Review: Sourdough Proofers and Temperature Control Devices

Review: Sourdough Proofers and Temperature Control Devices

By Tom Cucuzza, The Sourdough Journey © October 2023

This document is companion guide to the video, “A Review of Sourdough Proofers and Temperature Control Devices.”  Please consult that video for many more details about these products. 

All information shown here is updated as of October 2023 and includes a few new products not shown in the video.   Consult the manufacturer’s websites for up-to-date product specification, information, and pricing. 

Also, see my Products page on my website at https://thesourdoughjourney.com/products for my recommendations and special pricing (I may receive a commission on some of these sales).

Background

Many sourdough bakers struggle with controlling their dough temperatures during bulk fermentation.  The timing of your bulk fermentation is highly sensitive to dough temperature, and controlling temperature helps bakers control the timing and scheduling of their sourdough process.

Warm Proofers

Sourdough bakers and recipes generally fall into two categories:

–        Warm bulk fermenters (e.g., Tartine at 80F/27C), or

–        Cool, overnight bulk fermenters (e.g., Elaine Boddy, Ken Forkish at 70F/21C or lower)

Until recently, the only proofers available for sourdough bakers were warm proofers, like the popular Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer, which uses a thermostatically controlled chamber to warm your dough above room temperature. But recently, a new breed of temperature control devices have hit the market which allow bakers to warm or cool your dough or your starter.

Popular Proofers and Temperature Control Devices

Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer ($199)

The Brod and Taylor Folding proofer has been around for a number of years and is loved by many sourdough bakers.  It has a 25-liter capacity, is silent running, folds easily for storage, and keeps your dough (or starter) at a constant warm temperature above your room temperature.

IVYX Scientific 5-Liter Incubator ($150)

I’ve recently started using the IVYX Scientific 5-Liter Incubator to keep my dough warm or cool. It is a thermostatically controlled warmer and cooler.  It has a small, countertop-sized, footprint and has an intermittent fan.   This unit is large enough to bulk ferment a double batch (1000g flour-weight) dough.  You’ll need to find the right vessel to fit the unit for bulk fermentation.  You can find these demonstrated in the video and on my website.  Use the discount code, PROOF, for a 10% discount.

IVXY Scientific 25-Liter Incubator ($299)

IVYX Scientific also offers a 25-Liter incubator that you can use to keep your dough warm or cool.  This device is also large enough for bannetons and can be used for temperature controlled final proofing of shaped loaves.   This device is too tall to fit under countertop cabinets, but I’ve used the unit on its side, and it works and fits perfectly.  This device can fit the large Cambro containers used by many for bulk fermentation.  Consult the manufacturer website for the inside dimensions of the unit and consider if you plant use it in its upright position, or on its side. 

VEVOR 25-Liter Incubator

This unit is nearly identical to the IVYX Scientific 25-Liter Incubator.  It was shown in some of my earlier videos, but I do not recommend it at this time because it has an unshrouded circulation fan in the top of the unit.  If you’ve already purchased this unit, I recommend turning the unit off any time you open the door.  See this video clip for additional considerations regarding the VEVOR incubator. 

Sourdough Home from Brod and Taylor ($99)

Brod and Taylor recently released a new temperature-controlled unit (warming and cooling) for maintaining your sourdough starter temperature above or below your room temperature.  This small unit (3.5 Liter capacity) is marketed for starter temperature control, but I also use this device for temperature-controlled bulk fermentation for small batches of dough.  You need to find the right vessel to fit this unit.  These can be found on my website.  I use a 2-liter plastic container which is sufficient for a 500g flour-weight batch of dough.

Cooluli Warm and Cold Fridge 20-Liter ($149)

This is a new product I discovered after making the video.  It is a warm and cold proofer, and it is a unique size because it is larger than the IVYX 5-Liter Proofer shown in many of my videos, but it is smaller than the 25-Liter options.  It fits on your countertop under standard cabinet heights (beware of hot lights right on top of it), and it is large enough to handle the popular “Cambro 6-Quart” fermentation vessel.  You can also fit three 9-inch bannetons (stacked) in this unit. 

Summary of Warming and Cooling Devices

Consult the manufacturers’ websites for current pricing and specifications. 

Note: You will find many of these devices need to be set a few degrees above or below your desired temperature to maintain the target temperature of your starter or dough.   This appears to be the normal “tolerance range” of many of these temperature control devices.  It is possible to maintain accurate temperatures, but it requires some trial and error to achieve the right setting.  Always test the temperature of your starter or dough with a thermometer.  That is the only temperature that matters in the end.   

Other Temperature Control Devices

Many additional devices are shown in the video.  Here are a few of these.

Goldie, by Sourhouse ($129)

Goldie is a temperature control device for your sourdough starter.  It has a very small footprint, and is perfect for people with cold kitchens and sluggish starters.  It will keep your starter warm at 76-82F / 26-28C – the “Goldilocks Zone” for yeast growth.  This unit also as a low-tech way of cooling your starter by using a special freezer pack – a cooling puck – that you can place on top of the starter jar to keep it cool for a few hours.  I also love the starter jars they sell with this unit – borosilicate glass and a threadless, silicone lid.  A great design.

Cozy Bread Heat Mat ($45)

Cozy Bread has created a great warming mat for sourdough bakers.  It is a large size, and most importantly, it has a digital thermostat built into the cord. You can precisely dial in the warming temperature of your mat.

Nourished Essentials Jar Warmer ($17)

This jar warmer is made for warming kombucha jars, but works equally well for sourdough starter jars.  It has a “dimmer-style” temperature control wheel on it.  With some experimentation, you can find the right temperature for your starter.  It will warm from approximately 70F/21C up to 100F/38C.  The warmer is smaller than it looks in some photos and, while perfect for jars, it is probably too small for warming bowls of dough. 

DIY Options

You can make your own warm and cold proofers using inexpensive mini-fridges and a separate thermostatic controller.  See the video for more info on this topic.  The video also includes many additional low-cost options for warming or cooling your dough. 

The Future of Sourdough

The future of sourdough baking for busy home bakers is all about controlling your dough temperature.  By controlling temperature, you control time.  And by controlling time, you can make sourdough fit into a busy person’s schedule.  Countertop temperature control units, along with my Fermentation Timetables, are the future of sourdough for busy home bakers.