Many still consider a whip as a "gourmet" piece of kitchen equipment. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is as essential as a kitchen stove and should be in everyone's kitchen. Nothing works better for mixing a multitude of different preparations or for making sauces or gravy. Buy a solid stainless steel whip with moderately stiff wires. Very thin wires are for mixing delicate things like egg whites or whipped cream. Very thick, solid wires are for mixing stiff dough.

This is a big ticket item, but worth its weight in gold. It will save so much time when it comes to simple chopping or more advanced preparations like mayonnaise. As with most things, buy quality-- it will last longer, be capable of tougher jobs, and give you less problems. To make the food processor easiest to use, leave it on the counter top instead of storing it in a cabinet.

When baking, it is best to allow ingredients, such as eggs, butter, and milk, to become room temperature before mixing with other ingredients