Pie Carriers
How we tested
Traveling with a delicate pie can feel like tempting fate, but a good pie carrier can make the task easier and more secure. The most basic models are simply pie-shaped plastic storage containers, but we also found a handful that come with straps or handles for easier carrying, and even one that expands for transporting multiple pies. We tested three of these advanced models along with two simple containers (all priced from $11.88 to $25.99) by loading the carriers with 8-, 9-, and 10-inch pies, including shallow double-crust pies and taller cream-topped pies. We then evaluated each for fit, sturdiness, and durability by walking around the block and driving down 3 miles of bumpy roads.
Both of the simple container-style carriers were immediate flops because they were too shallow to fit anything taller than a 2-inch-high apple pie without crushing the top crust. Such pies slid around recklessly on the carriers’ wide, slippery bases, damaging the crusts’ delicate edges.
Handles made carriers more secure and easily transportable with one hand. Of these three models, one was too short for taller pies, and its cloth exterior was hard to clean. The two handled plastic carriers sported molded or grippy bases that kept pies perfectly stable and large domes that easily accommodated most cream-topped pies. To determine a winner, we loaded each one with the loftiest pie we could think of: our Cook's Illustrated Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pie, which stands almost 6 inches tall. Only our winner, a smaller version of our favorite cake carrier, was able to accommodate its high peaks. Plus, it expands and includes an insert that creates a second level for transporting two shallow pies, or flips to hold 28 deviled eggs.
The Results
Design Trifecta 360 Knife Block
Admittedly expensive, this handsome block certainly seemed to live up to its billing as “the last knife block you ever have to buy.” The heaviest model in our testing, this block was ultrastable, and its durable bamboo exterior was a breeze to clean. Well-placed medium-strength magnets made it easy to attach all our knives, and a rotating base gave us quick access to them. One tiny quibble: The blade of our 12-inch slicing knife stuck out a little.
Schmidt Brothers Downtown Block
This roomy block completely sheathed our entire winning knife set using just one of its two sides—and quite securely, thanks to long, medium-strength magnet bars. Heavy, with a grippy base, this block was very stable. An acrylic guard made this model extra-safe but also made it a little trickier to insert knives and to clean; the wood block itself showed some minor cosmetic scratching during use.
Schmidt Brothers Midtown Block
This smaller version of the Downtown Block secured all our knives nicely, though the blade of the slicing knife stuck out a bit. With a base lined with grippy material, this block was very stable. An acrylic guard afforded extra protection against contact with blades but made it a little harder to insert knives and to clean; the wood itself got a little scratched during use.
Swissmar Bamboo Magnetic Knife Block
This small, scratch-resistant model had a stable, rubber-lined base and could hold all our knives, though the blade of the 12-inch slicing knife stuck out a bit. But inch-long gaps between its small magnets made coverage uneven and forced us to find the magnetic hot spots in order to secure the knives. Its acrylic guard made it safer to use but harder to insert knives and to clean.
Messermeister Walnut Magnet Block
This handsome block was done in by its shape—a tippy, top-heavy quarter-circle that wasn’t tall or broad enough to keep the blades of three knives from poking out. It lacked a nonslip base, and its extra-strong magnets made it unnerving to attach or remove our heavy cleaver. Finally, it got a bit scratched after extensive use.
Epicurean Standing Knife Rack 12"
This magnetic block sheathed all our knives completely, though with a bit of crowding. But it was hard to insert each knife without hitting the block’s decorative slats on way down, and because the block was light and narrow, it wobbled when bumped. Worse, we couldn’t take it apart, so splatters that hit the interior were there to stay. Additionally, the outside stained easily, and when we wiped it down, the unit smelled like wet dog.
Kapoosh Rondelle Knife Block
This model stabilized knives with a mass of stiff, spaghetti-like bristles that shed and nicked easily after extensive use, covering our knives with plastic debris. While all our knives fit securely, several of the blades stuck out, making this unit feel less safe overall. Finally, though the bristles could be removed and cleaned in the dishwasher, their nooks and crannies made this block hard to wash by hand.
Kuhn Rikon Vision Knife Block, Clear
This plastic block required us to aim each knife into the folds of an accordion-pleated insert that was removable for easy cleaning but got nicked easily with repeated use. Because we could only insert the knives vertically, longer knife blades stuck out; a cleaver was too wide to fit. The lightest model in our lineup, this block was dangerously top-heavy when loaded with knives.