How to bake almost anything on a budget, according to a pro

In my opinion, anyone who bakes on a regular basis should own some sort of electric mixer. While I love my $280 KitchenAid stand mixer, I'd say that if you're sticking to things like cakes and cookies, an affordable hand mixer like this one (which I also use at home) will do. It not only saves time but also helps with tasks that require more power (creaming butter and sugar together, anyone?). 

Mine is still going strong after nearly a decade of use, which speaks to how durable it is. And it's not just handy for making cookie dough — I've used it for whipping up cake batter, frosting, whipped cream ... nearly any dessert you can think of. 

Versatility is key when it comes to budget-friendly equipment. Case in point: I always have plenty of these affordable metal trays on hand. Nordic Ware's aluminum pans are durable, conduct heat well, don't rust and have reinforced rims to help prevent warping over time.

Not only are they ideal for cookie baking, but you can also make sheet and layer cakes in them, and they're great for roasting vegetables. Oh, and if I'm baking something runny in a pie or cake pan, I always stick one of these babies underneath to catch any drippings — easier to clean the tray than the bottom of my oven.

I try to minimize waste in the kitchen as much as possible, which is why these reusable silicone baking mats come in clutch. Not only do they help keep my parchment paper costs to a minimum, they also protect my sheet trays from caked-on gunk. 

The nonstick material is a breeze to clean, and I find that I can still achieve a nice golden brown on the bottoms of my cookies when I use them. Plus, I don't have to pry the cookies off once they're out of the oven — they can easily be lifted with a spatula. They're also useful for rolling out dough; you can roll it out on this rather than your counter to make cleanup a whole lot easier.

The Silpat brand is expensive, but it's the most durable I've tried — you won't have to replace it for a looong time!

Whether you enjoy decorating cakes or making filled doughnuts, you'll need bags to pipe with. But they don't need to be pricey "official" piping bags — just cut off one of the bottom corners of a freezer bag, insert your piping tip of choice, add your filling to the bag and you've got a makeshift piping bag that works just as well as the real thing. 

For comparison, this 100-pack of pastry bags is more than twice the price of this 120-count box.

I understand the appeal of a ceramic pie dish (so lovely to serve from!), but I choose a metal pie pan like this one every time. Why? For starters, aluminum is almost always less expensive and conducts heat more quickly than ceramic, which I find contributes to a flakier crust. On the flip side, it cools more quickly, meaning your pie is less likely to overbake once it's out of the oven.

Because I freeze my pie crusts before baking (you want that butter to be cold!), I never worry that my metal pie pan will shatter in the oven. Other materials can break when experiencing sudden changes in temperature, and that's something I'd rather avoid. 

(Psst: I also prefer metal cake tins, loaf pans — if I'm baking in it, there's a 99.9% chance it's not made of pricey stoneware.)

In my opinion, one of the worst offenses in baking is a dry cake. Or cookies. Or brownies. Or ... you get the idea. Inedible baked goods are a waste of time and money (ingredients are expensive!), but can largely be avoided with one essential: a scale. 

For the most precise measurements, weighing is always best, as scooping ingredients like flour into a measuring cup can yield wildly different amounts every time. This top-seller can accurately weigh up to about 11 pounds and its sleek design makes it easy to stow away when not in use.

Another way to help ensure your baked goods come out perfectly every time? Taking their temperature once they're out of the oven. No more baking a cake that's tough as leather (or raw in the center) and destined for the trash — no more, I say! 

To be extra sure your baked goods are ready to come out of the oven, just insert this nifty tool rather than a toothpick, and you'll have a reading in seconds. You can never be too careful. I also use mine when making caramel, meringue and any other temperature-dependent delicacies. 

Don't worry, I'm not suggesting you replace your chocolate chips with beans. They're not an ingredient here but rather a baking tool. If you're making, say, a pie or tart that calls for blind-baking the crust, many recipes will instruct you to place parchment or foil over the crust and fill with weights to help the crust keep its shape while it's in the oven.

Now, you could buy fancy ceramic pie weights (which, in my opinion, never seem to come with enough in the pack to even fill a whole pie), or you could use some good ol' dried beans, which are much more affordable. You won't be able to cook with them after they've gone in the oven, but you can store them in a container and keep reusing them as pie weights.