Drawn to its outside size
6 L with litre and quart marks, a fitted lid and a low, wide shape that is easy to fold in. Brod & Taylor gives up to 3,000 g of dough.
Bulk fermentation containers: what size and shape
The best bulk fermentation container is clear, straight-sided and about three times the volume of your dough, so you can see the rise against marks on the side. For one 900 g loaf that means a 3 to 4 quart tub; for two loaves, 6 quarts.
One loaf: a 3 to 4 qt clear tub. Two loaves (about 2 kg): 6 qt, such as the Brod & Taylor 6 L container. Mark the dough's starting level with tape, and stop bulk when it reaches the rise your recipe names.
Brod & Taylor 6 L containerCheck price on Amazon
Our picks
Drawn to its outside size
Tall and clear for one loaf
Cambro CamSquare 4 qt Container (4SFSCW135)
4 qt (3.8 L), 7.25 in square
Drawn to its outside size
Restaurant-kitchen standard: straight sides make the rise easy to read for a 900 g loaf.
Drawn to its outside size
Room for about 2 kg of dough to double.
Drawn to its outside size
A rigid steel scraper cuts the dough cleanly into loaves; the 1/4 in marks help keep them even.
How we know: weights and sizes are the makers' published figures, linked from each product page, and a dough range marked “our estimate” is our arithmetic on them. We do not perform hands-on testing. How we compare.
Bowl or tub?
Any bowl works for mixing. For the rise, a straight-sided, clear tub is better because a 50% rise is easy to see against a straight wall and hard to judge in a sloping bowl. Low, wide tubs are easier for stretch and folds; tall, narrow ones show the rise more clearly. Either way, a lid keeps the surface from drying.
Container size by batch
Dough is roughly as dense as water, so 1 kg of dough takes up about 1 litre and needs room to double. Choose a container about three times the dough's volume.
| Dough | Loaves | Container |
|---|---|---|
| 500 to 1,000 g | 1 | 3 to 4 qt (3 to 4 L) |
| 1,000 to 2,000 g | 2 | 6 qt (6 L) |
| 2,000 to 3,000 g | 3 | 8 qt or a 6 L tub filled no more than halfway |
Reading the rise
Put a strip of tape at the dough's level right after mixing. Most sourdough recipes end bulk when the dough has grown by 50 to 100%, looks domed and bubbly at the edges, and jiggles when the tub is shaken. How long that takes depends on the dough's temperature: the rise time calculator estimates it.
Will it fit the fridge or proofer?
Measure the shelf height with the lid on. A 6 L tub needs about 5 in; a tall 4 qt square container needs about 8 in. For a proofing box, check the base: the Brod & Taylor folding proofer takes a container smaller than 14 × 12 in.
Mixing tools
A Danish dough whisk mixes flour and water into a shaggy dough without clogging. A flexible bowl scraper gets every scrap out of the bowl and helps with folds. Wet hands are the best tool for stretch and folds and coil folds.
Dividing and pre-shaping
Turn the dough onto an unfloured counter, weigh it, and cut it into equal pieces with a bench scraper. Round each piece gently and rest it for 20 to 30 minutes before the final shape. Then proof it in a basket sized for its weight.
Cleaning
Soak dough-crusted tubs in cold water first; hot water sets the dough like glue. Most polycarbonate and polypropylene tubs are dishwasher safe on the top rack; check the maker's note.
Questions bakers ask
What size container for bulk fermentation?
About three times the dough's volume: 3 to 4 qt for one 900 g loaf, 6 qt for two.
Glass or plastic?
Either, if it is clear and straight-sided. Plastic is lighter and does not break; glass is easy to clean and does not scratch.
How do I know bulk fermentation is done?
The dough has risen by the amount your recipe gives (often 50 to 75%), looks domed with bubbles at the sides, and jiggles when moved.
More equipment for this job
Keep what you own when it does the job. These are the other exact models we profile.
Drawn to its outside size
For a starter or levain with room to rise
Cambro CamSquare 2 qt Container (2SFSCW135)A clear 2 qt square tub with volume marks, low enough for a fridge shelf.
2 qt (1.9 L), 7.25 in square7.25 × 7.25 in outside
Drawn to its outside size
For a large batch of three or four loaves
Cambro CamSquare 8 qt Container (8SFSCW135)A clear 8 qt square tub with volume marks for a large batch.
8 qt (7.6 L), 8.38 in square8.38 × 8.38 in outside