I Slurped, Spooned, and Scraped My Way Through 15 Soup Bowls to Find 4 Soup-er Great Ones

Soup season is all year round for me here in San Francisco due to the climate of the city. That means my kitchen cupboard is stacked full of soup bowls. And, as a hobby ceramicist with a pottery obsession, I have very specific opinions of bowls when it comes to tableware—especially bowls. 

Although it’s been a while since I’ve owned any commercially made bowls (I make my own!), I know that they’ve come a long way from the cheap box set I bought at Target for my college apartment years ago. So, on a quest to find the best soup bowls, I bought myself a gallon of chicken and wild rice soup and sat down to test 15 different ones. I wanted to find out which retained heat best, felt pleasant to eat from, cleaned up and stored the easiest, and, of course, looked great. 

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Overall Soup Bowl

Le Creuset Stoneware Set of 4 Soup Bowls

$68 at Amazon

Le Creuset is best known for its enameled cast iron cookware, but the brand also makes kitchenware, including these stoneware bowls. The size is just right for a single serving of soup and the shape is ideal for scooping up the last spoonfuls. The glossy glaze means minimal scrubbing during cleanup.

Another Great Soup Bowl

Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware Cereal Bowls

$12 at Food52 View on Schoolhouse.com View on Hawkinsnewyork.com

If you want a more hand-made feel to your bowls, Hawkins New York’s Essential Large Bowl has soft ridges that mimic the look and feel of a wheel-thrown bowl. The exterior glaze has a pleasing soft semi-matte finish, while the interior has a glossy finish that makes clean-up easy.

The Best Wide Soup Bowl

Year & Day Big Bowls

View on Yearandday.com $64 at Macy's $64 at The Container Store

Year & Day’s Big Bowl is a versatile, wider, and shallow bowl. It’s great for soups, stews, pasta, and even small salads. The semi-matte finish has a nice feel and still cleans up easily. The bowls stack neatly together, making them easy to store.

The Best Soup Bowl with Handles

Williams Sonoma Pantry Soup Bowls with Handles, Set of 6

$50 at Williams Sonoma

These practical and utilitarian soup bowls stack nicely, which is unusual for bowls with handles. They’ve got an attractively round interior shape and they are reasonably priced.

The Tests

• Temperature Test: I heated chicken and wild rice soup until boiling, then let it drop down to 190°F. I ladled eight ounces of the soup into a room-temperature bowl (67°F) and used an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature after five, 15, and 20 minutes to see how well the bowl retained heat.
• Holding Comfort Test: After letting a hot soup-filled bowl sit on the counter for one minute, I picked it up and carried it to the next room to see how hot the bowl got with soup in it.
• Usability Test: After the temperature test, I reheated the soup back to 190°F and sat down to eat it. I made note of how easy it was to spoon up the soup and if it was necessary to tilt the bowl for the last drop. I scraped the bottom of the bowl six times to test how the bowl held up to cutlery marks.
• Capacity Test: I poured water into the bowl, seeing how much it could comfortably hold 0.75 inches from the rim. I picked up the bowl and walked around with it to monitor spills. I then poured more water into the bowl, up to the rim to measure the full capacity.
• Stacking Test: If the bowls came in a set, I stacked them and moved them in and out of my pantry. I also tried to remove just one bowl at a time, to see how easy it was to use them on an everyday basis.
• Cleaning Test: After eating from each bowl, I let the remains of the soup dry for one hour before washing the bowl by hand to see how easy it was to scrub off crusty food.

What We Learned

Straight-Sided Bowls Weren’t So Great

When I was learning how to throw a bowl, my pottery mentor said a marble should be able to fall down the side and into the bottom without stopping or bumping. I never questioned this reasoning until I sat down and ate 15 bowls of soup. A sloped interior shape means soup falls to the center, making it easy to pick up with a spoon. Straight-walled bowls mean you end up chasing the last few spoonfuls around the edges of the wall. 

Straight-sided bowls also didn’t stack as compactly. The Our Place Bowl looked beautiful but the vertical sides and flat bottoms meant they stacked tall, taking up a lot of space. Other bowls that had rims that curved inward at the top, like the KooK Bowl or the Le Creuset Vancouver Heritage Bowl, were designed specifically for oven-finished soups, like French onion soup. They retained heat well but were difficult to eat from and hard to store. All my favorite bowls flared out slightly—enough to stack neatly in the cabinet. They all had a smooth interior that allowed me to spoon up the last bits of soup without tilting or maneuvering.

Bowl Diameter Was Important

Not all soups are the same and that means not all soup bowls work with all soups! Asian noodle soups like ramen, udon, laksa, and Taiwanese beef noodle soups are traditionally served in specific styles and shapes—a factor I didn’t test for in this article. But putting that genre aside for now, consider the textural differences between stews and chilis versus brothy chicken noodle soup. You’ll want to choose a bowl that best accommodates the type of soup you eat most.

Larger bowls, like the William Sonoma Noodle Bowl and the Fable Ramen Bowl, both with a top diameter of 7.75 inches, better accommodate soups that rely on an abundance of toppings, Asian noodle soups, and rice and grain bowls. But smaller servings of soup got lost in these bowls—the single serving of chicken and wild rice soup that I used for testing looked pitifully tiny in the massive bowls. 

Shallow, wide bowls like the Dansk lost heat quickly. This is because the top of the soup had more surface area to cool and the thin layer of soup cooled fast, dropping to 97°F in 15 minutes. Conversely, my favorite bowl, the Le Creuset Stoneware Soup Bowl, kept the soup at a pleasant 139°F after 15 minutes. This was most likely a combination of the smaller diameter and size of the bowl, as well as the denser and thicker ceramic material the bowl is made of.

Glossy Glaze Was Easier to Clean, and Matte Glazes Caused Cutlery Marks

A pottery glaze is a surface applied over a ceramic clay body. (It’s essentially glass with added colorant.) Glazes come in all sorts of finishes, including super dry matte glazes that are typically not food-safe, semi-matte, semi-gloss, and glossy. Thanks to Instagram and Pinterest, there's a trend toward semi-matte and semi-glossy tableware glazes because they photograph beautifully. 

But true glossy glazes are easier to clean. The reason why is because they’re smooth. A matte glaze has a rougher texture which food has more texture to cling to. The TL;DR of it all? Matte glazes mean more scrubbing and cutlery marks to deal with.

This is the case with the East Fork Soup Bowl. The bowl I tested was beautiful, with a rich semi-matte black glaze and silvery graphite spots. But after testing the bowl once and scraping the bottom with my soup spoon, I noticed cutlery marks. This is due to the texture of that nice-looking glaze. A semi-matte ceramic glaze, like East Fork’s, is harder than a metal spoon, so as I ran the spoon over the bowl, I was left with streaks of the metal on the surface. And yes, you can easily remove those cutlery marks using a baking soda paste or a little Bar Keepers Friend but having to do that every time you use your bowl is tiresome and eventually wears down the glaze.

Bowl Material Mattered for Function and Form

A bowl’s material makes a difference in the heat retention and feel. Though the majority of bowls I tested were ceramic, I did test a few made of different materials, including glass and a plastic-like substance. Of the two glass bowls, I preferred the Fortessa Los Cabos Textured Glass Bowl design over the utilitarian but uninspiring Corelle bowl. But both bowls were difficult to hand-wash due to their slippery slick surfaces. Homestockplus, a bowl made of wheat fiber that felt like plastic, had the aesthetic of something designed for toddlers—not a great experience for an adult, even one with a childlike sense of wonder.

But a ceramic composition didn’t automatically mean “good.” There are differences even within ceramics. Stoneware and porcelain bowls are made of denser clay and hold up better than cheaper earthenware ceramics. They also retain heat more efficiently. Earthenware bowls tend to chip and can even be porous. Flip over that cheap mug you got at a garage sale and see if there are dark spots in the foot ring. That’s probably mold growing in the ceramic body itself. All the ceramic bowls I tested were made of stoneware or porcelain.  

A Foot Ring Was Nice for Hand-Washing, Less So for Dishwashers

A foot ring is a raised ring around the bottom of a bowl, plate, or mug. It’s useful to hold when you’re carrying the bowl to and from the table, as the foot ring doesn’t get as hot as the body of the bowl, making it more comfortable to carry. The foot ring also makes a bowl easier to hand wash, as you have something to hold onto as you clean the bowl. Bowls I tested without foot rings were more liable to slip out of my hands when carrying and washing. 

Having a foot ring also means the bowl weighs less. Removing material from the foot removes mass from the overall bowl. This was most noticeable in the Fable Ramen Bowl, which didn’t have a foot ring and was bottom-heavy. A foot ring also looks nice, slightly elevating the bowl so it seems like it’s floating on the table. 

But foot rings can be annoying if you use a dishwasher. Everyone who has ever used a dishwasher knows that upside-down bowls or mugs with foot rings will have that puddle of water in them, requiring you dry them with a kitchen towel before putting them away. No foot ring, no puddle of water. This isn’t a deal breaker for most folks but it’s something to consider.

Bowl Aesthetics Are Personal

Finally, the visual appeal of a bowl has to be mentioned. There are a myriad of bowl styles and the bowl I prefer may not fit your aesthetic. A Fortessa Los Cabos textured glass bowl might not be as user-friendly as a sturdy Le Creuset but if you love the look and don’t mind being extra careful with it,  then it’s the bowl for you. Most other products I’ve tested for Serious Eats, like baking sheets or saucepans, were easy to judge on their performance alone. But all the soup bowls I tested did what they were supposed to do: provide a vessel for eating soup. Your choice of bowl is highly personal and if you fancy a bowl I don’t recommend it, by all means, go for it! Just be aware of the pros and cons—and what you’re willing to overlook.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Soup Bowl

Look for a soup bowl that is made of stoneware or porcelain for durability. A glossy interior glaze makes cleanup easier—even if the exterior is matte. Pick a bowl that has a rounded, curved interior because straight sides are harder to spoon around. Look for a bowl that flares out at the top if you have limited storage space, as the bowls will stack more tightly. Foot rings add stability for carrying and hand-washing.

The Best Overall Soup Bowl

Le Creuset Stoneware Set of 4 Soup Bowls

$68 at Amazon

What we liked: The Le Creuset stoneware bowl had a smooth curved interior which meant the soup fell into the center, making it easy to spoon up every drop. The flared walls meant the bowls stacked nicely for compact storage. The glossy glaze allowed for quick cleanup: Dried-on soup came off effortlessly with a soft sponge, with no need for scrubbing. The bowl is also dishwasher-safe.

The Le Creuset bowl is made of durable, dense stoneware, which helps maintain the temperature of the soup. (It dropped from 190°F to 125° in 20 minutes, an impressive showing.) It was easy to pick up and move around, with the foot ring helping to facilitate this. It featured a beautiful gradient of color, with a darker shade at the rim and a lighter shade inside and around the bowl. 

What we didn’t like: The super high gloss of the glaze might not be to everyone’s taste. The bowl only comes in a few different colors. But otherwise, it’s an excellent choice.

Key Specs

• Material: Stoneware
• Number of bowls in set: 4
• Capacity: Comfortably holds: 14 ounces; full capacity: 22 ounces
• Diameter: Top: 6.25 inches; Bottom: 3 inches
• Height: 2.5 inches
• Weight: 15 ounces
• Care Instructions: Dishwasher-, freezer-, oven-, microwave-, and broiler-safe

Another Great Soup Bowl

Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware Cereal Bowls

$12 at Food52 View on Schoolhouse.com View on Hawkinsnewyork.com

What we liked: If you like the look of a hand-thrown bowl, the Hawkins New York Essential bowl might be a good match. It’s larger than the Le Creuset bowl, and the interior mimics the look of throwing rings. (The term for the concentric circles that come from a bowl spinning around a pottery wheel.) The slope of the walls is smooth, so the last of the soup falls into the center.

This bowl has a semi-matte glaze on the outside, which is both pleasant to touch and look at. The interior glaze of the bowl is the same color with a glossy finish, which means it’s easy to clean. It’s also dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven-safe up to 450°F, which makes it a versatile and convenient “every occasion” bowl to have.

What we didn’t like: The interior curve of the bowl is more aggressive than the gentle slope of the Le Creuset bowl, with taller and more vertical walls. Even though the soup falls into the center, you may need to tilt the bowl to get the last few drops. The angle of the walls can be more challenging for a spoon handle. The walls don’t flare out as much, which makes them stack higher and take up more space. The larger bowl size also made small servings look less generous, and soup cooled faster (190˚F to 115˚F in 20 minutes).

Key Specs

• Material: Stoneware
• Number of bowls in set: 4
• Capacity: Comfortably holds: 20 ounces; full capacity: 27 ounces
• Diameter: Top: 6 inches; Bottom: 3 inches
• Height: 3 inches
• Weight: 16.5 ounces
• Care Instructions: Dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven-safe

The Best Wide Soup Bowl

Year & Day Big Bowls

View on Yearandday.com $64 at Macy's $64 at The Container Store

What we liked: This bowl is made of dense stoneware with a high heat capacity that helps maintain a soup’s temperature. In my test, soup dropped from 190°F to 111°F in 20 minutes, just a few degrees less than the more narrow Hawkins Essential bowl. Wider bowls can be more challenging to serve brothy soup, which splashes around when carried, but the foot ring on the bottom of the Year & Day Big Bowl makes it easier to bring to the table.

Wide bowls are a more versatile shape. Beyond soup, they’re ideal serving vehicles for stew, chili, salads, pasta, and grain or rice bowls. This bowl has a soft semi-matte finish that doesn’t leave cutlery marks when scraped against it and cleans up with minimal scrubbing. It stacks compactly, making it easy to store as well. It’s dishwasher-, freezer-, microwave- and oven-safe up to 480°F. The Year & Day bowls come in a variety of colors.

What we didn’t like: Once washed and air-dried, the bowl’s semi-matte surface had water spots on it, although they easily rubbed off.

Key Specs

• Material: Stoneware
• Number of bowls in set: 4
• Capacity: Comfortably holds: 17 ounces; full capacity: 30 ounces
• Diameter: Top: 8 inches; Bottom: 4.5 inches
• Height: 2.125 inches
• Weight: 1 pound, 7 ounces
• Care Instructions: dishwasher-, freezer-, microwave-, and oven-safe

The Best Soup Bowls with Handles

Williams Sonoma Pantry Soup Bowls with Handles, Set of 6

$50 at Williams Sonoma

What we liked: Handled soup bowls look a little old-fashioned but they are practical for carrying hot soup. This type of bowl is usually difficult to stack or store, but these from William Sonoma nest inside each other.

The bowls have a thicker rim at the handles. This thicker rim reinforces the bowl, helping to prevent chipping. The glossy glaze made cleanup easy. The denser porcelain material meant soup temperature only dropped down to 122°F after 20 minutes. The bowl is also oven-safe, making it an ideal serving vessel for the classic French onion soup. The set of six is reasonably priced.

What we didn’t like: The glossy white glaze is a classic look but I wish it came in a few different color options.

Key Specs

• Material: Porcelain
• Number of bowls in set: 6
• Capacity: Comfortably holds: 14 ounces, full capacity: 22 ounces
• Diameter: Top: 6 inches (without handles), 7.25 inches (with handles); Bottom: 2.75 inches
• Height: 2.625 inches
• Weight: 16.5 ounces
• Care Instructions: dishwasher-, freezer-, microwave-, and oven-safe
  

The Competition

• Fortessa Los Cabos Textured Glass Soup Bowls: I loved the retro ‘70s-style look of these pink glass bowls. They were an ideal size for a single serving of soup and they nested very nicely. The glass also retained heat well, but the material and the lack of a foot ring meant it was slippery when hand washing. 
• East Fork Soup Bowl: This social-media-popular brand of kitchenware looked like something a local potter threw and fired in their kiln. Unfortunately, the semi-matte glaze created cutlery marks, making it less practical for everyday use. 
• Our Place Soup Bowls: I loved the look of these bowls. They feature a semi-matte outside glaze and a glossier inside glaze for easy cleanup. But the flat bottom required me to chase the soup around with my spoon and pick up the bowl a lot. The straight sides took up a lot of space in the cabinet when stacked.
• KooK Soup Crocks: These old-school crock-style bowls looked like ideal French onion soup bowls and retained heat well. But the inward curved rim made eating out of them less pleasant and they stacked precariously together, with more than two bowls on top of each other becoming unstable.
• Dowan Large Soup Bowls: This was a reasonably priced set of bowls but they were so large that they made single servings of soup feel scanty. The sloped angle and the flat bottom also made me chase soup at the bottom.
• Corelle Vitrelle Soup Bowls: These thin utilitarian bowls felt cheap. They were slick and slippery to hold and difficult to hand-wash.
• Dansk Porcelain Soup Bowls: The Dansk bowls had a beautiful, classic aesthetic. But the thin, shallow bowl lost heat quickly with soup temperatures plummeting to 89°F in 20 minutes.
• Fable The Ramen Bowls: This large bowl would be ideal for more meal-sized dishes like grain bowls or pasta. But it was too big for a single serving of soup. It was too bottom-heavy, with the foot being made of solid clay, as opposed to a carved foot ring. 
• Homestock Plus Unbreakable Soup Bowls: This set was made of a wheat material that felt like plastic. And though it was appropriately sized for an adult, the material made me feel like I was eating out of a bowl made for a small child.
• Williams Sonoma Pantry Noodle Bowls: This large bowl would be better suited for a pasta dish or a salad, not for a single serving of soup.
• Le Creuset Vancouver Heritage Soup Bowl: This old-school bowl was shaped like a tureen with inward curved rims. The unique shape made it difficult to eat soup, and multiple bowls would be challenging to store.

FAQs

What shape are soup bowls?

Soup bowls come in a range of shapes, but most are smaller than their salad bowl and pasta bowl siblings. The best soup bowls are deeper than they are wide. Wider bowls are more versatile, but soup tends to cool faster in them.

How do soup bowls keep soup warm for so long?

Soup bowls tend to be more deep than wide, which keeps the soup’s surface smaller. Less surface area means less loss of heat. But if you want to maintain a higher soup temperature, you can always heat the bowl in a warm oven (if the bowl is oven-proof) or rinse it with hot water. The warmed bowl will help keep the soup warm longer.

What’s the best size for a soup bowl? 

A typical soup bowl for an individual serving of American- or European-style soup has a maximum capacity of 16 to 28 ounces and will comfortably fit an eight- to 12-ounce serving. Smaller than that, and an eight-ounce serving will fill the bowl too high, making it challenging to move to the table. Larger than that and a single serving starts to look stingy.

Can you put soup bowls in the microwave?

Always check the manufacturer’s recommendation on whether the bowl you own is microwave-safe or not. If not, you can heat your soup in a small saucepan on the stove.

Why We’re the Experts

• Irvin Lin is a cookbook author, recipe developer, food writer, photographer, and ceramicist. He wrote the cookbook Marbled, Swirled, and Layered, which was picked by the New York Times as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016. Irvin also runs a blog called Eat the Love, where he’s developed, photographed, and written recipes since 2010. 
• He’s product tested and reviewed hundreds of kitchen items including, stand mixers and digital thermometers.
• For this review, Irvin tested 15 soup bowls, eating nearly a gallon of soup in the process. He spooned, scraped, tilted, cleaned, and stacked each bowl to judge how well they performed in everyday use.