Author: Grace Kelly

Four years ago, as an environmental reporter in Rhode Island, I lived and breathed the beat of single-use plastics. I even interviewed a woman known as “the founding mother” of a town’s plastic bag ban.

Fast forward to today and bag bans (of the plastic varietal) are more ubiquitous; many grocery stores either don’t carry bags or have flimsy paper ones that don’t hold up from the store to the car to the kitchen counter. 

Enter the reusable grocery bag: A practical way to lug groceries without throwing a bag away every time. But what’s the point if the handle breaks or the bag rips? That’s just one more bag in a landfill. To find a durable option that’ll last you a long time (and many grocery trips), I tested 11 bags of various materials, shapes, and sizes by packing, unpacking, and lugging loads of groceries for over a month. 

The Winners, at a Glance

While this looks like a paper bag, it’s made of beeswax-coated canvas, so it’s easy to prop open and fill. It’s spacious, sturdy, and a pleasure to carry thanks to its wide handles. 

This rectangular, boxy bag is super easy to open and fill; it’s also quite spacious and lightly insulated, making it great for toting chilled goods.

If you want heavy-duty insulation, you can tuck this bag into the freezer before your grocery run (it has a built-in ice pack on the bottom). The zipper opened smoothly, and the bag stood tall and was easy to fill. 

While I wasn’t a huge fan of floppy bags, this set sported flat-ish bottoms, which made them easy to prop open and fill. The bags were also roomy and comfy to carry. 

If you’d rather tote smaller bags than lug a big one, this set comes with 10 sturdy bags. 

While it might not seem all that different from the BeeGreen and BagPodz bags, the Baggu features reinforced stitching, which bodes well for its durability. It also comes in a dazzling array of fun colors and patterns.

The Tests

• Filling and Emptying Test: I filled each bag with a variety of goods, including heavy items like canned seltzer, and fragile things like avocados and tomatoes. I noted how big the bags were and how easy they were to fill and empty. I also toted them around to see if they were comfortable to carry when full. 
• Durability Test: I used the winning bags during grocery trips for over a month, noting how easy they were to fill and carry, and if they held up over time. 
• Cleaning Test: I cleaned the bags per manufacturer instructions (spot-cleaning for some and using the washing machine for others). 

What We Learned

Structured Bags Were Better 

You know the dream: sashaying through a farmer’s market on a sunny Saturday morning, French net bags filled with juicy tomatoes, a bunch of organic beets, and a sourdough baguette peaking perkily out of the bag—bliss!

Except it’s all a lie—okay, well, just the bags are. The truth is, floppy, collapsible bags, like the ones from Junes, are a pain for your average grocery run. They sit in a puddle when you try to fill them, sag in all the wrong places, squish food, and dig into your shoulders or hands. Net bags are especially awful; I bought a bunch when they became trendy a few years ago, but the netting broke in spots and I once left a trail of plums in my wake (kidding, but also, not kidding). 

The best bag is a well-structured, sturdy one, like the gorgeous waxed canvas offering from Colony Co or the rectangular option from Veno—both stood tall and straight in the bagging area and were easy to fill with no flopping or sagging. This style of bag is oftentimes more spacious, too: I easily fit an 8-pack of seltzer, three 28-ounce cans of whole tomatoes, a large bag of brown sugar, a bag of grapes, two Roma tomatoes, and two avocados. Because of their tall, rigid shape, nothing shifted or squished. Plus, the small sturdy handles kept my soft writer’s hands in pristine condition; no ripstop nylon digging into my palms.  

All that said, I do have a few collapsible bag picks since they're admittedly great in a pinch; you can easily crumple one up and tuck it in your purse, or keep one in your car’s glove compartment for an impromptu grocery run (they also double nicely as gym bags). They’re just not great for hauling loads of groceries, and if you do spring for one, avoid nets at all costs. 

Stiffer, Rectangular Bottoms Provided Support

The bags I preferred (like the Colony Co and Veno) had semi-stiff, rectangular bottoms that didn’t sag; I could pick up the bag and not worry about items slipping toward the center or ending up in a jumbled heap. This was not the case with some of the collapsible bags, which sagged, causing items to shift around when carried. That said, if you want a set of collapsible bags to have on hand, some, like the BeeGreen bags, did have a somewhat flat, rectangular base which was better at keeping items in place.  

A Good Bag Was Easy to Fill and Carry

Beyond sturdiness, which helped with filling and emptying a bag, I also liked bags that had wide openings that weren’t impeded by handles or pockets. The Capabunga bag was cute and sturdy, but it featured lots of pockets (with the theory being you could slot a carton of eggs, a bottle, or a baguette into them). While a nice idea, they got in the way; plus, if you have anything poking out of the pockets, like a celery bunch or a baguette, it impedes handle access. Speaking of handles, wide, stiff ones were best; the thin ripstop nylon and polyester bag handles dug into my palms and shoulder when loaded up. 

Bigger Wasn’t Always Better 

While it’s tempting to buy the biggest bag you can find, there’s a catch to all this space: you end up overstuffing the bag, making it heavy, bulky, and difficult to carry. This is exactly what happened with the Rachael Ray Jumbo Chillout Thermal Tote; I filled the massive 1.75 cubic foot bag to the brim, zipped it up, and then basically had to do a deadlift to hoist the thing out of my car’s trunk. This is not ideal. In the end, I preferred bags that yes, were capacious, but not SO big they were impossible to carry without throwing out your back. I also liked some more petite bags, like the BagPodz; they’re about the same size as a standard plastic grocery bag and are easy to carry since they don’t hold too much. That said, it does mean making multiple trips to the car to bring groceries inside.  

Stitching and Construction Were Important for Durability

I didn’t have any issues with bags ripping or fraying in my tests, but upon further inspection, some were better constructed than others—and this was especially true of the nylon and polyester bags. While these materials are known for being durable (ripstop nylon is often what companies use to make hiking backpacks since it’s tough and fairly waterproof), if the stitching is poor, there’s more of a chance that one day you’ll unfurl your bag and find a ripped seam. While I did like the cheaper bags from BagPodz and BeeGreen, they only had single or double stitching holding them together. The Baggu had a single stitch AND a complex row of stitches underneath. All of these bags sailed through my durability tests, but I’m curious to see how they hold up over long-term testing. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Reusable Grocery Bag 

A good reusable grocery bag should be durable and last a long time. It should also be easy to fill and unpack and have handles that don’t dig into your palms or shoulders when the bag’s loaded up. While I prefer stiffer, structured bags, if you like to have a few collapsible bags on hand for unexpected grocery runs, look for bags with a flat piece of material on the bottom (to keep items sorted), and solid, reinforced stitching. 

Our Favorite Reusable Grocery Bags

What we liked: I thought it was gimmicky at first glance (a reusable bag shaped like a paper bag?), but when I got my hands on it and my groceries in it, I had a large slice of humble pie. This is an excellent bag: It’s durable and spacious without being too big, and the stiff canvas keeps the bag standing upright and open when it’s time to checkout. The handles don’t dig into your hands, everything inside stays put, and it’s easy to carry—what more could you ask for? (I've also gotten multiple compliments from grocery store cashiers when I use it— just sayin'!)

What we didn’t like: If you want to buy multiples of this bag, it’s pricey. It’s also bulky when folded up. 

Key Specs 

• Stated capacity: NA
• Open dimensions: 17 x 12 x 7 inches
• Weight limit: NA
• Materials: Beeswax, canvas
• Cleaning and care: Spot clean with a damp cloth

What we liked: This spacious bag is lightweight and easy to stow, but sturdy and spacious when filled. I liked the flip-top zippered lid and wide opening, as well as the spacious rectangular shape; it was easy to add and layer goods without worrying about items shifting. The handles are wide and soft, too. Plus, this bag comes in packs of two. 

What we didn’t like: The insulation isn’t very thick, so it’s not great for storing cold items for a long time. While the bottom is structured and rectangular, it isn’t super stiff and does sag when filled with heavier items.

Key Specs

• Stated capacity: 7.8 gallons
• Open dimensions: 15.8 x 13 x 8.7 inches
• Weight limit: 30 lbs
• Materials: Recycled polypropylene polymer fabric
• Cleaning and care: NA

What we liked: This bag is great if you have a long drive to the grocery store and want to keep perishables cool since it has an ice pack built into it—just fold the bag up and tuck it in the freezer a few hours before you head out. The bag is also quite spacious and pretty easy to fill, with a zipper that divides the opening. 

What we didn’t like: While the bag stood upright at the checkout, I would have liked it if the opening had been designed differently. As it is, you have to hold the opening apart to fill the bag.  

Key Specs

• Stated capacity: NA
• Open dimensions: 14 x 12 x 7 inches
• Weight limit: NA
• Materials: Polyester canvas
• Cleaning and care: Wipe the cooler grocery bag thoroughly or hand wash the interior and spot clean the exterior; allow the bag to dry completely before freezing. Not machine washable.

What we liked: While I generally didn’t love floppy, collapsible bags, the bags in this set had a somewhat structured rectangular bottom, which made them easier to open and fill. The ripstop nylon is tough, too; I loaded the bags up with heavy items, like seltzer and sports drinks, without any wear or tear. Plus, you get 10 (colorful!) bags for a mere $1.75 each—which is a great deal considering a single Baggu bag (which is made of the same material and has a similar shape) costs $14.

What we didn’t like: The nylon handles do dig into your palms a bit, and the bags are floppy and more difficult to fill than a very structured bag. The stitching looks less durable than other similar bags tested. 

Key Specs

• Bags in set: 10
• Stated capacity: NA
• Open dimensions: 17.75 x 15 x 8.5 inches
• Weight limit: 50 lbs
• Materials: Ripstop nylon
• Cleaning and care: Machine-washable

What we liked: This is a great set if you like toting smaller bags; while they’re still spacious and can hold a good amount, they aren’t as big as, say, the BeeGreen, which makes them easier to carry when full. They also have a rectangular bottom, which gives the floppy bags some structure when you’re filling them. They’re affordable, too, clocking in at $3.80 per bag. 

What we didn’t like: The handles are small (you can’t slip them over your shoulder) and dig into your palms, and goods are more likely to shift around. The bags in this set are also more petite than other options in this review, so keep that in mind. 

Key Specs

• Bags in set: 10
• Stated capacity: 2 to 3 grocery bags worth 
• Open dimensions: 15 x 15.8 x 4.7 inches
• Weight limit: 50 lbs
• Materials: Polyester
• Cleaning and care: Machine-washable

What we liked: While this is a pricier bag (at $14 a pop), it had better engineering than some of the other nylon/polyester bags I tested, with multiple reinforced rows of stitching holding the fabric together. The Baggu is also spacious and is available in loads of fun patterns and colors. 

What we didn’t like: As with other collapsible bags, filling the Baggu could be irritating; the handles slumped over and it was hard to keep the bag flat and open. The handles were also a bit smaller than the other collapsible bags, and I had more difficulty slipping them over my shoulder to carry. It’s also kind of expensive for a single bag, though I do think the quality is better.

Key Specs

• Stated capacity: 2 to 3 grocery bags worth 
• Open dimensions: 25.5 × 15.5 × 6 inches
• Weight limit: 50 lbs
• Materials: Ripstop nylon
• Cleaning and care: Machine-washable 

The Competition

• Junes the Market Tote: While this is a pretty bag, the slinky, itchy material was unpleasant to hold, and it was really hard to fill since it’s so floppy. The bag also sags quite a bit when full, which meant avocados and tomatoes got bashed up when packed with other ingredients. 
• Rachael Ray Jumbo Chillout Thermal Tote: This bag was just way too big! When packed to the gills, it was almost impossible to hoist and carry. That said, they do sell a smaller version (the Rachel Ray Chillout Thermal Tote, minus the jumbo), which I have and quite like; it’s easy to fill, sports a solid zipper, and is insulated. If you want a heavy-duty insulated bag, I’d recommend the smaller version. 
• CapaBunga Multi-Pocket Canvas Market Tote: This is a cute and sturdy bag, but the numerous pockets limited the overall interior space and made it more difficult to fill. That said, it was a great bag for toting wine and snacks to a party.
• Wrapables Durable and Large Nylon Reusable Shopping Bag: The handles were small and dug into my shoulders, and the bag was cramped when full. 
• Full Circle Tote-Ally Reusable Grocery Tote: What a saggy bag! It was difficult to load and everything sunk towards the center when carried. The included produce bags were a nice addition, but not enough to make it a winner. 

FAQs

What’s the best material for a reusable grocery bag?

Our favorite bag from Colony Co is made of waxed canvas, which is durable and makes it easy to keep the bag propped open at the checkout. We also liked ripstop nylon and polyester bags, two other hardy materials, though they are floppier and more difficult to fill. 

What’s the best capacity for a reusable grocery bag? 

While you might think a larger bag is better, it’s really difficult to carry a bag bursting at the seams with stuff; instead, consider buying smaller bags (we liked bags that held two to three plastic grocery bags worth of stuff) or not filling them up completely, since they will be easier (and lighter) to tote.  

How much weight can a reusable bag hold?

It depends on the bag, but most options we tested held between 30 to 55 pounds. While you might think the ability to hold more weight is better, for the good of your shoulder or wrist/hand, you probably don’t want to tote 55 pounds of groceries in a single bag. 

How do you store reusable grocery bags?

Our favorite bags can be folded up (or hastily scrunched, in the case of polyester and nylon options) for easy storage. Some, like the Baggu, BagPodz, and BeeGreen, have small carrying pouches. 

Can you wash reusable grocery bags?

Most of the bags we tested can either be spot-cleaned or machine-washed (often with cold water), so just check the manufacturers instructions prior to cleaning. 

Are reusable bags sanitary?

Reusable bags are sanitary, just make sure to clean the bags if there is a spill (especially if it’s meat juice or dairy). 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor for Serious Eats, where she’s been reviewing gear for almost two years. 
• She has a background in environmental journalism and was a bartender and prep cook. 
• Grace tested 11 reusable grocery bags for over a month, examining how easy they were to fill and empty, and testing their durability. She loves grocery shopping (truly!), so rest assured that the bags in this review will be well-worn throughout long-term testing.
  

I love my dual-handled Lodge cast iron skillet—it’s durable, sears a mean piece of meat (and a darn good cauliflower steak, too!), and has built up a slick patina and nonstick-ish surface from years of use. But wanna know what I really love about it? The two wide handles on either side. 

It’s like a round casserole dish, but, I’d argue, even easier to move. That’s why whenever a newbie cook wants to talk cast iron, I gently guide them toward this easy-to-lift skillet.

Let’s Face It—Cast Iron Is Heavy

See, while cast iron is great for all kinds of stovetop and oven-baked recipes (like cornbread, skillet bakes, seared pork chops, potato hash, yadda, yadda ), it’s also heavy. Our winning skillet from Lodge—which sports a single long handle and one helper handle—is around five-and-a-half pounds. While pumping weights at the gym is something I do on the reg, when I’m whirring around my kitchen making dinner, a wrist and arm workout isn’t exactly what I’m looking for. 

Two Handles Make It Easy to Lift and Pour

But this is where the two handles come in handy (sorry, I couldn’t resist!). To put it plainly, it’s just much easier to grasp two handles and move the heavy pan than it is to foist a skillet with one long handle. 

My in-laws have our winning cast iron skillet, and any time I lift it by the main handle, the pan inevitably tips forward, threatening to spill whatever’s inside. Call it a family penchant for weak wrists or cast iron being heavy (it’s likely a bit of both). 

This is not the case with the dual-handled pan; just take your pot holders or folded kitchen towels, wrap them around each wide handle, and lift with both hands—et voila!—you’ve got a solid, balanced grasp. Plus, combined with the pour spout, it makes it exceedingly easy to pour out any residual grease or, if you’re frying, spent oil, without worrying about making a mess. 

FAQs

How do you clean cast iron?

We have a whole article that busts the myths (no soap? No scrubbing? Pah!) of cleaning a cast iron skillet. TLDR: You can wash it with soap and a sponge, just make sure to thoroughly dry it and rub it with a thin layer of food-safe oil (like Canola) before putting it away. 

What size cast iron skillet is best? 

While our winning cast iron skillet is 10.25 inches, we also like having a larger 12-inch skillet for bigger meals or larger amounts of cooking.

Why We’re the Experts 

• Grace Kelly is a commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• She has been an environmental journalist and magazine reporter and worked as a prep cook and bartender. 
• She’s had her Lodge Cast Iron Dual Handle Pan for around six years and uses it weekly.

I was a margarine kid. It was the 90s, and my parents, like many other adults at the time, were trying to cut back on saturated fats. Enter the magical tub of hydrogenated oil, a.k.a., margarine, which was low-fat and always ready to spread; you could pluck the container straight from the fridge and it would still slather nicely over a slice of bread. 

It wasn’t until the yellow glow of margarine began to fade in the public eye—and until I met my now-husband, whose family always had a stick of salted butter on the table at dinner—that I discovered that, well, real butter was actually pretty good. And the best butter was the soft kind: a fudgy golden stick ready to be slathered on toast. It was the worst when you forgot to take the stick out of the fridge and tried to spread a solid hunk.

As my affinity for soft butter grew, I decided I needed a butter dish—it looked so pretty and it made me feel like I was living in a cottage in Provençe. Then, I stumbled upon butter bells, an even more romantic way to serve beurre at dinner. But, which is better? Is there a “best” way to serve up that glorious, fancy, salted European butter at your dinner party? Will the butter go rancid? I decided to get answers by testing 10 butter containers (both dishes and bells) and consuming a little bit of butter every day for two weeks straight (bleh). 

The results were surprising: Almost every butter dish and bell I tested were totally fine at their (admittedly quite simple) job. They kept butter spreadable, made it easy to access, and kept it safe and sound, with only one butter bell container getting a wee bit of mold (and that was likely my fault for forgetting to change the water one day).  In summation, if you’re the relaxed type and go through butter quickly, a butter dish is best; if you’re the type to take initiative and get into routines easily, a butter bell could be a good option. 

The Winners, at a Glance

If you dream of living in a cottage in Provençe, this is the butter dish for you; it’s gorgeous, with Le Creuset’s signature colorful enamel options. The lid, with a wide handle, was easy to remove, and the butter stayed fresh throughout the two weeks.  

This colorful butter dish has two lids that fold over the stick of butter, keeping it safe and sound. It also comes with a knife, though it’s duller than your average butter knife. 

While not a looker, this butter dish performed well, keeping butter fresh for two weeks. The lid was also easy to lock on and pop off. 

I loved the heft of this butter bell; it stayed squarely in place on the counter with nary a spill even when accidentally jostled. Its beautiful marble construction was easy on the eyes, too. But looks weren’t its only boon; it also kept butter soft, spreadable, and fresh. 

This $20 butter bell has a timeless look, is easy to fill and scoop from, and kept butter fresh. 

Arguably the OG butter bell, there wasn’t much not to like about this offering; butter stayed fresh and the lid was easy to grip and remove. 

This butter bell looked great and kept butter creamy and smooth for weeks. It also features a water line on the interior, so you know where to fill it to. 

The Tests

• Filling Butter Test: I filled each butter dish and bell with one stick (four ounces, or eight tablespoons) of butter, noting how easy it was to do so. 
• Butter Taste Test: I tasted the butter in each container for two weeks, noting if there were any off aromas or flavors, as well as how easy it was to stick a knife in for a slice. I replaced water in butter bells every three days, as recommended by most manufacturers. 
• Cleaning Test: After two weeks, I removed the butter and cleaned the dishes and bells. 

What We Learned

How Long Can Butter Stay Fresh at Room Temperature? 

As we explained in this piece about butter bells, there is a lot of conflicting information out there about how long a stick of butter stays fresh at room temperature. Per the USDA, “Butter and margarine are safe at room temperature. However, if butter is left out at room temperature for several days, the flavor can turn rancid so it's best to leave out whatever you can use within a day or two.”

However, during my two-week testing period, I never tasted any hint of rancidity (plus, rancid doesn’t equal bacteria, it just means the fat has oxidized, leading to a sour taste). 

According to one Korean study, butter stored between 77ºF to 95ºF has a shelf life of 109 days based on “quality changes, including total cell count, coliform counts, Listeria monocytogenes counts, acid value, moisture content, pH, acidity and overall sensory evaluation.” In other words, it took 109 days for room-temperature butter to finally "go bad."

That said, if you’re storing butter in a butter bell, you’re actually increasing the risk of contamination, and more care (and consistently refreshing the water) is needed.   

Butter Bells Were Good—If You Change Their Water

Butter bells use water (which surrounds the bell) as a way to keep butter soft and spreadable, but a stagnate pool of water is a breeding ground for bacteria. The best practice when using a butter bell entails changing out the water every three days. That said, if you’re like me (read: absent-minded on occasion) and forget to change the water, you might end up with some unsightly, slimy black and green mold where you last took a chip of butter out with a knife—in which case, it’s best to toss the butter. 

Lidded Dishes Kept Butter Fresh

Prior to testing, I figured that butter dishes that didn’t completely seal, like the Le Creuset and Butterie, wouldn’t keep the butter as fresh. But, during testing, I found no difference between sealed and lidded dishes; both kept room temperature butter fresh for two weeks, without mold or rancid flavors. Sure, if you kept a stick of butter in a dish for months and months, it probably would taste off and get moldy and gross, but who has the fortitude to do that? That said, if you want a butter dish/container to keep butter fresh and free of flavors in the refrigerator, a sealed container, like the Rubbermaid or the LocknLock, is a better option. 

Butter Bells Versus Butter Dishes: Which Was Better?

During my tests, the butter in both dishes and bells remained fresh over the two week period (though this might just be the nature of butter itself, and less to do with how it was stored). 

In terms of keeping butter soft, I didn’t notice much of a difference between the two styles of containers; both kept butter spreadable but not super soft (obviously this would change if it was the dog days of summer). Overall, neither was better than the other.

Where the butter bells and dishes did diverge was in ease of use; it sounds dumb, but a butter bell is more “work” to use since you have to pack the butter in it and change the water every few days to prevent bacterial growth. A dish, on the other hand, just requires cleaning after you’ve gone through the stick of butter. In the end, it depends on how high-maintenance you want your butter to be. However, I think a butter dish is better overall, since it’s easier to use and doesn’t require maintenance (other than cleaning it); plus, it kept butter just as spreadable as a bell in my tests. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Butter Dish

Most butter dishes and butter bells did the job just fine. That said, the ones that stood out were also easy to clean, easy to use, and kept butter soft and protected. For butter dishes, this was a simple task, since they're oftentimes just a lid that covers the stick of butter. For bells, this also meant that they were easy to fill with butter. and that it was easy to stick a knife in the bell for a scrape.

The Winning Butter Dishes

What we liked: This is an elegant butter dish that does its job well—butter was fresh, soft, and easy to access. I liked the looped lid handle and small side handles that made bringing it to the table for dinner easy peasy. 

What we didn’t like: Not much! It did get a bit dirtier than the plastic dishes, but it was easy enough to clean.

Key Specs

• Materials: Ceramic
• Weight: 1 lb, 7.6 oz
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

What we liked: This simple flip-top butter dish was easy to open and close and stayed relatively clean throughout the two-week testing period. The butter was fresh and spreadable. 

What we didn’t like: It has a vintage, 1950s look that might not appeal to everyone. The plastic butter knife that came with it was dull, dull, dull.

Key Specs

• Materials: Plastic
• Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

What we liked: If you’re looking for a no-frills, sealed butter dish that you can easily put in the fridge or pull out to soften, this is a great option. While it’s made of plastic and kind of looks like a food storage container, it kept butter safe and sound, and the lid was easy to pop on and off. 

What we didn’t like: This is a very practical dish, as in, it’s not very pretty and looks more like an upside-down food storage container than a butter dish. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Plastic
• Weight: 2.8 ounces
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

What we liked: The heft kept this butter bell from moving around on the counter, and the lid was easy to grip and remove. Plus, okay, fine, it’s just really classy looking! The bell was easy to pack with butter and a quick swipe with a knife removed it readily. 

What we didn’t like: There wasn’t much not to like about this butter bell, other than it’s not dishwasher-safe and it's a little heavy.

Key Specs

• Materials: Marble
• Weight: 2 lbs, 11.2 oz
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: No

What we liked: This simple butter bell was easy to fill and use, and the price (which was $20 at the time of publication) was wallet-friendly. 

What we didn’t like: There was some mold on the butter on day 13, but I think it was my fault for forgetting to change the water (whoops). The lid was also slightly jiggly. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Stoneware
• Weight: 1 lb, 5.8 oz
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

What we liked: A classic butter bell, this lived up to expectations and was easy to use, fill, and clean. The wide, round knob on top made it easy to grasp and place on the counter, too. It also comes in a wide variety of fun colors—royal blue! Golden yellow! Café beige!

What we didn’t like: Not much, other than having to change the water, but that’s par for the course for butter bells. 

Key Specs

• Materials: Ceramic
• Weight: 1 lb, 9.4 oz
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

What we liked: This beautiful butter bell, like the others, was easy to fill and use and kept butter soft and spreadable. While a small detail, I liked the water fill line marked inside the jar; it reduced the risk of having a small gush of water when we put the bell in.

What we didn’t like: Not very much, other than the slightly high price tag (it’s $24 more than the Norpro butter bell).

Key Specs

• Materials: Ceramic
• Weight: 1 lb, 7.2 oz
• Capacity: 4 ounces (1 stick)
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Competition

• LocknLock Easy Essentials Food Storage lids/Airtight containers: This wasn’t a bad butter dish, but it really does look more like an upside-down food storage container than anything. If you’re looking to keep a larger amount of butter (it could likely hold a 16-ounce block of European butter) super fresh and free of off-flavors when it’s stored in the refrigerator, this could be a good option. 
• DOWAN 6.5" Large Butter Dish: This dish was too deep to comfortably slice a pat of butter. The lid was also difficult to put on and remove because of its silicone lining. 
• Emile Henry Modern Classics Butter Pot: While this was a pretty little butter pot (that held seven ounces of butter), there was no handle on the lid, just a raised bump, which made it difficult to remove. The interior bell portion was oval-shaped, which was harder to fill and scoop butter from. 

FAQs

What is a butter bell, and how do you use it?

A butter bell (a.k.a a butter crock) is a small jar-like container that you add 1/3 cup of water to before placing the butter-filled, bell-shaped lid inside. In theory, the water surrounding the bell keeps butter softer than a stick left on the countertop. 

How long can butter stay on the countertop?

According to the USDA, butter is safe to store are room temperature, but they recommend using it within a few days. However, during our tests, we didn’t notice any off-flavors or mold over the two-week test period. 

How often do you have to change the water in a butter bell?

Most manufacturers recommended changing the water in a butter bell every three days to prevent mold or bacterial growth. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats.
• She has been reviewing gear for three years. 
• Her background includes environmental journalism and magazine writing; she was also a bartender and prep cook. 
• For this review, Grace used 10 butter dishes over two weeks, examining their ease of use, performance, and how easy they were to clean.
  

Chili crisp—the crunchy, savory mixture of aromatics (chili, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and more) and oil—is hot, both literally and figuratively. Chef Max Boonthanakit of Boon Chili Sauce said that back when he started his chili crisp brand, the now-ubiquitous condiment was relatively unknown on a wider scale. “We started Boon in 2018, and back then there were only a handful of chili oils being made in the US. We remember educating people on what chili oil/crisp was and how to use it,” he says. “We don't have to do that as much anymore.” 

Jing Gao, founder of chili crisp company Fly by Jing, agrees. “When I looked at the industry, there were only a couple of brands that were readily accessible to the everyday consumer, but their products lacked quality,” she says. “For too long, Chinese and Asian pantry staples have been relegated to the ‘ethnic aisle’ of grocery stores. When I started Fly By Jing, I wanted to break out of that box and push authentic, high-quality flavors into every aisle.”

Today, there are hundreds of chili crisp brands to choose from, each with its own spin on the classic Chinese condiment. Boonthanakit thinks it not only speaks to entrepreneurs rounding out the market but also to an opening of people’s minds—and taste buds. “I appreciate that chili crisp is popular and mainstream in our culture. It just shows that people, as well as their palates, are open and are willing to try new things,” he says. “I think that's extremely important for our future. It's good to keep an open mind.”  

In this market flush with offerings, we wanted to highlight a few (okay, a bunch!) of our favorite chili crisps, including spicy, garlicky, mild, and super savory picks. 

Our Favorite Chili Crisps, at a Glance 

Super Savory Picks

• Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp 
• Kari Kari Chili Crisp
• OO'mämē Szechuan Chinese Chile Crisp
• Milu Chili Crisp
• Momofuku Chili Crunch
• Me's Way Classic Chili Sauce
• Mr. Bings Chili Crisp

For Garlic Heads 

• Mama Teav's Hot Garlic
• Liquid Gold
• S&B Chili Oil with Crunchy Garlic

For Hot Heads

• Junzi Original Chili Oil 
• Bowlcut Spicy Chili Crisp

Sichuan-Inspired Picks 

• Hot Jiang Mama's Chili Crisp OG Spicy
• Boon Sauce
• Blank Slate Sichuan Chili Oil
• Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp

Chili Crisp with a Twist

• Tasting India Bombay Chili Crunch
• Onino Chili Crisp
• Little Truc Roasted Chili Oil

What Is Chili Crisp?

“In China, chili crisp is a universal condiment used on virtually any dish. I was privileged to always have authentic, homemade chili crisp within arm’s reach,” Gao says of growing up in Chengdu, China.

At its most basic, chili crisp is oil (usually canola, sesame, soy, or grapeseed oil) plus aromatics—most often with some sort of crunchy textural component like fried garlic, shallots, or even peanuts. Some chili crisps get an extra hit of umami with fermented black beans (which are actually soybeans). Other brands take influence from the Sichuan region with the addition of the namesake fruit of the prickly ash bush: Sichuan peppercorns. Any chili crisp with this piney, floral hit gets your mouth watering—literally—and is followed by a tingly-spicy sensation, known as málà. Then, there’s the chilis, which can range from mild to downright fire burning. The chili crisps we tried contained various kinds, including Arbol, Tianjin, Thai Bird's Eye chili, paprika (which is made from dried, ground paprika chile), Japones chili, and Korean chili. Fly by Jing uses Erjingtiao chilis from Chengdu, which Gao says has “a mild spice but intense fragrance.” 

No two chili crisps are truly alike, as the list below goes to show, and this means there’s a chili crisp for any palette and heat tolerance. Just a word of warning: don’t wear white whilst consuming, or you likely will end up with burnt orange stains on your clothes. We’ve learned this from a whole lotta chili crisp consumption.

How Can I Use Chili Crisp?

The answer is: however you desire! Stir it into mayonnaise to give your sandwich (or French fry dip) a kick, or drizzle it onto roasted vegetables or meats. Gao says she likes to put her chili crisp on pretty much everything, but “a few of my favorite ways to eat it are on vanilla ice cream (trust me), tossed into a bowl of noodles (hot or cold) for a quick dinner, and even in cocktails like a spicy Margarita,” she says. “The options are endless. For someone who’s not sure about where to begin, I’d suggest adding it to avocado toast, frying your egg in it, or drizzling onto a grain bowl.” 

The Best Chili Crisps

Super Savory Picks

This is the chili crisp that started it all, so to speak, since it’s one of the first to be widely available in the U.S. It’s incredibly savory, with a sultry umami depth. Senior commerce editor Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm says it’s her favorite since it “has just the right amount of heat, as well as sweetness. I love how its varied, crunchy texture enlivens the likes of eggs, roasted meats, grain bowls, and brothy, noodle soups.” We tasted the spicy version and found it more of a medium heat level and wholly approachable. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium 
• Amount: 25 ounces
• Ingredients: Soybean oil, chili, onion, soybeans, monosodium glutamate, Sichuan pepper powder, sugar, salt, sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite
  

Loaded with crunchy bits (peanuts, shallots, garlic) and with an umami boost from mushroom powder and fermented soybean, this is a sumptuous, savory, chili crisp. It had a bright tangy flavor that lifted everything to another level, and a touch of sweetness to round it out. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Canola oil, peanut, garlic, dried chili peppers, cane sugar, shallot, sesame oil, fermented soybean, Sichuan peppercorns, spices, mushroom seasoning, sea salt, gluten-free tamari powder

A little spicy, a whole lotta savory—this is a nutty, crunchy, and wholly satisfying chili crisp. We really liked the fermented black beans, crunchy peanuts, and faint tingle from the Sichuan peppercorns. The crystallized ginger added a sweet and lightly spicy touch. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 9.2 ounces
• Ingredients: High oleic sunflower oil, fermented black beans (soybeans, salt), crushed red pepper, crystallized ginger, peanuts, sesame oil, dried garlic, sesame seeds, dried shallots, Sichuan peppercorns

This is really, really savory, with a mushroomy smell and intense nuttiness. There's almost a curry-like note, and it’s quite salty and rich. It’s perked up by an anise and piney flavor and isn’t super spicy. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Mild
• Amount: 7.75 ounces
• Ingredients: Canola oil, ground chiles, soybeans, preserved black beans, onion, garlic, kosher salt, granulated sugar, mushroom powder

The original chili crisp is a little sweet, not too spicy, and has a very umami flavor (there's a hint of saline from seaweed, too). We also tried the Momofuku black truffle chili crisp, which is spicy and has a backbone of truffle depth that's not overpowering. A drizzle goes incredibly well on pasta dishes, particularly fettuccine alfredo, or even mixed with melted butter and drizzled on popcorn—yum. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 5.5 ounces
• Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, puya chili, coconut sugar, sesame seeds, onions, garlic, mushrooms, chili de arbol, Japones chili, salt, red pepper, shallots, yeast extract, seaweed

This chili crisp has an almost cheesy aroma—like you’re taking a whiff of a chunk of parmesan. It’s quite thick, more of a paste than a chili crisp with oil and floaty bits, but the flavor is super savory and moreish. We may have eaten a few spoonfuls straight out of the jar. It has a nice sweetness too, and a bit of heat. Because it’s so rich and savory, a little goes a long way. You can taste the fish sauce, which gives it funk and roundness. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium-hot
• Amount: 8 ounces
• Ingredients: Soybean oil, fish sauce (anchovy, sea salt, sugar syrup), dried red chili pepper, garlic, sugar

If you grew up being the kid who brought Funyuns to school, then this chili crisp is for you. Not only does it have a pleasant sweetness and a teensy bit of heat (though it’s labeled as mild), but it’s also packed with crispy fried sweet onions. It’s not super salty, either, so you don’t have to worry about oversalting when you drizzle a lick of it onto a dish. You can also buy a spicier version, which has a good amount of kick to it.  

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium 
• Amount: 7 ounces
• Ingredients: Chili peppers, onions, mushroom powder, non-GMO oil, garlic, spices, rice bran, turbinado sugar, salt

For Garlic Heads

If one (or two…or five) clove of garlic isn’t enough, then these are the chili crisps for you.

This stuff just oozes garlic—in all the best ways. Open the lid and that wonderfully piquant smell wafts out, and big crunchy pieces of—you guessed it: garlic—float like little golden icebergs upon a sea of spicy oil. We love it on rice, fish, and eggs, and think it would be a killer addition to any garlic bread recipe (or just dunk good bread in it—an easy way to earn a yum). The mild option still has a wee bit of spice to it that gets you at the back of the throat. Former updates editor Jacon Dean says, “Mama Teav's is one of my absolute favorites. This particular chili crisp is made by Cambodian American siblings in honor of their mother, and for my palate, I think it's the perfect combination of crunchy, savory, and unctuous. I love that the garlic is fried in grapeseed oil (which gives it a nice, clean flavor) and that the chilies are sun-dried before they're roasted, and it's nice that it comes in both mild and 'OG heat' levels of spiciness.”

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, garlic, dried Thai bird chile, onion powder, dehydrated onion flakes, kosher salt, mushroom powder, celery salt

Garlic lovers, rejoice. Liquid Gold comes in three heat levels—spicy, ultra-spicy, and not spicy—all loaded with crunchy, toasty garlic pieces. The salt content on these is low, which is nice because you can add a spoonful to a meal without worrying about creating an inadvertent salt lick. The spicy isn't super spicy, though the ultra-hot will get your mouth tingling. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Mild
• Amount: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Fried garlic, grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, msg, spices, sea salt

This was one of the first chili crisps I tried (Grace here!), and I’ve had a jar in my pantry ever since. I, as you may have guessed, am a self-proclaimed garlic head—no amount is too much. This super savory offering satiates my garlic cravings and goes well on just about everything. It’s also not spicy at all, making it a great option for those who pale at the sight of “extra hot” or 🌶️🌶️🌶️ on anything. Amanda Suarez, Serious Eats associate visuals director, claims this is her favorite chili crisp. “This is my fave; I put it on literally anything: eggs, ramen, and sometimes just with cheese and crackers.”

Good to Know

• Spice level: Mild
• Amount: 3.9 ounces
• Ingredients: Corn oil, chili pepper, fried garlic, sesame oil, monosodium glutamate, onion powder, salt, sugar, soy sauce powder (soy sauce [soybeans, wheat, salt], dextrin, salt), chili paste (chili pepper, salt, rice), fried onion, almond, ground sesame seeds

For Hot Heads

A few chili crisps that pack the heat and taste amazing doing it.

Dark and unctuous with lots of umami, this one has a kick of spice. It has a deep toasty flavor, and the jars come with little golden spoons for serving, which is a nice touch. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Hot
• Amount: 3.53 ounces
• Ingredients: Canola oil, Tianjin chili flakes, cayenne pepper, Zhenjiang vinegar, brown cane sugar

This sweet and spicy chili crisp brings with it a whiff of anise and a floral chili flavor. It’s bright and intense, (and pretty spicy!), the heat lingering on your tongue followed by the numbing málà sensation.

Good to Know

• Spice level: Hot
• Amount: 5.8 ounces
• Ingredients: Sunflower oil, hot chili flakes, Korean chile flakes, garlic, onion, gluten-free tamari sauce, sesame seed, coconut amino, yeast extract, sesame flour, sugar, spices, birdseye chili, seaweed powder

Sichuan-Inspired Picks

Crispy and crunchy, with a little bitterness from the Sichuan peppercorns, this chili crisp highlights the piney, floral flavor of this little berry (yes, it’s a berry!). We liked the swirling flotilla of sesame seeds on top, which added a nutty crunch. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Hot chili peppers, black peppers, prickly ash, sesame seed, fresh fried garlic, mushroom powder, soybean oil, spices

This chili crisp was created by chef Max Boonthanakit to reflect his Chinese and Thai upbringing. Sichuan peppercorns are at the forefront, and the faint whiff of anchovy rounds it out. It also has a nuttiness from the sesame seeds and a faint sweetness from the fennel. This would go incredibly well on a bowl of Dan Dan noodles or Pad Thai.

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 8 ounces
• Ingredients: Canola oil, chili, shallots, garlic, sugar, sea salt, fennel, Sichuan peppercorn, anchovy

This is Riddley's favorite Sichuan-style chili crisp. “It provides that expected tingly-numbness, but is also wicked spicy (at least for me),” she says. “Just a drizzle of the oil onto a bowl of soup or roasted vegetables is plenty.” It’s very Sichuan peppercorn forward, showcasing the berry’s piney, resinous flavor, and tingly effect. It also has a faint tang to it and the ginger adds a nice spice and freshness. It’s a little sweet, too.

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Infused oil (sunflower and/or non-GMO canola oil, ginger, spices, shallots, garlic), Sichuan peppercorns, red chili flakes, toasted sesame oil, sea salt

This rich, umami-laden chili crisp has a good amount of Sichuan peppercorn but isn’t too spicy. “When building a chili oil, I think not only about heat from chilis but also the tingly sensation from our Tribute Peppercorns,” Gao says. “These aren’t just any Sichuan peppercorns. This variety grows in Qingxi village, and they are so prized for their many uses that they were offered in tribute to the emperor. We also build layers of umami with fermented black beans and mushroom powder.” It’s a great all-rounder and goes well on eggs, rice bowls, and soups, too. We also really liked Fly By Jing’s Chengdu Crunch, which is loaded with crunchy bits of fava beans, pumpkin seeds, and shallots. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 6 ounces
• Ingredients: Non-GMO rapeseed oil, non-GMO soybean oil, dried chili pepper, preserved black bean, garlic, sesame oil, salt, shallots, ginger, mushroom powder, Sichuan pepper, seaweed powder, spices

Chili Crisp With a Twist

This has big chunks of shallots, with depth and savoriness from mushrooms and curry leaves. It’s warm, cozy, and delicious on an omelet. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Mild
• Amount: 10 ounces
• Ingredients: Garlic, grapeseed oil, herbs, mushrooms, shallots, a blend of spices including red chiles, kosher salt

This chili crisp is loaded with big chunks of crunchy bits (Marcona almonds, garlic, sesame seeds) and sorta tastes like Fritos, in a really, really good way. While it doesn't taste spicy at first, there is a little bit of back-of-throat burn. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Medium
• Amount: 8 ounces
• Ingredients: Canola oil, dried chili peppers, Marcona almonds, shallots, garlic, sesame seeds, organic coconut sugar, salt

This one differs from the others in that it’s a chili oil with just a wee bit of crisp, while many other brands are heavy on crunch (though Little Truc does sell a crispier offering, called Chili Crush). It’s quite floral with a bit of a tangy backbone thanks to lemongrass. It’s bright but still with a mild burn and a nuttiness from the soybean oil. 

Good to Know

• Spice level: Mild to medium
• Amount: 7.5 ounces
• Ingredients: Soybean oil, dried chilis, garlic, lemongrass, spices, kosher salt

FAQs

What is chili crisp?

Chili crisp is a Chinese condiment that has spread throughout the world and comes in many iterations and expressions. At its essence, it’s an oil infused with chili and other flavors and loaded with crunchy ingredients, like fried garlic and shallots. 

Are chili crisp and chili paste the same thing?

Chili paste is thicker and often made of whole pulverized chilis, while chili crisp is an oil-based condiment with aromatics added. 

How should you store chili crisp?

While it will rarely go bad, it’s a good idea to keep chili crisp in a cool dry place, like a pantry,  and to keep the lid tightly sealed (which keeps out bacteria). 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats. Before this, she tested equipment and ingredients for America’s Test Kitchen.
• In her past life, she worked in restaurants and as a bartender. 
• For this story, we interviewed Max Boonthanakit of Boon Chili Sauce and Jing Gao of Fly By Jing. 
• We tasted over 19 chili crisps and used them for over a month in our daily cooking.
  

A knife roll is often the purview of chefs (*cough* who want to show off their custom-made Gyuto at work *cough* ) or culinary students toting knives to class. But I use my knife roll in a much more plebian—and practical—way: to bring my sharp knives with me where dull knives await, whether it’s at my in-laws or an Airbnb. No one wants to cook dinner with a dull blade...trust me, I’ve tried. Enter the knife roll: the safe, secure (and less dangerous than just tossing them in your suitcase) way of packing up your knives.

I tested 11 of them to find ones that are a cinch to fill, wrap, and tote, and won’t have you worrying about knives slipping out or poking through the fabric. 

The Winners, at a Glance

If you’re looking for durability, lots of knife slots, and a handle and shoulder strap, this knife roll has it all. It also includes various zippered pockets and other small slots for other kitchen necessities (like a Sharpie—iykyk). 

Like the ChefSac, this is a heavy-duty roll replete with pockets, slots, and sturdy straps to hold it all together. 

Slim, simple, and rugged, this no-frills knife roll keeps knives secure. Its handle and strap made it easy to tote. 

This knife roll has four storage slots and a compact form, making it great for tossing into a backpack or tote bag. 

The Tests

• Knife Fit Test: I fit as many knives as I could inside each knife roll, noting if it was easy to slot them in and if the knife roll packed up easily once full. 
• Carrying Test: I used each knife roll to carry a variety of knives, noting how comfortable the handle or strap(s) were, and if the knives shifted during transport. 
• Durability Test (Winners-Only): I unzipped and unbuckled various parts of the knife rolls 20 times to check for durability. 

What We Learned

Quality Craftsmanship and Materials Were Important 

Just like a quality item of clothing or backpack, a well-made knife roll will last you longer. Since you’re shoving sharp knives into these things (or, fine, maybe you’re covering them with knife guards like I should be doing), the inner material better be durable. Some knife rolls, like the Shun, suffered cuts from my knives—not a good sign in terms of longevity. Others, like the Sunday X Best, had synthetic leather straps and loose stitching. We showed this model to Hannah Stamp, a project engineer and textile specialist at Hasbro Inc., who said the uneven stitching speaks to poor thread tension, while the synthetic leather is flimsier and belies a cheaper product. While I'm not saying you need a $500 leather roll, like the Tom Beckbe (though it will probably last a lifetime, or longer), it is nice to have a sturdy canvas or tough polyester one that’ll stand up to sharp knives and last a long time. 

Carrying Comfort Was Key 

I really liked the idea of the Tilit backpack, which includes a front pocket for storing your knives (with tons of room for other kitchen essentials, like a solid Y-peeler, cookbook, or even your laptop). However, the backpack was way too big, and the straps dug uncomfortably into my neck when I carried it around. Instead, I preferred easy-to-use, comfortable straps and handles, like on the Messermeister and ChefSac, or rolls that were small enough to toss into a regular backpack, like the Hardmill knife roll.

The Number of Knife Slots Was a Personal Choice 

I tested a variety of knife rolls, the largest of which could fit 18 knives, and the smallest of which fit four. In the end, I found knife rolls with lots of knife slots were tricky to jam-pack since larger blades take up more space (especially if you use a larger blade, like a Chinese cleaver). In the end, eight knife slots are ideal, though if you’re only using one or two knives, the petite Hardmill knife roll, which has four slots, is a great choice. In addition to slots, some knife roll brands will also note the length of knives you can place in them, and the top of that range is usually around 15 to 18 inches

There Wasn’t A Lot of Variation In Appearance 

This might be a petty complaint, but the knife rolls I tested all kind of looked the same; lots of brown leather and dark greens, greys, and blues. It would be nice to have something, I don’t know, a little more quirky. I'd love more fun patterns and colorful options. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Knife Roll

I liked sturdy knife rolls—they should be tough enough to stand up against sharp blades and wear and tear over time. They should also be easy to open, close, and fill with knives; if the material is too stiff, it’s hard to slide knives into the slots. That said, the slots (and roll overall) should hold the knives in place; they shouldn't shift or start to fall out in transit. Finally, a good knife roll should be easy to carry, whether with a handle or shoulder strap.

The Best Knife Rolls

What we liked: Big, durable, and easy to stuff with knives, pens, y-peelers, etc., this is a serious knife roll for serious cooks. With 13 knife pockets, six utensil slots, and four large pockets (along with a mesh sleeve for stashing your favorite wooden spoon) you could practically pack up your entire utensil drawer in this thing. It’s also super easy to tote, and sports durable leather straps for securing it. 

What we didn’t like: There wasn’t much not to like about it, other than it’s big and maybe overly capacious for most people’s needs. 

Key Specs

• Style: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying handle
• Materials: Waxed canvas, leather
• Open dimensions: 29 x 31 inches
• Closed dimensions: 19.5 x 9 inches
• Weight (empty): 2 pounds, 11.1 ounces
• What it has: 13 knife pockets, 6 utensil slots, 4 large pockets
• Care: Wipe with a damp sponge and water, dry

What we liked: This thing is tough, with stiff canvas and thick leather straps that were surprisingly easy to open and cinch tight. It’s also packed with extra pockets for other doodads and even features an especially large exterior pocket, which could be good for your phone and wallet if you want to keep everything in one place. The handle and strap were large and comfortable.

What we didn’t like: The knife roll features a bulky extra zippered pocket on the exterior, which stuck out quite a bit. The pointed zipper on it was quite sharp, and I actually stabbed my palm with it. It’s also a pricier pick, at around $150 at time of testing.

Key Specs

• Style: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying handle
• Materials: Waxed canvas, leather
• Open dimensions: 28.5 x 28.25 inches 
• Closed dimensions: 16.25 x 7.25 inches
• Weight (empty): 2 pounds, 9.9 ounces
• What it has: 10 knife pockets, 1 quick access zip closure rear pocket, one business card pocket, 1 interior zip closure pocket, and 3 interior utility pockets
• Care: Wipe with a damp sponge and water, dry

What we liked: Sure, this isn’t a blue waxed canvas knife roll with bridle leather straps, but it’s sturdy, practical, and easy to tote. I really liked the zippered interior part, which ensured knives stayed in their slots, and it was easy to fit knife handles into the stretchy pockets, something that couldn’t be said of stiffer canvas offerings. 

What we didn’t like: I didn’t love the velcro used to secure the roll when it was folded up. However, there is a zippered sleeve that keeps knives inside, which gave me more peace of mind. 

Key Specs

• Style: Roll with shoulder strap and carrying handle
• Materials: Nylon, padded foam core 
• Open dimensions: 17 x 32 inches
• Closed dimensions: 20 x 6 inches
• Weight (empty): 1 pound, 9.3 ounces
• What it has: 8 knife pockets, 4 business card pockets, 1 large pocket, 3 pencil/pen pockets, and a zippered mesh interior
• Care: Spot clean with a damp towel, dry

What we liked: If you’re looking for a knife roll to hold a few essential knives, this one’s got you covered. I liked how slim it was (it fit easily into my tote purse), and my knives tucked readily into the slots and stayed there. It’s also made of rugged waxed canvas with cotton canvas backing, a durable combo. It also comes in a variety of colors, something that wasn’t true for many other knife rolls. 

What we didn’t like: There are no handles, so this is more of a knife roll that you’d pack up in a backpack or tote bag. It’s also quite pricey for a petite offering (it was $100 when I tested it). 

Key Specs

• Style: Roll, no strap or handle
• Materials: Waxed canvas, cotton canvas backing, full-grain bridle leather strap
• Open dimensions: 13.5 x 17 inches
• Closed dimensions: 17 x 4.75 inches 
• Weight (empty): 10.6 ounces
• What it has: 4 knife pockets, 1 interior zippered pocket  
• Care: Spot clean, dry

The Competition

• Tom Beckbe Chef's Knife Roll: I have to preface this by saying this is a gorgeous, durable knife roll that anyone would be lucky to have; because it’s made of leather, it will likely last a lifetime (probably longer). That said, it was $500 when I tested it, which isn’t exactly chump change. And while it will soften with time, right off the bat it’s quite large; carrying it, I felt like an architect walking around with one of those large tubes they keep their blueprints in. 
• Tilit Chef Backpack: I really wanted to like this backpack, since it’s a great idea, especially for folks who work in the restaurant industry and commute to work. But it was just way too big, and the straps were stiff and uncomfortable and chafed my neck. 
• Hudson Durable Goods 8 Pocket Knife Roll: This knife roll had its merits: it's made of durable canvas and had lots of knife slots, but the skimpy string used to secure it didn’t feel sturdy enough. It was also hard to fold when full of knives and ended up big and bulky. Since it doesn’t have a handle or straps, you’d have to find a way to fit it into a backpack, which might be difficult.
• Wusthof Roll Knife Storage: This was a decent offering that looked eerily similar to the Messermeister knife roll—save for one thing: the inner lining. While the Messermeister’s materials proved to be sturdy against accidental knife blade scrapes, this knife roll’s fabric sliced and frayed. 
• Boldric Cotton Canvas DD Hook Tie Chef Knife Bag: I liked the sturdy but pliable material of this roll and how sleek it looked when rolled up. However, the strap, which requires threading through two metal loops, wasn’t as secure as the more belt-like ones on other models, and knives shifted around a bit during carrying. 
• Sunday X Best Premium Chef Knife Bag: While this bag was made of durable canvas, the stitching was loose in some spots and the straps were made of flimsy feeling faux leather. Knives shifted a little bit during carrying. 
• Shun Knife Roll: Like the Mercer, this knife roll sustained small cuts inside when I slid knives into the slots. 

FAQs

What is a knife roll?

A knife roll is a bag used by chefs and cooks (and home cooks who are passionate about knives!) to tote their cutlery. 

How many knives can you fit in a knife roll?

It depends on the knife roll! We tested knife rolls that fit between four and 13 knives, though it depends on the size of your knives—for example, the blade of a Chinese cleaver will take up more space than a traditional 8-inch chef’s knife. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is Serious Eats' associate commerce editor and has been reviewing gear and ingredients here for nearly two years.
• She's worked as a bartender and as a prep cook, and frequently toted her knives with her.
• For this review, she tested 11 knife rolls by filling them with knives, toting them around, and examining their construction and durability. She also had Hannah Stamp, a project manager and textile specialist at Hasbro, examine a few of the knife rolls.
  

Restaurants have food storage down pat; they have walk-in refrigerators (I want one!), walk-in pantries, and giant, rolling tubs to hold huge amounts of flour, rice, and other dry goods. 

That said, we owners of tiny home kitchens do have dry food storage options, even if they don’t hold gallons or roll on wheels. I cleared out my pantry and de-cluttered my countertops (it was an effort, trust me) to test dry food storage containers, so you too can have easy peasy access to rice, flour, sugar, and—most importantly—snacks. After testing 10 sets (48 pieces in total), I found that most performed well and that your storage space and needs should dictate which you buy.

The Winners, at a Glance

These are basically larger versions of our favorite food storage containers and sport the same super-sealed, secure lids. Even the bigger containers fit nicely in my narrow pantry.  

These containers (which sport pop-on lids) were surprisingly good at storing rice, even when I shook them up and down. The set comes with pieces of various sizes, though I had trouble fitting the tallest containers (likely meant for spaghetti or…Twizzlers?) on my pantry shelf. 

This 14-piece set is great for someone with a loaded pantry—there were containers of all shapes and sizes, perfect for a handful of nuts or a big bag of dried beans. Some of the smaller pieces can double as food storage containers, too. 

While the lids were a little tricky to get off, these glass containers kept rice and crackers sealed and secure. They’re also quite pretty and have a small footprint, making them a great countertop option. 

While these weren’t airtight, they are beautiful, and I like using them to hold flour and sugar. Plus, they can double as a utensil crock in a pinch. I found that snacks stored in them got less of a stale flavor than ones stored in plastic containers, too. 

If you want to store food like a chef, then a Cambro is the container for you. This pair is compact, sturdy, and can also be used to store liquids, like overnight yeasted waffle batter or quiche filling (that said, they’re not leakproof!). 

If you’re looking for bulk storage, this is the set to get. These large containers are great for storing large bags of rice, flour, or even dry pet food. (If your cat is like mine, he can chew through the bag, but he can’t chew through this durable plastic! Take that feline foe!).

The Tests

• Rice Test: I poured rice into a container from each set, closed the lid, and shook it 10 times to see how securely the lids were attached. I also noted if they were easy to fill, empty, and clean. 
• Leak Test: While these are dry food storage containers, I wanted to see how airtight the lids were, so I filled one container from each set with water and shook it to see if any leaked.
• Stack and Store Test: I stacked the containers to see how they slotted together (if this was possible). I also placed each set in my pantry and on my counter to see how they fit. 
• Snack Storage Test (Winners-Only): I filled the winning containers with crackers, closed them, and tasted them one and two weeks later, noting if they were stale or had any off-flavors.
• Durability Test (Winners-Only): I opened and closed the lids of our winning containers 20 times to see how they held up.  

What We Learned

Know Your Pantry and Storage Space

Before you get excited about food storage, pause, take a deep breath, and face the reality that is your pantry and/or countertop. For example, I have two narrow pantry cabinets with built-in shelves and a countertop overridden with gadgets, cutting boards, knife blocks, etc, etc,—so space is limited.

Then, think about what your food storage needs are. Do you want sugar and flour containers within arm’s reach during cooking? Or are you looking for bulkier storage bins for holding that 10-pound bag of sushi rice? There are different containers for various needs, and throughout testing, I found that some containers simply didn’t fit in my somewhat restrictive pantry space. I liked the pretty Le Creuset and Guzzini containers as countertop picks for holding sugar and flour, while the taller, plastic tubs—like the Rubbermaid, OXO, and Chef’s Path—were better for pantry storage (think foods like spaghetti or cereal). Bigger tubs, like the Tellfresh and Cambros, were great for holding larger bags of flour or rice (or pet food), though, if you have a small kitchen, finding a place to store them could be challenging. 

Wide Mouths Were Best 

I liked dry food containers with wide mouths (like the Le Creuset) which made it super easy to grab a measuring cup, reach in, and scoop what you need. Containers with smaller openings, like the Ikea, were harder to scoop from—even pouring rice from the flip top scattered grains all over. 

Sturdiness Mattered

I really liked containers that sat sturdy and flat while we filled them. The Ikea containers were narrow at the base, making them prone to tipping and falling over, while the Progressive ProKeeper containers had attached lids that made them top-heavy when empty. Look for containers that sit flat and solid, like the wide Cambros or the sturdy ceramic Le Creuset.

Lids Were Important  

You want lids that are easy to put on and take off. Some lids were tricky to put on all the way, like the Tupperware, which made things risky if they tipped over. Others, like the Guzzini, were difficult to remove, which can lead to spills. In the end, I liked lids that popped on and off securely and easily, and that kept everything inside the container, even when we gave them a good shake as part of our testing. The Rubbermaid, OXO, and Chef’s Path lids were all easy to pop on and off and were watertight during the leak test. 

Plastic Imparted a Weird Taste 

As part of my testing, I filled our winning dry food storage containers with crackers, then taste-tested them one and two weeks later. All of the crackers were still mostly crunchy, though the ones stored in plastic containers often had an odd off-flavor. I'm not sure if this was a result of the oily crackers going a little bit rancid, or if it was the plastic containers themselves, though I did notice the crackers stored in the ceramic Le Creuset tasted fresher. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in Dry Food Storage Containers

Before you commit to a set of dry food storage containers, consider your pantry and countertop space; some of the sets I tested were quite tall (like the OXO), while others were short and wide (like the Cambro set).

In general, though, I liked sturdy containers with wide mouths that made them easy to fill and scoop from, and that kept foods relatively fresh over a longer period. While some containers, like the Le Creuset, weren't airtight, I found they were useful for keeping sugar or flour within arms' reach on my kitchen counter.

The Best Dry Food Storage Containers 

What we liked: These storage containers had a water and airtight seal that kept food protected. Clumsy? No matter, the lids seal on so securely that even when I shook a container filled with rice up and down, the lid didn’t budge. The set I tested, which included four pieces, fit nicely into my pantry with no Tetris moves needed. 

What we didn’t like: There wasn’t much I didn’t like about these, other than they’re not the most aesthetically pleasing (but if they’re in your pantry, it doesn’t really matter). The crackers had a slightly plasticky flavor after one and two weeks, and the set was also a bit pricey. 

Key Specs

• Sets available: 3, 4, 8, 10, 14, or 20-piece options
• Materials: Plastic
• Lid style: Snap-on lids
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-safe; freezer-safe

What we liked: This is a massive set with 14 containers of all shapes and sizes, so if you’re looking to store a lot of dry goods, this is the hostess with the mostest, so to speak. I liked the easy-on, easy-off snap-on lids, the variety of sizes, and that I could use the smaller containers for more short-term food storage (hello leftovers!). This set was also airtight and quite sturdy. 

What we didn’t like: Like many of the other plastic containers, these did impart a faint off-flavor when I stored snacks in them for two weeks. 

Key Specs 

• Comes with: 14 pieces
• Materials: Plastic
• Lid style: Snap-on
• Cleaning and care: Dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe

What we liked: I was skeptical about how well the lids on this set would stay put since they're shallow and feature a pop-up button that you push down to secure them. However, they were quite sturdy and stayed on splendidly even when I shook the containers filled with rice. I also liked the variety of sizes in the set. 

What we didn’t like: The tallest container in this set didn’t fit in my pantry, the manufacturer recommends hand washing (boo), and they aren’t the prettiest containers to look at. They’re also kinda pricey, shaking out to $11 per container. 

Key Specs

• Comes with: 5 pieces
• Materials: Plastic, silicone
• Lid style: Silicone gasket with "pop" feature to seal
• Cleaning and care: Hand washing recommended 

What we liked: These glass containers with acrylic lids are pretty and functional, a rare find in the world of dry food storage containers; I didn’t mind keeping them on my countertop. I liked that they had wide openings, which made it easy to scoop out ingredients or reach in for a snack, and the lids were very (if a little too) secure. 

What we didn’t like: The lids could be tricky to get off at times. These are sold as separate containers (not as a set), and each container is a bit pricey. 

Key Specs

• Comes with: 1 container (there are four sizes available to purchase separately)
• Materials: Glass, acrylic
• Lid style: Silicone gasket-lined lid
• Cleaning and care: Top rack dishwasher-safe

What we liked: If you’re looking for containers that’ll sit on your countertop and look pretty doing it, these are an excellent choice. They’re also easy to open, close, and clean, and are great for keeping sugar or flour within arm’s reach (they could also double nicely as a utensil crock). I didn’t notice any off-flavors imparted during my two-week snack taste test. 

What we didn’t like: The silicone-lined wooden lids gently rest in the container, so they’re not exactly meant to be jostled (to be honest, I didn’t even try our rice shake test with them), and each canister costs a pretty penny.

Key Specs

• Comes with: 1 container (there are three sizes available to purchase separately)
• Materials: Stoneware, wood, silicone
• Lid style: Wooden lids with silicone gasket
• Cleaning and care: Container is dishwasher-safe; lid should be hand-washed

What we liked: These sturdy containers with snap-on lids are beloved by chefs and cooks everywhere. While they aren’t leakproof, the lids sat tight when I shook the containers filled with rice. This set of two is also relatively inexpensive. Plus, they can also double as a sous vide container. 

What we didn’t like: While I have used these containers to refrigerate things like waffle batter, they are not leakproof. Also, this set only comes with two containers, though you can buy other various Cambro sizes separately. 

Key Specs

• Comes with: 2 containers
• Materials: Plastic
• Lid style: Snap-on
• Cleaning and care: Freezer and dishwasher-safe (can withstand temperatures from -40°F to 160°F)

What we liked: With handles and easy snap-on lids, these large containers are great if you buy in bulk and don’t want an open bag of rice (or pet food) sitting in your pantry. Since they’re so big, they’re also easy to scoop out of and pour into. 

What we didn’t like: I'm curious about the longevity of the handles, since they seem somewhat flimsily attached. The containers are also quite big, so you’ll want to make sure you have space to store them. The lids are prone to popping off when jostled, too.

Key Specs

• Comes with: 1 container (there are two sizes, sold separately) 
• Materials: Polypropylene plastic
• Lid style: Snap-on
• Cleaning and care: NA

The Competition 

• IKEA 365+ Dry Food Jar with Lid: I liked the flip-top lid on these containers (it made pouring out rice or a portion of snacks easy, if a bit messy). However, the containers themselves were very narrow at the bottom, threatening to tip over when I filled them. 
• Progressive ProKeeper+ Baker's Storage Set of 17: Some of the containers in this set had their lids attached, making them top-heavy and tipping them to the side slightly when filled. The small metal label on the front of the lids fell off right out of the box, which made these feel cheaply constructed. 
• Tupperware Stacking Square Storage Set: While there was nothing majorly bad about this set, the lids were difficult to put on, and when I gave them a good shake whilst filled with rice, well, let’s just say I'm still finding grains on my kitchen floor. 

FAQs

Is it safe to store dry food goods in plastic containers? 

According to the USDA, it is safe to store things like rice, cereal, or pasta in plastic containers, provided they are tightly sealed and dry.

What is the best dry food storage container?

It depends on what you are storing and where you are storing it! If you’re looking for a countertop vessel to hold flour and sugar, you might want to consider something like the containers from Guzzini or Le Creuset, which look nicer than plastic containers. That said, plastic containers with snap-on lids are more airtight. If you have space in your pantry for storing dry goods in containers, any of the plastic offerings we recommended above will do just fine. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor for Serious Eats, where she’s been testing gear for almost two years. 
• She has a background in journalism and has also done stints as a bartender and cook. 
• She has written dozens and dozens of reviews, with a couple of standouts being casserole dishes and Deba knives. 
• For this review, Grace tested 10 dry food storage container sets, evaluating their lid design, how easy they were to fill, if they were leakproof, and more.

Back when I was a spry twenty-something recent college grad, I’d spend my weekends bartending to make some extra cash. And gee whiz, it was hard work, especially the outdoor events that required lifting 30-pound bags of ice (I was sopping wet and cold by the end of the night) and cleaning up the entire station—tables and all—once the event was over. But now that I’m 31 and have all the requisite back aches, foot pain, and late-onset acne, I’m not about to leave the house to mix drinks for strangers; the only bartending I’m doing is for my husband, friends, and family. As such, I’ve made it a practice to keep my bar cart stocked with my favorite, sturdy gear, and have a few staple libations at the ready.

Grace’s Bar Cart Essentials 

• A Solid Set of Boston Shakers: Cocktail Kingdom Small and Large Weighted Koriko Shaking Tins
• A Mini Measuring Cup: OXO Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup
• A Good—Not Flimsy—Bar Spoon: Crafthouse by Fortessa Stainless Steel Twisted Bar Spoon
• A Trusty Muddler: Winco Wooden Muddler
• Coupe Glasses for Cocktails: Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass
• An Ice Scoop: OXO Good Grips Flexible Scoop
• A Sturdy Small Fine-Mesh Strainer: Rösle Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Tea Strainer
• A Nimble, Sharp Knife: Tojiro DP Petty/Utility Knife
• A Sharp Y-Peeler for Garnishes: Kuhn Rikon Original Swiss Peeler
• A Set of Metal Skewers: Crate and Barrel Set of 6 Cocktail Picks
• Stem Ginger in Syrup: Fabbri Ginger with Syrup
• Fancy Maraschino Cherries: Luxardo Gourmet Cocktail Maraschino Cherries
• My Favorite Canned Tonic Water: Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water
• My Favorite Flavored Tonic: Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water
• Fun-Flavored Bitters: 1821 Earl Grey Bitters
• Traditional Bitters: Angostura Aromatic and Orange Bitters 
• Old Standby Vermouths: Noilly Prat Extra Dry Vermouth and Dolin Red Vermouth
• A Non-Alcoholic Mixer: Lyre’s Italian Orange Non-Alcoholic Spirit

A Few Tips for Stocking Your Bar Cart

Essential Tools of the Trade

As a former bartender, there are a few items I standby for making great cocktails: a set of Boston shakers, a tiny measuring cup, a sturdy, small fine mesh strainer, a bar spoon, a Y-peeler, a muddler, and a sharp knife. Let’s break them down.

• Boston shakers: I can’t help it, but whenever I see someone reach for the cobbler shaker they inherited from their parents that collects dust in the back of a cabinet, I cry a little inside. While there are some decent cobbler offerings out there, most of the ones that languish in storage are old and gunky, and it’s near-impossible to pry open after shaking a drink. I stand by Boston shakers (with two metal tins) as being the best, easiest-to-use option when it comes to shaking drinks, and the Koriko weighted pair (small and large) have a special place in my heart; these were the shakers I learned on, and they have a nice weight to them, which helps you throw ice back and forth. They also pour beautifully, and they’re easy to seal and take apart. 
• A tiny measuring cup: While I was trained to use a traditional metal jigger, I always hated it; pouring was messy, and I’d sometimes wind up with more product on my hands than in the shaker. Then I met the OXO Good Grips Mini Angled Measuring Cup, and it changed the way I make cocktails—no more stress and no more mess! With an angled pouring spout and handy measurements (in ounces, tablespoons, and milliliters), it made it super easy to measure and pour. 
• A small, fine-mesh strainer: The mini-version of our winning fine-mesh strainer from Rösle not only looks cute, but it’s SO good at straining cocktails. Forget the days of fiddling with Hawthorne strainers, trying to get them to stay put on the glass as you pour; instead, rest the basket of this mini strainer on your glass (or hold it over it) as you pour the cocktail through it. It’s a game-changer. 
• A solid bar spoon: While you might only use bar spoons for a stirred drink now and again, they are useful to have on hand since some drinks measure ingredients in bar spoonfuls (though this isn’t super precise). Plus, if you want to make a really beautiful New York Sour, a bar spoon helps make that float of wine on top. A good bar spoon should be sturdy and stand up to swirling around ice quickly in a shaker—flimsy ones can bend and aren’t as effective. 
• A Y-peeler: Want to really impress your friends? Whip out your Y-peeler and garnish a cocktail with a sliver of citrus rind, or give a peel a twist then quickly put a lighter to it to set the oils aflame—what a show. But in all seriousness, a sharp Y-peeler is essential for garnishing so many cocktails (Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Cosmos, etc). I love our (cheap! colorful!) top pick from Kuhn Rikon so much that I have four of them. Just be sure to hand-wash it and dry it after.
• A muddler: A muddler is a tool used to bash (or lightly crush) ingredients to release more flavor and aroma into a cocktail. While I don’t reach for mine often, I like the simple, no-frills, cheap option from Winco—it gets the job done and is easy to clean, though it does require a quick wipe with food-safe mineral oil after washing. 
• A sharp, nimble knife: While paring knives are a common bartender's choice, I reach for my Tojiro petty knife when it comes to slicing up citrus or cutting peels into fun shapes. The blade is longer than a paring knife, but it’s still quite small, and the sharp blade makes quick work of all matter of ingredients. 

With these tools, you can make great cocktails, and whether or not you serve them in a lowball, highball, or coupe glass (or a fun, cut crystal vintage glass) is up to you. 

A Few Other Non-Essential—But Still Great—Tools Worth Having

When I was a bartender, we’d stock 30-pound bags of ice in a giant, soft cooler bag behind our setup for outdoor events. All that ice would make its way into ice buckets, and we’d use a metal scoop to fill shaker glasses before making a cocktail. While you might not be bartending in this capacity at home, an ice scoop is still a handy tool to have, especially if you’re serving guests and don’t want them to see you touching the ice with your bare hands. I also like to have a set of metal cocktail skewers on hand, since they look beautiful holding garnishes and reduce the waste of throwing away wooden toothpicks. Finally, while you can drink a cocktail out of anything (jam jars anyone?), a coupe glass is the ultimate cocktail glass—I recommend buying a sturdy set just in case things get rowdy (in a good way). Oh, and a set of tumblers is always good to have on hand for lowball drinks, too. 

Stock Your Bar Cart with a Few Edible/Imbibable Basics 

While you don’t necessarily want to have a bunch of vermouths, liquors, etc. sitting on your bar cart for years (vermouth will go stale after a while, and is best stored in the refrigerator), there are a few items that are handy to have in stock. Top of mind is tonic water, which is the easiest way to make a cocktail—gin and tonic, vermouth and tonic, vodka and tonic, whiskey and tonic—the list goes on. Bitters are another shelf-stable item worth having, and I’d recommend stocking orange and aromatic Angostura bitters as your everyday drivers, and perhaps some fun-flavored bitters for kicks. I also like to have some non-alcoholic mixers on hand, just in case a guest is driving or is alcohol-free; my favorite mixer is Lyre’s Italian Orange which, combined with some tonic and a splash of grapefruit juice, makes a delicious non-alcoholic riff on an Aperol spritz. Finally, garnishes! I love stocking my bar cart with jars of maraschino cherries and stem ginger in syrup, which adds a little glitter and glisten to a drink. 

Bar Essentials

I love a good set of Boston shakers—they’re easy to use, form a watertight seal, and come apart with a wee bit of squeezing (which breaks the seal). My favorites (and the ones I was trained on) are this sturdy, weighted Koriko set from Cocktail Kingdom, which shakes like a dream. 

I think traditional metal, hourglass-shaped jiggers are often more messy than effective, and instead, I find great joy in using this mini measuring cup. It has a little pour spout that keeps things clean and provides measurements in milliliters, ounces, and tablespoons, making it handy beyond bartending. 

I’ve used a variety of bar spoons, including the cheap kind with a red plastic thimble on the end, and only this offering from Crafthouse by Fortessa has the heft to last the long term. It stirs easily, as if it’s naturally inclined to spin around, and has a nice weight to it—great for cracking ice. 

While I admit I don’t make muddled drinks super often (maybe for the Kentucky Derby or if I’m feeling a Gordon’s Cup for brunch), a muddler is an essential part of any barkeeper's toolkit. I like this no-frills version from Winco—it smashes, smushes, and bashes just fine. The only downside is that it’s wood, so if you don’t want to handwash or oil it, we also recommend this composite muddler from our review.

Cocktail coupe glasses might not be truly essential, but if you’re hosting a cocktail party or want to show off a little bit, they’re a classic for a reason. Elegant and great to sip from, this set from Cocktail Kingdom is both dainty and sturdy, with the perfect-sized bowl for a standard cocktail ration. 

Nobody wants to watch their bartender scoop ice with their fingers and neither do guests at your cocktail party. Enter the ice scoop, a friend of sanitary mixologists everywhere, and a saver of fingers (no more cold fingertips!). While any metal version will do just fine, the slight give of the plastic scoop on this one from OXO makes it easy to direct ice where you want it—into your shaker glass or cup. 

While you can use a Hawthorne strainer to great effect, they can be tricky to use—and a bad one lets ice chips and citrus pulp through. I actually prefer using a small strainer to catch any unwanted bits and bobs when crafting drinks, and I especially love the small version of our winner fine mesh strainer from Rösle: it’s sturdy and the fine mesh basin catches even the smallest particles. 

I will sing the praise of petty knives forever—they’re sharp, nimble, and incredibly versatile. Not only are they great for slicing citrus or other ingredients for cocktails, but you can use them in so many other cooking tasks, like supreming an orange or even breaking down a chicken. And this petty knife by Tojiro is my go-to—I use it all the time.

Whether you’re creating lemon curlicues for a French 75 or peeling a strip of orange rind for an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, a sharp Y-peeler will get the job done without the extra pith. The Kuhn Rikon Swiss Peeler is our longtime favorite (and mine, too). 

Extras and Ingredients Worth Having

Say you want to serve a dirty martini (that jar of briny blue cheese-stuffed green olives is calling to you from across the room) but want easy access to the best part of the drink—the olive (sorry not sorry). Enter the cocktail skewer—a simple tool that gives you easy access to the garnish. I love this set of metal skewers from Crate and Barrel since they’re sleek and reusable (no more finding errant wooden cocktail skewers behind the couch post-party). 

While citrus peels and cherries are classic cocktail garnishes, why not change things up a bit with a glistening orb of candied ginger? Ever since studying abroad in London (and spending time in the UK in general), I’ve come to love stem ginger and the spicy, fragrant syrup it’s packaged in. Not only does a few tablespoons of chopped ginger make a great addition to gingerbread or other baked goods, but the ginger and syrup are great additions to cocktails to infuse them with a spicy, ginger kick. 

As someone who grew up gobbling down the cherries in Shirley Temple’s before sucking down the drink, a good maraschino cherry provides the same little thrill of delight. And while I still have a soft spot for the neon red cherries of yore, the ones from Luxardo provide a sultry, grown-up take on a childhood classic. 

Gone are the days of opening up a bottle of tonic only to have it deflate, unloved, and unused (since you only really wanted a drink or two). These small cans of tonic reduce waste and have a clean, saline flavor (with that signature touch of sweetness and bitterness). I always have a pack on hand.

Sometimes it’s fun to add a little zhush to your cocktails, and this herb-infused tonic does that with the snap of a tab. I like to add it to gin drinks, or even a simple vermouth and tonic.

Bottles of orange and aromatic bitters are a great starter set, and add a spiced, nuanced round note to Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs (and many, many other classic cocktails).

While a set of aromatic and orange bitters is essential, I also like to keep some fun bitters on hand for when I’m feeling a little more daring. This has added up to a collection that contains an infrequently used (but cherished) bottle of celery bitters and a collection of 1821 bitters, including a bottle of Earl Grey bitters. They are dusky and lovely, with bergamot at the forefront.

A vermouth and tonic (with half dry, half sweet vermouth) is one of my go-to, easy-peasy drinks—add a wedge of orange and a skewer of olives, and you’ve got a low-ish ABV spritz in a flash. Not to mention vermouth is a bar staple—you can’t make a Manhattan, Boulevardier, or martini without it. Just make sure that once opened, you store it in the fridge as the flavors can stale. 

I’m not ashamed to admit that I love a good riff on an Aperol Spritz (I like to add grapefruit juice to tone down the herbal sweetness), and this non-alcoholic spirit from Lyre’s makes a great booze-free one. I like to have a bottle of it on hand for lowkey evenings. 

FAQs

What is the best cocktail shaker?

In our review, we named the Boston shakers from Modern Mixologist and Piña Barware the best. I personally like the Koriko shakers from Cocktail Kingdom (which have weighted bottoms). In terms of cobbler shakers, we liked the ones from Cocktail Kingdom and OXO.

What do I need to make a cocktail?

A few king pieces of equipment include shakers, a bar spoon, a strainer (a Hawthorne one or a fine mesh strainer), a jigger (or a tiny measuring cup), and a muddler.  

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats. She's been dirtying her home kitchen by testing gear for nearly three years.
• Before being a gearhead, she was a prep cook and bartender, as well as an environmental journalist.
• She has written dozens of reviews for Serious Eats, including petty knives and tinned fish, among others.

Here at Serious Eats, we’ve long held the opinion that you shouldn’t spend a ton of money on a nonstick skillet; they just don’t last long enough to justify a big price tag. Instead, if you’re looking to invest in cookware, we often point you toward a sturdy stainless steel, carbon steel, or cast iron skillet, all of which are versatile, durable, and can get a nice sear on meats (and cauliflower steaks, if you’re into that). But the truth is, so many folks love a nonstick skillet for its ease of use, including many of us editors (it’s true!). 

This is why we’ve been super curious about HexClad, a brand that peddles “hybrid” cookware that “brings together the performance of stainless steel, the durability of cast iron, and the convenience of nonstick”—or so they say. It also comes with a hefty price tag, with the 12-inch skillet costing $200. 

Could this expensive, hybrid skillet that supposedly combines the best of nonstick and stainless steel prove that you can truly have it all? We set out to find out by using the 12-inch frying pan for around a month, pitting it against fried eggs, crepes, seared steak, pan sauce, sauteed mushrooms, and much more. 

The Tests

• Seasoning: Prior to using the skillet, we seasoned it per HexClad’s instructions. This involved heating the pan over medium, spreading one teaspoon of oil around the interior, then leaving the pan on medium heat for two to four minutes. While we aren't sure seasoning is really necessary for this type of pan, it's easy enough to do, and we don't think the company has anything to gain from people doing it.
• Water Boiling Test: We boiled one cup of water in the skillet without a lid, timing how long this took. 
• Fried Egg Test: We cooked two over-easy fried eggs in the skillet, one with oil and one without oil. We used a metal fish spatula to flip the eggs and remove them from the skillet. 
• Crepe Test: We made a batch of crepes in the skillet, examining how the pan was able to lift and spread the batter, as well as how easy it was to flip the crepes. 
• Steak au Poivre Test Test: We made steak au poivre to test the pan’s searing ability and use over high heat. We also examined the pan’s durability by using a whisk to make the pan sauce. 
• Sauteed Mushroom Test: We made our recipe for sauteed mushrooms, examining how the skillet fared when tossing and stirring the fungi.
• Cleaning Tests: We hand-washed the skillet and ran it through the dishwasher. 

What We Learned

What Is HexClad Anyway?

When you look at a HexClad pan, the first thing you might notice is, well, the hexagons covering the surface. (Senior culinary director Daniel Gritzer says they look like they were made in the same factory as the Tie fighters that whiz through space in Star Wars—and we concur. They’d probably be what Darth Vader would use if he cooked). These hexagons are made of etched, raised stainless steel. Paired with an aluminum core and tri-ply layers of stainless steel cladding, you get a pan that’ll heat up fast (it boiled water on our electric stove in less than two minutes). 

Between the raised steel hexagons are what HexClad calls “nonstick valleys,” which, according to the company, are made from “high-grade non-toxic Japanese coating infused with diamond dust for extra toughness.” While they beat around the bush a little bit, in their FAQs you’ll find that this coating is made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a subgroup of PFAS. They briefly state, “Our nonstick coating contains PTFE, which is listed in the Biomonitoring California Priority Chemicals List.” So if you’re looking for a pan that doesn’t contain PTFEs (which is what you’ll find coating pretty much every nonstick skillet these days), this isn’t the pan for you.

In essence, with HexClad, you get a pan with the heating abilities of stainless steel, as well as a somewhat nonstick surface, for a fairly high price. The question is, is it worth it?

The Nonstick Ability Was (Mostly) Good 

Daniel, who has owned a Hexclad pan for years at this point, says that while the pan is durable, it’s not quite as nonstick as is claimed. “The Hexclad offers the best durability I've ever seen in a nonstick pan, I'll allow it that,” he says. “But where it falls short is in its claim that it's just as nonstick as any other nonstick pan. In my experience, it is not.”

This is because this pan isn’t the same kind of nonstick pan as a, well, explicitly nonstick pan; the nonstick “valleys” are broken up by the stainless steel webbing, so that’s where the “hybrid” adjective comes from. The stainless steel hexagons mean that you need to heat your pan properly and use oil with it, or else you’re at risk of, say, your over-easy eggs sticking, as happened to us during our tests. However, once we added a quick squirt of canola to the pan, we were easily able to flip and remove the fried eggs. We had no issues with delicate crepes sticking, though, and that was without any butter or other grease lubricating the surface (though you can use a stainless steel skillet to make crepes, so that’s not super surprising). 

Its Durability Has Held Up—So Far 

As part of our testing, we made pan sauce for steak au poivre, which requires a good amount of whisking, as well as setting the pan over fairly high heat to reduce the sauce. Even after whisking the sauce, we didn’t find any scratches or scrapes along the interior surface, and the high heat of searing steak and simmering sauce didn’t have any effect either; there was no discoloration or darkening. 

The downside is, as mentioned above, the pan is coated with PTFEs, which means its longevity is limited to some capacity, especially if you’re using the pan over higher heat. While HexClad discourages users from doing this, saying, “Our patented HexClad design allows heat to distribute faster and more evenly, which means you can cook at lower temperatures. We recommend that our customers start cooking at lower temperatures and increase if needed. You rarely need to cook on high heat with HexClad,” we find that somewhat disappointing; why have the stainless steel if you can’t set it over a slightly higher heat? In order to get a nice sear and prevent food from sticking in a stainless steel skillet, you have to heat the pan up somewhat high (but not TOO high) before placing oil in the pan. This helps close the steel’s pores, reducing the likelihood of the oil seeping into them and food sticking to the pan. On the other hand, if you’re heating up the HexClad to a shimmering oil kinda of heat, you could be damaging the PTFE surface. You can’t really win, unless you’re just leisurely sauteeing some mushrooms or gently scrambling eggs. 

That all said, senior commerce editor Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm has owned a Hexclad skillet since 2016 and the coating is still totally intact. Daniel agrees, saying, “I sure do appreciate their durability; they're better than any other nonstick pan I've ever used in that regard.”

We Liked the Pan’s Ergonomics and Shape

We were a little skeptical at first of the rather straight, tubular handle on the skillet. But while sauteeing mushrooms and swirling crepe batter, we found the handle quite comfortable to hold and maneuver. We also liked the gently curved sides which let steam vent readily, essential when searing steaks or sauteeing mushrooms. While the pan was a tad heavy, weighing two pounds, 15.6 ounces without the lid, our favorite stainless steel skillet from Made In weighs a similar three pounds.

The Verdict

We really liked cooking with the HexClad 12-inch skillet in terms of form factor, results, and ease of use; the curved corners helped steaks get a nice sear (without steaming) and contained mushrooms whilst sauteeing. And while our editors have seen the durability of the pans IRL, we still question their overall longevity and, in some ways, the pan's purpose; it’s like a Frankenstein mashup of nonstick and stainless steel, but each of these components weakens the other (as in, the stainless steel keeps it from being truly nonstick, while the nonstick coating means it’s not as durable as a purely stainless steel skillet). We think you might be better off investing in a sturdy stainless steel skillet and a cheaper nonstick skillet; combined, they’d probably be the same price as a single Hexclad pan. That said, if you’ve had your heart set on a HexClad, it likely won't disappoint—but you better be prepared to (literally) pay for it. 

Pros

We liked the handle, which stayed cool and felt balanced with the skillet itself. The sides of the skillet were nicely sloped, too, allowing us to saute and stir fry without flinging ingredients everywhere. The shallow, curved sides also allowed steam to escape, so we got a good sear on steaks. The pan also heated up quite quickly, bringing water to a boil in under two minutes on our electric range. Bonus: It’s induction-friendly. 

Cons

We question the pan's durability and purpose: stainless steel brings quick and even heating, but prevents it from being truly nonstick, while the PTFE coating gives the pan some nonstick abilities (though not entirely, because of the stainless steel webbing), but isn’t as durable as stainless steel. That said, Hexclad does have a lifetime warranty, which is heartening (though it comes with strings attached; the website says, “Our warranty does not cover damage occurred as a result of failure to follow proper care and use guidelines as outlined in the product inserts and on our website.”). 

Key Specs 

• Materials: Stainless steel, aluminum, nonstick coating 
• Weight: 2 lbs, 15.6 ounces
• Cleaning: Dishwasher-safe
• Warranty: Lifetime warranty (though we recommend reading through the fine print)

FAQs

Does HexClad have Teflon in it?

Teflon is a proprietary brand of PTFE made by Chemours. While HexClad doesn’t use Teflon per se, it does use a PTFE nonstick coating (a subgroup of PFAS) on its cookware. 

Why is food sticking to my HexClad pan?

Because HexClad uses stainless steel in addition to a PTFE nonstick coating, you can get some sticking unless you oil the pan or heat it up before adding food. 

Do HexClad pans last long?

HexClad pans have a lifetime warranty, provided you use the pan properly. You can read more about their warranty coverage here. We will continue to use the pans we have from HexClad to guage their longevity over time. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• Prior to this, she tested equipment and ingredients for America’s Test Kitchen, and she’s also worked as a bartender and cook in various restaurants. 
• She has written dozens of reviews for Serious Eats, including petty knives, tinned fish, fish spatulas, and tortilla presses, among others. 
• To test the HexClad 12-inch frying pan, we made over-easy eggs, crepes, sauteed mushrooms, and steak au poivre with pan sauce. We also asked two of our editors who have used the pans for years about their experience cooking with them.
  

Like breaking down a chicken, filleting a whole fish lets you see where that clean piece of meat comes from. And while it’s a messy business—guts, gills, and scales galore—it’s also often more economical—plus, you can use the bones and head for dashi and other dishes. 

While some folks prefer to use a bendy boning knife to swipe a filet off of a fish, when I was a prep cook at a restaurant, butchering whole fish was done with Deba knives. This stocky, Japanese knife is very different from a boning knife with its thick spine and single-beveled edge. But as Masaaki Saito, owner of Saito Knives in Brisbane, Australia, explains, this is what makes the Deba a truly multi-purpose knife.

“The biggest advantage of Deba knives over other European-style filleting knives is that everything can be done with one knife,” he says. “It is difficult to cut bones or fins with a skinny, flexible, filleting knife, as you will need a cleaver or scissors to work on any bony parts, while the pointy part of Deba knife can easily trim the flesh off the bones and the thick heel can halve the head, cut the bones into pieces, and remove fins.” That said, choosing and using a Deba knife requires some research—and maybe watching a few YouTube videos on how to use them.

To help get you started, we tested 10 knives by filleting fish big and small, spoke to experts, and even brought our favorites to a local fishmonger to try out. After all this testing, we found four offerings for experienced fish butchers and newbies alike. 

The Winners, at a Glance

When it comes to agility, sharpness, and price point, this sturdy, hybrid stainless steel Deba has it all. We liked the angled handle, which made it easy to grip, though it was a bit large. 

We loved the balance and heft of this knife, as well as its sharp stainless steel blade. The handle featured a pinched bolster, which gives you more control.  

If you’re into carbon steel knives and are looking for a Deba that can tackle fish of all shapes and sizes, this is a great option. It sports a thicker, carbon steel blade (seven millimeters at its widest point) that decisively cuts through flesh and bone.

The biggest, heaviest knife in our lineup, the Tojiro was also super sharp thanks to its carbon steel blade. Its heft (it weighs a whopping 10.3 ounces) also helped it smoothly glide between the fillet and bones, ensuring a quick, clean cut. It was also surprisingly well-balanced. 

The Tests

• Blade Sharpness Tests: We used a professional blade edge tester to measure the sharpness of each knife out of the box.
• Fillet Smaller Fish Test: We used each Deba knife to gut and fillet a small sea bass. 
• Fillet Larger Fish Test (Winners-Only): We used each winning Deba knife to gut and fillet a large bluefish. 
• Fishmonger Use Test (Winners-Only): We had Natalia Gattuso of Fearless Fish Market in Providence, Rhode Island, use each of our winning knives to fillet scup. 
• Usability Tests: Throughout testing, we noted how easy the blades were to handle, maintain, and clean. 

What We Learned

Deba Knives Are Different Than Flexible Fillet Knives 

As Masaaki Saito, owner of Saito Knives, explained, unlike boning or filet knives, Deba knives are not only used to filet but also to cut through bone and clip off fins so the cook can use all parts of the fish. “Deba knives are designed for breaking down whole fish,” he says. “In Japanese cuisine, most parts of the fish are used to create different dishes. You'll find dishes like grilled snapper head, butterflied whole Alfonsino, or Grouper hot pot (with diced head, wings, and bones) served at top-end dining establishments. So chefs needed heavy-duty knives to cut through hard fish bones easily without damaging the edge.” And heavy-duty they are! Nearly all of the knives we tested had spines that were quite thick and heavy, with the Tojiro winning the prize for the thickest, heaviest knife with a 7-millimeter spine and 10.3-ounce weight. This heft and bulk is intentional and, as Saito noted, helps break through bone and ensures quick, clean cuts.

How to Use a Deba Knife 

Cutting fish with a Deba knife is slightly different than doing it with a filleting knife. While some filleting methods start by simply making a slit near the gills, the Deba method does this on each side, but then also removes the entire head. Once the head is removed, you can run the knife from the back of the stomach forward to open it and clean out the guts (if this hasn't already been done).

Once that’s done, use the knife to gently cut along the interior of the spine and wipe it out. Then, start filleting by running the blade down from the belly towards the tail, flip the fish over, and run the blade (slightly angled) along the top of the fish from the tail to the head. Now, swipe the knife gently between the spine bones and the flesh—you should hear a scraping sound where the blade is cutting the fish away from the bones. Do the same on the underside of the same side, then separate the filet by cutting through the flesh near the tail. Repeat on the other side. 

A Sturdy Grip Was a Must

Filleting fish is a messy, slippery business, so while a grippy handle might seem like something of little importance, we found it incredibly helpful. Most of the Deba knives we tested had rough wood handles that made them easier to grip. However, the Kai Wasabi Deba Knife had a rounded, plastic handle that got really slippery during filleting, which isn’t ideal when you’re wielding a heavy-duty, sharp knife. Gattuso also found handles that narrowed slightly towards the bolster, like on the Sakai Takayuki Kasumitogi Deba 150mm, were easier to grip and control. 

Experience Level Mattered

If you’re new to Deba knives, you might want a smaller, softer knife, which is less likely to chip and easier to maintain and use. “For beginner users, hybrid ones may be easier to maintain because of the easy maintenance and more forgiving characteristics, while the white carbon steel ones can rust easily and chip easily, but have much better sharpness and edge retention when used properly,” Saito says. He also suggests looking for knives with shorter blades, 150 to 180 millimeters (around six to seven inches long). If you’re more confident filleting fish, have used a Deba knife before, and are used to Japanese-style blades, a longer, carbon steel blade could be a good choice. 

Fish Size Was Also Important

If you’re filleting sardines or other small fish, a big, hefty Deba might be tricky to use without mashing. Conversely, if you’re filleting a roughly 24-inch bluefish (like we did), a thicker, hefty blade can make quick work of removing the head, gutting, and filleting. Saito gave us a general idea of Deba to fish sizes: 

Our Favorite Knives Were Balanced, Sharp, and Multipurpose

While most of the knives we tested were incredibly sharp out of the box and performed well, our favorite knives were more versatile in terms of size and had a balanced blade and handle. When it came to the more traditional style Deba with a carbon steel blade, we really liked the Sakai Takayuki, which had a 150-millimeter-long blade (around six inches long), a grippy wooden handle, and a balanced feel. The hefty Tojiro was also great, balancing weight with sharpness and agility. Both of these knives excelled at fileting fish big and small. While the white steel Okeya Deba was also quite sharp, it was really small and light, with a five-inch-long blade and a mere 3.5-ounce weight—it’s probably better suited to filleting smaller fish or even mincing scallions or other tender vegetables. When it came to hybrid knives, that is, knives that are made of stainless steel and hence softer, we also preferred mid-sized knives; among our favorites were the kai Seki Magoroku Kinju ST Japanese Deba Knife and the Fujiwara Kanefusa FKM Series No.3 Deba, both of which had easy-to-grip handles, and balanced and sharp 6-inch blades; they tackled larger fish as easily as they did small scup. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Deba Knife 

We recommend looking for a versatile Deba knife with a blade that is 150 to 180 millimeters (roughly six to seven inches) and has enough heft to cut through bone and quickly cut flesh away. It should also have a grippy handle that won’t get slippery or slick when wet.

If you’re nervous about sharpening knives or have never used a Deba, a hybrid stainless steel model might be the best choice in terms of maintenance (they’re also less likely to chip). If you’re an old hand at filleting fish, a high-carbon steel blade offers a refined edge and quick, biting cuts. And if you’re left-handed, make sure you choose a knife that offers an option to have the single-beveled edge switched to the left side (though this may have to be done via special request). 

The Best Deba Knives 

What we liked: With a balanced 6-inch blade and faceted handle, this weighty knife filleted and cut through bone with ease. The stainless steel blade is less work to sharpen and maintain, making it a great choice for beginners or those who are intimidated by carbon steel knives. And at only $77, it’s a great bang for your buck. 

What we didn’t like: Since it’s stainless steel, it likely will dull a tad faster than a carbon steel blade. Gattuso also found the handle a bit large. 

Price at time of publish: $77.

Key Specs

• Handle length: 4.75 inches
• Blade length: 150 millimeters (6 inches)
• Spine thickness: 5 millimeters at widest point
• Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Materials: Molybdenum vanadium stainless steel, composite handle
• Sharpness reading average: 65 (double-edged razor-blade sharp)
• Cleaning: Hand-wash and dry

What we liked: While it had a more Western shape, this hefty knife cut through bone easily and swiped fillets off without a hitch. We liked the smooth but angled handle, which didn’t get slippery even when we butchered a large (and quite bloody) blue fish. And since it sports a stainless steel blade, it’s easier to maintain. “It has a good medium weight, and I like the bolster,” said Gattuso. 

What we didn’t like: Since it’s stainless steel, it’s likely to lose its sharp edge faster than a carbon steel blade (though that is easily remedied by honing and sharpening it).

Price at time of publish: $77.

Key Specs

• Handle length: 4.5 inches
• Blade length: 150 millimeters (6 inches)
• Spine thickness: 4 millimeters at widest point
• Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Materials: Molybdenum Vanadium stainless steel; black pakkawood handle with stainless steel bolster handle
• Out-of-box sharpness reading average: 58 (double-edged razor-blade sharp)
• Cleaning: Hand-wash and dry

What we liked: With a 7-millimeter thick carbon steel blade, this knife has it all: weight and sharpness. It tackled smaller sea bass and scup just as easily as larger fish. “It’s really smooth and steady," said Gattuso. "It’s also balanced and still small enough to maneuver around the spine.” We also liked the grippy wooden handle. 

What we didn’t like: If you’re new to Japanese-style knives, the carbon steel blade is a little bit more work to maintain (and if you’re new to filleting fish, it’s less forgiving and more brittle than stainless steel).

Price at time of publish: $99.

Key Specs

• Handle length: 4.75 inches
• Blade length: 150 millimeters (6 inches)
• Spine thickness: 7 millimeters at widest point
• Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Materials: White steel carbon steel; Magnolia wood handle
• Out-of-box sharpness reading average: 57 (double-edged razor-blade sharp)
• Cleaning: Hand-wash and dry

What we liked: This was the heftiest knife we tested, making it a great option for filleting larger fish since the weight of the blade helps it slice quickly; it was also super sharp. The rough wooden handle was also nice and grippy. 

What we didn’t like: Since it has a wooden handle and carbon steel blade, it should be thoroughly dried after washing and we’d advise rubbing the handle with some food-safe mineral oil. It’s also quite heavy, though Gattuso was able to easily fillet smaller scup with it. “For being so heavy, it’s surprisingly balanced and easy to control,” she said. It’s on the pricier side of the lineup of knives we tested, though we still think it’s a good deal for a great knife. 

Price at time of publish: $108.

Key Specs

• Handle length: 5 inches
• Blade length: 165 millimeters (6.5 inches)
• Spine thickness: 7 millimeters at widest point
• Weight: 10.3 ounces
• Materials: White #2 steel with soft iron cladding; Magnolia with black resin Ferrule handle
• Out-of-box sharpness reading average: 140 (utility razor blade sharp)
• Cleaning: Hand-wash and dry

The Competition

• Kai Wasabi Deba Knife 6": While this knife was actually pretty good in terms of heft and sharpness, we found the rounded plastic handle got really slippery during use and cleaning. 
• Global Deba Knife, 4.75: While this was a somewhat sharp knife, it really was too small and thin to cut through bone. Plus, the metal handle got quite slippery when filleting fish. 
• Mercer Culinary Asian Collection Deba Knife, 6-inch: The lightweight stainless steel blade meant this Deba wasn’t quite as sharp or effective as other knives we tested. 
• Kanetsugu Hybrid Wa Bocho Series Deba: This knife, while visually stunning, had a top-heavy blade that threw off its balance. Yet, even though it felt heavy in the hand, it struggled to cut through smaller scup bones. 
• Okeya White #2 Ko-Deba 120mm: While this is a pretty little knife, we found ourselves wanting to use it for things other than filleting fish. “It’s adorable,” said Gattuso, “I want it as a vegetable cleaver.” It weighed a mere 3.4 ounces, lacking the heft that helps slice through fish and cut through bone. 
• Mac Knife Japanese Series 5-1/2-Inch Deba Knife: We liked the French bolster on this knife, which was sturdy and easy to clean. However, the knife itself felt a little clunky and unbalanced.

FAQs

What is a Deba knife?

A Deba knife is a Japanese fish fileting knife. It differs from Western-style filet or boning knives in that it’s often quite thick and heavy, and is meant to cut through bone as well as flesh. 

What is a Deba knife used for?

These thick, heavy knives are used to break down whole fish. Their stockiness helps them cut through bones. 

Can you use a Deba knife for everything?

While you can use a Deba to cut other foods, like chicken or vegetables, it’s not recommended to use them for really thick bones or hardy vegetables, especially if they are carbon steel, since this can damage the blade. 

What's the difference between carbon steel and stainless steel knives?

In short, carbon steel knives stay sharper longer—but they have a brittle edge that requires more maintenance (e.g. thoroughly drying the blade and rubbing it with Tsubaki oil to keep it rust-free). Carbon steel is also more prone to chipping if used incorrectly (you can read more about carbon steel blades here). Stainless steel knives tend to dull faster, though they are more durable and can be honed and sharpened back into shape more easily.

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• Prior to this, she tested equipment and ingredients for America’s Test Kitchen. She's worked as a journalist and has done stints as a cook and bartender. 
• She has written dozens of reviews for Serious Eats, including petty knives, tinned fish, fish spatulas, and tortilla presses, among others. 
• We reviewed 10 Deba knives by using them to fillet small hybrid sea bass. We also used our winning picks to fillet a 24-inch bluefish and had Natalia Gattuso of Fearless Fish Market in Providence, Rhode Island use the knives to fillet scup. 
• We interviewed Masaaki Saito of Saito Knives in Brisbane, Australia, to get background on Deba knives. Saito is a former fish butcher and sushi chef, who now makes and sharpens knives. 
  

My father-in-law loves ham. To put it in perspective, not only does he relish any holiday where ham graces the table, but he specifically requests it for his birthday in September, too. Lucky for him I took on the enviable task (well, to him at least) of testing mail-order hams in the very month of his birthday and invited him over for a “hamboree” to try a few (like a jamboree, but with ham—get it?). And, while you might think, “How different can a hunk of ham really be?” we tried almost every type you can buy, including a prosciutto-like offering, a barbecued picnic ham, and many iterations of spiral-cut and uncut whole hams. Not only did we judge them based on how easy they were to prepare and how they tasted, but we also noted how they arrived, since no one wants to order a ham online only to find it thawed out on its shipping journey. 

The Winners, at a Glance

This boneless ham had a honey-colored crust, was super easy to bake and slice, and was downright delicious. It was moist, flavorful (with a touch of sweetness), and perfectly seasoned. We also think the leftovers would be lovely cooked up in bean or pea soup.

With a dark, almost bark-like exterior, this bone-in ham had my in-laws oo-ing and aww-ing. And the flavor was fantastic, too, with a faint smokiness and subtle sweetness, and a very moist and tender texture.

This ham arrived frozen and tightly wrapped in a plastic coating and mesh bag. We loved its smoky flavor and the spiral cut made it super easy to slice and serve.

This is a truly tiny ham and a big departure from the massive hams we tested. But though it’s small in size, it’s big in flavor, with a faintly smoky sweetness. It tasted just as good cold as it did heated up.

You can often find Benton’s ham on menus at good restaurants, but did you know you can buy a whole leg of it for only $83? We’re talkin’ a near prosciutto-like, smoky leg that you can slice slivers from for cheese boards, to wrap around fruit, or to fry up in a pan with some red eye gravy and biscuits. It’ll redefine what you think ham can be.

The Tests

• Shipping Inspection: We inspected each package to see if the ham arrived frozen (if that was intended) and to see how insulated it was. 
• Preparation Test: We followed instructions (included in the package or online) to prepare each ham, noting if it was easy as well as the final results. 
• Taste Test: We had two to four people taste each ham, noting its consistency and texture, flavor, and how easy it was to slice and serve. 

What We Learned

What Exactly Is Ham?

If you shop for ham online or at the grocery store, you might be confused by all the labels: Fresh ham, ham, uncured ham, smoked ham, cured ham, bone-in, boneless. What do they all mean? The USDA defines ham (just plain ‘ol ham) as “the cured leg of pork,” while “fresh ham” is uncured (more on what that means shortly). Curing a pork leg simply means the leg was salted or brined (often with added nitrates, which give ham its pink color) as a preservation method. If you see ham labeled “uncured” or “fresh,” this doesn’t mean that it wasn’t salted or brined, it simply means there were no chemical additives (like nitrates) used during the process. Sometimes a brand will use celery seed instead, which manufacturers often claim is a “natural” nitrate. However, this meat still has nitrates in it, regardless of whether they are the pink salt kind or derived from a plant. 

Smoked ham is another style you can look for, though intensity can vary depending on how long it was smoked and what wood chips were used. Some hams are REALLY smoky, so if you (or whoever you’re serving) don’t love that wood-chip smell and aroma, this might be something to steer clear of. We found most of the hams we tasted were low-to-moderately smoky, but Benton’s ham was really, really smokey—but they’re known for this intense hickory smoke flavor. If you’re not into smoke, look for hams that have been smoked for a shorter time or that lean on the flavors of milder wood chips, like apple, cherry, or alder. 

Boneless Vs. Bone-In

In the end, we didn’t really find a huge difference in terms of taste when it came to boneless versus bone-in hams. Sure the bone-in hams, like this one from D’Artagnan, looked nicer—and it feels like you’re serving dinner at a medieval banquet when you carve collops from it—but they weren’t necessarily moister or more flavorful than the boneless hams we tried. The difference was really that the boneless hams had more fat marbling throughout (while the bone in hams had veins of fat delineating different sections), like in the Omaha ham, but this turned out not to be as gross as it sounds. When the ham was heated, the fat melted and kept the meat moist. That said, it was more like deli meat than meat from a bone-in ham. 

Most Hams Were Pre-Cooked and Easy to Warm Up

All of the hams we ordered were pre-cooked, which makes serving all that much easier. Basically, when you bake a ham, you’re just reheating it so it doesn’t pass as deli meat. Nearly all of the hams we tasted were also incredibly easy to warm, requiring only a deep roasting pan (a half-sheet pan works in a pinch, but there’s more risk of spilling) filled with about 1/4 to 1/2 to an inch of water and an oven temperature ranging between 275°F and 350°F. Some brands recommended tenting the ham with foil, which we found beneficial to ensuring the ham emerged moist rather than dry and leathery (this is especially true of spiral-cut hams, which we will get into momentarily). 

The exception to this was the Benton’s ham, which was more like prosciutto than ham you might eat at Easter. You can either serve thin slices shaved fresh off the leg or, as they suggested on the included pamphlet, heat pieces up in a skillet, perhaps with a dash of coffee to make a simple red eye gravy and serve it with some grits or a fluffy biscuit. 

Spiral-Cut Hams Dried Out Faster

While spiral-cut hams offer serving convenience (especially if there’s a big bone running through the center), we did find that they tended to dry out faster than whole, uncut hams. If you do like the convenience of spiral-cut hams, we recommend baking them cut side down and tenting them with foil to retain as much moisture as possible. 

Texture Was Important 

The hams we tasted came in a surprising array of textures, with our favorites having some chew to them but without being leathery. Some hams, like the Rastelli’s, had an unpleasant grainy, chewy, and snappy texture that was redolent of cold-cut deli ham, but not in a good way. The Omaha ham also had a little bit of a snappy bite to it, but it was still quite moist and tender since it was boneless, with almost imperceptible ribbons of fat running throughout (don’t worry, they melted when heated and kept the ham juicy). Overall, we preferred hams with a little more texture, but one that wasn’t rubbery or overly snappy—think, when you cut the ham, it kind of tears rather than cuts cleanly into chunks. 

Too Much Fat Was Off-Putting

While you do want some fat in a ham to keep it moist, two of the hams we tried were so fatty they made us feel ill. The Goldbelly PIT SMOKED BBQ HAM had a fat cap so thick, that it made up half the ham, thus making that half inedible—sad. The Holy Grail Steak Co Mangalitsa Bone-In Smoked Ham also had lots of fat running through it (to be fair, the Mangalitsa pig is labeled the Wagyu of pork), and we physically got queasy after eating larger pieces of it. That said, if you liked the taste and texture of fat, both hams would satisfy that craving. 

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Mail-Order Ham

First, find a purveyor who knows what they’re doing in terms of shipping—no one wants to receive a spoiled ham. We liked both whole and spiral-cut hams, though we found the pre-cut ones tended to dry out faster. When it comes to smokiness, take a gander at the smoke times and/or wood chips used for a general idea of how smoky the ham will be (hickory tends to be more intense than, say, apple or cherry wood). Finally, we liked hams that were fatty enough to be moist, but not SO fatty that they were slightly nauseating to eat. 

The Best Hams

What we liked: This boneless ham made us rethink our (admittedly snobby) opinion of boneless hams. It sported a beautiful, golden brown sheen on the exterior, and the ham itself was pink, juicy, and tender, thanks to threads of fat running through it (don’t worry, they melted when heated and were what helped keep this ham moist). It had a simple, savory, salty, and, just very ham-like taste. It’s also quite affordable, and the two-and-a-half pound ham fed four people easily, with much ham to spare. 

What we didn’t like: Boneless hams look a lot like the hams at a deli, and if you eat it cold, the fat threaded throughout is a little more noticeable. We also found the shipping method questionable—while the ham was frozen, there was no insulation or ice packs in the box. 

Price at time of publish: $30 for 2.5 lb ham. 

Key Specs

• Shipping notes: Comes frozen in a small box without any insulation or ice packs. 
• Weight: 2.5 or 5 lbs
• Spiral-cut: No
• Smoked: Yes
• Wood chips: Hickory 
• Glaze included: No
  

What we liked: This stunner of a ham (yes, not only can a Negroni sblagliato be stunnin’) is big, flavorful, and was one of our tasters’ favorites. It was a little smoky without being overwhelming and had a nice, honey-like sweetness. Since the ham we received was not spiral cut, it was also very moist. The shipping was stellar, too, with plenty of ice packs and insulation (it kept the ham nearly frozen, but it was a really hot day when we received it).

What we didn’t like: It’s expensive, and it’s big, so it’s best for big gatherings and people who really enjoy ham.

Price at time of publish: $93.

Key Specs

• Shipping notes: Came in a box with lots of insulation and ice packs still frozen. The ham itself thawed a little bit, but it was also 88°F the day it was delivered. 
• Weight: 9.4 lbs 
• Spiral-cut: No, but the option is available 
• Smoked: Yes
• Wood chips: Apple 
• Glaze included: No
  

What we liked: Sometimes you just wanna eat ham and not saw away at one, ya know? While spiral-cut hams do have a tendency to dry out faster, if you cover one with aluminum foil and cook it low and slow in a water bath, it should emerge juicy and glistening. This smoky ham had a faint touch of sweetness to balance out the savory, and since it was spiral sliced, it was easy to serve. 

What we didn’t like: The instructions for heating do not mention tenting the ham in foil, and as a result, our ham came out a tad drier than we would’ve liked—however, the instructions online do mention tenting. It’s also quite expensive (though it is huge). 

Price at time of publish: $161. 

Key Specs

• Shipping notes: The box was a bit dinged up and bashed, but the ham itself was still nestled between four ice packs and arrived frozen.
• Weight: 18 lbs
• Spiral-cut: Yes
• Smoked: Yes
• Wood chips: Doesn’t say
• Glaze included: No

What we liked: What a cute, wee little ham! Weighing a little over two pounds, this is the perfect ham for two, or if you like the idea of making ham sandwiches with freshly sliced slabs. There were no specific instructions for heating, and the Olympia Provisions website notes you can “slice thin for sandwiches, thick for ham steaks or gently reheat and serve whole,” so pick your poison. We tried it cold and heated, and it was really, really good: juicy, tender, slightly smoky, and sweet—overall, a nicely balanced, enjoyable lil’ ham. 

What we didn’t like: The ice packs around the ham were completely melted, and the ham was thawed, too. It’s also kinda expensive for a tiny ham. 

Price at time of publish: $55.

Key Specs

• Shipping notes: The box was in good shape, no issues there. However, the two ice packs around the ham were completely melted, and the ham was thawed too (if it was even frozen in the first place).
• Weight: 2lbs, 4 ounces
• Spiral-cut: No
• Smoked: Yes
• Wood chips: Apple 
• Glaze included: No

What we liked: This ham looks eerily similar to those beautiful legs of jamon Iberico you see in Spanish tapas bars: It’s big, burnished, and the meat inside is flanked by a meltingly soft, creamy layer of fat. It’s intensely smoky and salty, and is best served thinly sliced (it would be lovely wrapped around some cantaloupe) or lightly seared with some red-eye gravy. 

What we didn’t like: It’s a LOT of ham (and it’s not like you can eat big hunks of it) so make room in your refrigerator. And if you’re looking for a ham to bake up for dinner, this isn’t it. The leathery hide is also tough to cut, so don’t use a fragile knife—instead, we recommend using a serrated knife or carving knife to cut through the outer layer. 

Price at time of publish: $83.

Key Specs

• Shipping notes: The ham arrived in a sturdy box and was wrapped in netting, plastic, and paper. It comes with a little sheet that tells you products can be shipped without refrigeration since they are cured. When opened, best to refrigerate. Can be frozen without any negative effects when they are still tightly wrapped/unopened. 
• Weight: 14.8 lbs
• Spiral-cut: No
• Smoked: Yes
• Wood chips: Hickory 
• Glaze included: No

The Competition

• Goldbelly Hams PIT SMOKED BBQ HAM From The Shed BBQ & Blues Joint: While the meat on this ham, which was more akin to an uncured, roasted pork shoulder, was flavorful, there was a truly massive fat cap covering the whole thing. Like, half the meat was just fat, which was disappointing and a little gross. The barbecue sauce that was included was delicious, though (smoky, sweet, and tangy). 
• Harry and David Spiral-Sliced Ham 7.5-8.5 lbs: While this was an overall fine ham, it was a little one-note in flavor; it just kinda tasted like roasted pork loin. The glaze, which smelled overpoweringly of spices with a faint whiff of apple cider, didn’t really permeate the ham. It also arrived thawed out, which was a little concerning. 
• Rastelli’s Boneless Carving Ham With Glaze: This ham was shaped more like a brisket than a ham, and the texture—snappy, chewy, and grainy—was offputting in our taste tests. That said, the glaze was quite tasty, with a balanced, sweet, and spiced flavor. 
• Holy Grail Steak Co Mangalitsa Bone-In Smoked Ham: This ham was a tough one since we kind of liked the simple, porky flavor, but really disliked the amount of fat running through it. It was so fatty that it left icebergs of fat in the water bath, and we felt a little bit queasy after eating it. 

FAQs

What is spiral-cut ham?

Spiral-cut ham has been cut into concentric circles, making it easy to peel off slabs of meat. It tends to dry out faster than uncut ham. 

How many pounds of ham do you need per person?

We suggest estimating 1/2 pound ham per person when buying a bone-in ham, and about 1/3 pound per person for a boneless ham. 

What is the best ham for Christmas?

It really depends on what you like and how many people you’re serving! We liked both whole and spiral-cut hams and didn’t have a preference for bone-in or boneless. Look for a ham that aligns with how much smokiness you like (hickory tends to be more intense than apple or cherry wood chips), and how much fat you like (if it says it’s the Wagyu of pork, then it will be fatty). 

Why We’re the Experts

• Grace Kelly is the associate commerce editor at Serious Eats. 
• Prior to this, she tested equipment and ingredients for America’s Test Kitchen. She's worked as a journalist and has done stints as a cook and bartender. 
• She has written dozens of reviews and articles for Serious Eats, including petty knives, tinned fish, fish spatulas, and tortilla presses, among others. 
• For this review of mail-order hams, we ordered, inspected, prepared, and tasted nine hams.