I think I may ask for some cake stuff for christmas from hubby (he needs a specific list lol). What do you have that you love?

I love my blue ateco silicone mat for rolling fondant out. It makes it so much easier to cover cakes. I also love my agbay, but those are kinda pricey...

If you are just starting out and don't have tools yet, then I'd suggest the following in this order:

KITCHEN AIDE STAND MIXER!!!!!!!!! (Look for great Black Friday deals.)

Wilton Ultimate Decorating Set (Purchase with a 40-50% off coupon at the craft store near you.)
http://www.wilton.com/store/site/product.cfm?id=F3E2CF4F-1E0B-C910-EA0D54BE4C7C4614&killnav=1

Wilton cake decorating courses 1, 2 and 3. At a craft store near you.

Sharon Zambito videos: (You may also be able to borrow these from your local library for free.)
http://www.sugaredproductions.com/categories/Instructional-DVDs/

Here's a thread about a similar topic, "Favorite Must Have Tools?":
http://www.wilton.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=8&threadid=139131

"What's your favorite cake tool, piece of equipment, etc. "
http://www.wilton.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=6&threadid=151526

A pasta roller.

Agbay

MY KITCHEN AIDE MIXER.. when I first got it I thought no big deal, til it gave out on me. Then I realized how important it was.

Also just love my fondant mats. It so much easier to roll out the dough and cover the cake.

Well just about any tool that makes your job easier!!

I second the Agbay - seems expensive, but it is the best value tool I have considering the time it saves and the quality of the cakes I then produce.

thank you for the advice I have a kitchenaid mixer which I adore and I have done all the wilton courses.

I think I would love Agbay but that is not likely to be in the budget so I will just start saving

I am going to look into the fondant mats, that sounds really good as I do have difficulty with it stretching and tearing at times.

what is the pasta roller for? Do you use it to roll fondant?

Heather, the pasta roller is to roll fondant or gum paste out with an even thickness when making cake borders, ribbons, bows, flowers, etc. It is an excellent tool. Since you have a Kitchen Aid, I would suggest getting the pasta roller attachment that goes to it. I bought a separate electric one that was a lot more expensive than the KA attachment. I wish I had known about the attachment before. Check around Bed Bath and Beyond had them for around $80 Have fun!

I also love my Agbay, it is a big investment but sooooo worth it! I also love my makins clay extruder, I use it a lot for rope borders/fringes etc. I also picked up a handy little fondant cutter. It has a circular blade like a pizza cutter, but is purple/white and is great for making random shapes. It is by Wilton and only cost about $5 but I love it.

The other thing I couldn't live without is my airbrush, but again that is a pricey investment.

Hope this helps!

Bren

I agree on the pasta roller front - gives a much better finish to gumpaste decorations when they are all perfectly rolled

Small spade shaped palette knife...

My Agbay double blade...

My PME tools...

Bench Scraper...

Electric Pasta Roller that goes on my K5 stand mixer (counts as 2 things)...

A handful of books that I cannot live without (and I own about every cake book EVER made!)

The Mat!!!!

Makins clay extruder, use it all the time. Would love the Agbay.... Soon I hope, Christmas is coming soon. Maybe I'll ask my hubby! I also love my KA mixer!

Kitchen Aide Mixer

Pasta roller

Kobalt 6 inch stainless steel putty knife

Foam paint roller

Cricut Cake

Are all must haves for me...

Apart from the obvious stuff like stand mixer, turntable, spatulas etc, my most used tools are my modelling tools.

To Many too name at this time but if I had to pick just one My Kitchen Aide Mixer would be on the very very top of that list

I dont think I could live without my kitchen aid anymore! I love that thing! I love my pasta roller (so does my 1 year old son) turntable and THE MAT! I got the mat a few weeks ago. I rarely use it like Im supposed to but i do LOVE that I can roll out the fondant then just throw it over the cake and remove it if it isn't where it needs to be! I love my little scalpel cutter too. that's one of the tools I always have on me while im decorating.

Id like to try out the Agbay

The 5 petal blossom silicone veiner, Rose petal cutter set in various sizes. For big and small gum paste roses, Petunia cutter set. A great match with the silicone petal blossom veiner for me.


_________________
What the mind can conceive, it can achieve

When I used to read posts like these and people raved about the agbay I didn't pay attention because like some other high priced items I bought thsat never wokred for me I was afraid of the agbay's cost. HOWEVER I got the agbay junior at the ICES conference and wwwhhhoooaaahhh! It actually does PRECISELY what it says it will do! Torting cakes to fill has never ben so easy and perfect! GET AN AGBAY!!!

Reading these posts excites me! I broke down and orderd an Agbay this week!!!! Will be here sometime next week ( just in time for my birthday) so it's my gift to me, I told my husband he's off the hook lol!

Besides the obvious, I'd be totally LOST without this...

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-289637/?affsrcid=Aff0001&mr:trackingCode=6262AEDC-D781-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

Best tool ever for under ten bucks.

My favorites in my tool kit are;
Cake Leveler (I am saving for the Agbay)
Makins clay extruded
The Mat (Love this!!!!)
My metal 26" rolling pin(it rolls fondant out like a dream)
Wilton 9" rolling pin for small detail stuff
Pallet knives (flat & trowel got at Michaels)
Exacto knife
Water brush
Strip cutter
Self sealing cutting mat
Pasta roller for Kitchenaid mixer
Cake turntable
Modeling tools (ball, dresden, etc.)

I use all of these items on almost every cake I do. I usually ask for gift certificates for my favorite website or Michaels. I get to take care of the rest.

BWB, you must not be getting your notifications.

Bump.

The MAT!!!!!! LOVE IT!!!! And it is cheap too!!!

I love the offset spatulas, especially the small one. Use it all the time.

Bobwonderbuns, I'd like to know your new books too. We have probably gotten several each since our last comparison/review.