Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the determination of microbe concentrations by means of a plating method, wherein a sample and a medium are plated in a dish, the medium is allowed to solidify and the solidified plate is incubated, wherein the colonies in the plate are counted. According to the method the microbes are inoculated to a medium solidifying in a dish and in such a manner that its layer thickness varies in a controlled manner. Also disclosed is a dish which is suitable for the determination of microbe concentrations by means of a plating method and the bottom part of which has such a shape that a solidified layer is formed in the dish after the plating of the sample and the medium, the thickness of the layer varying in a controlled manner.