Characteristics of a great shaving bowl

[GeorgeW]

Width ~4 ¼”
-Wide enough to move brush around
-Narrow enough to grip in your hand

Depth ~2 ¼”
-Deep enough to hold lather
-Shallow enough so you can reach inside with brush

Steep sides
-Keep lather from crawling up sides

Textured inside
-Helps build lather quickly

Non-white
-So you can see lather better

Material
-Retains heat
--Keeps lather warm
-Break resistant

I've found one bowl that fits these characteristics. It is a Thomas O'Brian dipping bowl. I found it at Target on clearance for under $3.

[Greg1911]

I prefer a rounded side (rim narrower than the sides) like my Dirty Bird bowl.

Julie made mine 4.5" per my request.

I also have a Sara Bonnyman and a West Coast Shaving lather bowl. All are nice but the rounded sides (and reasonable cost) make the Dirty Bird my choice.

[canoesota]

I got the same one at Target a year ago in blue.....I love it!

[CharlieTN]

Picked up that bowl at Target for my nephew who wants to learn to wet shave. I was quite impressed with it and great price.

Charlie

[Mike'sWorld]

I think your measurements are spot on.

Most commercial shaving bowls are too big or too deep for me.

I'm currently using a 70's or 80's era Old Spice mug that I found at an antique
store for $3. It's measurements are pretty much as you describe.

[global_dev]

Steep sides
-Keep lather from crawling up sides

Textured inside
-Helps build lather quickly

Non-white
-So you can see lather better

Material
-Retains heat
--Keeps lather warm
-Break resistant



My go-to bowl is similar size, mine is clear glass with very outward flare sloping sides (exact opposite of what you describe), where the bottom rests comfortably in my palm and has no internal texture, although i thought about changing that...

i haven't ever really had an issue of keeping the lather in the bowl. it is a very unique bowl to me and was also ~$3. I actually bought 3 sizes (1 bigger and 1 smaller) and after some fake lathering the mid size bowl seemed right.

got it at wegmans.

[prickly pear]

I just registered here this morning and read about this bowl. I popped in to my neighborhood Target while out doing errands today and bought the next to last blue one! I used it tonight and it worked great. Thanks for the tip!

[sirslick]

I'll post some pics of my Bowl, it's a stainless steel bowl of similar measurements however I also have a slightly larger bowl that the stainless one fits in but doesn't fall in, I fill the larger bowl with hot water, that in turn heats the steel bowl...and it keeps my lather warm for yonks !

[inspiringK]

Great point about the textured inside.