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These Spice Racks Are My Secret for an Organized Kitchen

Make the most of your cupboards, counters, and drawers.

Best Spice Racks for Cabinets
Photo:

Allrecipes / David Hattan

Rarely a day goes by that I don’t reach for a handful of spices. From sunup to sundown, I rely on pantry staples like salt and pepper to flavor my food. On the average day, come dinnertime, I’ve plucked anywhere between four and six spices off of my spice rack. 

You can see why it’s so important to prioritize the right organizational system. Having some method to the madness can not only help you save time, but it can even help you avoid burning a dish while you search for that missing ingredient. 

Over the years, I’ve tried a handful of different options: metal racks that sit atop an oven to drawer pull outs to countertop lazy Susans. They all have their pros and cons: countertop models provide easy access, while drawer organizers keep your kitchen looking more streamlined. 

To find the best spice racks for every home chef, I put some tried-and-true favorites and a few new-to-me options through various tests to see which models were easy to install, offered ample storage, and were durable enough to stand the test of time. At the end of the day, what type you go with largely comes down to personal preference, but these are some of the best options to suit any space. 

Why It’s Great: Versatile use cases; easy to wipe clean; shatter-resistant

Grain of Salt: Not ideal for drawers

While the best overall spice rack may vary depending on your space, needs, and personal preferences, I like this option because it’s versatile enough to fit more than one use case. The adjustable plastic shelf can be placed inside kitchen cabinets or the pantry, or placed atop a shelf or countertop. Really, the only spot it’s not ideal for is a drawer—though not impossible if your drawer is deep enough.

Each of the three tiers is 2.7 inches wide, the perfect size for your average spice bottle, whether a round plastic one or a square glass option. And a raised front lip on each shelf keeps everything right where it should be. Some users find this option versatile enough for other household goods, too: toiletries, cosmetics, supplements, and even certain collections (figurines, for example). No matter what you use this spice rack for, it’s durable and shatter-resistant. It’s also easy to wipe clean with a little soap and water in the event of any spills. 

The Details: Measures 16.75 x 9.5 x 4.1 inches (expands up to 32 inches); made from plastic

mDesign spice rack, filled with spices, in a white cupboard

Allrecipes / Brigitt Earley

Why It’s Great: Rotating; compact design; comes with 20 prefilled and labeled spice jars

Grain of Salt: Spice refills aren’t really free

Whether you stash this budget-friendly spice rack on a shelf in the pantry, in the cabinet, or on your countertop, you’ll score 360-degree access to everything on it. The lazy Susan-style turntable spins, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for in a flash. It is a bit wobbly, but not so much that something is going to go flying off of it. The nonskid base on both tiers helps keep everything in place, too. 

I like the versatility of this option, as well. You can use it for your favorite spices or other small containers, like a small bottle of oil or vinegar and even small jars of nuts, chia seeds, or nutritional yeast—whatever you reach for the most. As a nice little bonus, you can choose from a number of colors, including a neutral gray or cream or a more poppy pink or pistachio.  

The Details: Measures 12 x 7.5 inches; made from plastic

Copco turntable with jars of spices on it, on a marble countertop

Allrecipes / Brigitt Earley

Why It’s Great: Rotating; compact design; comes with 20 prefilled and labeled spice jars

Grain of Salt: You have to pay shipping for spice refills

I love this countertop spice rack because it fits 20 different types of spices in reusable, pre-labeled, glass jars. Not to mention, each jar comes pre-filled and you’re entitled to free refills for five years—all you need to do is go online and register the spice rack. If you cook a lot, you really can’t beat the value here, especially considering how expensive individual jars of spices are.

The rack itself is a relatively compact 8.5 inches across and 13.5 inches high, so it fits nicely under most upper cabinets without taking up too much precious counter space. I also love that it spins 360 degrees, so you can place it in a pantry or cabinet if preferred.

The Details: Measures 8.5 x 13.5 inches; made from stainless steel and glass

Why It’s Great: Bottles are concealed; adjustable shelves drop down to display bottles; comes with more than 100 labels

Grain of Salt: Better suited for plastic spice bottles

A spice rack isn’t something people normally get all that excited about, but this one is an exception—you may have even seen it on your social media feeds. It’s garnered lots of praise for holding 24 full-size jars in a compact and concealed but easy-to-access storage container. Pop the lightweight plastic organizer in your pantry or cabinet, then simply pull out one of the three drop-down drawers when you need something. 

Each drawer boasts nonslip dividers that keep each individual bottle in place. They’re all height-adjustable, too, so you can fit variously-sized spices inside. I love that the unit also comes with 104 labels (a combination of printed and blank ones) to make it even easier to spot what you need.

The Details: Measures 11 x 10.5 x 8.3 inches; made from plastic

Why It’s Great: Holds an impressive 64 spice bottles; durable design; easy to wipe clean

Grain of Salt: May slide around inside your drawer

If pantry space in your kitchen is scarce or you simply prefer to have everything tucked in a drawer right next to the stove like me, consider this durable option. It's made of crack-resistant steel and is only 1.5 inches tall before any jars are placed on it, making it ideal for most drawer sizes. It expands to fit the width of your drawer (up to 26 inches) and can fit a whopping 64 standard spice jars at its largest—more than most others I came across in my research. 

Because of this spice rack’s all-metal design, it’s easy to wipe clean and for deep cleans, you can simply lift it out of the drawer. On the downside, though, this design means that, depending on the depth of your drawer, it may slide around a bit inside, as I found out. The good news? Placing a piece of shelf liner underneath it can help prevent this from happening.

The Details: Measures 16.5 x 13.25 x 1.5 inches (expands up to 26 inches); made from alloy steel

Lynk spice rack, with spice jars, inside a drawer

Allrecipes / Brigitt Earley

Why It’s Great: High capacity; can be split into two different shelving systems; can fit larger pantry goods

Grain of Salt: Does have to be screwed into the wall

Amazon shoppers love this spice rack, and it’s easy to understand why. Yes, it does have to be mounted onto the wall, a cabinet door, or the back of your pantry door, so it’s somewhat of a commitment. But what you get is highly reliable storage—and lots of it. This 5-tier shelving system can fit all kinds of spices and other essentials, including olive oil, vinegar, and other shelf-stable goods. Don’t need that kind of space? You can even separate the unit into two separate shelving systems, so you can stash your spices on one and dry pantry goods one another in a different location. 

The shelves are all made of a high-quality carbon steel that can withstand the weight of 64 six-ounce spice jars, 72 four-ounce jars, or even big bottles and cans. The unit also comes with five bonus hooks, so you can hang other items, whether oven mites, mugs, or cooking utensils.

The Details: Measures 4.6 x 16.6 x 32.3 inches; made from carbon steel

Why It's Great: Durable; space-saving option; holds up to 48 jars; can move it around

Grain of Salt: Could fall off under excess weight; won’t work on paneled appliances

If you have paneled appliances, you can rule this one out, but if you have a traditional fridge and limited space, it’s a great option. The metal rack is magnetic, so it attaches right to the side of your refrigerator to keep your spices close at hand without taking up any excess counter, shelf, or pantry space. 

Each tier—the pack comes with four shelves, plus a paper towel holder—can hold up to five pounds, or about 12 jars each (two rows of six). The shelves all have a protective rail to help keep everything in place, and users said the magnet was impressively strong. It didn’t budge when opening and closing the fridge. Still, we don’t recommend packing this option full of glass spice bottles, just in case it slips and falls. 

The Details: Measures 3.8 x 4.4 x 9.72 inches; made of metal

My Takeaway

Both the mDesign Expandable Spice Rack Organizer and the inexpensive Copco 2-Tier Space Saving Revolving Turntable will help you organize your spice cupboard.

How to Pick the Right Spice Rack

Capacity

Spice racks come in all shapes and sizes, with room for anywhere from 10 to 50 or more spices. Before settling on a spice rack, it’s important to think about how much space you need. If you have a larger seasoning collection, you’ll need a spice rack with more room; if you have just a few staples and limited space to devote to the cause, you can choose something smaller. Some spice racks are adjustable, which can give you more flexibility in the long run. 

When shopping, it’s also helpful to consider the size of the jars you need to store. Some spice racks can accommodate any type of jar, while others may come with jars you’ll have to fill. 

Placement

Where you plan to put your spice rack is just as important. Take a look at your kitchen, and think about what makes the most sense. Do you want your spice rack to tuck into a drawer? Are you planning on sticking it onto the side of your fridge? Or maybe you want to mount one onto the wall of your pantry? What you need to keep in mind though is keeping your spice away from direct sunlight, heat, and moisture. Those three things will quickly cause your spices to go stale, or worse, develop mold and rot. Once you determine the appropriate location, you can narrow down the design and find one with the right measurements. 

Common Questions

How long do spices last?

How long spices last depends on the spice and how it's stored. In general, whole spices can last up to four years (though you’ll need a spice grinder), while ground spices and herbs have a shorter shelf life of one to three years. To tell if your spices are still potent, rely on sniff and taste tests. Good spices will be full of aroma and flavor, while old spices will smell and taste dull. Pro tip: You can also jot the opened-on date on the jars to help you determine their age later. 

How should you organize your spice rack?

The best way to organize your spice rack is in a way that makes sense to you. Some people choose to place their spices in alphabetical order—much like how you shop for spices—while others choose to group their most commonly used spices together. No matter how you decide to organize your spice rack, keep spices and herbs away from heat and direct sunlight, which can lead to premature degradation. Spices should also be kept in a dry spot to avoid clumping inside the bottle. 

How do you mount a spice rack?

Exactly how you mount a spice rack depends on the type of spice rack you have. Some are magnetic, adhering to a stainless steel appliance, like a fridge, while others are wall-mounted and require screws. You may also be able to mount a spice rack with heavy-duty Command strips, but be sure to check any weight maximums first. In general, we recommend following the usage instructions associated with the spice rack you purchased. 

Why Take Our Word For It?

Brigitt Earley is a freelance writer with nearly 15 years of experience writing about consumer products, including kitchen accessories like spice racks. To curate this list, Brigitt thoroughly vetted each product based on her own experience in the category. She also formally tested more than half of the options on this list and read hundreds of reviews associated with each.