Calling All Star Bakers: 10 Kitchen Tools You Need to Live Out Your Great British Bake Off Dreams

There's no appliance more GBBO than a classic stand mixer, something that will come in handy whether you're making focaccia dough or a Prue-approved Victoria sponge. KitchenAid is the industry standard for a reason, making powerful, user-friendly mixers durable enough to pass down for generations. While you can make certain frostings and batters with a hand mixer (or even a whisk with enough elbow grease), if you're getting serious about baking this is well worth the investment.

Speaking of industry standards, Hedley & Bennett has completely cornered the market when it comes to stylish aprons. With over 50 colors and patterns available, it should really be no surprise. Their Essential Apron is perfectly constructed, with adjustable straps and front pockets for storing everything from tester spoons to your kitchen timer (below). With celebrity chef fans ranging from Nancy Silverton to Jon & Vinny, getting your first Hedley & Bennett is almost a rite of passage at this point.

It's true, you could just use your oven timer (or your phone for that matter). But when juggling multiple bakes, having this triple kitchen timer is a godsend. When you've got a cake that needs to bake for 30 minutes and an icing that needs to chill for 60, keep track of both at once with this easy-to-use digital interface. There's something about carrying your own timer on you that'll make you feel like the captain of the ship.

If you've ever lost half your cake trying to flip it out of its cake pan, then this is the purchase for you. Springform pans are the most surefire way to keep your bakes intact, as the quick-release sides fall away without jostling your creations around. The side clamp ensures a leakproof fit every time, and the carbon steel build promotes 100% even browning. If you're a layer cake fan, you just might want to grab three of them.

50 pieces might sound like overkill, but fear not: 30 of them are just piping bag refills. This kit absolutely gets our vote, however, for the sheer bang for your buck – it'll take you ages to run out, and to cycle through all the piping tip options. Piping bags are the most essential tool for decoration in a baker's arsenal, as they allow you to apply frostings and fillings with directly. The small icing spatula inside will help you finish the job, smoothing out your work and fitting into every nook and cranny. Especially with holiday cookie season coming up, this one feels like a must-have.

All of that decorating will get you nowhere, though if you don't have a stable surface to work on. Enter the Rotating Cake Decorating Turntable from Creative Hobbies, which allows you to smoothly turn your cake as you decorate so every effect gets applied evenly. With its adorable pale pink color, it also doubles as a display stand, so you can serve your cake right on it instead of dirtying another dish. Plus it spins in either direction, so left-handed bakers need not contort themselves.

Though many of us grew up with rolling pins that had handles, there's something so undeniably chic about the handle-less tapered look. It's the French style that's preferred by pastry chefs everywhere, as it gives you more control (and looks better if you leave it out). This one is made of 100% fine-grain beechwood, which locks out excess moisture and prolongs the life of your rolling pin. At 20" wide, it can handle serious sheets of dough – maybe it's time for you to finally try your hand at rough-puff pastry.

It may look bizarre when the GBBO bakers fill their pie shells with big white ceramic beans, but pie weights are crucial for preventing your crusts from over-expanding. These baking beans keep your pastry in place during its blind bake, and are easily removed (just remember to use parchment) before you add your filling. Made of heat-safe ceramic, they can handle temperatures up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit, and go right back in their tin to sit patiently until your next go-around at pies.

Your choux pastry just puffed up beautifully and you don't want it to sog out while drying: the time has come for you to break out your cooling rack. The Big Chill, as eye-catching cookware brand Great Jones calls it, nests perfectly into their Holy Sheet half-size sheet tray, so you've got built-in cleanup for drips too. Certain cookies and even savory foods also cook better on a wire rack from the start, so it's perfectly oven-safe and made with a nonstick finish. 

Last but not least, the humble oven mitt: how else are you going to retrieve your bakes without burning those gorgeous hands? Chances are you already have one, but very seldom do they look this good. Marimekko has managed to combine form and function with an oversized floral pattern that's got plenty of padding for safety, but a loop handle for hanging off pegboards or hooks. You put so much care into your baking, why not look chic when you pull off the big reveal?