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(Last Updated On: August 24, 2023)Looking to up your sourdough bread-baking game? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, having the right tools can make your baking experience more enjoyable and your loaves more delicious.
In this post, we’ll share our favorite sourdough bread making tools that have worked for us – and might help make your sourdough process easier, too!
Sourdough Starter
If you don’t have a starter yet, you’ll need a quality one. These two brands are my favorite – not only for starter culture, but for artisan flour as well.
Sunrise Flour Mill Heritage Sourdough Starter is from our local, family-owned mill that uses heritage wheat (pre-1950’s, non-hybridized).
Breadtopia’s Fresh Sourdough Starter is fresh and ready to go, and is another great choice to get your starter bubbly in no time.
Interested in learning how to make your own sourdough starter? Check out my article “How to make sourdough starter: an easy, step-by-step guide.”
Artisan Flour
Sunrise Flour Mill Organic Heritage Bread Blend Flour is my hands-down favorite flour to work with. It doesn’t mess with my tummy like other flours can, and I don’t feel bloated or heavy after eating.
This delicious flour is from our local flour mill, a family owned business that values traditional wheat and milling processes. (Use this link for 10% off ) Read more about their old-fashioned milling process, here!
Another flour I use is King Arthur’s Organic White Whole Wheat, which is not only great for sourdough but for all my other baking tasks.
Sourdough Starter Jar
I prefer more traditional jars, and love using these straight sided canning jars with removable air tight lids for both my starter and my discard. But if you’d rather have a kit, this sourdough starter jar is a great kit that has everything you need to keep a good eye on your starter.
Kitchen Scale
A good digital kitchen scale is a must for baking sourdough bread. Because most ingredients are weighed out, measuring cups just won’t give you the exact amounts you need.
I’ve purchased this digital kitchen scale twice now – one for my ceramics studio and one for my kitchen. It’s reliable, easy, and has so many great reviews.
Bench Scraper / Dough Scraper
For cutting or separating your dough, or for clean-up, a bench scraper really helps to keep everything nice and tidy. I didn’t think I needed one at first, but after trying one, I ordered it right away!
This bench scraper is a low-budget and great option, but feel free to look around – there are many out there and there isn’t one that is necessarily better than another.
Flour Sack Towels
Flour sack towels are perfect for covering or wrapping your dough, without sticking, while it is proofing. I’d recommend setting one or two towels aside just for this task, so you’re not using dirty towels that you might use for other kitchen tasks, on your sourdough.
I love this beautiful and simple set of Utopia Kitchen flour sack tea towels (12 pk).
Banneton / Bread Proofer
I didn’t think I needed one. But here I am….using a banneton and loving it. I have to admit, it helps with forming and sticking – things that were starting to get frustrating.
The superbaking banneton bread proofing basket isn’t just a banneton – a lame, extra blades, whisk, and two bench scrapers are also included in this set!
Lame / Slashing tool
This is another tool I didn’t start out with, but quickly decided it would be a fun one to try! Although my razor-blade cuts were ok, I’m an artist, and I decided to buy my lame because it looked like a fun way to be creative and try something new. End result: I love it 🙂
If I didn’t already have one, I would actually try this UFO bread lame and slashing tool. I tend to hold a pencil and paint brush very near the tip/bristles, so I like the idea of holding my slashing tool closer to the cut.
This Riccle bread lame and slashing tool is a traditional lame and comes with 15 extra blades and a cover. I don’t personally use this one, mine is from the Sunrise Flour Mill and isn’t sold online (yet!).
Dutch oven
This 5qt. Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven is a favorite among so many sourdough bread bakers – including myself! The lid can be used as a skillet, or you can bake in the lid which makes the transition from banneton to oven so much easier, too.
If you’re ready to splurge, you can’t go wrong with Le Creuset’s 5.5qt. Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven. It’s reputation for being one of the highest-quality Dutch ovens is correct, and it’s meant to last a lifetime if taken care of.
Silicone Baking Mitts
If you’re going to be working with piping hot cast iron from the oven (often 450 degrees or higher), you’ll want long oven mitts that resist that are thick and resist that heat.
My mom purchased this Rorecay Extra Long Oven Mitt set for herself, and when I commented how nice they were, she gifted me the same set when I saw her next. Not only was it a sweet gesture, but very practical as I use them all the time!
Parchment Paper or bread sling
Parchment paper sheets (I like to use a sheet and not have to tear it off the roll each time) can really help you to transfer your dough into a hot Dutch oven without deflating the dough, and also helps prevent the bead from sticking to the baking surface.
One of our readers, Phillip, just told me about using a silicone bread sling! He says it works much better than parchment paper and makes transferring his bread dough from the banneton to the Dutch oven so much easier. Thank you Phillip – I can’t wait to try one!
Cooling Rack
Another tool that isn’t absolutely necessary but actually really nice to have is a cooling rack. I’ve purchased this Checkered Chef cooling rack set previously and love it for so many kitchen tasks – cooling muffins, cakes, and of course, my sourdough.
Sharp Bread knife
A sharp bread knife is reeeaaally nice to have. Especially if you’ve put up with not-so-nice knives over the years. This 10-inch serrated bread knife is one of my favorites, and has over 17,000 reviews on amazon. I think you’ll appreciate having a sharp knife like this for your crusty bread, too!
Digital Thermometer
If you’re ready for next-level-bread-baking, you might want this digital thermometer, or an oven thermometer. For sourdough, temperature can play a crucial role in the fermentation process and can affect the rise and flavor of your bread. Check out this article “Why you need a digital thermometer when you bake bread”, if you want to learn more.
Bees wrap
While I’m not a huge fan of the canvas bread bags, I do love bee’s wrap, like this Bee’s Wrap 3-pack made with organic cotton. While not everyone loves it, for me, it has helped my bread last longer, without a plastic container sitting on my countertop.
Have any other essential (or just fun) sourdough bread making tools? Please share!
I prefer baking my sourdough in an Emerson Creek long clay baker or my Emile Henry ling clay baker. I bake all of my sourdough from a cold start. These pans form bread that fits in the toaster, makes great sandwiches and is easier to slice.
My silicone bread sling makes transferring my dough from the banneton to the Dutch oven so easy.
It works much better than parchment paper which I used for years before making the switch a year ago.
What a great suggestion! I haven’t used one yet, but am absolutely going to look them up now. Thank you!