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See why.The Best Lid Holders
Do you really need a lid holder? Turns out, you just might.
Top Picks
See Everything We TestedWhat You Need To Know
Here’s a scenario familiar to most cooks: You lift the lid of a pot to stir or add ingredients and have nowhere to put that lid without taking up and dirtying valuable counter or stovetop space. Lid holders promise to save that space and keep your work zone clean. We were skeptical as to whether any of these gadgets were really worth buying, so we put them to the test, gathering four models priced from $11.99 to $80.00 and using them to hold nine lids of different sizes (from 6 to 13 inches in diameter and from 9 ounces to nearly 6 pounds in weight) and materials (steel, glass, cast iron). Three were essentially heat-resistant stands with troughs that cradled the lids and contained any drips; a fourth model held lids faceup, so they couldn’t drip in the first place.
One of the lid holders failed at its primary function—lids of every size rocked and slipped around in the shallow trough, never quite finding a good resting place. The other three models did a good job of handling lids of different sizes. In general, we preferred petite lid holders to big ones. Though smaller models caught slightly fewer drips when we made them hold hot, tomato sauce–laden lids, their more modest footprints meant they took up less room on the counter. All the lid holders were easy to clean and reasonably durable, surviving our abuse testing (placing and removing a heavy Dutch oven lid 100 times for each) with just minor scuffing. Better still, most could simultaneously hold the lids as well as dirty ladles, spoons, or spatulas.
But one particular lid holder’s versatility really won us over. The Yamazaki Home Ladle and Lid Stand ($18.00) held every lid and utensil we asked it to, and it was the only model that could also hold tablets and even magazines—doing so just as securely as our favorite tablet stand. This sturdy, compact lid holder took up very little space, and it’s so chic and handy that we wouldn’t mind keeping it on the counter all the time.
Everything We Tested
Recommended
- Design: 3 stars out of 3.
- Mess Retention: 2 stars out of 3.
- Lid Accommodation: 3 stars out of 3.
This handsome, sturdy lid holder held every lid and utensil securely—and, as the manufacturer promised, our tablets and magazines, too. We liked its compact footprint, though a few drips occasionally escaped its removable, easy-to-clean trough.
- Design: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Mess Retention: 3 stars out of 3.
- Lid Accommodation: 3 stars out of 3.
Shaped like a saddle, this lightweight plastic model was easy to knock around and occasionally slid forward when larger lids were placed on it. Nevertheless, it did a great job of holding not just lids but also utensils; its large, deep troughs easily contained any mess, though they also took up a bit more counter space.
Recommended with reservations
- Design: 1 stars out of 3.
- Mess Retention: 3 stars out of 3.
- Lid Accommodation: 3 stars out of 3.
Reminding many testers of the starship Enterprise, this heavy, well-built model was almost unbudgeable on the counter and held every lid securely. And because its unique design held lids faceup, no drips could fall onto the counter. But it took up a ton of space, and while it can also be used as a trivet or display stand, it couldn’t hold utensils. It was also prohibitively expensive.
Not Recommended
- Design: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Mess Retention: 3 stars out of 3.
- Lid Accommodation: 1 stars out of 3.
While it held utensils and contained messes satisfactorily, there was no getting around the fact that this flimsy lid holder just wasn’t very good at holding lids of any size. It was also the lightest model in our testing and was prone to sliding around on the counter.
Reviews you can trust
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. We stand behind our winners so much that we even put our seal of approval on them.
Miye Bromberg
Miye is a senior editor for ATK Reviews. She covers booze, blades, and gadgets of questionable value.