If you want your glass bowl to last a long time, you need to ensure you get the right bowl in the first place. Different glass bowls are suitable for different purposes — a glass bowl for storage doesn't need to have the same components as a glass serving bowl. This buying guide will help you invest your money wisely. Let’s dive into our extensive buying guide to learn how to differentiate a low-quality glass bowl from one that will suit all your needs!
Factors To Consider When Buying a Glass Bowl
Here are some factors you need to take into account when you’re looking to purchase a glass bowl:
Mixing and beating
We all use bowls in our kitchen to mix up some batter for baking, beat it, and blend it according to the recipe. Not every bowl can be used for this purpose. You need the right-sized bowl with the proper depth and area. A wide and shallow bowl will allow you to mix the batter, but its low walls likely won’t keep the batter from splashing, making your cooking space extremely messy. Similarly, deep and narrow bowls will allow you to mix and whip without making a mess, but they won’t give you the space you need to fold the batter. If you want a salad bowl for mixing purposes, you’ll need to get a glass bowl with a wide shape for folding batter, with deep walls to contain the splattering, and sloped sides, so you can quickly whip up your favorite cake or frosting.
Size
You also need to consider the size of the glass bowl you need. Not every glass bowl will have the same capacity and the size will determine what purpose you can use the glass bowl for. Almost all glass bowls have a maximum size of four quarts. Usually, a four-quart glass bowl is enough space for storing food, mixing up ingredients, or even serving your favorite salad. Remember, glass bowls are heavier than steel bowls which is why they are not manufactured in sizes above four quarts. If they were larger they would get very heavy and would be much more difficult to lift. If you’re looking for variety and want a glass bowl in different sizes, you can choose a set of glass bowls. That way, you can have glass bowls in a variety of sizes from 1.5 quarts to 4 quarts.
Grip
A good grip on the glass bowl is crucial. Otherwise, you might drop it by accident and the bowl might shatter. The rim of the bowl determines what kind of grip the bowl has. A wide rim is perfect for gripping the bowl properly. You should choose a glass bowl that has a rim that is slightly bent from the edge and protruding outwards, which will allow you to grip it easily.
Other Bowls You Should Get for Your Kitchen
There are many different types of bowls available for you to buy for your kitchen. Below, we’ve highlighted a couple of types you might also consider buying:
Stainless steel bowls
Another material you might consider for mixing bowls is stainless steel. These bowls are incredibly light, so if you want to carry the bowl around easily, this material is a perfect choice. Like glass bowls, they also sometimes come with lids and they can come in stackable sets, which will help you save space around your kitchen. Their most significant benefit is that you can drop them as much as you want without worrying about them breaking into a million pieces. Stainless steel bowls aren’t usually used as serving dishes since they don’t look as presentable as glass. They’re also unsuitable for use in the microwave or freezer. Some stainless steel bowls cannot be washed in the dishwasher.
Wooden Bowls
If serving is your primary purpose, wooden bowls are a perfect choice because of their elegance. They’re most often used to serve salads as the wood absorbs the ingredients and adds its own flavor to the salad in the bowl. Wooden bowls come in different types depending on the wood they’re made of. You can choose from cork, acacia, bamboo, and olive wood, depending on the look and texture you want to achieve. Because wooden bowls come in different colors, they offer a lot of variety in design. Remember you can’t put wooden bowls in the dishwasher, and they’re not as durable as their counterparts.
