Want to bake? Here's a list of essential tools you'll need

Measuring cups for dry ingredients: Enable you to level off ingredients at the rim for accurate amounts. Remember to never pack down your flour; spoon it in and level it off.

A measuring cup for liquid ingredients: The lowered measuring marks let you measure without sloshing. Set cup on a flat surface and stoop so you can see the line at eye level.

Measuring spoons: Never underestimate the value of accuracy. Leave your soup spoons for soup.

Bench knife/scraper: A real workhorse for scooping up ingredients, dividing dough, scraping up scraps; you'll find more uses.

Whisk: Great for thoroughly mixing by hand, and also doubles as a sifter, fluffing and combining dry ingredients.

Metal nesting bowls: Can't break them, and they also conduct heat and cold more efficiently.

Spoon-shaped heatproof spatula: Great for stirring hot mixtures, and the spoon shape comes in handy for filling muffin tins.

Heavy gauge metal sheet pan: Thin pans increase the odds of burned cookies; sturdy pans conduct heat more evenly.

Parchment paper: Takes the place of greasing pans with shortening or spray oil, and also help keep cleanup to a minimum.

Hand mixer: Elbow grease only goes so far; essential for whipping cream, egg whites and more.

Kitchen scale: Pros swear by measuring ingredients by weight (not volume) for accuracy and also consistency.

Stand mixer: It's an investment, but various attachments save time and energy; enables you to use both hands for tasks such as adding hot syrup to a mixture.

Pie tins: If pies are your passion.

Springform pan: The only thing for a classic cheesecake.

Pastry blender: Easier than using two knives for cutting butter into flour. Treat yourself.

Infrared or insta-read thermometer: Easier than the clip-on thermometers to gauge the temps of oil or sugar syrup, and helps ensure breads are baked through. A guideline: basic loaves to 190 degrees; enriched with eggs or butter, 200 degrees; no-knead bread recipes, 210 degrees.

Silicone pastry brush: Handy for brushing doughs with milk or beaten egg, and silicone eliminates the chance of a stray bristle.

Pastry bag and tips: Gives you more consistent results and the different tips are great for decorative frosting or other uses.

Offset spatula: That bend in the blade makes frosting layer cakes so much easier.

Tube pan with removeable bottom: The only thing for a classic angel food cake, but also for coffee cakes or pull-apart monkey breads.