If there's one person to follow for advice when it comes to the very best pieces of cookware for your kitchen, it's renowned chef and judge of The Great British Bake Off, Paul Hollywood.
We spoke to him ahead of the release of his latest cookbook CELEBRATE (published by Bloomsbury on June 5th) which, as you would guess, is all about bakes that are perfect for celebrating, hosting and every occasion in between.
Paul is, of course, an expert baker and the cookbook is full of old-school family favourites, inspiring us to try our hand at these dishes that are guaranteed to please. But where and how do you start?
These Paul Hollywood-approved pieces of kitchenware will get your bakeware collection off to the best start, and ensure you can try your hand at the recipes in the book.
1. A stand mixer
If you've ever watched The Great British Bake Off, you'll know that one of the best stand mixers is an absolute kitchen essential. Let's face it, no one wants an arm workout when baking, so a high-quality stand mixer takes all of the strain out of the task.
While Paul wouldn't reveal his exact model of stand mixer, we can hasten a guess that it's one of Ideal Home's favourites. The KitchenAid stand mixer is a staple in the Bake Off tent and with so many colours it's easy to match to your kitchen colour scheme.
If it's bread week in your house, then Paul recommends investing in the dough hook attachment to make kneading simple.
If we were Paul, we'd buy this cream KitchenAid stand mixer to match his other appliances. The KitchenAid mixer is one of the best, and it looks great too.
2. Thermometer
They say baking is a science, so why not cook with precision with a thermometer?
'A thermometer probe to test your oven is great. You can use it to test your oven temperature and also to check your food is cooked,' Paul explains.
Whether you're cooking meat or baking something a little more intricate, a thermometer is great to have stashed away to take the guesswork out of the equation.
If you're really into kitchen tech then there are a number of smart, WiFi-controlled thermometers on the market, but Paul believes in keeping it simple with a digital display.
'I recently tried a thermometer probe and I can't believe it's taken me so long to become a convert to these clever devices. There won't be an overcooked chicken in sight once you've got one of these in your cooking arsenal,' explains Molly Cleary, Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor.
3. Dough scraper
When we asked Paul for his favourite baking essential, he had his dough scraper quite literally within reach to show on screen. If that alone isn't enough to convince you that you need to add one to your collection, let us tempt you some more.
A dough scraper is of course perfect for cutting dough, but it also works as a handy tool for scraping down your surfaces or moving around ingredients.
Whether you're whipping up your weekly loaf or trying out a fun new bake, a dough scraper will take your prep work to the next level.
For under £5, you can't go wrong with this metal dough scraper. It even has an etched ruler for easy measuring.
4. Kettle
Cream appliances are back on trend in 2025, but Paul already knew this - with his matching cream Smeg kettle and toaster, his kitchen is something to envy.
While a kettle might seem like more of a general kitchen essential than a cooking one, Paul stresses the importance of 'a good brew' while baking. We can't argue with that.
This is the exact kettle Paul owns and one of the Ideal Home team's favourites. Match with other Smeg appliances for a super chic scheme.
5. Griddle pan
A griddle pan may not be found in every British kitchen, but Paul declares it a must-have if you're a steak fiend or you want to achieve those chef-level lines across some charred bread.
'I like a good griddle pan as well,' Paul enthuses. 'You can really get those marks on the steaks.'
While we're happy to declare it officially BBQ season, we know that in the UK you can never be sure that the weather is going to hold out. A griddle pan is an excellent alternative for cooking meat indoors and gives you a BBQ-style sear without needing to brave the elements.
'I am so excited to use my pizza oven and BBQ this summer, but the thing I really needed to complete my outdoor kitchen set up was a cast iron pan that could be used at high temperatures. This one looks absolutely perfect, with its cast iron material capable of being used up to 260C and its ridged design that's perfect for cooking meat,' adds Molly.
CELEBRATE, published by Bloomsbury, is out now and available to buy on Amazon.
