Baking sourdough bread is a traditional process. It relies on natural fermentation and wild yeast. However, a new kitchen device aims to bring modern technology to this old craft. The machine is called the Sourdough Sidekick.
Created as a joint project by FirstBuild and the King Arthur Baking Company, the Sourdough Sidekick is designed to automate the most repetitive part of baking: managing the sourdough starter. A starter is a mixture of flour, water, and wild yeast that needs regular feeding to stay alive and active.
To use the device, you place 15 grams of your existing starter into the jar. Then, you fill the dispensers with flour and water. The machine has three main modes:
First is the "Auto" mode. You set the date and time when you want to bake, along with the amount of starter you need. The Sidekick then checks the local temperature and feeds the starter flour and water on a schedule. When you are ready to bake, the starter is at its most active state.
Second is the "Ratio" mode, which lets you choose from preset feeding ratios. Finally, the "Custom" mode allows you to specify the exact amounts of water and flour. This mode is useful for thicker flours, like rye, which the machine might otherwise struggle to mix. You can also use Custom mode to build a starter from scratch.
However, the Sourdough Sidekick has some disadvantages. It costs $179.99 and is currently only available in the US. It is also quite noisy, and its main parts cannot be cleaned in a dishwasher. Additionally, the machine is not ideal if you do not bake often. If you schedule a bake more than four days in advance, the Auto mode forces you to make at least 400 grams of starter, which can create a lot of wasted flour. Finally, there is no automatic "maintenance" mode to simply keep the starter alive without planning a bake. To do that, you must put the jar in the refrigerator.
While the Sourdough Sidekick works well for people who bake multiple times a week, casual bakers might find it to be another unnecessary kitchen gadget.