Proof & Crumb
Rustic sourdough loaves and dough proving in round cane bannetons on a flour-dusted wooden table

Research-based UK baking guides

Better sourdough starts with the right (and fewest) tools

Plain-English guides to bannetons, Dutch ovens, scales, lames and flour for UK home bakers – what matters, what doesn't, and how to bake well in a chilly British kitchen.

Start with the budget kit guide How we research

Research-based – never fake-testedNo invented ratings or reviewsEvery product link checked on Amazon UKWritten for UK kitchens and flours

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Round cane bannetons with their spiral coils, beside a loaf and ears of wheatBannetonsProving basketsA scored loaf sitting on baking paper inside a Dutch ovenDutch ovensPots under £50A small digital scale on a wooden worktopScalesAccuracy explainedA double-edged blade resting on floured doughLamesScoring toolsDark rye and seeded loaves with ears of wheatFlourUK bread floursAn open recipe book on a kitchen tableBooksLearn the craftLooking down at the bubbly surface of an active sourdough starterStarter kitWhat you needA sourdough loaf wrapped in a linen cloth on a dark tableGiftsUnder £20

What Proof & Crumb is (and isn't)

Proof & Crumb is a small, independent guide to sourdough and bread-baking equipment, written for people baking in ordinary UK kitchens – the ones with a fan oven that runs hot at the back, a worktop that sits at 17°C from October to April, and not much spare cupboard space.

We are a research-based site. We don't run a test kitchen and we won't pretend to: you won't find invented star ratings, "we baked 200 loaves" claims or made-up quotes here. Instead, each guide explains the specifications that actually affect your bread – the diameter of a banneton, the oven rating of a pot's lid knob, the resolution of a scale, the protein content of a flour – and then points to products listed on Amazon UK that meet those criteria. That way you can judge any alternative you come across, too.

How the guides are organised

  • Buying guides cover one piece of kit in depth: bannetons, Dutch ovens, scales, lames.
  • Checklists and budgets help you decide what to buy first, and what to skip.
  • Technique guides cover UK-specific problems, like proving in a cold kitchen or choosing between British and Canadian-wheat flours.
  • Gift guides are for anyone shopping for the baker in their life.

Product links are affiliate links and are labelled Ad. We never show prices, because they change daily – use the "check current price" buttons instead.

The open crumb of a sourdough loaf cut in half
Photo: Ben Lei / Unsplash

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