The Best Sourdough Starter Jars (and What Makes One Good)

Your starter lives in its jar every day, so the right one makes feeding and reading it much easier.

What makes a good sourdough starter jar

• Straight sides. They let you judge the rise accurately (a rubber band at the starting level is the classic trick) and make scraping easy.
• A wide mouth. Easy stirring, easy cleaning.
• Room to grow. An active starter can double or more, so pick a jar at least three to four times the volume of starter you keep.
• A loose lid. Fermentation makes gas. A lid that rests on top, or a screw lid left loose, is safer than an airtight seal.
• Glass. See the bubbles, and glass doesn’t hold odors.

Starter jar habits that help

• Move the starter to a clean jar every week or two to keep crust from building up.
• Mark the level right after feeding so you can see the peak.
• Keep a thermometer nearby: temperature explains most “my starter won’t rise” problems.

Setting up from scratch? See the full beginner kit list.

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