How to Choose the Right Banneton from Sourdough.com

Sourdough.com sells four custom cane bannetons, and the choice comes down to two things: the shape of loaf you want to bake and the weight of dough you typically mix. Round bannetons (20 cm and 23 cm) suit boules and batards, while rectangle bannetons (25 cm and 28 cm) suit longer loaves. Match the basket to your usual dough weight first, then pick the shape that fits your baking style.

The four bannetons Sourdough.com sells

All four are listed as "Custom Cane Banneton," meaning they're made from cane (rattan), the traditional material for proofing baskets. Cane wicks moisture away from the dough surface, which helps the crust set slightly during the final proof and holds the spiral or ring pattern you see on finished artisan loaves.

Round vs. rectangle: which shape fits your bake

Choose round if:

• You bake boules (round loaves) as your default
• You want the classic circular scoring pattern
• You're building a starter setup and want one versatile basket

Choose rectangle if:

• You bake batards (oval loaves) or want sandwich-shaped slices
• Your oven or Dutch oven is oval rather than round
• You prefer longer, narrower scoring patterns

Shape doesn't affect how the dough ferments — it only changes the final form and how the loaf fits your baking vessel. If you bake in a round Dutch oven, a round banneton is the straightforward match. If you use an oval or rectangular pan, the rectangle banneton will hold the dough in a shape that drops in cleanly.

Matching banneton size to dough weight

The size you pick should roughly match the dough weight you're proofing. As a working rule:

• 20 cm round — suits smaller dough weights, roughly a compact single loaf
• 23 cm round — the standard home size, handles a typical full-size boule
• 25 cm rectangle — smaller batard dough weights
• 28 cm rectangle — larger batard dough weights and longer loaves

If the basket is too small, the dough will push against the sides and lose its shape as it proofs; too large, and the dough spreads outward instead of holding a defined form. If you're unsure, the 23 cm round is the safest starting point because it covers the most common home-baking dough weight, and the 28 cm rectangle is the equivalent choice for batard bakers.

What to check before you buy

• Your baking vessel. Measure the inside of your Dutch oven or loaf pan. A banneton that's wider than the pan makes transferring the proofed dough awkward.
• Your usual batch size. If you consistently bake one large loaf, size up rather than down.
• Whether you want a pair. Buying one round and one rectangle lets you switch between boules and batards without changing your process.
• Price difference. The four baskets sit between $19.00 and $20.00, so cost is not a deciding factor here — shape and size are.

How bannetons fit into the rest of the Sourdough.com range

If you're buying a banneton as part of a first setup, Sourdough.com also lists an Organic Sourdough Starter ($11.00), a No Stir Starter, and several Ancient Grain Sourdough Baking Kits — a Basic kit at $56.00, a Starter Kit at $61.00, and a Large kit at $118.00. The banneton is the proofing step; the starter and flour are what go into the dough. If you already have a starter and flour, the banneton is the piece that shapes your loaf before baking.

For bakers working with spelt, rye, khorasan, or moltema, the site also sells freshly milled Ancient Grain Flour starting from $8.00. Ancient grain doughs can behave differently from standard wheat — they often ferment faster and hold shape less firmly — so a well-sized cane banneton matters more, not less, with these flours.