Top 15 Best Butter Keeper Reviews
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Keeping one or two butter sticks at room temperature does wonder every time you want some melted butter on your fresh morning toasts or pancakes.
Or, when you’re excited to try out a new cookie or cake recipe but forget to pre-soften the butter. Instead of waiting for another hour for the cold hard butter to become soft, now, you already have soft butter waiting in the butter dish.
And, if you prefer the original favors of butter from dairy products over margarine that can stay soft in the fridge, no worries, butter dishes can keep butter soft and fresh for weeks.
To help you choose a butter keeper, I keep you updated with the most recent list of 15 best butter keepers.
Also, check out the buying guides to help you choose a suitable one. And in the instructions section, you can find some tips in keeping butter fresh and soft in a butter keeper.
What Is a Butter Keeper?
Butter keepers help to store butter outside the fridge, at room temperature. They don’t vary much in features and sizes. Their ultimate use is to keep the butter from the air so that butter can stay fresh longer.
They come in different materials, from plastic, glass, porcelain, ceramics to stoneware. Most butter keepers can accommodate at least one standard stick of butter, while some can even hold up to two sticks at a time.
There’re two types of butter keeper, a French butter crock and a butter dish. Let’s get into details about each type.
French Butter Dish
Dated back in the late 19th century, these butter keepers are still many people’s favorite kitchen gadgets nowadays.
I also refer to this type of butter keeper as a butter crock in my reviews and guides. This French butter dish has two main parts, which are a base to hold water and a lid that also acts as a bell to keep the butter.
The water in the base keeps butter in an airtight seal; hence, there’s no need for the refrigerator. Keeping butter in a butter crock makes butter fresh, soft, and spreadable.
Butter stays fresh inside the crocks for up to a month. But the water needs changing regularly, and the container is in a room below 80 degrees F.
These crocks can sit nicely on your countertop or kitchen table to serve soft butter anytime.
Butter Dish
These dishes often come in round, square, and rectangular shapes. There’re also lids to form an airtight butter compartment so that the butter can stay fresh outside the fridge.
Salted butter stays fresh outside the fridge longer. In the right condition, salted butter can stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Just remember to tightly close the lid after you use butter to ensure the butter isn’t exposed to too much air.
And if your kitchen temperature is above 70 degrees F, it’s best to keep butter inside the fridge. You can put most butter dishes in a fridge.
What Is the Best Butter Keeper?
Whether you want a French butter crock or a butter dish that made of ceramic, stoneware, plastic, or glass. You can’t go worng with these 8 out-standing butter keepers. Check them out!
- Best Overall: Butter Bell Butter Dish Butter Keeper
This classic French butter crock keeps one stick of butter fresh and soft for weeks while being a gorgeous touch to the kitchen décor. - Best Budget: Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper
This is a budget pick for a butter crock, quality stoneware constructions, dishwasher safe. - Best Plastic Dish: OXO Good Grips Butter Dish Butter Keeper
Great plastic quality without toxic chemicals, the dish works well from kitchen countertop to the fridge. No worries about breaking the butter keeper if you drop it. - Best Crock: Sweese Porcelain Butter Keeper Crock
This porcelain butter crock has adequate capacity for every butter lover – 1.5 sticks. Great at keeping butter fresh and spreadable the old way. - Best Stoneware: Le Creuset Butter Keeper Crock
This flawless finishing butter crock is great at keeping soft butter ready to use right on your countertop. - Best Glass: Arc International Luminarc Cow Butter Dish Keeper
The see-through dish can accommodate up to 2 sticks of butter for extra capacity if you prefer. - Best Square: Now Designs Square Butter Dish Keeper
This beautiful butter dish is great for a square butter block. A knob on top ensures easy lifting. - Best Boat: Trudeau Porcelain Butter Boat Keeper
Unique parts – a base for freshwater, a boat chamber for butter, and a lid. A great mix of the butter crock and the butter dish.
Best Butter Keepers Comparison Chart
Let’s first look at all the differences among all 15 best butter keeper.
This is a quick way to grab all the essential information about each item, which helps you know which one you need the most.
Top 15 Best Butter Keepers Reviews
It’s time to get into all the juicy details about each item in the top 15 butter keepers. You can find all the pros, cons, and key features of each butter dish.
The Original Butter Bell Butter Dish Keeper
(Best Overall)
Going through a unique manufacture process for the body construction. All parts of the crock are durable and well-finished with many beautiful colors for you to choose from.
This is a classic butter bell. The base holds water while the inverted bell can keep up to one stick (or 125 gram) of butter. The crock can make butter fresh for weeks without the need for a refrigerator.
You can keep all types of butter in this butter bell. Just pour 1/3 cup of cold water into the base, then place the inverted bell filled with butter in. The water forms tight protection around the butter, which keeps the butter fresh, soft, and easy to spread for up to 30 days.
Just remember to change the water every 2-3 days to get rif of natural bacteria.
Cleanup for this butter crock is a snap. You can put it in the dishwasher.
Highlight Features
- Can accommodate a stick of butter
- High quality, durable material – ceramic
- Dishwasher compatible
Product Specifications
Brand | Butter bell |
Material | Ceramic |
capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | yes |
Pros
- The construction is sturdy
- Many finishing colors to choose from
- Great at keeping butter soft and fresh
Cons
- Can hold max only one butter stick
- The butter falls into the water if you don’t place it well
Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper
(Best Budget)
Are you looking for an exceptional butter bell at a reasonable price? The Nopro butter keeper does a great job of keeping your butter soft and spreadable for weeks. You never have to deal with hard butter again.
It works simply yet efficiently as a butter bell should. The water in the base blocks out air, making your butter fresh up to 30 days. Change the water frequently to prevent the germs from evolving. Now, you have one fresh and soft stick of butter ready to serve right on the kitchen table.
Using the bell can’t be simpler. It takes about 10 seconds to change the water, and you can put it in the dishwasher to clean.
Highlight Features
- Good quality stoneware build
- Hold a butter stick max
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Nopro |
Material | Stoneware |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- The butter bell is budget-friendly
- Easy and simple to use
Cons
- The butter slips into the water from time to time
- Not attractive finishing
OXO Good Grips Butter Dish Keeper
(Best Plastic Dish)
This long butter dish from OXO can hold both west and east coast butter sticks. The material is durable plastic, and all parts of the dish are dishwasher compatible.
If you worry about butter slipping off in a flat dish while you cut it, it’s no more a hassle with this butter dish. There’re stoppers on all sides of the dish, which keeps butter in the dish while cutting.
Measurement now becomes easy with the tablespoon markings for both Eastern and Western styles of the butter stick. The airtight and clear lid ensures butter stays fresh. The lid also keeps butter in place while you move the dish using two nonslip handles.
Highlight Features
- Durable material
- Measurement – tablespoon marks on the sides
- Clear lid
- Nonslip handle
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | OXO |
Material | Plastic |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- You know how much butter left
- You know the exact amount of butter you use with the tablespoon marks
- Easy to cut butter on the dish
Cons
- The construction is not sturdy
Sweese Porcelain Butter Keeper Crock
(Best Crock)
Bring this colorful butter bell home and enjoy the comfort of soft, fresh, and easy to spread butter.
The base of the crock has a water level mark, which indicates the amount of water optimized for the best results. Pour water till it reaches the target, you no longer have to guess how much water to put in.
Excellent porcelain construction that is free from toxic substances makes it safe to use for you and your family. You can put up to one and 1/3 butter sticks to the inverted bell, and the water seal keeps the butter fresh to 30 days.
Highlight Features
- Accommodates up to one and 1/3 butter stick
- Water level mark
- Chip resistant
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Sweese |
Material | Porcelain |
Capacity | One and 1/3 butter stick |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- Nice and sturdy finishing
- It’s good at keeping butter fresh and spreadable
Cons
- You need to adjust the lid a bit so it can fit in the base well
Le Creuset Butter Keeper Crock
(Best Stoneware)
Le Creuset’s lifetime warranty is ready to back you up if anything ever goes wrong with this butter bell.
This is another gorgeous classic butter bell for your countertop. This kitchen gadget consists of a base holding water and the inverted lid for keeping up to 1.5 sticks of butter.
The seal-tight water protection keeps your butter fresh, ready to use without the need for the fridge. Just remember to change the water every 2 or 3 days to prevent natural bacteria.
You can put this bell in the top rack of the dishwasher, cleaning up is super simple.
Highlight Features
- Maximum one and ½ butter stick
- Chip, stain-resistant
- Dishwasher compatible
Product Specifications
Brand | Le Creuset |
Material | Stoneware |
Capacity | One and ½ butter stick |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- It’s made of high-quality stoneware
- Chip, stain-resistant, making it easier for you to clean
Cons
- Butter falls out occasionally
Arc International Luminarc Cow Butter Dish Keeper
(Best Glass)
Want a solid butter keeper while you can still see through to see how much butter left? Then a glass butter dish is exactly what you need.
This glass butter keeper comes with a tray for holding butter and a lid to make sure the air can’t spoil the butter.
Made of durable materials in France, the butter dish lasts for years of use. No more worries about refrigerated butter not spreading smoothly.
Once butter is in the dish, it doesn’t slip around or stick to the lid. You’re now free from butter mess on your countertop or table.
All parts of this butter keeper are dishwasher compatible, which saves you a lot of time and effort.
Highlight Features
- You can fit up to two sticks of butter
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Arc International |
Material | Glass |
Capacity | 2 sticks |
Dishwasher compatible | Yes |
Pros
- The material is sturdy and durable
Cons
- There’s no handle for moving or lifting
Now Designs Square Butter Dish Keeper
(Best Square)
The square shape dish and lid can accommodate a square butter bar. You can cut a regular butter stick in half to keep in this butter dish.
There’re many colors to choose from so that the dish can fit in your countertop design. There is a knob on top of the lid for easy lifting. The edge of the dish is slightly raised, which prevents the butter from slipping off the dish while you cut it.
Made of high-quality stoneware, this butter dish is durable and reliable. The stoneware construction also makes the dish safe for the microwave and dishwasher.
Highlight Features
- Square shape, hold max 1 butter stick
- A knob on lid for easy lifting
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Now Designs |
Material | Stoneware |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- Great design and finishing
Cons
- The capacity is limited
- You need to cut a standard butter stick so that it can fit in the dish
Trudeau Porcelain Butter Boat Keeper
(Best Boat)
The Trudeau’s elegant white butter boat can fit in any style of kitchen decoration.
This butter keeper is like a combination of a butter crock and a butter dish. Unlike a butter bell, the boat keeps butter away from water. While the water still helps keep the temperature down to ensure butter stays fresh longer.
Since the butter is away from the water, there’s no mess to worry about. You can simply put a whole stick of butter into the boat without the need to push the butter to prevent it from falling into the water.
This butter boat has three parts, a water base, a butter boat, and a lid to keep the butter from the air. Fill the base with eater, the boat with butter, and the butter stays fresh for days.
The item is made of porcelain – durable and dishwasher safe.
Highlight Features
- Can keep 1 stick
- Smart and beautiful design
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Trudeau |
Material | Glazed porcelain |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- It’s effortless to use
Cons
- The lid sometimes comes unfit with the boat and the base
Svebake Butter Dish Keeper
If you want a big butter keeper for 2 sticks at once, look no further. The Svebake’s enamel butter keeper measures 6 x 3.9 x 2.5 inches, and it comes with a wooden lid. It’s big enough for 2 regular butter sticks, and any butter brand can fit perfectly in this keeper.
The unique wooden lid can also be a cutting board for extra versatility.
It’s a simple item, yet efficient in keeping your butter fresh and spreadable for any recipes.
Just keep in mind that the wooden lid needs washing by hand.
Highlight Features
- Large capacity
- Wooden lid
- Dishwasher safe (Not the top)
Product Specifications
Brand | Svebake |
Material | Enamel, wood |
Capacity | 2 sticks |
Dishwasher safe | Only the dish, hand wash the lid |
Pros
- 2 sticks can fit in the dish
- The design is unique and beautiful
Cons
- The wooden lid is not well finished
- It can be hard to get the butter out, as the dish is deep
Now Designs Butter Dish Keeper
Another great dish for the countertop is this well-finished butter keeper. Soft and spreadable butter is ready to serve around the clock.
The dish is lightly raised around its edge, which prevents the butter from slipping off and creating a mess on your table. The lid has a knob on top so that you can lift it with ease.
You can keep 1 stick in this butter dish and put it in the dishwasher for an easy-breezy cleanup.
Highlight Features
- Flawless design
- One stick capacity
- Knob for lifting the top
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Now Design |
Material | Stoneware |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- The butter can’t make the lid dirty
Cons
- The knob can easily break
DOWAN Porcelain Butter Keeper
Enjoy spreadable and fresh butter with the unique jar-style butter keeper from Dowan. Long-lasting material is up for heavy use and the aggressive dishwasher.
Seal tight water prevents air from approaching your butter, keeping it fresh for days. 1 stick of butter at a time, You’re always ready for toasts, pancakes, veggies, and many other recipes; no more waiting for the hard butter in the fridge to soften.
Highlight Features
- High-quality material
- Can accommodate 1 butter stick
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Dowan |
Material | Porcelain |
Capacity | 1 stick |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- Great design with color variations
- It is easy and safe to use
Cons
- The lid doesn’t stay in place, need careful placement
PREPWORKS Butter Dish Keeper
With this butter dish, you can keep your butter everywhere, soft at room temperature on your counter and table, or in the fridge to keep it fresh for longer.
The dish has measurement marks so that you know the precise amount of butter used, either for your morning toast or for baking and cooking. The silicone seals ensure your butter is away from air that can make the butter go bad.
Both the dish and the cover are dishwasher safe, which makes clean up a breeze.
Highlight Features
- Measurement marks
- Silicone seal
- Dishwasher friendly
Product Specifications
Brand | PREPWORKS |
Material | Plastic |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- The cover close tightly
- Very easy to clean
Cons
- There’s no handle to move or lift the dish
Butterie Flip-Top Butter Dish Keeper
Unlike other dishes with a separate top, this butter dish with a knife slot has a flip-top cover. When you need to access the butter, swing the cover up, and it’s out of your way. You can still remove the cover for easier cleanup.
The area for butter stick is non-slip, so you can slice butter without worrying about it slipping off the dish. Another feature I like about the Butterie’s flip-flop butter dish is that it comes with a matching butter spreader, making it very convenient. There’s a handle for lifting the cover easily, and two side handles for you to move and lift the dish around.
You can put all parts of this butter keeper in the dishwasher.
Highlight Features
- Accommodate two sticks of butter
- Nonslip butter area
- Matching butter spread
Product Specifications
Brand | Butterie |
Material | Plastic |
Capacity | Two sticks |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- You can put up to 2 butter sticks
- You can cut butter easily
Cons
- The spreader can’t spread butter well
Rubbermaid Standard Butter Dish Keeper
If you’re afraid that you might drop and broke ceramic or porcelain butter keeper, then a food-grade plastic butter dish is a perfect match.
This durable butter dish looks simple, yet it’s a pro at keeping your butter soft at room temperature. You no longer need extra efforts to spread butter just out of the fridge.
The dish can keep one butter stick at a time, keeping it fresh and soft for days. Once you put the lid on the dish, butter is sealed up inside, which keeps you butter away from mold or bacteria in the air.
There’s a lip around the dish to prevent the butter from slipping off; however, due to the lid, cutting butter can be a bit tricky.
Highlight Features
- Made of durable, sturdy plastic
- Hold one butter stick max
- Tight cover
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | Rubbermaid |
Material | Plastic |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- The lid is very tight and safe once you close it
Cons
- A bit tricky to slice the butter in the dish
KooK Ceramic Butter Dish Keeper
Kook’s ceramic butter dish can accommodate a standard butter stick. Perfect for keeping your butter soft and spreadable. Its flawless white finish makes this butter keeper a gorgeous touch to your countertop.
The material is sturdy, making the dish durable and reliable. There’s a dish for the butter to sit and a cover top. The cover has a comfortable grip handle for you to move it with ease.
There’s also rim that keeps the cover from slipping into the butter in the dish, Both the dish and the cover are dishwasher safe, making clean up a snap.
Highlight Features
- One butter stick can fit in the dish
- Convenient lid handle
- Dishwasher safe
Product Specifications
Brand | KOOK |
Material | Ceramic |
Capacity | One stick / half cup / 125 grams |
Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Pros
- It’s effortless to use and clean
- You can lift the lid with ease
Cons
- The cover is not seal-tight
Best Butter Keepers Buying Guides
Before heading to make a purchase, there’re some factors you should take into consideration.
Type of Butter Keeper
There’re two types of butter keepers, the French butter crock and the butter dish.
In a French butter crock that often made of ceramic, porcelain, or stoneware, butter can stay fresh for a month max. The process of putting butter into the cup can be tricky, but you can master it after just a few attempts. Moreover, you should change the water frequently to keep the butter fresh and free from bacteria.
When it comes to a butter dish, all you have to do is to make sure that you close the lid properly, and your butter remains soft and fresh for 2 weeks.
While butter in a crock takes slightly more time to maintain, both butter keeper types are relatively easy to use.
What’s important is they all keep butter fresh and spreadable.
Material
It’s better to go for porcelain, ceramic, stoneware, or glass. But plastic butter dishes also have some benefits. Plastic plates are light weighted and don’t break if you drop them. So, there’s no worry about sharp broken pieces even you have pets or children around the house.
Size and Capacity
Most butter keepers can hold 1 stick of butter at a time. This is perfect if you don’t use butter every day. But if your family uses butter on a daily basis, you can go for the ones with a capacity of 1.5 or 2 sticks.
Also, make sure the butter keeper fits in where you’re going to place them.
Design
If you like an item that fits in your kitchen layout, there are many colors and shapes of the butter dish for you to choose from. Each butter keeper can be a fresh touch to your kitchen, either vintage or modern.
Also, consider the practical aspects of the design. Do you prefer the butter keeper to have handles, knife slot, separate lid, or a specific feature so that you can use it with ease?
Best Butter Keepers Instructions
Butter Falling Into Water in the Butter Crock
To minimize the odds of butter falling into water from the butter bell, do as the following steps.
First, you pre-soften the butter before packing it to the inverted butter bell. Then, fill the bell with butter.
Now, use a spoon’s back to push the butter, make sure there’s no air left between the butter and the bell. Pushing hard doesn’t make butter any less soft later, so don’t worry. You can hear some pops as the air pops out of the butter.
Best Way to Clean a Butter Keeper
All these 15 best butter keepers are made of sturdy and durable materials, which makes them compatible with the dishwasher. Just put them in the dishwasher, and you can rest without worries.
If you want to clean them by hand, it’s also a snap. Warm water, some dish soap, and a sponge are all you need.
Make sure you rinse off everything.
You can clean the butter keeper every time you use up the butter kept in there. By doing this, you can be sure that there is no residue or bacteria left. These can contaminate or make the butter gone bad faster.
FAQs
My Top Picks
The Original Butter Bell Butter Dish kelps your butter stay soft and spreadable for weeks while keeping the mold at bay. It’s my favorite way to keep butter fresh in the traditional method, and this butter bell does an exceptional job.
It’s time to pick your favorite butter keeper. I hope these comprehensive reviews and guides are helpful, and you’re now able to choose a good butter keeper for yourself or as a gift to someone you love.