“Metal kills your starter”

A stainless steel spoon, bowl or whisk does nothing to a starter. Stir away.

Why

The warning comes from a real thing: acidic food left for a long time in reactive metal, such as aluminium or copper, can pick up a metallic taste and corrode the metal. A starter is acidic. But stainless steel isn't reactive, and a spoon touching the starter for ten seconds isn't long storage.

Further down

What you shouldn't do is keep a starter for weeks in an aluminium pot or a tin with a worn lining. Glass, ceramic, food-grade plastic and stainless steel are all fine, for stirring and for living in.

Words used here Starter

Updated 7 October 2026