I Tested 13 Kitchen Drawer Organizers to Find the Best Ones for Storing Flatware, Utensils, and Knives (2024)

Organization is good for the mind, soul, and kitchen. And using a drawer organizer is pretty much a no-brainer. It's inexpensive, easy to install, and makes utensil organization effortless.

Kitchen drawer organizers might not be as high-tech as some of the other items we’ve reviewed (no timers or thermometers were involved in this testing). However, unlike a specialized appliance, you’ll most likely interact with your kitchen drawers every day—be it to grab a spoon or chef's knife.

I tested 13 organizers ranging from $9 to $90 to find the best solutions for large and small drawers, and everything in between.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Pipishell was handsome and waterproof. Even without expanding the sides, it includes two sections long enough to store serving utensils or wooden spoons. Once an expandable drawer is pulled out, you’ll have an extra-long spot for bulky tools like spatulas and whisks.

Of all the models I tested, the Umlife offered the deepest compartments (2.5 inches, to be exact), making the most out of a drawer's vertical space.

This low-maintenance model is stain-resistant and easy to clean. It can hold a large amount of cutlery and includes an extra-long compartment.

When it comes to organizing sharp kitchen knives, the Knifedock storage block has been our favorite in-drawer solution for years. This model uses thin cork dividers to protect your blades (and fingers!).

The Tests

• Capacity Test: To evaluate storage capacity, I filled each drawer organizer with flatware, tools, and utensils. For consistency, I placed items in each organizer in the same order.
• Fit and Usability Test: I placed each organizer in a large drawer and filled it with utensils, checking for drawer clearance, shifting, and any helpful features (like expanding sides).
• Cleaning Test: I cleaned each drawer organizer according to manufacturer instructions, noting how easy this was to do.

What We Learned

Compartments Were Key

All of the models that I tested were essentially rectangles divided into smaller sections. The Honey-Can-Do drawer organizer took the most basic approach—it was divided into three large, evenly sized portions. On the other end of the spectrum, the Joseph Joseph Blox offers up to 10 compartments of various sizes. Neither of these approaches felt practical—the Honey Can Do couldn’t accommodate anything beyond basic cutlery, and some of the Joseph Joseph compartments were too small even for an espresso spoon.

Our favorite models fell somewhere in the middle, with small, separated compartments for daily cutlery as well as a few larger compartments for storing larger utensils like whisks and spatulas.

Customizable Models Had Their Limits

Expandable and customizable organizers promise to fit perfectly into a wide variety of drawers, but they’re not foolproof. Seven of the 12 models I tested were expandable and described their measurements as a range. For example, the OXO Good Grips Expandable Utensil Organizer states it's 9.8 to 18.05 inches wide. This, however, is slightly misleading. In reality, this model features notches, and can only expand to specific points within that range. I tested this organizer in a 16.5-inch drawer and though this fell within the stated range, the OXO couldn't expand to that exact width. Our winner, the Pipishell, has an extra 1.6 inches of expandable space.It's enough to be handy but doesn't overpromise and underdeliver.

Materials Mattered

Drawer organizers don’t generally require much maintenance. That being said, some materials are easier to clean than others. The majority of the dividers I tested were bamboo or plastic—the metal Honey-Can-Do and hardwood Williams Sonoma offerings being the only exceptions. Generally speaking, plastic models were easier to clean. Beads of water rolled right off of them. Bamboo, on the other hand, requires more careful maintenance. As a porous material, bamboo has a longer drying time compared to plastic. Too much water could cause the wood to warp, so it should be wiped clean with a damp rag and left to dry completely.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Kitchen Drawer Organizer

Look for a kitchen drawer organizer with a variety of compartment sizes and at least one long section. Measure your drawers before ordering and choose a model that fits your space, as overly expandable models aren't as customizable as they may seem.

The Best Kitchen Drawer Organizers

What we liked: This well-designed storage system helps get the most out of your space, with multiple longer compartments and smaller ones that perfectly fit flatware. The expandable leaves created a satisfying end-to-end fit in a 21-inch kitchen drawer and the Pipishell sports a waterproof coating that simplifies cleanup and reduces future maintenance needs.

What we didn’t like: This organizer is designed with a central, elevated tray and two drawers that expand out from underneath. If I must say something negative, it's that this construction creates slightly shallower, primary storage compartments.

Key Specs

• Dimensions:‎ 16.73 x 12.99 x 1.89 inches
• Material: Bamboo
• Care instructions: Hand-wash
  

What we liked: This is a sturdy, no-frills drawer organizer with impressive storage capacity. The deep compartments can hold large amounts of cutlery, and the tall walls keep everything from whisks to can openers securely in place.

What we didn’t like: The Umilife is designed with five vertical and two horizontal compartments, all roughly the same size. Although it can hold an impressive amount, the vertical cabinets are much longer than standard flatware leaving extra space so silverware can shift.

Key Specs

• Dimensions:‎ 17 x 13 x 2.5 inches
• Material: Bamboo
• Care instructions: Hand-wash
  

What we liked: This is a simple, practical drawer organizer with plenty of space for the essentials. The Madesmart's plastic construction makes occasional cleaning a breeze. The tray's non-slip pads ensure it stays put in a drawer and the "soft grip" lining provides a soft landing spot for utensils.

What we didn’t like: The longer compartment is narrower, so it can't accommodate, say, a bulky balloon whisk.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: ‎1.8 x 12.9 x 16 inches
• Material: Plastic
• Care instructions: Hand-wash

What we liked: This is a low-profile storage solution that will keep your knives sharp and fingers intact. It securely holds numerous blades and the bamboo composite material protects the sharp edges of knives and keeps the handles lined up for easy access. The slim, rectangular shape easily fits in most drawers.

What we didn’t like: Depending on the width of your knives (and their handles), you likely won’t be able to make use of each slot in this dock.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: ‎15 x 6 x 2.7 inches
• Materials: Bamboo; cork composite
• Care instructions: Wipe clean

The Competition

• Joseph Joseph Compact Cutlery Drawer Organizer: This is the only option suitable for truly tiny drawers. To maximize space, cutlery is stored in angled pockets. While this could work in a pinch, the pockets make it difficult to tell which utensil you’re grabbing (the compartments are labeled to help with this, though) and also complicates cleaning.
• OXO Good Grips Expandable Utensil Organizer: This organizer includes subdividers that slide around and reduce the overall available space. It also doesn’t lie perfectly flat when the expandable drawer is extended.
• Simple Houseware Expandable Kitchen Drawer Organizer: This model’s generous capacity is undermined by its cheap plastic construction.
• Utopia Kitchen Caddy Expandable Drawer Organizer: The Utopia Kitchen Caddy is well-made and thoughtfully designed. It’s practically identical to the Pipishell (our winner), and may even be a tiny bit sturdier. In a head-to-head competition, the Pipishell won based on versatility—while our winner can expand to 19.6 inches wide, the Utopia tops out at 18 inches.
• Luxury Bamboo Kitchen Drawer Organizer: I liked the bamboo construction of this model, but the compartment design fell short when compared to the Pipishell and Utopia organizers.
• Lifewit Silverware Drawer Organizer: Lifewit offers a decent plastic drawer organizer. The material felt sturdy, but this model didn’t include any full-length compartments at its minimum size. You’ll need room to expand the sides if you plan to store longer utensils. The expandable drawers were slightly sticky.
• Williams Sonoma Hold Everything Expandable In-Drawer Flatware Organizer: Is this product nice? Yes. Is it $90? Also yes. The Williams Sonoma model is made from high-quality wood, but it's hard to recommend spending that much when other great models cost a lot less.
• Honey-Can-Do Steel Mesh 3-Compartment Cutlery Utensil Organizer: This model only includes three compartments—by far the fewest of the products I tested. After separating our knives, forks, and spoons, I was left with lots of extra room and no way to fill it without mixing utensils. Unless you’re storing place settings for 40 people, this is a woefully inefficient use of space.
• Joseph Joseph Blox 10 Piece Plastic Storage Trays: This model’s customizable construction initially seemed promising, but it fell short during testing. The modular components were difficult to snap together, and several of them were too small to be practical.

FAQs

Are drawer dividers worth it?

Drawer dividers are inexpensive—our favorite models are priced between $20 and $28—and make organizing cutlery significantly easier. Using a divider prevents small utensils like forks and spoons from sliding around your drawers and ending up in a jumbled mess.

What’s the best material for kitchen drawer organizers?

Bamboo, plastic, and metal are all common materials for drawer organizers. Bamboo is durable and may match the inside of your drawers, while plastic is stain-resistant and easy to clean.

Are bamboo drawer dividers good?

Bamboo is a durable, sustainable material for drawer dividers. That being said, this material may require a little extra maintenance. Bamboo is porous—if submerged for an extended period, it could absorb water and warp. Occasionally applying mineral oil or a wax wood conditioner will help keep bamboo hydrated and in good condition.

Why We’re the Experts

• Madeline Muzzi is a food writer and avid cook with over five years of product testing experience.
• Madeline has moved seven times and organized a wide variety of kitchens.
• Madeline previously tested flatware and spatulas for Serious Eats, which informed the utensils she used to test drawer dividers.
• For this review, Madeline tested 13 kitchen drawer organizers, evaluating their capacity, ease of use, and more.