Utensil holders keep our kitchen tools organized and close at hand. What features make some models better than others? Equipment expert Adam Ried shares his top picks with Julia.
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The best crock I’ve ever used is from Pampered Chef, holds a ridiculous amount, spins, and has divided sections. It’s called the tool turnabout and should’ve been a contender for this video!
That damn crock is sold out everywhere!!
The winner is ugly
I use this amazing invention called a drawer.
This is fun, something those of us who love our kitchens really need. The favorite one here would not work for everyone, I have a pretty small kitchen with small drawers so I have 4 collections of "toys"; two are pitchers about 8" high with my daily use utensils, one is a ceramic flower pot with wooden utensils (I collect shapes and types of wood) and one is part of my IKEA rack system for smaller things like small strainers, cheese thermometers and scissors.
I bought the Le Creuset off Craigslist for $20. It some kind of discontinued light green. Celery? Sage? Unknown. Love it!!!
Please include ikea products in your testing
That crock is now sold out everywhere.
Now where’s the video on those 20 different utensils?
I have two of the perforated ones from IKEA. They're not hard to clean if you chuck them in the dishwasher.
20 is way too many lol
I have the Oxo lazy susan one, which is the best of both worlds and eliminates the issues they had with the lazy susan (too light, tips over) and the Oxo one they showed (oval). Too bad they didnt give the Oxo round lazy susan model a try!
I keep two small containers on my counter. One for non stick cookware utensils (plastic, wood and silicone) and one for metal utensils that I would not use on my nonstick cookware.
This is a much needed video!!
I have always used a cylindrical ceramic flower pot/planter. Cheaper and more interested design options!
The best utensil crock I have ever used (and use now) is an actual, antique crock. It is 7 3/4" high and 6 3/4" inside diameter and weighs a lot. There has never been an issue of falling over and I fit a ton of utensils in it.
My le creuset crock arrives tomorrow. Cannot wait to retire or repurpose my old thrift store bargain.
I have the simplehuman utensil holder, which I got because it looks nice and they make good trash cans. It's fine (and very similar to, but a bit bigger than, the OXO version) and the dividers are helpful because I'm one of those people who keeps wooden/silicone in one compartment, metal in another, etc. One truism is that I'll never have enough space in them to hold all the things I'd like and if I got a second one, it would also be filled within a couple weeks.
Recently got one from Muji. It looks like it’s smaller than the ones in the video. I put it in my deep drawer next to my pots and pans.
What I really want to know is what the best potato masher is. The one with the holes or the swirly metal bars?
My favorite is a Pampered Chef with lazy susan action, 2 tiers, and a center hole for tall things. 2171 Tool Turnabout.
I clicked on the link that they have to purchase it and it goes directly to the Circulon page they only have it left in aqua and it's a discontinued item. Listed as unavailable on Amazon.
My father owned the Original Kitchen Carousel in the 1980s. It was a 3 tier kitchen utensil organizer. It held 25? tools, a bunch of steak and pairing knives, and it spun smoothly. It was $20 and sold in places such as Macy's cellar. But also direct by mail. They sold everyone they could make for years. But eventually they were knocked off in Hong Kong. That was that. I thought to buy one on ebay this past summer.
I love that ATK made a video on something so mundane. Adam’s enthusiasm for kitchen gadgets is a treasure.
The best ones are the cheap stainless steel ones from restaurant supply stores. Similar to the one in the video. Cheap and comes in different sizes.
I love utensils, and have 6 crocks, from short to tall, and fat to skinny. I have metal tools separated from plastic tools, all my small tools in smaller crocks and knives in a knife holder. I also have a drawer with utensils that I don't use that often or are too large/heavy for the crocks like meat mallets. I've tried to get rid of some utensils, like a tomato slicer I only use in the summer when I can get fresh tomatoes, but I use it so much in the summer, I just can't. I could never live with just 20 utensils. I probably have over 50.
This is a great guide! I have been wanting to get some crocks for awhile now, so thank you for this!
What a crock….
I use a big ceramic one too.
Great reminder that I should wash it every five years or so.
Should’ve tested that metal ikea one – everyone I know has it, but is it fit for purpose?
…It’s fine for me, but 🤷♀️ if it’s any good.
Could add 'feet' to the lazy Susan one. They sell them at the hardware story…
I dunno guys. I have that oval OXO one and am super happy with it. That said, I don't have a need to stuff 20 utensils in it. lol. I like it's smaller and slimmer foot print.
I found the coolest utensil holder that isn't intended for that. (I love to find alternate purposes for things.) It's a metal 6-pack-of-beer kind of thing, so I can divide wooden spoons, tongs, etc. in to their own sections. Has a handle for easy moving, heavy enough to not fall over, lovely shade of green metal, even had a bottle opener attached. And for about 3 bucks at a thrift store! Score for me!
Most of the time I think that the recommendation videos by ATK are great and this is no exception except I don't really think that it was needed. Best thing you can do is go buy an old cookie jar at your thrift store or second hand shop and give it a new life as a crock
Demonstrations would be good.
I have one made by Chefs brand that is very similar to the winner. It has been the best one I have used.
I use flower pots.
We have a Deruta chicken pitcher that holds stirring spoons and a couple of spatulas.
HOW did y'all know I was just thinking of getting one the other day?!
Cerulean!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Hahahahahaaaa… I love my Le Creuset crock. It is the most stable holder I have ever had. I will never have to buy another, unless I just want 2. I also love my Le Creuset butter bell.
OMG, Oxo isn't the best at something?!
Well I think he made a strong point but I also think that I can find this utensil holder at IKEA for a whole lot less but still good to see got to check your options you know money don't grow on a tree
Who keeps a pastry brush in a utensil crock? Mine isn't used often enough that I need at standing at attention next to my cooktop. Once I got the bigger, taller utensils into the crock, that leaves plenty of room in my drawer for the little guys like the vegetable peeler, meat thermometer, and pastry brush.
Out of the 15 or so tools that you have in your crock next to your stove how many of them do you actually use? For me it’s about five. I often wonder why I keep all that stuff in there. 😆