The Ultimate Tool Guide for Micro Bakers- Mixers and More!

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve felt that quiet pull, “What if I sold this?” Maybe it started with sourdough bread for neighbors, cinnamon rolls for church, or a batch of cookies for a friend’s wedding. Before long you’re thinking about your own home bakery. But what kind of investment does it really take?

I’m Lily, and I own and operate a micro bakery with my sister and my dad on our family farm in small-town Ohio. We didn’t start with a perfect bakery setup. We started with our favorite recipes, hard work, and a deep love for baking. Over the last five years, we’ve slowly built what we have now. If I were starting again, there are very clear tools I’d prioritize from the very start.

The Right Tools Matter More Than You Think

One of the biggest misconceptions I see is that you need every tool before you can sell anything. That’s simply not true. What is true is that with the right home bakery tools you can make a huge difference in quality and efficiency.

Sometimes it’s the littlest things that make all the difference…

Why a Digital Kitchen Scale Is Non-Negotiable

A digital kitchen scale is one of the most essential of the home bakery tools for any baker selling baked goods. This is due to two main reasons..

1. Consistency in your recipe day to day, week to week. One cup of flour on a dry fall day can weigh up to 30 grams difference than a cup of flour on a humid summer day. This can make a huge difference when bulk baking. Weighing each of your ingredients ensure that you are making your recipe the same way each and every time.
2. Consistency in how each product bakes. We weigh our brioche dough into 107 ounces of dough to then be rolled out and turned into 24 cinnamon rolls each time. This ensures that each roll is very close in weight. If one cinnamon roll was much bigger than the roll right next to it, then the smaller roll would bake far sooner than the bigger roll. If they are both the same size, then they are ready to leave the oven at the same time. This leads to perfectly baked rolls each time.

My go-to scale I use in my kitchen:
The NutriMill Kitchen Scale

If you have commercial mixing bowls, this is better for heavy weights:

Large Commercial Kitchen Scale

Internal Temperatures are Game Changing

The second essential tool is an instant-read thermometer. Baked goods have optimal internal temperatures just like meat does. This isn’t just for food safety, but to consistently get the best bake each time. Many bakers do not even realize that scones have a perfect temperature, sourdough bread has a perfect temperature and even brownies! Once you know your baked goods optimal temperature then you know you can bake your product the same over and over again.

We use a Thermapen and have for a long time. It’s one of those favorite home bakery tools that feels like an extra cost at first — but it makes a significant difference.

Here is our favorite Internal Thermometer:
The Thermapen One

Always check their sale section — we’ve gotten great deals there.

Work Surfaces: Space Changes Everything

You don’t need spacious kitchens to run a small bakery, but you do need intentional space. A solid workbench allows you to roll cinnamon rolls, knead sourdough bread, slice brownies, and portion unbaked dough without frustration.

We built many of our islands ourselves using butcher blocks from our local Home Depot. We used bottom cabinet bases and attached them together and added wheels. And by we, I mean our husbands… Ellen and I did pick out the paint color!

• 8ft butcher block top:
• 5ft butcher block top (perfect size for smaller spaces):
• Base Cabinets
• Stainless Steel Island: If you want a cheaper item that you do not have to build!

Here is a great tutorial “we” used! A good surface paired with a bench scraper, dough scrapers, and parchment paper will change your baking life.

Mixers: When to Upgrade (and When Not To)

I get asked about mixers constantly. Stand mixer or commercial? KitchenAid mixers or Bosch? Ankarsrum or Hobart?

So many options. The only one that I really do not recommend is a standard sized Kitchen aid or standard size stand mixer. Their motors are not equipped to do several batches of dough, especially bread and cookie doughs. The motor will eventually overheat and stop working.

Here are my thoughts on the rest. And trust me I have used many mixers.

Mixers We’ve Used and Loved

Commercial Kitchen Aid

Pros: Can be used for cookies, cakes, muffins and bread. User-friendly with brand recognition. Great motor with an 8 qt bowl.

Cons: Expensive, paying a little bit for brand. Shakes when mixing harder doughs. Not ideal for bread. Can only handle 4-5 lbs of bread dough, compared to the Bosch that can handle 10-14 lbs.

Hobart 20 qt mixer

Pros: If you are starting to really scale your business, then eventually you will need a big commercial mixer. We were actually gifted ours when a local school closed and they were getting rid of old kitchen equipment. We were lucky.

Cons: Very pricey. You have to make the decision, are you wanting to scale your business this much? Do you need a 20 qt mixers? Are you making several large batches of the same product, or several batches of different items?

Tip: Check Facebook marketplace! And for ergonomics you will need a mixer stand… Here is an example of one.

Ankarsrum Mixer

Pros: Can handle 11-13 lbs of dough. High quality for breads and bagels. Gorgeous.

Cons: Expensive, partially paying for aesthetic. Less versatile and less user friendly.

Bosch Universal Mixer

Pros: Holds the most amount of the home sized mixers, at a whopping 10-14 lbs of dough. Great for bread with features for cookies and cakes. Most affordable option and user friendly.

Cons: Has several parts that can make more to clean up.

My mom always had a Bosch so that she could make whole wheat bread for my siblings and I every week. We now have been able to partner with them to get you $20 off of one with our code FLOURBARN.

Ovens: Know Your State Laws Before You Buy

This is critical. In many states — including Ohio — home bakery owners are limited to their own ovens unless operating a certified commercial kitchen. That means no adding a second oven, even if you have the space. This includes bread ovens.

If you are commercial, used ovens can be a good choice.

Here is our convection oven: Blodgett commercial oven

Our Bread oven for Sourdough: Rackmaster

Sheet Pans: The Boring Tool That Makes the Most Money

This might surprise you, but sheet pans made a bigger difference to our productivity than almost anything else.

• Half sheet pans: https://amzn.to/4lvEa45
• Half sheet parchment: https://amzn.to/45rQBJx
• Half sheet pan extender: https://amzn.to/3UDFQxC
• Full sheet pans: https://amzn.to/3UzPq4D
• Full sheet parchment: https://amzn.to/4mPHic2
• Full sheet pan extender: https://amzn.to/471bFrz
• Sheet pan half rack: https://amzn.to/3Hol2Hv
• Sheet pan full rack: https://amzn.to/4721uD6

Having different sizes allows you to maximize every oven load. More product per bake = more profit per single day.

Coffee: An Add-On That Builds a Client Base

If you plan to sell coffee, don’t rush into a full espresso setup. We started with cold brew and simple drinks before investing.

• Espresso Machine: https://amzn.to/41ILYsg
• Espresso Grinder: https://amzn.to/4lW40Pf
• Our roasters: Hemisphere Coffee Roasters
• Cold drink dispenser: https://amzn.to/3Vaa4sd

Partnering with a local roaster is a good choice — they help with servicing and education.

Packaging: Your Product Deserves Protection

Packaging matters more than people think. It communicates quality, food safety, and professionalism.

• Bakery boxes: https://amzn.to/4fW1O8P
• Bread bags for sourdough: https://amzn.to/4lEocF1
• Label printer: https://amzn.to/4fP7LEH

Clear labeling builds trust with bakery owners and customers alike.

The Food Processor That Saves Your Arms

Such an underestimated tool. Great for scones, biscuits, and pie crusts. It allows you to cut in the butter perfectly each time for flaky crumbly pastry.

Here is a great one with a large capacity: Food Processor – 4200XL Black

It’s one of those best tools that feels boring until you realize how much time it saves.

Free Tools That Matter Just as Much

Not everything costs money.

• Inventory tracking
• Business plan clarity
• Social media consistency
• Clear signage

These cost time, not a lot of money — but they make a huge difference. Check out my favorite articles on What Items to Sell at Your Micro Bakery, How to Make Money at Your Micro Bakery, How to Start a Successful Micro Bakery.

Final Thoughts for Bakers Just Starting Out

You don’t need everything at once. You don’t need huge ovens or 60 lb mixers on day one. What you need is:

• Consistency
• A few high quality, favorite tools
• Patience

Building a small business from baked goods is hard work, but it has also been such a dream job for me and my family. Start with your own essentials, invest wisely, and remember: the goal isn’t perfection. It’s sustainability.

If you have questions, leave them below. I’ve been where you are — and I’m cheering you on.