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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.
Finding a system for organizing your spices will declutter your kitchen and make you a more efficient cook; it may also free up space in your cabinet or drawer so that you can expand your collection over time.
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.
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.
What to Look For
- Large Capacity: Simply put, whether we placed them in cabinets or drawers or on the back of a door, we preferred the models that held more spice containers. Whether the models themselves were larger or they made more efficient use of space, we liked those that could hold at least fifty 4-fluid-ounce spice jars. A device of this size allows for a diverse selection of spices and lets home cooks expand their spice collections while still keeping things organized. We also liked models that could fit containers of multiple types and sizes, including tins and larger plastic shakers.
If you have the space, it's best to opt for a device that can hold a lot of spices. We found smaller models to be disappointingly inefficient and think it's best to choose a spice storage device that can hold 50 or more spice containers.
- Easy Assembly and Installation: Some models required little to no assembly, but a few of our favorites did call for some setup. In those cases, we liked straightforward instructions and parts that fit together easily so that we didn’t waste time building and could get straight to organizing.
- Sturdy Materials and Durability: Models made of thick, hardy plastic or metal were durable and strong enough to support heavy glass spice jars without toppling or collapsing.
- Good Visibility: Having a good spice storage strategy is all about being able to easily and quickly view and access your spices from multiple angles. Models designed to hold spice containers so that the containers didn’t block one another—and could therefore fully display their labels—allowed us to find spices more efficiently.
Visibility is important; it is always frustrating to waste time digging into the depths of a cabinet or drawer looking for a spice. The best models allowed us to see our entire collection at a glance, which was an improvement over models that buried jars in their midst.
Nice to Have
- Customizability: No two kitchens have the same layout or drawer and cabinet design, which is why it’s helpful when models expand to fit multiple spaces or offer several customizable configurations. Many of our favorite models could be configured to fit cabinets and drawers of various widths and depths, which would be great for both reorganizing a kitchen and moving to a new home.
Models that could be customized and resized to fit multiple spaces won out due to their versatility. All kitchens are different, and customizable devices allow you to adjust a model to match your sizing and layout. And if you ever move spice drawers (or kitchens), you can still use the same model.
- Grippy Surfaces: Some models were lined with grippy silicone or soft plastic, which kept spice containers from sliding around.
- Raised Edges: A few models with shelves or tiers had raised edges that held spice containers in place and kept them from falling.
What to Avoid
- Flimsy Materials: Models made of flimsy materials threatened to—or did—break apart on several occasions throughout testing. It’s best to find models that are solidly constructed with sturdy, thick plastic or metal.
Some models were just too flimsy, including one lazy Susan that threatened to topple over at the slightest touch.
- Bad Visibility: It’s frustrating to spend valuable time in the middle of cooking searching for a spice that eludes you because of bad sight lines in your spice cabinet. Some models clustered too many spices together on one level, blocking certain spice containers’ labels so completely that it took more than a minute for us to find them.
- Time how long it takes to assemble the storage devices
- Determine the capacity using standard 4-fluid-ounce spice jars
- Note the compatibility with various container types and sizes (including tins)
- Note the compatibility with a variety of kitchen drawers and cabinets
- Fill the storage devices with an assortment of spice containers and have additional testers look for three specific spices, noting how long it takes
- Spray the devices with neutral oil and sprinkle them with paprika, set them aside for 2 hours, and then wash them by hand
- Spin, slide, open, close, or pull down on models 50 times to test their durability
