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Nerdy Science in the Kitchen

What are the Best Mixing Bowls For Baking

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woman dropping eggs into mixing bowl
Find the best mixing bowl to make you a master baker.

The mixing bowl is one of those “must have” kitchen items. It’s their versatility that is probably their greatest asset. From cakes to mayonnaise, there’s really not much they can’t do!

Obviously, the requirements you have for the bowl will affect which bowl you buy. Do you want nesting bowls to reduce space? Do they need to be able to go in the freezer, the microwave, or the dishwasher? All important considerations!

Want the abridged version of my favorite mixing bowl set? Check out the Hillbond 3-piece set at Amazon. I love the versatility you get with the set. The stainless steel with the silicone non-skid bottoms keeps the bowl secured to your mixing surface. Best of all, you have 3 bowls for those moments you need them most. Go ahead and grab it if you are looking for a great multi-piece set.

Best Mixing BowlsCapacity
20 Qt. Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl1. Libertyware Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl 20 quarts
Update International Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl, 30 qt -2. Update International Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl 30 quarts
Winco WWB-10 Wooden Woven Salad Bowl, 10-Inch, Brown3. Winco WWB-10 Wooden Woven Salad Bowl around 3 quarts
Honla 3 Quart Plastic Mixing Bowl,Set of 2,with Easy Grip Handle,Non Slip Bottom,Pour Spout,Measurement Marks,Flexible and Unbreakable,White,Turquoise4. Honla Plastic Mixing Bowl,Set of 2 3 quarts (6 total)
Mixing Bowl, Metal Mixing Bowl, German Mixing Bowl - Stainless Steel - 1.6 Quarts - 1ct Box - Met Lux - Restaurantware5. Restaurantware Store’s German Mixing Bowl – Stainless Steel 1.6 quarts
Pyrex Smart Essentials 6-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set
6. Pyrex Smart Essentials 6-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set 1, 1.5, and 2.5 quarts each
Mixing Bowls with Airtight Lids, 18pcs Stainless Steel Nesting Colorful Mixing Bowls Set – Non-slip Silicone Bottom, Size 7, 5.5, 4, 3.5, 2.5, 2, 1.5 qt, Fit for Mixing & Serving7. CHAREADA 18pcs Stainless Steel Nesting Mixing Bowls Set with Lids 1.5 to 7 quarts
Tiger Chef Large Mixing Bowls Set Stainless Steel 13, 16, and 20 Quart Multi-Purpose Commercial Cyber Monday Deals Week (Set of 3)
8. Tiger Chef Tiger Chef Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls Set 13, 16, and 20 quarts
Norpro 3 Piece Silicone Bowl Set, Red, 6.5 x 6.5 x 6.2 inches, As Shown9. Norpro 3 Piece Silicone Bowl Set, Red 1, 1.5, and 2 quarts
Mason Cash Fox Embossed Mixing Bowl - 4.25 Quart10. Mason Cash Fox Embossed Mixing Bowl 4.25 quarts
Rorence Stainless Steel Non-Slip Mixing Bowls With Pour Spout, Handle and Lid, Set of 3, Black10. Rorence Stainless Steel Non-Slip Mixing Bowls With Pour Spout, Handle and Lid, Set of 3 1.5, 3, and 5 quarts
Lipper International Cherry Finished Footed Serving Bowl for Fruits or Salads, Large, 13.75" Diameter x 5" Height, Single Bowl11. Lipper International Cherry Finished Footed Serving Bowl about .75 quarts

What kinds of mixing bowls are out there?

Before my children required that I know how to cook – and do it well – I operated under the assumption that the tools in your kitchen had zero effect on the outcome of your meal. So naturally, I had no clue that different mixing bowls were best used in different circumstances.

The question of, “what mixing bowl should I use?” was completely lost on me. That is if I even used one at all (I usually tossed everything around in a cereal bowl).

Today, I understand there’s a wide variety of mixing bowls. Some simple and some fancy. There are mixing bowls in a number of sizes, and some come in nesting sets. This article will look at what I think are the best mixing bowls for baking.

Stainless Steel Bowls

Stainless steel mixing bowls are lightweight and typically less expensive than most other mixing bowls (unless you opt for the higher gauged stainless steel). Some of the high-end stainless steel models will have silicone grips on the bottom of them to keep the bowl in place.

One huge upside to stainless steel mixing bowls is that, contrary to glass bowls, there is no risk of the bowl chipping. This means you’ll never have to worry about chipped pieces of your bowl getting into your food.

Glass Bowls

Glass bowls are generally a little sturdier than most other bowls, but that means they’re a little heavier as well (not good if you spend hours per day holding the bowl).

I have found that glass mixing bowls with measuring markers are great when you are working with exact measurements, and these markers are most easily read on a glass bowl. Another benefit you’ll enjoy with glass bowls is the ability to throw it in the microwave if needed.

Wooden Bowls

Personally, I love wooden bowls the most. They are lightweight and make tossing your foods like hot wings in your favorite buffalo sauce a breeze. Plus, they are great for housing your fresh salads.

Unfortunately, wooden mixing bowls are not very good for much else outside of that. Plus, keeping these things clean is an extraordinarily tedious task, to say the least.

Plastic or Nylon Bowls

These are pretty inexpensive and very sturdy, they’ll never chip (although there is a risk of them cracking) and you can throw them in the dishwasher when you’re done using them.

The downside to these bowls is that they become discolored after a while, especially if you are using them for mixing things like tomato pastes. They also tend to take on odors of the ingredients that you are mixing.

Now that we’ve gone over the different types of mixing bowls, what they are best used for, and where they are most vulnerable, let’s look at some of my favorite mixing bowls:

Ceramic Bowls

If you’re the type that likes to have attractive kitchenware, with designs imprinted on the sides of your bowls, then ceramic bowls are right up your alley. You can find them in almost any pattern, design, or color you can think of and even some that you can’t.

You’ll love how heavy they are when you are stirring and mixing away at your countertop. But hate how heavy they are when transferring the batter to the cooking sheet.

The more expensive models are going to be oven safe at fairly high temperatures, and many ceramic bowls are microwave safe. Be careful though, ceramic is known to chip and of course, ceramic chips is bad news for your cakes.

Silicone

It seems that silicone is quickly becoming the most popular kitchen material for chefs and home cooks alike. For good reason though, food-grade silicone is about as invulnerable to heat as you can get. It’s very easy to clean, your food doesn’t stick to it, and has the versatility to be used in a myriad of ways.

Silicon bowls are lightweight and their pliability lets you crease the bowl when pouring your mixture out.

The bigger, the better!

You aren’t always beating eggs, or mixing up a spice rub for the barbecue you have coming up the next day. These bowls are for those times you need a bowl to toss your wings in or make your daughters birthday cake.

Libertyware 20-quart stainless steel mixing bowl

The Libertyware 20 qt. stainless steel mixing bowl is great for big quantities. It uses high-quality stainless steel, that won’t bend under the weight of the batter, keeping its structural integrity no matter what.

I’m not sure I’ve ever needed the entire 20-quarts when using this bowl, but it’s great to know that it is there if it were ever necessary (plus, having all the extra space in the bowl ensures more of its contents remains in the bowl, and less end up on my counter-tops.

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Update International Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl

Is bigger always better? Not really. But, if you’re looking for a monster of a bowl – you can stop reading now – this is the bowl you need.

This is a monstrous 30-quart bowl with heavy duty stainless steel (18/8 gauge), that will hold up to all of your needs.

A giant bowl that is lightweight, durable, easy to clean, and comes at a price as awesome as the bowl itself, isn’t an everyday find. So when you do have the opportunity to get one, you just have to jump on it.

Winco WWB-10 Wooden Woven Salad Bowl

I don’t often use this bowl for mixing salad at all. But I use it all the time for mixing wings in some of my homemade hot sauce. The bowl is ridiculously light and the huge diameter and the bowls high sides makes tossing food unbelievably easy and gets you to the eating part of your meal quickly.

But…. this is a very inexpensive bowl and requires some affection if you want to use it for more than a couple of months before needing a new one. For me, it’s worth it.

Oh, by the way, this bowl also fits seamlessly into the “I’m on a budget” category we’ll look at next!!!

I’m on a budget!

Most of us aren’t able to, or maybe just not willing to spend big bucks on mixing bowls. These bowls are going to give you the results you need to achieve, without having to relinquish all that sweet moolah you made with uncle Rico today.

Honla 3-Quart Plastic Mixing Bowls

Three quarts isn’t much mixing space, but if you need several smaller bowls for mixing things like eggs or even brownie batter, this is a perfect set for you. That’s right, SET. You’ll get four bowls for an unbelievable price.

The bowls are easy to clean, have pouring spouts for easy transfer, and has a handy – well handle on it.

The true strength of this bowl though is its durability. The manufacturer touts these bowls as “unbreakable”, but I’ve learned there is no such thing. But still, they are pretty durable.

Restaurantware Met Lux Premium German Bowl

This is a very small stainless steel mixing bowl at a volume of only 1.6 quarts. But even small mixing bowls have their purposes. This bowl is perfect for melting cheese and chocolate when placing it over a pot of water simmering on the stove top.

This particular model is 1.6-quart bowl, but you have the option to purchase a 2.9, 5.6, and 8.9-quart bowls (each bowl increasing in price as they increase in size of course).

Tiny kitchen? Keep your small kitchen organized with these easy tips.

Nesting mixing bowls are a great way to get a lot of functionality for your space.
Nesting mixing bowls are a great way to get a lot of functionality for your space.

Give me one of everything!

Pyrex Smart Essential 6-Piece Set

Pyrex Smart Essentials 6-Piece Glass Mixing Bowl Set

View on Amazon

The Pyrex Smart Essential 6-Piece Mixing Bowl Set is another favorite of mine. There are three mixing bowls, 1-quart, 1-1/2 Quart and 2-quart glass bowls, which each come with a plastic lid.

The bowls are made of non-porous glass, which will maintain its shape and color after heavy long-term usage. Sometimes bowls similar to these can warp, especially if going through extreme temperature changes. These bowls, however, won’t warp, stain, or absorb odors! This means that these bowls can be put in ovens, microwaves, fridges, and freezers. They are also safe for the dishwasher, just place the lids on the top shelf.

Need to store a bunch of leftovers? Try the best containers for freezing leftovers.

I also like that they are made and manufactured in the United States and come with a two-year warranty.

Stainless steel mixing bowl set by Chareada

Mixing Bowls with Airtight Lids, CHAREADA 18pcs Stainless Steel Nesting Mixing Bowls Set – Non-slip Silicone Bottom, Size 7, 5.5, 4, 3.5, 2.5, 2, 1.5 QT, Fit for Mixing & Serving

View on Amazon

Here is a set of four bowls (each with their own specific lids) of different sizes: 1-quart, 1.5-quart, 3-quart, and a five-quart bowl are included – at a very generous price, I might add. A stainless steel whisk is included as well.

The bowls are sturdy enough for your mixing needs, but the real strong suit is the caps and silicone bottom. These are absolutely perfect when you need to mix small amounts of batter and place it in the fridge for later use.

Tiger Chef Mixing Bowls

Tiger Chef Large Stainless Steel Standard Weight Mixing Bowls Set, Mirror Finish - Set Includes 13, 16, and 20 Quart. (Set of 3)

View on Amazon

The three pack of mixing bowls seems to be a trendy package deal these days. The Tiger Chef is (among) my favorite of the sets because the bowls are versatile and I love stainless steel. You’ll get a 13, 16, and 20-quart bowls and of course, the bowls are durable and easy to clean.

Norpro 3-Piece Silicone Bowl Set

Norpro 3 Piece Silicone Bowl Set, Red, 6.5 x 6.5 x 6.2 inches, As Shown

View on Amazon

Silicone bowls are great for mixing small batches of brownies, pancakes, waffles, or anything else that doesn’t require a large bowl. This set is dishwasher safe, microwave safe, and can stand temperatures up to 500° Fahrenheit. The set includes a 1-quart, 1.5-quart, and a 2-quart bowl.

Easily my favorite thing about these bowls is that they are silicone, and you can manipulate the shape of the bowl while pouring your batter into the skillet or brownie pan.

Pretty bowls, pretty please!

Mason Cash Fox Embossed Mixing Bowl - 4.25 Quart

Mason Cash Fox Embossed Mixing Bowl

View on Amazon

For a more expensive, but classic vintage look, the Mason Cash Embossed Fox Mixing Bowl is one of the best. It will certainly set you back a few more of your hard-earned dollars, but it looks great and has plenty of reasons to recommend it.

Do you have a love for traditional kitchenware? Check out this article on the history of Wagner cast iron cookware.

This bowl is made from earthenware but is chip-resistant and exceptionally durable. It has a 4.25-quart capacity. The bowl is decorated, with forest-dwelling foxes on the sides. It’s a nice touch, and also provides better grip for holding the bowl.

This model is surprisingly light, certainly light enough to hold in one hand while stirring with the other. Unfortunately, it does lack a non-slip surface on the base to make life even easier. It’s dishwasher safe meaning cleanup won’t be a problem. The inside of the bowl is a white glossy color, which is useful for assessing color and consistency of your mixture. Although the exterior is chip resistant, the inside can scratch easily. Be aware of that if you are using a whisk or blender.

Hardwood Chef Premium Thick Acacia Wood Bowl

Yet another wooden mixing bowl and this is far and away the prettiest of them (in my opinion), the design really is exquisite. Acacia wood is attractive, durable, and makes great cutting boards, why would it be any different for a mixing bowl?

The bowl really is meant for salads or mixing any other fresh ingredients and I certainly wouldn’t use it for cake batter or anything of that nature.

Hardwood Chef has a reputation of producing and selling durable wooden tools made of a high-quality that will last years (with proper maintenance). Knowing that, you should expect to pay a premium price for their products.

If you are looking for a durable, gorgeous wooden bowl, look at this one from Hardwood Chef at Amazon.

Here’s how to clean aluminum baking sheets.

My recommendation

Rorence 3-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set

Rorence Stainless Steel Non-Slip Mixing Bowls With Pour Spout, Handle and Lid, Set of 3, Black

View on Amazon

My final recommendation is the Rorence 3-Piece Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls. It’s a set of three bowls (small, medium, and large), all made of quality stainless steel. They have silicone handles for ease of use when baking or pouring. Plus, they feature internal markings for measuring your mixture. The non-slip silicone base is a great touch. You can choose several colors such as red or blue for the bowls.

Honorable Mentions

You can never have too many options to choose from when deciding which kitchen product is best for you. Let’s look at some other pretty sweet mixing bowls.

Lipper International 274 Cherry Footed Salad Bowl

Lipper International Cherry Finished Footed Serving Bowl for Fruits or Salads, Large, 13.75" Diameter x 5" Height, Single Bowl

View on Amazon

I guess this isn’t technically a mixing bowl (at least not for batter purposes), but a salad is nothing more than a mixture of fresh veggies and some fruits right? I love this because of the cherry finish. It looks great in contrast to the colorful contents inside it and adds an aura of sophistication to the dinner table.

It is a wooden mixing bowl so you want to have in contact with water for a little time as possible, DO NOT put this in the dishwasher. After washing dry it thoroughly, you can even put a thin coating of mineral oil on it occasionally to keep its deep cherry finish looking fresh.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of your level of expertise everybody spends time in the kitchen, wants to prepare the best meals possible. In order to do that, you have to have the proper kitchen equipment, and of course, a mixing bowl is a part of that.

Get the wrong size bowl, and you’ll have trouble mixing your ingredients together. Get a poor quality bowl, and you run the risk of having unwanted aromas in your food, or worse, having bits of the bowl that chipped inside of your food.

Do yourself a solid, get a mixing bowl that makes your time prepping meals go as smoothly as possible.

Baker’s Heaven

For more great recommendations on baking supplies, check out my post on the best rolling pin for cookie dough. You might also want to read my article on the 6 ice cream scoops that will have you baking like a pro!

I’ve also reviewed the best cookie sheets for convection ovens, and the best springform pan for cheesecakes.

If you’re making cupcakes, learn how to fill them.

Kitchen Professor author
About the Author: Alexis DeAnda

Alexis DeAnda is a food fanatic, library card user, and cast iron hunter, in that order. She has been cooking for anyone that will taste it ever since her mom let her make doughnuts on Saturday mornings at the age of 7.

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