Raisenne Dough Riser Review

I’ve let dough rise on the kitchen counter, in a large folding proofer, in a proofing basket, and in the oven with the light on, so I was curious what the Raisenne Dough Riser could do that those other methods couldn’t. I made multiple batches of bread dough to test the Raisenne and even used it to make some crème fraîche in a jar. Is it worth owning? I have opinions.

Design: How thin are we? This thin!

Before the dough riser arrived, I envisioned something like an induction cooktop tuned to the right temperatures for proofing dough. When it showed up, I was surprised at how thin and floppy it was. It’s even thinner than some of my thin plastic cutting boards, a bit over 10 inches in diameter, and with the power cord disconnected, it weighs less than 3 ounces. It’s made from food-safe PET plastic, in case some dough falls on it and needs to be retrieved, but it’s intended that dough should be in a bowl that sits on the Raisenne.

Along with the heating pad—that’s the best way I can describe it—is a power cord. The small brick at the end of the cord is the largest piece of the entire unit. It doesn’t have any buttons, and there’s no on/off switch or temperature selection. Instead, you simply plug it in to start heating up and unplug it to cool down.

Overall, it’s incredibly compact. It could easily be stored in a drawer, as long as it’s not going to get bent, cut, gouged, or folded. Since it heats to less than body temperature, it’s safe around kids and pets and distracted cooks. It’s safe to touch, so no one is going to get burned moving it when the dough rising is done. If a towel or piece of parchment paper rests on it, nothing will burn.

Performance: Gentle, gentle heat

This is a simple device, and it does a single job: It gently heats to 85 degrees, which is a good temperature for letting bread rise. The idea is to put a bowl full of dough on the Raisenne so the gentle heat will encourage the dough to rise at a modest pace. I used it with several different bread doughs and pizza doughs in both metal and glass mixing bowls, and it worked well enough in my cool kitchen to get the dough to a warmer temperature. The dough rose at a reasonable but not super fast speed, and it felt warm to the touch when I took it out of the bowl to shape it. This indicated the heat was indeed rising through the dough.

Since the Raisenne only heats from below, it’s not as effective as a box-style proofer that traps the heat in an enclosed space. A box-style proofer also thwarts cold breezes as well as the chilly air on the top and sides of the bowl. But, if there’s a chilly breeze flowing through the kitchen when using the Raisenne, it’s easy enough to protect the dough by placing a cardboard box or larger bowl over the dough bowl. In that case, the Raisenne’s heat would be trapped, and the dough would be protected.

While this device is great for warming bowls or jars, it’s not as great for warming a large baking sheet since the heat is concentrated in a relatively small area. When I used it under a sheet pan loaded with burger buns, I first placed the buns in the center of the pan above the Raisenne. The next time, I started with the Raisenne on one end of the baking sheet and moved the pan about halfway through the rising time to even out the heating. However, the second rise is generally short enough that I don’t worry much about speeding up the process, so this issue might be moot.

To test what else the Raisenne could do, I decided to see if it could set a jar of crème fraîche. I placed the jar on top of the Raisenne and then tossed some kitchen towels on top to contain the heat. When the time was up, the whole jar was warm, and the crème fraîche was set. (Note: The same process would apply to setting yogurt.)

Cleaning: Just a swipe

In theory, this shouldn’t get very dirty in use. However, kitchens are messy places and foods can splatter and smear, so it’s possible this will need just a little cleaning. It shouldn’t be dunked in water or cleaned in the sink, but a quick swipe with a damp cloth is just about all it will ever need.

Price: A little high, but still reasonable

This is a somewhat unique product on the market. Other proofers tend to be larger, heavier, more versatile, and more expensive. For what this does, the price is a little high, but still reasonable for cooks who need an easy way to proof yeast and who don’t have a lot of space to store something larger.

Raisenne Dough Riser vs. Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer & Slow Cooker

The Brod & Taylor Folding Proofer & Slow Cooker (view at Amazon) has a price tag that is significantly higher than the Raisenne I tested, but it also comes with more functions. The Brod & Taylor is large enough to accommodate a baking sheet full of dinner rolls, and the temperature can be adjusted so it’s perfect for every type of bread. Speaking of adjustments, it can also be used as a slow cooker with a pot, casserole, or Dutch oven full of food inside. It’s also rather large when it’s unfolded, but it can fold up for compact storage.

On the other hand, the Raisenne takes almost no storage space, so it’s great for cooks who don’t have space to spare. It’s limited to one temperature that’s perfect for bread. And it works well, for what it is.

The Brod & Taylor is a great choice for bakers who need the space and the versatility, while the Raisenne is ideal for bakers whose needs are modest and who want something more precise than the light in the oven.