Your Guide To Great British Bake Off Worthy Kitchen Equipment
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1 day ago
Time to get your whisks at the ready
Stand by your ovens and get your whisks at the ready, because Bake Off is back on our screens. If you too want to learn to bake like a pro, or earn yourself a Paul Hollywood handshake (eye contact with the icy blues and all) then investing in Bake Off worthy kitchen equipment is a must. From the products used in the tent, to some Bake Off inspired favs, here’s all the utensils you need to win you that star baker award.
Which Brands Are Used in Bake Off?
Eagle-eyed viewers will be familiar with the products most frequently spotted in the Bake Off tent and the changes the crew have made over time. One staple of the show that has never (and likely will never) be replaced is the KitchenAid stand mixers, and same goes for the NEFF Slide & Hide ovens which were boosted in popularity by their inclusion on the beloved series. Other kitchen utensils, however, have been swapped out over time. Where Smeg fridge freezers were once a hallmark of the show, in 2012 they were replaced by Gorenje fridges and, more recently, a discontinued Zanussi model which boasts a similar retro design but without the prominent branding of Smeg. For microwaves the Bake Off crew opt for the Swan Nordic digital microwaves and for food processors and icecream makers they use Magimix. Hand whisks are sourced from Dualit, while their mixing bowls are from Rayware Mason.
Bake Off Worthy Kitchen Equipment
Dualit
Hand Mixer, £84.99
Under the pressure of the clock and Noel Fielding’s ever more stressful time updates, speed is a necessity in the Bake Off tent. With no time for the bicep-burning crunch of hand mixing, only Dualit’s Hand Mixer is trusted to come to the rescue. Used by amateurs and professionals alike, this hand mixer boasts four variable speed settings, plus multiple whisk options, including dough hooks, flat beaters and balloon whisks.
Smeg
60cm 50s Style Right Hand Hinge Fridge Freezer, £1,899
From solidifying suspiciously sloppy designs, to quickly cooling that far-too-hot to decorate cake as the contestants start to spiral, Smeg’s candy-coloured fridges are a staple of the Bake Off tent. Indulging the show with their 1950s retro feel, the curved edges add a stylish touch to the usually bland and bulky kitchen appliance. Ranging in capacity from 34 to 481 litres, the FAB32 includes a no-frost freezer and multiple temperature zones for different food groups.
Laura Ashley
6L Stand Mixer China Rose, £329.99
While not an official member of the Bake Off family, this China Rose kitchen collection from Laura Ashley certainly boasts Great British charm. With its delicate blue and white floral design, the collection would fit perfectly amongst the pastels and bunting of the big white tent. Its hand mixer promises a 300-watt motor and five speed settings, including stainless-steel beaters and dough hooks, which will enable you to whisk with ease. There is also a lightweight stand mixer with 10 speed and pulse options as well as 4-in-1 hand blender set.
KitchenAid
Artisan Mixer Tilt-Head 4.8L, £449
A Bake Off kitchen could never be complete without a KitchenAid mixer. Even if you’re not planning on taking on a batter-based technical challenge any time soon, the mixer can also mash potatoes, whip cream into butter or mix up a meatloaf. With additional attachments you can transform the machine from a humble dough mixer into a sausage stuffer, ice cream machine and pasta maker, putting it to the task of slicing, shredding and spiralising vegetables too.
Nordic Ware
Anniversary Gold 6 Cup Bundt Pan, £52
‘Today bakers your challenge is to make a Bundt cake.’ While there is presumably a cupboard in the Bake Off tent stacked to the brim with cake trays and tins of every shape and size, home bakers are usually forced to keep their collections to a more conservative size. If you are, however, a Bundt cake enthusiast or want to give the traditional cake a try, Nordic Ware are best-known for their Bundt pans, made famous by Nigella Lawson and used on the show itself. With a whole host of tins and trays on offer, the Nordic Ware range is a great place from which to start your own baking journey.
Harts of Stur
Mary Berry Signature Collection
While Dame Mary Berry left Bake Off amidst its exodus from the BBC to Channel 4, she will always feel like a part of the show. To whip up some Mary Berry worthy bakes of your own, shop her collection of kitchen and tableware at Harts of Stur. Epitomising the same timeless elegance of the show, the range is designed for both everyday use and more formal affairs.
NEFF
Slide & Hide Oven, £1,299
With all the chaos of splattered sponges and crushed cookies, the contestants of Bake Off are remarkably accident prone (as so happens when your whipping up cakes on national TV under Paul Hollywood’s steely gaze), so eliminating the threat of trip hazards in the tent is a must. To ensure there’s no hazardous doors blocking the bakers’ paths, the production team at Bake Off opt for the NEFF Slide & Hide Ovens. A source of amazement in the early series, contestants were charmed by the seemingly mystical capabilities of this self-sliding door which tucks itself neatly away upon opening. While the wide variety of cooking options have been the cause of much confusion for contestants suddenly realising they’ve been baking their cake on the completely wrong setting, the microwave and air fryer modes (plus more) provide plenty of flexibility for users. With buyers often opting for two ovens layered one on top of the other (one larger, one smaller) you can use the top one as a microwave or an oven when you need extra space to rustle up your Sunday roast.
How To Watch Bake Off
Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 at 8pm every Tuesday. Want a recap of the latest episode? Read here.
