I always failed at keeping my sourdough starter happy - that all changed once I tried the Goldie keeper

I've tried and failed for many years to start making sourdough. I've watched countless videos and even had starters entrusted to me by friends, but nothing has ever kept my sourdough happy. That's why I was intrigued when I got an email about the UK release of Goldie, a sourdough starter keeper, engineered to protect your starter and keep it thriving all year round.

Goldie, so-called because it keeps your sourdough starter in the Goldilocks zone of between 24-28ºC, is designed to keep your living culture of bacteria happy in your kitchen. While keeping it safe from your fluctuating room temperature is the big draw, there's also the added benefit of the product streamlining your sourdough production line, with a sleek glass cloche keeping everything neatly contained.

I've been trying out Goldie for a while now, and think it would make an excellent gift for the baker in your life this Christmas, especially if they already own one of the best bread makers. Here's how it works.

What is a sourdough starter keeper?

Let's get the basics down. Goldie consists of a glass cloche which sits over a warming plate. That warming plate can be plugged in at the wall via a USB cable and has a simple light system that tells you how your starter is getting on.

If that light is gold, then you're in the Goldilocks zone. Red indicates that things are too warm and should be cooled down (using the included cooling puck), while blue indicates that your starter is presently too cold and should start to be automatically warmed by the plate imminently.

You don't get a jar included with the purchase of your Goldie, but you can buy one from the brand or fit your own inside.

To maintain the Goldilocks zone, your Goldie should always be plugged in. But that doesn't mean that this product is necessarily an energy zapper, as it has a very low operating voltage and ticks along without eating up too much energy.

Setting up my own Goldie was thankfully straightforward, and the included materials were a great help, packed with useful tips on how to keep your starter as healthy as possible.

I used the included Goldie jars as I set up my starter too, which have handy indicators which you use alongside a yellow rubber band, so that you can keep a visual marker of how much your starter has grown, and how much of it you need to discard.

I started using my Goldie in the summer, which means that I very occasionally had to use the included cooling puck to keep the temperature inside the cloche down. You store the puck in the freezer until you need to use it and I've found it to be very effective.

If you've already got a sourdough system that works for you, then spending over £100 on a cloche and warming plate may seem a little extreme. If you've already found a spot in your home that gives you that Goldilocks effect (like your oven or a small warm patch), then perhaps Goldie isn't for you.

As a beginner who has flip-flopped with the sourdough making process, the main thing I love about Goldie is how much it motivates me to keep on top of my starter. The product is very intutive to use, and the traffic light system means that you can always keep one eye on how your starter is getting along. I also love how it looks on my countertop. It streamlines the sourdough starter process down and keeps my array of bread-making materials neat in my kitchen.

The resulting loaves that I've baked after using Goldie have been tastier and fluffier, as well as the regularity with which I bake them. Sitting on your countertop, it's very easy to remember that you have a starter to use up, rather than one that you might forget about (and neglect!).

For the budding baker in your life who might not have strayed into sourdough yet, I can hardly think of a better Christmas gift!