King Arthur’s Sourdough Sidekick automates starter feeding for home bakers

King Arthur Baking Company put its Sourdough Sidekick on nationwide sale May 1, 2026. The machine, developed with FirstBuild, GE Appliances’ co-creation innovation hub, had already shipped to thousands of Indiegogo backers by launch day after reaching its crowdfunding goal in 12 minutes.

The Sidekick automatically feeds and maintains starter, using a flour hopper, a water tank and a glass crock to handle the repetitive work. Auto Mode can prepare starter up to seven days in advance, and the machine can adjust its last feeding to ambient kitchen temperature so the starter is ready when needed. The company lists the device at $179.95 on its shop page; GE Appliances’ launch materials put the price at $179.99.

King Arthur’s 2024 Bread Baking Survey found 60% of bread bakers now maintain an active starter, and GE Appliances’ launch materials put the brand’s sourdough content at 18.4 million views over the past year. King Arthur’s Fresh Sourdough Starter is one of its top-selling direct-to-consumer products, and its Sourdough for Beginners class is its best-selling on-demand offering. The starter recipe drew 1.3 million views and ranked as King Arthur’s most popular recipe of the year.

Sourdough depends on natural fermentation and a living starter, which can mean constant feeding, uneven timing and a real risk of abandonment once the novelty wears off. The Sidekick is aimed at beginners, time-strapped bakers and experienced bakers who want the rhythm of a feeding schedule without the daily effort. The product’s connected app adds remote monitoring and alerts.

In a May 15, 2026 Forbes review, the machine made sourdough less intimidating for novices, while flagging noise, starter limitations and some imperfections in the stirring paddle.