Breadtopia Sourdough Starter Kit vs Nordic Ware Simply Sourdough Kit

Buy the Breadtopia kit if you want to start a sourdough culture and nothing else: it is a living starter plus the jar, o-ring and spatula to keep it going, and owners say the culture revives easily and works. Buy the Nordic Ware kit if you already have or don't want a culture and need the baking hardware: a lidded aluminum cloche, glass starter jar with temperature strip, Danish whisk, retractable lame, bench scraper and silicone sling. The Breadtopia set is narrower but does the harder job of getting a starter alive; the Nordic Ware set is broader bakeware and its lightweight aluminum cloche is easier to lift than cast iron, though it holds heat less well.

• Choose the Breadtopia Sourdough Starter Kit if you are starting from zero and need a proven dry culture with a purpose-built jar to keep it.
• Choose the Nordic Ware Simply Sourdough Complete Bread Baking Kit if you want the shaping, scoring and baking tools in one set and will get a starter separately.