In many of the colder states, the key to successful gardening is having successful seedlings. You can buy a "plug" kit from Walmart or your local hardware store, and they also have trays that are made for plugs. But both of those solutions have a stunting effect on seedlings before transplanting. The most successful farmers and gardeners use soil blocks.
This is an inexpensive four-hole block maker for 2" x 2" blocks. They come with 3 different inserts. One is for very small seeds, like lettuce. The longer plug is for most other seeds, like tomatoes, beans and melons. And there is also a cube insert for up-transplanting from the 1cm Ladbrooke blocker, or from hand cut cubes made from initially casting seeds, like tobacco and many other leafy veggies.
The blocker assembles and seconds, and should give you a lifetime of use.