The Superbaking Banneton Set That Comes With Everything a Beginner Needs

What’s actually stopping your loaf from holding a tall, rounded shape once you’ve moved past the basics? For me, half a year into baking sourdough, the honest answer was simple: nothing was holding the dough up in the first place, so it just spread flat and dense during that final proof. Every attempt at building height ended with the same sideways slump. A fellow baker mentioned that a real proofing basket might be the missing piece, so I went digging for options. That digging landed me on this Superbaking banneton set beginner review — and it genuinely reshaped how I think about proofing dough. If any of this sounds like your current struggle, stick around.

Prior to owning this set, my proofing setup consisted of a mixing bowl dusted with flour and a tea towel draped over the top. It got the job done, kind of. Yet none of my loaves ever showed off that swirled banneton pattern or the snug, domed shape I kept admiring in other bakers’ photos. On top of that, the dough would cling to the towel, lose its tension, and go slack right before it hit the Dutch oven. Clearly something in my setup needed to go.

How This Basket Put an End to My Dough’s Sideways Spread

Proof your dough in a bowl or a basket that isn’t shaped right, and it’ll spread out rather than climb upward — leaving you with a flat, dense crumb no matter how well your fermentation went. Swap in a properly shaped, well-supported banneton, though, and that whole problem disappears.

Where it delivers

• That 9-inch circular basket genuinely keeps the dough standing tall through the final proof — my boules quit slumping sideways onto the Dutch oven floor from the very first bake.
• The linen liners it ships with hold up better than I expected, and they build up a seasoned surface after just a handful of uses, so sticking becomes less and less of an issue.
• Everything you’d need in a “starter kit” is included, so there’s no scrambling to buy liners, a lame, or a dough whisk separately — it’s all there, which keeps costs down when you’re just getting going.

Where it falls short

• Expect the rattan to shed tiny splinters during the early uses — irritating when they end up embedded in your dough, and I’ve had to brush mine down more than once before proofing.
• If you’re working with especially wet dough above 85% hydration, the liners aren’t quite thick enough to stop occasional sticking, so plan on flouring heavily or keeping parchment paper as a backup.

I almost returned it after my second bake when a loaf still stuck slightly — but I realized I hadn’t seasoned the linen properly and was under-flouring out of habit. Once I adjusted my technique, the basket became reliable. Superbaking Banneton Bread Proofing Basket, Sourdough Bread Baking Supplies, Round 9 Inch Sourdough Starter Kit

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was my sourdough dough spreading flat instead of rising tall?

Without proper support from a shaped banneton, dough spreads outward rather than climbing upward during final proof, resulting in flat, dense crumb. A properly shaped, well-supported banneton basket keeps dough standing tall and prevents the sideways slump that happens when proofing in unsuitable bowls or unshaped liners.

Does this banneton set include everything a beginner needs?

Yes, the Superbaking Banneton set includes the 9-inch circular basket, linen liners, a lame, and a dough whisk—everything needed to get started. Nothing requires separate purchases, which keeps costs down when you’re just beginning your sourdough journey.

Will the linen liners stick to my dough?

The liners build up a seasoned surface after just a handful of uses, so sticking becomes less of an issue over time. For especially wet dough above 85% hydration, flour heavily or keep parchment paper as backup since the liners aren’t quite thick enough to prevent occasional sticking with very wet doughs.

Does this banneton shed rattan splinters?

Yes, expect the rattan to shed tiny splinters during early uses, which can embed in your dough. Brush the basket down more than once before proofing to minimize this irritating problem during your initial bakes.