When choosing the best prep bowl for you, think about the size and style that will work with the kinds of dishes you prepare. It's important to have enough prep bowls in small, medium and large sizes, since the whole idea of having them is to be able to set out all your ingredients so they're ready. Thinking about the types and amounts of ingredients you use in your favorite recipes can help serve as a guide in choosing prep bowls. If you use similar looking ingredients, such as salt and white sugar, in the same recipe, picking assorted prep bowls so you can easily distinguish them is a good idea. You should also look for a prep bowl design that you enjoy the looks of and is easy to clean.
Many kinds of prep bowls are both ovenproof and dishwasher safe. These can be simple to wash as well as versatile, as they may be used in the oven for baking individual cakes. Some types of prep bowls are beautifully exotic looking, such as bamboo varieties, but these may have to be hand washed, so you'll need to take that into consideration. Either clear glass, metal or porcelain prep bowl varieties can be an excellent choice, as they are usually dishwasher safe and can double as serving dishes for pudding or yogurt.
Some styles of these bowls feature measurement markings so they can also be used as measuring cups. Lids are another prep bowl feature that can be especially helpful. They allow you to set out and have ready in the refrigerator ingredients that require refrigeration. You can also use lidded prep bowls to store leftovers as a way of reminding you to use the food.
Prep bowls sold in sets may be plain or decorative. Buying the sets can be a good choice if you want bowls the same size or different sizes, as both of these options are available. You can also buy artistically or whimsically decorated prep bowl sets that may come with a small matching whisk. This type of set can be great for helping with one of the lookalike ingredients in a recipe if you place the other in a plain bowl to distinguish the two. Cute, colorful sets of prep bowls also make great hostess gifts, small presents for teachers or little "thank yous" for helpful friends.