Bread Hydration Calculator
Choose your loaf size and hydration to get exact grams of flour, water, salt and starter, using baker's percentages.
Weigh everything in grams for the most consistent bread. For your first loaves, 68 to 72 percent hydration is easy to handle.
Typical hydration by bread
| Bread | Hydration |
|---|---|
| Bagels | 55–60% |
| Sandwich bread and pizza | 60–65% |
| Beginner sourdough | 65–70% |
| Country sourdough | 70–80% |
| Focaccia and ciabatta | 75–85% |
See our bread flour guide for which flour suits each bread.
A scale built for bakers. It holds up to 8 kg, has a removable shield over the display and a baker's percentage mode that does the math for you.
Check price on Amazon for My Weigh KD-8000 Baker's Scale (opens Amazon)The scale we'd buy first. The display pulls out from under a big bowl so you can always read it, and it holds up to 11 pounds, plenty for any home dough.
Check price on Amazon for OXO Good Grips 11 lb Stainless Steel Food Scale with Pull-Out Display (opens Amazon)Frequently asked questions
What is baker's percentage?
A way of writing recipes where the flour is always 100 percent and every other ingredient is a percentage of the flour weight. It makes recipes easy to scale and compare.
What hydration should I use for sourdough?
Start around 70 percent. It's easy to handle and still gives a nice open crumb. Experienced bakers often go to 75 to 80 percent.
How much salt goes in bread?
Usually 1.8 to 2.2 percent of the flour weight. 2 percent is a good default.
Does the starter's water count toward hydration?
This calculator keeps it simple and doesn't count it, which is how most home recipes are written. A 100 percent hydration starter adds a few points of true hydration.