7 Baking Tools From Costco That You Need To Buy

There's nothing — and we mean nothing — better than snacking on a sweet treat. We'd even go so far as to say that the best sweet treats are those made with our own hands in the comfort of our own kitchens. After all, the first bite of a homemade gooey caramel chocolate chip cookie or a custard-filled Boston cream donut is worth any and every mess of flour or runny egg.

But whether you're a seasoned baker or a novice just getting their feet wet, the tools you use to bake matter. To help get you set up and start making iconic Great British Baking Show-style desserts, you'll need a few items from brand names you can trust to make the process easier. Luckily, Costco comes to the rescue. We're sharing seven baking tools that you simply have to buy if you want to impress guests (and yourself) with your next delicious creation.

Costco tends to carry some great name brands, and Nordic Ware is one of them. The Nordic Ware Naturals 3-piece baking sheet set with lid aims to solve many issues that can come with baking. For starters, the steel rims of the pans are reinforced to prevent warping. While I love my set, others do too, with most noting (with glee) the lack of warping even when used at high temperatures. Then there's the heat conductivity, which ensures even baking, and the trays are made with natural, uncoated aluminum for those looking for bakeware that's free of extra coatings and chemicals. 

Most everyday baked goods won't require temperatures this high, but the baking sheets can also withstand heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. While every oven has its own hangups and hot spots, the bakeware you use can contribute just as much to the final product, and Nordic Ware continues to impress. 

Truth be told, I avoided buying a KitchenAid stand mixer for years. The price tag alone is enough to give pause, especially for those who like baking but not enough to invest in it as a more serious hobby. However, I can't speak more highly of how this mixer has changed my bakes for the better. While there are other options out there that are lower in cost and have a smaller bowl and motor size, this Costco item is a behemoth stand mixer with a 6-quart capacity. With the professional-style capabilities, you can mix just about anything, from whipping up a buttercream frosting to mixing dense bread dough without the stand moving.

I've personally made cakes, cookies, macarons, pizza dough, and a whole boatload of frosting with my KitchenAid without any hiccups or issues. Other Costco buyers also love the product, noting the great price — Costco members pay $419.99 — and ample accessories that come with the unit.

Matching cookware sets are the best, and probably do more for getting us into the kitchen than motivation alone. That's why the Costco Tramontina ceramic bakeware set is such a great option for those who don't want to have to shop around for every little item. With the set, customers get multiple cake pans, a loaf pan, cookie sheet, muffin pan, cooling rack, oven mitts, and it comes in two colors: cream or green.

The products are made of aluminized steel, and the interior is PFAS-free, ceramic nonstick, so you don't have to worry about leaving any chunks of cake behind when you pop out your layers. Reviewers love that the pans distribute heat evenly, and storage is a breeze since most of the pans can nest within one another, so you don't have to deal with the leaning tower of pans in your cabinets. It's also a steal of a price with 11 pieces for only $59.99. Comparable sets from other sites can have price tags in the hundreds.

Another set that's key for a well-outfitted kitchen, the Cuisinart essential tool and gadget set has pretty much anything you'd need to bake. Among the tools in this 12-piece collection, you'll find a silicone spatula, whisk, peeler, and ice cream scoop. All feature stainless steel handles with some items — like the whisk and ice cream scooper — being made entirely of this hardy material. Now, I love my KitchenAid, but sometimes hand whisking or hand folding batters and mixtures is necessary to avoid introducing too much air. The silicone spatula has come in especially handy when making macarons due to the delicate nature of the batter. The slotted and solid turners are also amazing for getting cookies off of baking sheets with ease.

Cleaning up is a breeze since the entirety of the set is dishwasher safe. There are certainly other gadgets that can make things easier for bakers, depending on what you're making, but for the basics when setting up your kitchen, this $59.99 set can make a real difference.

The air fryer fad has never gone away in my house, and Ninja has consistently set the bar with its innovative appliances. From making the best cocktail in a Ninja SLUSHi to geeking out about the Ninja Luxe Café, Ninja products are reliable and, quite honestly, fun to use. Now, I use my Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 smart air fryer oven for just about everything from French fries to at-home chicken tenders, but it's also made small bursts of baking a lot more convenient. After all, sometimes you just want to make a single-serving dessert, and the bake setting on the Ninja Foodi air fryer makes that possible.

The oven preheats in 90 seconds and has a digital display so you always know what temperature the food is set at and how long is left on your cook time. This certainly isn't going to cook a cake, and I wouldn't recommend baking anything remotely fragile or finicky in it, but, overall, the versatility of the appliance can't be overstated, especially for $259.99.

The pandemic brought about a new generation of bread bakers, and while the craze may have slowed down just a bit, the craving for bread is still going strong. Not everyone is cut out for hand mixing and laboriously kneading dough until it's ready to proof and bake. That's why bread makers were invented. The Cuckoo bread maker does it all really. There are 15 menu options to choose from, be it cake, sweet bread, or even gluten-free bread. Not only that, but you can even choose the crust color — set it to light, medium, or dark.

Most owners of the appliance are pretty happy with the product, especially those who are short on time but still want a homemade bread option to serve. Then there is, of course, the price. For $99.99, the Cuckoo is cheaper than most comparable options like the Cuisinart and just as stylish to keep on your counter.

There's nothing particularly showstopping about this pick, but every baker knows that parchment paper goes a long way in helping get a great bake every time. I personally am not too picky about the brand of parchment paper I use, so long as it works, but I do rest easy knowing the Kirkland Signature brand version has yet to let me down. Parchment paper is great for not only preventing bakes from sticking, but for giving your future self an easier time cleaning up, all for $15.49 for two 205 square foot rolls.

Just remember to be careful when using it because parchment paper is flammable above a certain high heat point. To avoid any mishaps, check what the brand's heat limit is — most are anywhere from 420-450 degrees Fahrenheit — and don't push the parchment paper past this temperature cap. I haven't had any trouble using the Kirkland Signature parchment paper in any of my bakes, but your bake requires temperatures higher than 450 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll likely have to go without.

As a seasoned home baker myself, I've tried several of the products listed above and have found great success in the durability, functionality, and overall price for what I got. But alas, my kitchen is only so big, and I can't have every baking tool at my disposal. That's why — for the items I haven't personally used — I turned to reviews on Costco's website to get the lowdown from actual customers. Based on reviews across all the products in the list, Costco baking tools tend to trend positively, but you should do your own research and consider your own needs and budget before splurging on anything. Luckily for every Costco shopper, you can have a lot of trust in the products carried in the warehouses. That's because Costco warehouses only stock around 4,000 products at a time, compared to other stores that can sell upwards of 30,000 different products.