The Best Utensil Crock

Buying Guide

Whether you just dabble in the kitchen or are a seasoned home chef, a utensil crock is a must-have item on your countertop. A utensil crock is a small container where you can store your most-used cooking utensils. Designed to sit on the counter near your stove, a utensil crock makes it easy to access your cooking tools without having to go hunting in your drawers.

There are many reasons to use a utensil crock; however, the most important benefit is convenience. When you have everything you need handy at your fingertips, you’re able to cook without missing a beat. Whether you need a wide spatula to flip a pancake or a wooden spoon to stir some soup, having your cooking utensils out and easily accessible on the kitchen counter is a major convenience.

Plus, for those cooks who don’t have a lot of drawer space, a utensil crock allows you to store more kitchen utensils easily. You can place the lesser-used items in drawers and have the things you use most often right on the counter.

The first step to using and organizing your utensil crock is to take out all of your kitchen utensils and place them on the counter. Organize them into two piles. In one pile place the gadgets you barely use. In the other pile, place the tools you use daily. From the gadgets you barely use, try to get rid of anything that you have duplicates of or that you don’t foresee using in the future.

From the utensils you use to cook with daily, sort the items by height or by use. For example, you can place all of the tall utensils together and all of the short utensils together. Or you can organize them by tools to cook savory foods, tools for baking and tools for salads. Find a system that works for you.

You may need more than one utensil crock to house your commonly used tools. Find one that is the right height to accommodate your tools. You want to make sure that the crock is tall enough and heavy enough that it can hold the tools without falling over. If the crock is too short for your tall utensils, they may fall out of the crock or they may not stand straight inside it. If the crock is too tall for your utensils, you may have a hard time easily seeing and accessing what you need.

• One of the most important elements to consider when deciding on which utensil crock to purchase is how it looks. For many people, the kitchen is a reflection of their personal aesthetic, so it’s important for the utensil crock to match with your design. Some ceramic models have a minimalist design. They are made by hand and available in several solid colors. The LIFVER Ceramic Utensil Crock is an embossed vessel with floral and geometric designs, available in two colors. The Oceanstar Wooden Utensil Holder is bamboo and has a rustic and woodsy appeal.
• The material and size of your utensil crock are important to note because you want to ensure that the vessel is heavy enough to not tip over from the weight of the utensils. It also needs to be the right height for the items you want to store in it. Some ceramic crocks are 6 3/4 inches tall with a 6-inch diameter. The LIFVER Ceramic Utensil Crock is also ceramic, but it’s both taller and wider, at 6.2 inches across and 7.2 inches high. The Oceanstar Wooden Utensil Holder is made out of two durable layers of bamboo. Unlike most utensil crocks, which are circular, this one is a square shape and is 4 x 4 x 6 inches.
• If you’re keeping your utensil crock on the counter by your stove, it’s likely to get dirty from time to time. That’s why it’s critical to have a utensil crock that is easy to clean. The LIFVER Ceramic Utensil Crock is dishwasher safe, so you can easily clean off any food splatters or stains. The Oceanstar Wooden Utensil Holder is not dishwasher safe but can be wiped down using a non-toxic and non-abrasive cleaner and a clean, dry cloth.
• For many shoppers, versatility is an important factor to consider in their kitchen gadgets. Some crocks are microwave and oven safe. They can also be used as a wine bucket. Similarly, the LIFVER Ceramic Utensil Crock is refrigerator and microwave-safe. It can be used as a vase or a wine bucket in addition to holding utensils.