We searched for the best spice storage and organization devices on the market and found several great options for a variety of spaces.
Published Nov. 3, 2021. Appears in America's Test Kitchen TV Season 23: Blackened Chicken and Roasted Okra
We get tons of questions about how best to store spices, so we searched far and wide for a diverse selection of spice storage devices and put them to the test. In the end, we preferred sturdy, solid models that were easy to assemble and install; could fit a lot of spices; and positioned the containers so that we could easily find what we were looking for. For use inside a cabinet, we recommend the versatile Spicy Shelf Deluxe, which hugs the back and sides of the cabinet for maximum visibility, and the tiered mDesign 3 Tier Plastic Expandable Kitchen Spice Rack Organizer, which has a large capacity but tends to hide items on the back tiers. Our favorite drawer insert is the sturdy, expandable Lynk Professional Adjustable Expandable 4 Tier Steel Spice Drawer Organizer. And for a maximalist, over-the-door approach that holds far more than just spice jars, we recommend the Home-Complete Over the Door Storage Rack.
It’s a problem that has plagued generations of cooks: What’s the best way to store and organize spices? Despite our best efforts, most of us have a drawer or a cabinet that's cluttered with mismatched spices. All too often, a jar or tin gets shoved to the back and is never seen again. There’s no doubt that finding an efficient storage and organization system will make your life easier; it will also save you the frustration of scrutinizing your spice drawer for the right ingredients day after day. Organizing your spices may also help you get rid of expired or excess spices, freeing up space, so that you can fit more spices or other items in your drawers and cabinets.
There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of spice storage devices on the market, including tiered shelves and lazy Susans for cabinets, special inserts for drawers, and even models designed to hang over cabinet or pantry doors. If you’re thinking about buying one, measure the space you’re hoping to reorganize first to make sure that the dimensions are compatible and that your spice collection will fit with room to expand—it’s the most important factor to consider.
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.
Chase is an associate editor for ATK Reviews. He's an epidemiologist-turned-equipment tester and biscuit enthusiast.