I am a "hobby baker". I am retired and have a small, but adequate kitchen area. I do not charge for my cakes.
I have taken Wilton course 1 and 2 and will be starting Course 3 soon.

I have invested in a used, Artisan Kitchenaid ($150), 18" aluminum rolling pin ($27), Wilton master set of tips ($36), Wilton 50-pc tool caddy ($27), Wilton student courses/kits 1/2/3, angled spatulas, 2 Wilton 8"cake pans, 2 Wilton oval cake pans, boards, plastic turntable, disposable bags, misc. supplies for cupcakes/decorating, etc ($300+)

I wish to bake and decorate cookies as well (similar to Cookies by Design).

Should I invest in a commercial turntable, a tilting turntable, a surface to work fondant and cookies , silicone sheets, DoughBoard , ant-proof containers for ingredients, etc. I really don't want to buy something that will "do for now", only to have to pay more for better equipment when I learn my lesson.

What type pans? I can get Wilton performance set of round or square for 40-50% off with coupon (needed for Course 3). Is Magic Line or Daddio worth the expense to purchase instead of or in addition to Wilton pans?

Important to know...are you going to be doing mostly buttercream or fondant work or a combination? How many cakes per month do you think you will be doing? The more cakes you are doing, the more you will want specialized equipment to assist you with getting you cakes done quickly.

very basic necessities for me would be:

turntable
large angled spatula
small angled spatula
good large roller
stainless steel table or mat to roll fondant on
pizza cutter (for fondant)
piping bags
LOTS of couplers
good tip assortment
cake boards
basic fondant tools (smoother, few cutters)
icing colorings

Good luck to you!

WARNING: ONCE YOU GET STARTED IT'S EASY TO GET HOOKED AND GET EVERYTHING!

Kitty

The first thing I would so it stop buying it on the cake isle and look outside the box.

I put all my stuff in plastic bins, I even got one plastic bin that is about 4 inches tall. Bought some foam for flowers, covered it in contanct paper, and then marked holes 2 inches apart with a marker. then I took a dowell, cut it to 2 1/2 inches or so and stuck it in there. My tips fit on this PERFECTLY. they are always 'at hand' and the opening is looking up at me.

For all of this, I put in 4.00 on the box, 3.50 on the foam, 2.00 on the contact paper (lots left), 94 cents for 2 dowells,

The rest of my stuff I put in differnt size boxes, they all stack together, were anywhere from 4.00 to 1.50 at walmart. and If all I need is my colors because I'm doing fondant, I dont have to go through the box that has the paintbrushes in it.

very seldom do I use my offset spatulas made for cake decorating, instead I use the plastic drywall spreaders.

I had a wooden roller that I love, I use it.

a pizza cutter- I agree I love this, and use it for my dumplings too

I use disposable bags, (sometimes I wash them, sometimes I dont...) and am always picking up couplers. you can never have enough LOL

I bought craft paintbrushes, they work great, but I do alot of handpainting.

and I am constantly picking up a cookie cutter here or there at garage sales and such, or on clearence in the kids dept for Playdoh. and especially on clearence at wlamart when that holiday is over.

About the only thing I have 'splurged' on is a flower making gumpaste kit from wilton, (way too much in my opinion, but I had to have it for the leaves and such.... ) and the fondant tools that come int he case, they were 20.00 at walmart and 29.99 at hobby lobby.

an exacto knife, or a duplicate of the scalpel I use for cutting hogs (found at a tractor supply store) -

I use an empty country crock container to make my cakes higher when icing or fondanting them. making it easier to see them and taking them off the counter.

the only thing that is on my "MUST HAVE" right now, is a mat, and I plan on getting some vinyl cut at the local fabric store for that.

I do pick up tips all the time, I throw them in the buggy, even if I dont need them right then, that way I am building up the collection and not spending a bunch of money at one time.

But I am a cheap person by nature, and tend to not care if things are brandname.