What tools are in the CookTheGuide toolkit?

Six tools launched with the toolkit: a unit converter (metric ↔ imperial), an oven temperature converter (°C ↔ °F ↔ gas mark), a recipe scaler, a baker's percentage calculator, a cups to grams converter (with ingredient-specific densities), and a kitchen timer. All run offline in the browser with no sign-up required. See the tools page for the full workspace.

Why does the cups-to-grams converter mark some values as approximate?

Cup measurements are volume-based, not weight-based. The same cup of flour can weigh 120–150 g depending on how densely it was packed. CookTheGuide marks converted values as approximate where the variation is meaningful, following the same transparency standard used throughout the data pages. For precise baking, weighing on a scale is always recommended — as covered by King Arthur Baking.

How does the baker's percentage calculator work?

The baker's percentage system expresses every ingredient in a bread formula as a percentage of the total flour weight, with flour always = 100%. So a dough with 500 g flour and 350 g water has a hydration of 70%. The calculator lets you enter any flour weight and it scales all other ingredients accordingly. The Perfect Loaf's reference guide is the best introduction if you are new to this system.

Can I use the toolkit without an internet connection?

Yes. All six tools run entirely in the browser — they do not make network requests to calculate a result. Once the page has loaded, you can disconnect from the internet and the tools will continue to work. This is by design: a tool that fails when your Wi-Fi drops is not useful in a kitchen.

Will more tools be added to the toolkit?

Yes. Planned additions include a brining calculator, a fat-ratio tool for pastry, a fermentation temperature log and a substitution finder. CookTheGuide follows the same discipline as our guides: every tool must have a clear, evidence-based use case before it is added. Community suggestions can be sent via the About page.

The toolkit opens with six kitchen tools

Six tools, one workspace

The CookTheGuide toolkit opens with six calculators that cover the most common conversions and checks a home cook encounters. They share a single page so you can switch between them without losing your place — something that matters when you are mid-recipe and need two conversions in a row.

Unit converter

Converts mass (g, kg, oz, lb), volume (ml, l, fl oz, cups, tbsp, tsp) and temperature (°C, °F, gas mark) in both directions. The temperature section doubles as an oven reference table — every gas mark listed alongside its Celsius and Fahrenheit equivalent, with a description (e.g. "hot oven"). Most cookbook authors write in one unit system; this tool removes the need to carry a conversion in your head. See BBC Good Food\'s oven temperature guide for a companion reference.

Recipe scaler

Enter a recipe's serving count and the number you want to make. Every ingredient quantity scales proportionally. This sounds simple, but there are two important caveats the tool reflects: salt and spices do not scale linearly (taste and adjust when scaling up), and baking times do not scale with portion count. Those caveats are shown inline in the tool. Serious Eats explains the limits of recipe scaling in more depth.

Baker's percentage calculator

Enter any flour weight; the calculator outputs all other ingredients scaled to common bread formulas, with their baker's percentages shown. It also works in reverse: enter the percentages you want and a target dough weight, and it outputs the ingredient masses. This is the same tool covered in the baker\'s percentage guide.

Cups to grams

Converts cup volumes to grams for six ingredients: plain flour, caster sugar, brown sugar, butter, honey and water. Values marked with a ≈ symbol are approximate — cup measurements depend on packing density, which varies. For precise baking, we always recommend weighing. See King Arthur Baking on why weighing matters.

Kitchen timer

A multi-stage countdown timer that runs in the browser tab. Set up to three parallel timers, each with a label. The tab title shows the shortest remaining time so you can see it at a glance without switching windows.