My Gear Guide

Everything you need to grow, cook, ferment and photograph like a pro!

No more gatekeeping! It’s all here! I’ve listed out my preferred seed starting, gardening and kitchen supplies. I also included all my photography gear which some of you have asked for in the past.

Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through them. I don’t recommend products unless I have used them myself successfully. The links will open up your Amazon app (if you use one on your phone) or a browser window. And as always, you are responsible for your own purchases! Work with the retailer/manufacturer if you have any issues.

I hope you find this gear guide useful and feel free to ask me any questions over on Instagram. I will try to keep this page updated as your questions and suggestions come in.

Baking Gear!

Truth be told, you don’t need fancy equipment to bake. We all started off with those flimsy Betty Crocker pans and we did just fine. BUT if you want to level up, or you’re looking to gift your bestie who’s an aspiring baker something more professional, I got you.

USA Pans are my go-to pans for muffins, loaves, bars, focaccia, brownies, etc. I recommend using the commercial grade pans as they are more rigid and will last a very long time. Here are the links for the ones I use the most:

  • USA PAN 13×9 (for focaccia, a large batch of brownies, even lasagna)
  • USA PAN 9×9 (for squares, brownies, coffee cake)
  • USA PAN MUFFIN (for muffins, cupcakes, or anything you want to bake into an individual portion)
  • USA PAN LOAF (1lb loaf pan – for pound cake and more)

When it comes to baking, you’ll notice that the best recipes out there are by weight. A kitchen scale is essential!

For mixing dough, I love using a Danish Wisk. It’s fun, whimsical and practical. Also makes for a cute stocking stuffer.

When it comes to hand shapes loaves and sourdough bread, you’ll need a few more supplies. A banneton (round or oval) is used in the final shaping and rise. A bread lame is used to score the loaf.

A Dutch oven can be used to bake the loaf. I use one of my large Le Creuset pots (that’s dedicated to baking bread). There are more affordable options like the Lodge Cabin Combo Cooker. But if you are really looking for a fun gift (for yourself or otherwise), the Le Creuset Bread Baker is cute and practical.

I’ve talked about my favorite air fryer (which in reality is sooo much more), the Ninja Foodie XL, so many times before. It’s literally my go-to oven now. I use it for baking bread, making roasts, etc. I hardly ever fire up my big oven anymore. I can’t recommend the Ninja Foodie XL more.

seedlings.
Shelves with seed starts in trays.
Holding a tray of seedlings.

Seed Starting Gear

When it comes to indoor seed starting, I am a big proponent of setting up a custom seed starting shelving system. I start with a heavy-duty metal shelving unit. Heavy-duty is key here! And it should be 48-inches wide to accommodate the lights.

Once you have a shelving unit, you’ll need to add grow lights to it. Now you can totally purchase commercial grow lights or grow lights marketed for indoor gardening, but that’s not what I use. For the last 10 years or so, I have used LED Shop Lights. They are 4 feet long (to fit the 4 foot wide shelving unit). They are easy to install, don’t use up too much electricity and easily expandable.

I also recommend you pick up a mechanical timer so that you can set the on/off cycle for your grow lights.

When it comes to seed starting equipment, I recommend picking up a few good quality 1020 trays. These are pretty standard across the board. You can find more affordable 1020 trays made of thinner plastic or invest in more rigid plastic trays that can be used for years.

You will also need to inserts or plugs. These are sold as sheets that fit your 1020 tray and come in a variety of sizes. I prefer using plug sheets with 36-40 holes. Check out your local garden center or nursery.

You will also need a few humidity domes to help trap the moisture in as your seeds germinate. You only need a couple of these, as you won’t be using them all the time. Once the seeds germinate, the humidity domes come off.

For summer or warm weather crops like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, I recommend using a heat mat to help the seed starting mix stay warm and improve germination.

As your seedlings grow, you’ll probably need to pot them up to a larger container. I like using 3.5 or 4 inch pots when potting up.

Garden Tools and Supplies

Truth be told, I don’t use many garden tools. I harvest using my kitchen scissors, I use a 10 year old shovel, it’s really not that complicated. But there are definitely tools that I recommend and use that I think you would also benefit from.

A Hori Hori knife is my go-to multi-purpose tool. I use it to pull out weeds, to cut thick stems and to harvest large crops like broccoli and cabbage. It also makes for a great gift. Make sure to get the Japanese made one!

If you have an inground garden, then you know it’s prone to weeds. And bending over to pull them can be a chore. This is why I use a Stirrup Hoe in my allotment garden (which is an in-ground garden). This type of hoe is easy to use while standing and if you keep the stirrup sharp, there’s very little effort needed to clear out a weedy bed.

Protecting your plants year-round from pests, frost and the blistering sun is important. I like to use frost cover in the spring and fall, shade cloth for those heat waves and insect netting or fabric store tulle to protect from insects.

These covers can be used in a makeshift way (just MacGyver it) or placed over custom or commercial garden hoops. To be honest, I prefer building custom hoops using PEX piping but I know that’s not for everyone.

Fermenting lids and weights on a table.
Tamping down jalapenos in a jar.
Adding the fermenting lid to a jar.
Bottles of hot sauce.

Preservation, Pickling and Fermenting Gear

When it comes to fermenting, I always tell my readers to pick up the Masontops starter kit. It includes 4 weights, 4 lids, and a tamper. It’s a great product to start your fermenting journey.

As you expend, you might need more fermenting weights or lids/pipes. You will also need some durable wide mouth mason jars.

Pickling doesn’t require any special equipment. Any glass container with a lid will do, but I sure do love my German Weck Jars. They come in several sizes and shapes.

For dehydrating, I recommend 2 options. The first is the Hamilton Beach dehydrator. It’s cheap, it works well and it’s reliable. I used it for close to a decade. Now I use a more professional level dehydrator, The Excalibur, which is more expensive, but I expect it to last a lifetime.

Standing over kitchen island photographing harvest.

My Photography Gear

I started shooting photos on my phone. And guess what? I still do. That’s why I created my Smartphone Photography course. I wanted to help my fellow content creators and creatives leverage their existing gear and hone their skills.

As I expanded my blog and business, I needed more control and more options. Most of my recipe photography is done with my Sony A7iii camera. I switched over to mirrorless from the more standard DSLR a few years ago and I’m glad I did.

When it comes to lenses, I use the Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 (perfect for everyday food photography) and I recently started using the Sigma 105mm F2.8 Macro lens (for close shots of food and garden).

Though I prefer shooting in natural light, I do sometimes need to shoot with artificial light (especially during the winter months when the sun sets so early). I use the Godox TT685S as my flash (speedlight). Note that you’ll need to buy the one that matches your camera.

I also use the Godox SL200 studio light (this is a continuous light source) for video productions.

The flash and continuous lights both need modifiers to help smooth out the light. For the flash, I use a combination of the Neewer Octagonal Umbrella, the Neewer S-Type bracket (to told the speedlight) and a Neewer Photography Light Stand. NOTE: There’s a bit of customization you can do here to suit your needs. You might want to visit a local photography store to see some of these items in person.

For the studio light, I use a Godox SB-UR 80cm Softbox. It fits perfectly on the Godox SL200 studio light.

I don’t always use a tripod when shooting photos, but sometimes the lighting situation calls for one. My current workhorse of a tripod is the Manfrotto 190XPRO. This is an investment. It’s built really well and will last for years. You’ll need a tripod head to attach to it. I use the Manfrotto MH804 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head. You can also purchase a tripod that has the head attached, but I find buying them separately is actually cheaper.