I don’t know what I would do if this mini spatula set were ever discontinued. It’s so useful that I reach for one or more of these spatulas every single day. The mini spatula and mini scoop spatula are perfect for smaller jobs, like melted chocolate. The mini jar spatula is my favorite, though. It does a great job of getting to the bottom and sides of jars as the name suggests — but it also features a flat edge that’s handy when it comes time to level off dry measuring cups.

An oven thermometer has been a total game-changer for me. My oven takes longer to preheat than I had previously realized. Having the thermometer lets me confirm that it is at temperature before I start baking — and helps me make sure I don’t lose too much heat when I’m rotating my baking trays. I like the simple design of this thermometer; just hang it on the middle rack and you don’t have to think about it again.

When I was in pastry school our instructor used to call the bench scraper our "best friend" because it was the one tool that we turned to most often. It’s great for cleaning your work surface, collecting dough scraps, making chocolate curls and so much more. If you invest in a stainless steel version with a ruler along the edge you can use your bench scraper to cut and measure, too. And did I mention that its sturdy design makes it the perfect choice for scooping and lifting small, delicate items like warm cookies or chocolate decorations?