Joanna Gaines swears by this unexpectedly useful kitchen tool, and the internet is obsessed – here's why you need one

I can't be the only home baker who fantasizes about running my own artisan bakery. If you've got one of the best bread makers and love nothing more than whipping up a fresh loaf ready for the morning (there's nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread), you'll also know that slicing it can be a real pain.

I often end up with wonky wedges of sourdough that don't fit in my toaster when I tackle my homemade loaves with a regular bread knife, although a hack that I recently spotted on Joanna Gaines' Instagram has made me realise that I'm missing one key tool.

An avid baker herself, Joanna reveals the secret to transforming your home baking setup: a bread slicer. Granted, it's not the most inexpensive tool you can buy, but if, like me, you make a lot of bread, it will save you so much time (and arguments with the toaster!). Plus, you can also use it for meats, cheeses, and more, so if charcuterie boards are your thing (check our designer Bryan Graybill's charcuterie formula) then you'll find this to be good value for money.

'One of my favorite things about making sourdough bread – other than eating the sourdough bread – is slicing it,' Joanna explains. Thanks to its slowly-rotating blade, it leaves Joanna with a stack of perfectlyy uniform slices ready to be fried on the stovetop and layered up for a grilled cheese recipe.

While the video was met with a stream of adoring comments, I must admit that I was surprised to see this particular tool outside of a professional bakery – but then again, that's exactly the point.

'I like to pretend that I have a bakery and people are asking me for sliced sourdough bread,' Joanna adds. 'I even like to bag it up; it's the best part.'

Upon closer inspection, Joanna's bread slicer is full of handy features. The blade itself is mounted to a rather gorgeous cream metal stand, while the bottom of the slicer is fitted with a built-in wooden bread board, so you don't have to worry about messy countertops.

I would be tempted to display this on my countertop itself – but since I'm forever trying to make more counter space in my small kitchen, it might prove a challenge. It is, however, an ingenious addition to any home baker's arsenal, and it has jumped right to the top of my kitchen wish list.

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