These are some of my favorite sourdough baking tools that I use frequently. Not all of them are necessary, but you definitely need a kitchen scale! The next most important thing is probably a dutch oven or similar baking vessel for your loaves to capture the steam.
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The Essentials
Sourdough starter
If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, I would recommend buying one to start with. Making your own is doable, but takes some time and could be a bit frustrating for a beginner.
I would recommend buying one like this and then feeding it several times to make sure it is active and ready to use.
Kitchen scale
A kitchen scale is necessary to weigh out your ingredients accurately. It is critical for consistently baking good loaves. This is the kitchen scale I use. I like it because it can weigh up to 22 lbs, which allows me to make a lot of dough at once. Also, it easily converts between imperial and metric units (grams to ounces).
Dutch Ovens
I bake all of my loaves in a Dutch oven or similar covered baking dishes. I actually have four Dutch ovens now because I use them not only for sourdough, but for almost every dish I cook (soups, stews, vegetables, rice).
I have two of these Cuisinart 3 Qt Casseroles. My first one I used to bake the majority of my sourdough loaves since 2016, then recently got another. They are the perfect size for one loaf of bread, and my loaves that are baked in these rise quite a lot in the oven.
My other favorite Dutch oven is this Emile Henry 4.2 Qt Stewpot. It is not very heavy, so it is easy for me to lift in and out of the oven. Many of the other types of Dutch ovens, combo bakers are very heavy and difficult to move in and out of the oven. In addition, it fits a sourdough loaf perfectly.
Other useful sourdough baking tools
Large plastic containers with covers
I use a large plastic container for most of my dough making process. I like having a large container so I do not have to do so many dishes. You could also easily use a large mixing bowl instead if you don’t have one of these. In addition, these containers are also ideal for storing flour. Currently, I have six of them that I use to store flour.
Dough scrapers
Dough scrapers are helpful for shaping your dough on the counter because they help prevent sticking. I have a flexible one for scraping dough out of bowls and a sturdy one that I use for shaping the dough.
Glass Jars for storing your sourdough starter
I use these Weck jars to store and feed my starter. They have a wide top so it is easy to feed your starter without making a huge mess.
Bannetons or proofing baskets
Bannetons are useful for helping your shaped loaves keep a nice shape. However, you can definitely just use a regular mixing bowl to hold your dough instead.
Oven thermometer!
I’ve found an individual oven thermometer is helpful for making sure your oven is actually reaching the correct temperature. For example, my oven beeps that it is at 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but it is actually only around 450 degrees!
Parchment paper
Parchment paper is useful for lining your Dutch oven to prevent sticking.
Oven mits
Of course, you need oven mitts so you don’t burn your hands.
These are all of my favorite sourdough baking tools. Once I have more, I will add them to the list. Let me know in the comments if you have any favorite sourdough baking tools that I’m missing!
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