I highly recommend the Pereria Large Unbreakable and the Timeless bowls. They both have sides which are higher than most other bowls, and a good diameter for larger brushes. They are the largest bowls in my collection and get the most use. The collapsable bowls at Stirling have high sides, but have a slightly smaller diameter, are great lather bowls and great for traveling (they pack flat and weigh nearly nothing).
I always bowl lather. I have tried a number of lather bowls, but my favorite is the bowl from a mortar and pestle set. Since the mortar bowls are designed for the grinding of herbs and spices, the inside is slightly rough. This provides an ideal surface against which the shaving brush can work to develop a smooth lather quickly. With my better soaps, it take no more than 30 seconds to produce a lather ready for application to my face. Mortar and pestles come in a variety of sizes. I find that the 4.6" bowl fits both my hand and my brush comfortably. I like ceramic as they hold heat well. Here is the one I use:
https://www.amazon.com/LEETOYI-Porcelain...08LB3TJL4/
Another advantage of this bowl is that it has a flat bottom. I love warm lather. I run hot water over the bowl to heat it up. I then place it on a Glade wax melt/candle warmer that maintains the bowl at about 120F which is the perfect temperature if you like warm lather. If you are a cold water shaver, this is not for you.
https://www.amazon.com/LEETOYI-Porcelain...08LB3TJL4/
Another advantage of this bowl is that it has a flat bottom. I love warm lather. I run hot water over the bowl to heat it up. I then place it on a Glade wax melt/candle warmer that maintains the bowl at about 120F which is the perfect temperature if you like warm lather. If you are a cold water shaver, this is not for you.
I have the Captains Choice ceramic lather bowl and I know what you mean about the shallowness of it. I also have the Captains Choice copper heavy bowl and it's just right for me. It's deeper than the ceramic one but not so deep that you knock your brush handle off the sides. That can be an issue if your'e using higher end brushes and don't want to damage them by bashing them off the sides of the lather bowl. Obviously the question of what is an ideal lathering bowl is highly subjective.
(09-21-2023, 11:15 PM)Marko Wrote: I have the Captains Choice ceramic lather bowl and I know what you mean about the shallowness of it. I also have the Captains Choice copper heavy bowl and it's just right for me. It's deeper than the ceramic one but not so deep that you knock your brush handle off the sides. That can be an issue if your'e using higher end brushes and don't want to damage them by bashing them off the sides of the lather bowl. Obviously the question of what is an ideal lathering bowl is highly subjective.
I agree, the heavy captains choice copper bowl is almost perfect.
One I like even better is the Hendrix stainless steel bowl. It has less character than the cc copper bowl but in terms of function, for me, it is pretty much perfect.
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