I'm still new to all this and would like everyone's expert opinion.

What is your favorite cake tool beyond the basic stuff of tips, bags, turntable, rolling pin, stand mixer and dishwasher. So far I like the last two best.

What one tool would you say you use the most? The one you wouldn't work without? Which gadget would you say a beginner should make an investment in? If there is one thing that you use that really made a big difference in the quality of your finished cake I'd love to hear that too.

Just a newbie who sees lots of cool things she wants but has no budget!
Winnie

This is my favorite tool: http://www.karenscookies.net/Cookie-Scraper_p_607.html

I use it on every single project for all sorts of things.

I love my Wilton cake leveler. It cost like $3, I've had it for years and I use it on nearly every single cake. Makes it super easy to torte. I've heard horrible things about the larger size leveler, but I love the small one.

for me , it has to be my boning tool, my leaf viening tool, and my needle scriber! i use them on everything! OH, and my tweeezers!

I have to say fondant smoother for either butter cream or fondant. And bake even strips.

My extruder! I use it for so many, many things. Love it!

I would say even my small wilton cake leveler or my gumpaste tool kit. I have used my gumpaste tool kit for so many different things. I even use the small scraper in the kit to remove small pieces of buttercream around the edge of the cake where it meets the board.

A few of my budget friendly favorite things ... Celcakes medium metal ball tool, metal bench scraper (fantastic for getting straight, smooth buttercream), Wilton icing tip 789 & 16" pastry bag, Ateco cutter sets (e.g., the teardrop shape is handy for gum paste flowers), nice sharp pizza cutter for cutting fondant.

A bit more expensive: Professional Cake Decorating Turntable by Fat Daddio's, The Well Decorated Cake by Toba Garrett, Kitchenaid pasta roller attachment.

Pretty pricy, but definitely my favorite tool: Agbay cake leveler.

Oh yeah and my pasta roller from Michael's I just bought it last week and I am already in love with it. Its so much easier than rolling it out with the gumpaste roller.

Bench scraper....the metal kind with the rolled handle. I couldn't do buttercream without it. But I find it so useful for other kitchen chores that I keep it on the counter, so it's always handy for little jobs.

http://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?id=13589&manufacid=194

When you are using the bench scraper for buttercream are you using it spread the frosting on the sides or to smooth it totally after spreading it? I can't seem to get the buttercream really smooth and I'm willing to pay less than $10 if that's the trick as tried the paper towel and wax paper etc.

I had thought about a pasta attachment as well for the kitchen aid and an extruder.

So many good gadgets So little budget!!

I'm old school buttercream! My favorite is my small off-set spatula. I can't tell you how many things I can do with that!!

And, coming in a close second would be my hi-density foam roller!

I use a wide palatte knife (like you would use for spreading joing compound on dry wall). LOVE it! You can buy stainless steel ones at Lowe's. I got a 6 inch wide one for about $7-8. I use it all the time.

Also love my exacto knife. I use it alot when cutting out fondant accents and things or just picking tiny little imperfections off of frosting...

One of my favorite and most used tools is my little palette knife with the black handle. (Purchased from Sugarshack, aka Sharon Zambito) I use it all the time. It is great for patching little boo boos in the buttercream and it is great for picking up thin little pieces of fondant and gumpaste to place on a cake. It's 1 tool I wouldn't want to do without.

My airbrush is my best friend. Reason I got a second.