We Tested 5 Different Butter Storage Options — The Winner Was Not What We Expected
published about 2 hours agoI’m a big butter person. I love browned butter, buttery cookies, super-buttery rolls, mashed potatoes heavy on the butter, buttered toast, and even buttery salad dressing . But what I don’t love is storing butter. Usually, I end up stuffing my half-used sticks and wayward tablespoons back into the cardboard box they came from.
Obviously, this isn’t ideal and nags at the soul of my otherwise super-organized kitchen. I figured there has to be a butter way — er, I mean a better way — to store butter. Maybe even a best way! So I rounded up five of the most popular butter-storing gadgets and tools and put them to the test. Here’s what I found out.
How I Tested the Butter Tools
I grabbed a couple of boxes of butter and got to work — using each option to store around one stick of butter. Over the course of a couple of weeks, I used the butter from each, slicing off a little bit to slather up some toast or to use in recipes. I tested them all on the counter and in the fridge. I paid attention to see how easy it was to use each option, how well they worked, and how easy they were to clean.
The ratings : Each method received an overall rating, with 1 being my least favorite and 5 being the best. Like the rest of our showdowns , this one considered the final results, ease, and price. Keep reading — along with the rating, you’ll find more detailed notes.
Butter Storage Option: Ceramic Dish
- Ease : 2
- Price : 4 ($12.99 for this dish )
- Rating : 1 / 5
I don’t know about you, but I’m kinda clumsy. And I try to minimize the amount of things I’m liable to break — especially when those things go from my fridge to my countertop and back to my fridge or hang out on my countertop where there’s always a flurry of activity. Ceramic butter dishes are fragile. And while I found that the butter was easy enough to get out of the dish, the dish’s lid slid around a bit, as did the base itself. Overall, it wasn’t terrible, but I think there are better options out there.
Butter Storage Option: Butter Crock
- Ease : 3
- Price : 4 ($13.15 for this crock )
- Rating : 2 / 5
A butter crock works like this: You put softened butter in the top (it can hold up to one stick), place a little bit of water in the base, and slide the top to the base. That’s it! You just have to remember to change the water every day or every couple of days (you can read more here !). If you regularly want softened butter for toast, this is the gadget to have. But for regular butter keeping (like, if you want to be able to easily chop off a few tablespoons at a time), you’ll need something else.
Read more : The $20 French Butter Keeper I Wish I’d Bought Years Ago
Butter Storage Option: Silicone Cover
- Ease : 3
- Price : 5 ($4.50 for one Butter Hugger )
- Rating : 3 / 5
This gadget is super helpful for storing a stick of butter, as you slice some tablespoons off — like the remaining 3/4 or half of a stick. It’s also cheap, and easy to store. However, it doesn’t fit every stick of butter and really only works with standard-size sticks (like the kind Land O’Lakes makes). I initially bought Trader Joe’s butter for this showdown, and the sticks were too large for the hugger. Definitely something to keep in mind.
Butter Storage Option: Reusable Food Wrap
- Ease : 5
- Price : 3 ($18 for a set of Bee’s Wrap )
- Rating : 4 / 5
I love using these sustainable, reusable food wraps to store all sorts of things. And butter is no exception! Made from cotton and infused with beeswax, jojoba oil, and tree resin, the wrap allows you to store any size stick of butter easily. I liked that this method could easily fit in my fridge’s butter drawer. Also, in my experience, Bee’s Wrap lasts for years — making its higher price tag worthwhile. And the more you use the stuff, the better it gets.
Butter Storage Option: Stainless Steel Dish
- Ease : 5
- Price : 4.5 ($17.00 for this OXO dish )
- Rating : 5 / 5
This butter dish has lots of useful features and is honestly worth the price. I’ll even go as far as to say it’s the best way to store butter. At first glance, I definitely didn’t appreciate it enough. It has stoppers on either end that prevent the butter from moving around and a non-slip bottom that grips the counter as you slice. The dish can hold East or West coast sticks and the lid stays put once you slip it on. There’s also a cheaper, plastic version , which has tablespoon markings on the base. Whether you want butter that can sit out on your counter or something you can tuck into the fridge, this is your best bet.
Do you have a favorite gadget for storing butter? Tell us about it in the comments!
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm
Lifestyle Editor, Tools
Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the Tools Editor at The Kitchn. A professional kitchen equipment tester, she's worked for America's Test Kitchen, EatingWell, and Food52. Her goal: to find the best gear for your kitchen so you don't waste time or money on anything else. She lives in Boston, MA with her two dogs.
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