All guides
27 articles
Buying guides
In-depth reviews of stand mixers, ovens, proofers, packaging and more, so you buy the right gear the first time.
Best Bakery Boxes for Cakes: Sizing Guide (4 to 12 Inch)
Pick the right cake box on the first try — the 2-inch rule, tall vs flat designs, window vs solid, and four boxes that cover 95% of home bakery needs.
4 products compared
Best Dutch Oven for Sourdough Bread Under $100 (2026 Guide)
Four Dutch ovens under $100 that bake bakery-quality sourdough at home, plus the sizing, shape, and use-protocol details most guides skip.
4 products compared
Best Bakery Packaging for Small Businesses in 2026
From kraft window boxes to food-safe bags and labels, here are the best packaging options for home bakers and small bakery businesses selling cookies, cakes, and pastries.
2 products compared
Best Stand Mixers for Home Bakers in 2026
We tested and compared the top stand mixers for home bakers — from budget-friendly options to professional-grade machines. Here's what we actually recommend.
1 product compared
Setup guides
Step-by-step guides for setting up a home bakery, from first mixer to running a real business.
How to Start a Cookie Business From Home (2026 Guide)
Cookies are the easiest legal product in cottage food — shelf-stable, shippable, and cheap to test. Here's the pricing, packaging, and paperwork to start.
5 products compared
How to Start a Home Bakery: Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
A twelve-step path from first legal check to first paid order, with real costs, the paperwork your state actually wants, and what to skip at the start.
3 products compared
Home Bakery Business Plan: Free Template and Worked Example
A bakery business plan built for a home kitchen, not a storefront — with real 2026 startup numbers, a pricing model, and a one-page version you can finish tonight.
2 products compared
Best Bakery Website Builders 2026: 6 Platforms Compared
A real bakery website builder comparison for home bakers — 2026 prices, transaction fees, pickup scheduling, allergen display, and the right pick per baker type.
How to Sell Baked Goods Online From Home (2026 Guide)
Learn how to sell baked goods online from home with a channel-by-channel guide from local sales to Facebook, your own website, and legal in-state shipping.
5 products compared
How to Make a Bakery Website: 2026 Home Baker's Guide
How to make a bakery website in one weekend: domain, builder, the five pages you need, and phone-camera photos. Real 2026 pricing, no code required.
1 product compared
How to Price Baked Goods: A Cottage Bakery Formula (2026)
The cost-plus pricing formula that ends underpricing — ingredient cost, time, overhead, and the markup most home bakers forget — with worked examples.
3 products compared
How to Take Orders for a Home Bakery: Workflow & Tools
The order-handling workflow that scales from 5 to 50 weekly orders — payment, scheduling, packaging, and shipping — without becoming a customer service job.
2 products compared
How Much Does It Cost to Start a Home Bakery? Real 2026 Numbers
Three real budget tiers — $500 lean, $1,500 standard, $3,500 pro — broken down line-by-line with current Amazon prices, plus the recurring costs most guides skip.
10 products compared
How to Bake Sourdough in a Dutch Oven: Beginner's Step-by-Step
A no-nonsense 24-hour sourdough method using a Dutch oven — exact timings, gear list, and a troubleshooting guide for your first loaf.
5 products compared
Essential Baking Tools for Starting a Home Bakery
A practical checklist of the tools you actually need to run a productive home bakery — plus what to skip. Covers scales, thermometers, storage, decorating, and more.
4 products compared
Legal & licensing
Cottage food laws, permits, insurance and licensing, state by state.
Minnesota Cottage Food Law (2026): Registration, Limits, Rules
The Minnesota cottage food law lets home bakers sell up to $78,000 a year with an MDA registration. How Tier 1 and Tier 2 work now, and what changes in 2027.
4 products compared
Cottage Food Permit: How to Get One in Your State (2026)
Some states issue a cottage food permit, some require registration, and some require nothing at all. Here's which one you need and how to file it.
Home Bakery Insurance: Real 2026 Costs and When You Need It
Home bakery insurance runs $25.92–$44/month for $1M–$2M in liability coverage. Here's what it covers, when it's actually required, and how to buy it.
Illinois Cottage Food Law: 2026 Rules for Home Bakers
Illinois has no cottage food sales cap, but you must register with your county health department and be a certified food protection manager. Here's the full process.
2 products compared
Georgia Cottage Food Law 2026: No License, No Sales Cap
Georgia's cottage food law dropped the license, the fee, and the home kitchen inspection in 2025. Here's what you can sell, how to label it, and where.
2 products compared
Ohio Cottage Food Law: 2026 Rules for Selling Baked Goods
Ohio splits home baking into two tracks: cottage food (no license, no sales cap) and home bakery (registered and inspected). Here's which one you are.
2 products compared
Cottage Food Labels: How to Label Baked Goods to Sell
Cottage food labeling requirements explained: the 6 mandatory label elements, a copy-ready cottage food label template, and every state's home-kitchen disclaimer.
4 products compared
Cottage Food Laws by State: 2026 Guide for Bakers
Cottage food laws vary by state — some need no license, others require permits and inspections. Compare sales caps, rules, and labeling across 12 US states.
2 products compared
California Cottage Food Law: Class A & B Explained
California's cottage food law has two tiers — Class A for direct sales, Class B for retail. Here's the difference, sales caps, labeling rules, and how to start.
2 products compared
Michigan Cottage Food Law: 2026 Home Bakery Rules
Michigan's cottage food law requires no license and now allows online sales plus a $50,000 cap. Here's what you can sell, the label rules, and how to start.
2 products compared
Florida Cottage Food Law: Buttercream, Labels & Sales Cap
Florida's cottage food law needs no license and allows $250,000 in annual sales — but real-butter buttercream is banned. See what you can legally sell, bake, and label.
2 products compared
Texas Cottage Food Law: What You Can Sell in 2026
Texas lets you sell baked goods from home with no permit and a $150,000 sales cap. Here's exactly what you can sell, the label rules, and how to start in 2026.
2 products compared