OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale
For seeing the display past a wide bowl
OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food ScaleA pull-out display helps keep the reading visible under larger containers.
11 lb (5.0 kg), reads in 1 g steps
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Bread hydration explained, with a chart by flour
Hydration is the weight of water in a dough divided by the weight of flour. 750 g of water to 1,000 g of flour is 75% hydration. Higher hydration makes a wetter, stickier dough and usually a more open crumb; whole grain flours absorb more water, so they need more to feel the same.
Typical starting points: sandwich loaves 60 to 65%, everyday sourdough with bread flour 70 to 75%, open-crumb sourdough 78 to 85%, whole wheat 75 to 85%. Count the water and flour in your starter too.
Hydration chart by flour
Flour batches vary, so treat these as starting points and adjust in 2 to 3% steps. Free to cite with a link to this page.
| Flour | Our starting point | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose (US) | 60 to 70% | Less protein than bread flour; stays slacker at high hydration |
| Bread flour | 68 to 78% | Higher protein holds more water and gas |
| Whole wheat | 75 to 85% | Bran absorbs more water; let it rest after mixing |
| Rye (in a mixed dough) | 70 to 85% | Sticky rather than stretchy |
| Spelt | 60 to 70% | Absorbs less; weaker gluten tears if overworked |
| Einkorn | 62 to 76% | Jovial's own einkorn breads; very weak gluten, stays sticky |
| Durum / semolina | 65 to 75% | Absorbs slowly; rest before judging the dough |
Count the starter's water
A 100% hydration starter is half flour, half water. A dough of 500 g flour, 350 g water and 100 g starter is 70% on the main flour, but counting the starter (50 g flour, 50 g water) it is 400 ÷ 550 = 73%. The baker's percentage calculator shows both figures.
What each level feels like
At 60 to 65% the dough is smooth, firm and easy to shape. At 70 to 75% it is soft and a little sticky; wet hands and a bowl scraper help. Above 80% it is slack and sticky and needs more folds and practised shaping. Start lower and raise the water as your handling improves.
Adjusting a recipe
If a dough feels too wet with your flour, hold back 5% of the water and add it during mixing only if needed (the bassinage method). Changing hydration changes timing a little: wetter doughs ferment slightly faster. See baker's percentage for scaling.
Questions bakers ask
What hydration is best for sourdough?
70 to 75% with bread flour is a forgiving start. Raise it toward 80% for a more open crumb once shaping feels easy.
How do I calculate hydration?
Water weight ÷ flour weight × 100. Include the flour and water in your starter for overall hydration.
Equipment for this job
Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.
OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale
Drawn to its outside size
For batch weighing and percentage mode
My Weigh KD-8000An 8 kg scale with a separate platform and adjustable auto-off.
8 kg, reads in 1 g steps9.8 × 8 in outside