9 'unsexy' kitchen products that I, a pro baker, can't live without — from $6

It might seem boring, but I'm gonna kick things off with a good ol' half sheet tray (or two). Their most obvious use is for cookies, but I've also used mine to make cakes (you can cut out layers or make a large sheet cake), homemade Pop Tarts, galettes and roasted vegetables. Oh, and if I'm baking something runny in a pie or cake pan, I always stick one of these babies underneath to catch any drippings — easier to clean the tray than the bottom of my oven! 

Nordic Ware is durable and has never let me down. Plus, more than 10,000 of these have been purchased in the past month, so I'm in pretty good company. 

No matter how hard you try to preserve the appearance of your pots and pans, they're going to get grimy with regular use. That's the sign of a well-loved piece of cookware! That said, taking a crusty pan and transforming it into a shiny stunner is something I find deeply satisfying.

I've tried a lot of different cleaners, and this one's the real deal when it comes to extending the life of your cookware. All you do is wet whatever it is you're trying to clean, sprinkle a generous amount of the powder over it, gently rub, rinse and wipe dry. For the best results, I usually let it sit for a few minutes before rubbing it in to give it some time to lift the stains, rust, grease — you name it. Then I'll use a cloth or sponge and start buffing it into my pans, making sure to go in the same direction as the metal's brushstrokes, if there are any. For intense stains, I've found that using the rough part of a dry sponge works better than wet, but I've also had success with damp cloths. 

Just check out that photo of my pan — if that doesn't make you believe in magic, I'm not sure what will.

Related: The best cookware sets, tested and reviewed

I know, I know, this unassuming tool doesn't look like much — how many uses could it really have? Oh, let me count the ways.

While this bench scraper — also known as a "bench knife" — certainly comes in handy when lifting and portioning out dough, it's so much more than a baker's tool. For starters, it's my go-to for removing caked-on residue, flour and food scraps from my counter when I'm cleaning up, since the blade is dull enough that it won't leave scratch marks. That said, it's sharp enough to cut through many types of vegetables, and when you're finished chopping, you can slide the scraper under the pieces to easily transport them to your pan. I also prefer it to a knife when it comes to slicing uniform cubes of cheese, thanks to its straight edge.

Want your cakes to look like they were made by a professional? I've even used my bench scraper to smooth out the frosting after I've applied it for a clean finish. The more you know!

I'd like to give a little shoutout to an unsung kitchen hero. After all, where would we home cooks be without the humble oven mitt? (In the emergency room, probably.) In my opinion, the best oven mitt out there isn't a mitt at all, but this glove. Unlike a cavernous mitt, this nifty invention allows you to move your fingers individually for better control.

Covered in nonslip silicone grippers, it gives my pots and pans something to stick to, and being able to move my fingers around handles and edges provides so much more stability than awkwardly clamping down on them with a claw-like mitt and hoping for the best.

Upon first glance, it might not look like it can handle the heat, but the Ove Glove can endure temperatures up to 540°F — it's made from the same heat- and flame-resistant material firefighters use. 

I try to minimize waste in the kitchen as much as possible, which is why these reusable silicone baking mats — also a favorite of Jennifer Garner — come in clutch. Not only do they help keep my parchment paper costs to a minimum, they also protect my sheet trays from caked-on gunk. 

The nonstick material is a breeze to clean, and I find that I can still achieve a nice golden brown on the bottoms of my cookies when I use them. Plus, I don't have to pry the cookies off once they're out of the oven — they can easily be lifted with a spatula. Pro tip: You can roll dough out on this rather than your counter to make cleanup a whole lot easier.

The Silpat is more expensive than the competition, but it's the most durable baking mat I've tried — you won't have to replace it for a looong time! Use it when you roast vegetables to keep 'em from sticking too. 

In my opinion, anyone who bakes on a regular basis should own some sort of electric mixer. While pricey stand mixers usually get all the love, I'm of the mindset that if you're sticking to simple things like cakes and cookies, an affordable hand mixer like this one (which I use at home) will do. It might be the stand mixer's less flashy cousin, but it certainly saves time and helps with tasks that require more power (creaming butter and sugar together, anyone?). 

Mine is still going strong after nearly a decade of use, which speaks to how durable it is. And it's not just handy for making cookie dough — I've used it for whipping up cake batter, frosting, whipped cream ... nearly any dessert you can think of. 

I learned the hard way that losing just one small metal piping tip down the drain could mean having to replace my entire garbage disposal. No more! 

I immediately purchased these bestselling strainers to catch any small baking and cooking tools before they wreak havoc on my sink system. They fit most standard drains and are super easy to clean. Plus, they trap food remnants before they're able to fill my drain with unappealing odors. 

One under-appreciated kitchen essential is the humble cooling rack — but don't underestimate its importance. When you take baked goods like cookies out of the oven, residual heat will continue to cook them. By resting your treats on cooling racks, more air will circulate around them, allowing them to cool faster and keep from overbaking. 

These top-sellers are made of stainless steel — you can even use them in the oven for cooking meat and veggies. 

Last, but not least, these stainless steel baskets are handy for everything from draining water from rinsed produce or rice to sifting flour — and the latter is what I use mine for most often. 

When you don't sift flour before baking, say, a cake, little balls of flour can show up in the final product. Not appetizing. These baskets are made of mesh with just the right sized openings for breaking up clumps while still allowing flour to flow through easily. Plus, having three different sizes means you can use them in a variety of mixing bowls.