What Tool Do You Wish You Had Never Bought?
Decorating By Baking Sis Updated 17 Jan 2017 , 12:20pm by gscout73
AI agree anything Wilton is a waste of money. Wish I never purchased any of it. Also got one really huge lace rolling pin that was a 50.00 pin. I hate it it makes terrible lace like a picture out of focus. I need to look it up and provide a link . This makes me think I need to go through my cake equipment and sell some of this stuff on Craigslist or ebay
AI use *barely* enough binder to hold them together. I am not a fan of the pre-chewed texture.
Cricut was my biggest purchase. I got one at Hobby Lobby on clearance for $100. I was so excited to use it, but as of now have not figured it out. Finally gave up on it because I had to "baby" it to much!
I disagree with all of the ribbon cutter haters. I use mine every time I make a bow, which is quite often, and every time I make a ribbon for the bottom of a cake and I've never had a problem.
The thing I use the very, very least is a cake ball maker for cake pops. I much prefer the "crumble up your cake and mix it with buttercream" method. The cake balls are just too dry without the frosting mixed in. Some people like it that way, I guess; I'm not one of them.
Like others, I purchased the cheap Wilton cake leveler. It wasn't just cheap in price... the quality is awful too.
Some of my Wilton pans bend easily and get some dings in the corners which are pretty annoying when you're going for a perfect, smooth cake.
I agree with the person that posted the "roll and cut mat". That roll and cut mat is also terrible for covering cakes with fondant. I still use it when I don't want to get my counters dirty and I'm only working on small flowers or decoration, but for covering a cake my counter top is 100 times better.
AI would also say the babycakes cakepop maker I used it once in a pinch and realized making them by hand taste way better.
cricut. it was under the christmas tree three years ago and has been out of the box three times. grrrrr....still upset at hubby for wasting money on it. (i didn't even say that i wanted one!)
A
Original message sent by lorieleann
cricut. it was under the christmas tree three years ago and has been out of the box three times. grrrrr....still upset at hubby for wasting money on it. (i didn't even say that i wanted one!)
I would also say the babycakes cakepop maker I used it once in a pinch and realized making them by hand taste way better.
I don't make cakepops in mine. I cook breadballs that are real good dipped in soup or chili. Just use a good sturdy bread like French or Italian or other hearty bread. I just learned you can make colored cakepop balls in it and bake them in a cake and make a polka dotted cake. so maybe not that bad of a find since I have other uses for it.
AI'd say 80% of the wilton products. As may of you said for a beginner decorator, that's great. But, over the years I have no use for them because i found easier ways or shortcuts to make life easier. I know this isn't decorating related per sat but I have an egg separator that sits. I can do it by hand a million times faster. Or, it could just be operator error. Ha Haha
AI'd say 80% of the wilton products. As may of you said for a beginner decorator, that's great. But, over the years I have no use for them because i found easier ways or shortcuts to make life easier. I know this isn't decorating related per sat but I have an egg separator that sits. I can do it by hand a million times faster. Or, it could just be operator error. Ha Haha
I could not even give my wilton mat away for free. Everyone must have heard how crappy they are. It was expensive here in Australia, too. I binned it.
I don't use my cricut heaps but I love it when I do use it. I have lots of things I hardly ever use but I do love them when I want them. I am a magpie, I collect.
Ha! A friend who also has a cake business asked for help with fondant and gave me Wilton's mat as a thank you. She has one and LOVES it. She has asked what I think of it and I haven't the heart to tell her I'm too nervous to try it. I've heard too many bad things and worried it will be a waste of time, effort, and maybe fondant!
I agree, the Wilton cake levers are a waste! I regret buying the wilton storage unit too. Crazy how little actually fits in there.
Bless you ALL for this thread! I am starting out and this is so perfect for me! I was just drooling over the tool kits on Amazon... I think I will be a little more discerning now! Keep em coming!!
Oh, and on a side note? I have a TON (read: over 200) cookie cutters but they are all in plastic. Does plastic make a difference when using them for fondant/gumpaste? I would rather not replace all my designs in metal if I don't have to!
I HAD to have a cake leveler and that was a big waste of money - It always cuts crooked and I can't use it - A knife works so much better! I do use my fondant mat and I like it. I use my counter top sometimes but my tops have rolled edges that elevate on the sides so the map keeps me from making as many mistakes when rolling and getting too close to the edge. I like my Wilton storage bin but I think I need at least 3 of them - 1 just isn't near enough!
Bless you ALL for this thread! I am starting out and this is so perfect for me! I was just drooling over the tool kits on Amazon... I think I will be a little more discerning now! Keep em coming!!
Oh, and on a side note? I have a TON (read: over 200) cookie cutters but they are all in plastic. Does plastic make a difference when using them for fondant/gumpaste? I would rather not replace all my designs in metal if I don't have to!
You can certainly use plastic, but I find that metal gives a cleaner cut.
AI started out using wilton gel colors but now I'm slowly replacing all those with Americolor color gels you can buy them at hobby lobby or online.
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001O8KR4Q/ref=redir_mdp_mobile
I also use to use wiltons flower nails as heating cores but they rust very easily so I recommend these.
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0061UGRIC/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?qid=1369407880&sr=8-1-spell&pi=SL75
I HAD to have a cake leveler and that was a big waste of money - It always cuts crooked and I can't use it - A knife works so much better! I do use my fondant mat and I like it. I use my counter top sometimes but my tops have rolled edges that elevate on the sides so the map keeps me from making as many mistakes when rolling and getting too close to the edge. I like my Wilton storage bin but I think I need at least 3 of them - 1 just isn't near enough!
Home Depot had toolboxes on sale. They have a lid and when you open it there is a little tray. You can fill the tray and the area underneath. It has three drawers . I lined mine with the foam sheets in the crafting aisle at Hobby Lobby. You close all three drawers and shut the lid and it locks them in place. There is a handle on top to carry it. It cost about $20. I got one for buttercream and one for fondant. Only the big stuff does not fit. They are a little bulky and they don't stack, but that is ok.
I love my two Cricut units (I got mine when you could still use SCAL software with them) and use them pretty much on every cake in some capacity!
My biggest waste...gosh, there's been so many...the electric turntable...turned out to be worthless. Still got that gadget store somewhere!
I bought baking strips of which I have never used. Since I don't do wedding cakes my cakes are smaller, no bigger than 10 inch rounds, or 9 x 13 pan cakes. I have never had a dry cake. If I was doing a 14 inch square for wedding cakes then I would have to try to cook those differently, maybe on slower temperature and cook longer and using the flower rose metal tips to help them be more moist. I have heard of putting two 9 x 13 cakes layers together to make it 18 x 26 and cutting them each in half to make it 2 layers thick.
I bought a whole lot of russian piping tips and have not used but a few of them but they turned out fabulous. The people who got cake was amazed at the flowers on top of cake and said it was the moistest cake they had ever had!!
I actually really like the Wilton tools that I have, but were purchased years ago. I was very selective and did not fall into the trap of having to get everything they made/make. My wire leveler works great and fast. And on larger cakes I use it with a knife so I have even height on my cuts. My ribbon roller works. And my old flower kit pieces make nice clean cuts.
I absolutely do regret purchasing the Wilton metal alphabet set. I Hate those, used only a couple of times and will never use those again.
The one thing that I can say I refused to get suckered into was the Wilton punch-cut-decorate line. What a scam, and waste of money and time.
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