake settings as the Zojirushi (13 vs. 14), including quick-bake and gluten-free options. Another nice touch: The mixing paddle retracts when it’s done, so the resulting loaf doesn’t bake up with an indentation in the bottom. Some owners say the design does make it difficult to clean, and the price is definitely at the higher end of the spectrum.
Williams-Sonoma Oven Mitt
Price: $12 from Williams-Sonoma Buy It
Oven mitts provide more protection than pot holders, especially if you’re reaching deep into an oven to pull out a pizza stone or tending the grill (they’re heat-resistant to 400 degrees). Buyers give these mitts very positive reviews, praising the comfortable terry lining and durable, thick cotton exterior.
Wilton Perfect Results Mega Cooling Rack
Price: $12 from Amazon Buy It
Once that bread is ready to come out of the oven, you’ll need a place for it to cool where air can circulate. This Wilton rack measures approximately 10 inches by 16 inches, big enough for baguettes and loaves alike.
Oster Planetary Stand Mixer
Price: $136 from Walmart Buy It
At 4.5 quarts, this 350-watt stand mixer may be slightly smaller than others in this roundup, but it has 12 speeds and comes with the usual three beater attachments. Its performance can’t quite match that of pricier KitchenAid and Cuisinart mixers, but for basic bread making and other kitchen tasks, it does just fine, according to a majority of Walmart buyers who’ve left comments online.
Pyrex Smart Essentials Mixing Bowl Set
Price: $17 from Walmart Buy It
Glass mixing bowls have one big advantage over stainless steel: They’re microwave-safe. Store last night’s leftovers, mix dry ingredients for bread or cake, and more with this set, which includes 1-, 1.5-, 2.5-, and 4-quart bowls with matching lids.
Premium Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowls
Price: $27 from Amazon Buy It
If you like to bake in bulk or have a large family to feed, a set with just three or four mixing bowls isn’t sufficient. This Amazon top-seller includes eight stainless mixing bowls that range in size from less than a quart up to 8 quarts.
Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor
Price: $47 from Amazon Buy It
This 12-cup food processor may be relatively inexpensive, but don’t let the low price tag fool you, professional reviewers say. Its 450-watt motor can power through tough bread dough and shred delicate greens alike, and owners say it’s a cinch to assemble the machine, disassemble it for cleaning, and swap the three included slicing discs and blades.
Rachael Ray Stainless-Steel Pastry Scraper
Price: $9 from Amazon Buy It
A metal pastry scraper is a must for bakers who make delicate layered pastries that require lots and lots of kneading and turning. With a flat base and scoop-like handle, it’s also awesome for sweeping up freshly diced foods and dumping them into a bowl. When you’re done cooking, it can be used to clear the countertop crud away. (Why do you think it’s called a scraper?)
Ozeri Pronto Digital Kitchen Scale
Price: $14 from Amazon Buy It
This kitchen scale has more than 25,000 reviews from buyers on Amazon, giving it an average score of 4.6 out of 5. It has an 11.2-pound capacity, which is lower than some models but still more than adequate for most measuring tasks. All in all, it’s not too shabby for a scale that costs a fraction of what others do.
Oxo Good Grips Measuring Cups
Price: $20 from Amazon Buy It
Regular viewers of the PBS cooking show “America’s Test Kitchen” may recognize these Oxo measuring cups, which are a staff favorite (Bon Appétit editors love this set, too). Users praise the padded, magnetic handles for being sturdy and comfy while in use, and for keeping this set organized when not in use.
Oxo Good Grips 2-Cup Angled Measuring Cup
Price: $11 from Amazon Buy It
The clever designers at Oxo take the traditional liquid measuring cup design and go one better with an angled indicator that can be read from above as well as from the side. Unlike the glass Pyrex, this measuring cup is made of BPA-free plastic, something few owners seem to mind. Like the Pyrex, the Oxo also gets exceptionally positive user reviews at Amazon.
Pyrex Easy Grab Loaf Dish
Price: $8 from Target Buy It
Infrequent bakers who don’t want to spend much on a loaf pan would do well to consider this 1.5-quart Pyrex model. Owners say the fat handles make it a cinch to grasp, even while wearing oven mitts, and unlike metal baking pans, this one can be microwaved and placed in the dishwasher.
KitchenAid Classic Measuring Spoons
Price: $4 from Amazon Buy It
If a cheap set of plastic measuring spoons is all you need (and there’s nothing wrong with that), this KitchenAid set earns kudos from owners for having easy-to-grasp, padded handles and being made of BPA-free, dishwasher-safe plastic.
USA Pan French Bread Pan
Price: $38 from Amazon Buy It
If baguettes are all you care to bake, a specialized loaf pan such as this one will make your life so much easier than trying to use a jelly roll pan (though if that’s what you prefer, by all means continue). The perforated aluminum base produces evenly baked, nicely browned bread, reviewers say.
Aucma Stand Mixer
Price: $116 from Amazon Buy It
If you want to bake really big batches of bread and rolls, copious cakes, and more, this 6.5-quart, 660-watt stand mixer is the biggest model we could find for the price. It has only six speeds, compared with 10 or 12 on other models, meaning you may not find the right speed for mixing delicate or dry ingredients. Most owners say it’s adequate to the task, although it may struggle with very dense doughs.
