The Best Dry Food Storage Containers to Keep Your Kitchen Organized

Best Overall

Rubbermaid Food Storage Containers

$25 at Amazon $46 at Walmart $40 at Walmart

When organizing your pantry is the end goal, a variety of container sizes and compatibility are vital. The Rubbermaid Brilliance containers—available individually or as a set—offer a stackable line with airtight lids that latch in place, and each has a slight rim that keeps the containers secure when stacked.

We particularly appreciate the line's sturdy plastic construction, which is also odor- and stain-resistant, meaning storing something more potent won't come back to haunt you weeks later. We even tested the container with a potent onion and tomato mixture and found that it remained clean and without a smell. Whether you use them for flour, snacks, or cereal, scooping and pouring is easy, thanks to the design. These Rubbermaid Brilliance containers are even safe to store in the freezer.

Another feature we appreciate: The small lip helps you open the lid more easily when sealed. It contributes to the clean attractive design of the container. This dishwasher-safe line comes in nine sizes with three interchangeable lids, but sets often need to be augmented with additional specialized containers to complete a pantry.

Material: BPA-free plastic | What's Included: 19.9-cup, 16-cup, 12-cup, 8.1-cup, 7.8-cup, 6.6-cup, 3.2-cup, and 1.3-cup containers with lids; (2) 0.5-cup mini containers with lids

Best Small Set

OXO Good Grips 8-Piece POP Container Baking Set

$68 at Amazon $68 at Williams-Sonoma $68 at Macy's

In the realm of kitchen utensils, OXO has a reputation for quality, affordable products. It's a go-to brand for peelers, can openers, turkey basters, and so much more. OXO recently redesigned its beloved Pop Containers to improve upon the seal and stackability with a new button design that ensures an airtight closure when pushed. To test this, we filled the container halfway with water and shook it over a sink. It initially leaked a little when first turned over, but ceased pretty quickly, so the seal is quite tight.

We love the neat counter-worthy look of this set and all the containers' sizes and multiple uses. There was no staining from the tomatoes or onions during testing, and the set comes with convenient accessories, like scoops that attach to the underside of the lids. Say goodbye to digging through your canister for a measuring cup or having cumbersome parts to disassemble and clean by hand, since each cleans up well if placed in the top rack of a dishwasher. The lids also do not need to be taken apart to properly sanitize—another major bonus.

These containers also have handy fill lines for measurement and are made from sturdy BPA-free plastic. The set includes five containers in varying sizes, five matching lids, two scoops, and a brown sugar saver. The only thing to be careful of when pouring cereal or snacks into a bowl is to do so slowly to avoid major spills since the top needs to be completely taken off an individual container to get what's inside out.

Also, note that the containers did not pass the shatter test—when pushed onto the floor from the counter, they completely popped open and contents spilled everywhere.

Material: BPA-free plastic | What's Included: (2) 0.4-quart, (1) 1.1-quart, and (2) 4.4-quart containers; (2) 0.5-cup scoops; (1) brown sugar saver

Best for Cereal

PrepWorks by Progressive Large Cereal Keeper

$38 at Amazon Orig. $33 $30 at Walmart View on Beallsflorida.com

Product-specific design wins again with Progressive’s 4.5-quart cereal dispenser. It has a spout for easy pouring and holds a family-size box of cereal. The container is made of food-safe, BPA-free plastic and boasts an airtight silicone seal to ensure freshness. Like other Progressive products, this one is designed for vertical storage to optimize space in your pantry, and it is dishwasher safe.

We found that the container was very easy to fill thanks to the wide opening. We were able to fit a dry measuring cup inside without difficulty. The top has an uber-tight seal, though, so we recommend washing by hand periodically to properly clean between the grooves of the lid. The rest of the container can be regularly sanitized in the dishwasher. If you have varying palates at home, these containers are slim enough to stock a couple of different types of cereal comfortably, and the design makes spill-free pouring a cinch.

We also conducted a test storing an onion and tomato mixture in this container and found that there were no streaks on the plastic and detected only a faint aroma of onion. Design-wise, the comfort of having an ergonomic spot for the hands with this container is a win. We also appreciate that there were two different openings, one to fill the container and another to pour out the cereal.

Material: Plastic, silicone seal | What's Included: (1) 4.5-quart container with lid

Best Glass

Le'raze Glass Kitchen Canisters

Orig. $40 $30 at Amazon View on Lerazedecor.com

These glass containers are made of lead-free borosilicate glass with a tight-fitting bamboo lid. The set includes five containers of varying sizes, with capacities ranging from 16 to 54 ounces, and while the mouth doesn't particularly accommodate measuring cups for scooping flour and similar ingredients, we found dry measuring spoons can easily fit inside. Use them to store things like dried pasta, nuts, candy, oatmeal, popcorn kernels, or coffee beans.

We were impressed by how these glass food storage containers stayed fresh even after the tomato-onion stain and smell test. The containers can hold liquids, but we don't recommend having liquids inside for too long because the lids are not supposed to be wet for a prolonged period of time. Although the lids are meant to be hand-washed, we found that they endured just fine through a run in the dishwasher.

If you don't need all five, don't worry. A few of the sizes can be purchased as a set of three or individually. Another major advantage is the sleek style, allowing this practical set to do double duty as dry food storage and decorative kitchen elements. Be mindful that the fragility of the glass makes them moderately heat- and cold-resistant.

Material: Lead-free borosilicate glass, bamboo wood lid | What's Included: 6.75-cup, 5-cup, 3.7-cup, 2.8-cup, and 2-cup containers with lids

Best for Flour

Progressive ProKeeper 4-Quart Flour Container

$24 at Amazon $25 at Walmart $23 at Target

Flour is one of those dry goods that benefit from a dedicated storage container; In addition to keeping out the bugs, the right vessel will make scooping and leveling easier. ProKeeper incorporates practical accessories, like the detachable leveler on this model, which helps make measurements exact and mess-free. Adding to its functionality are the cup measure marks on the side of the container, so you always know whether you have enough for a recipe or need to head to the grocery store.

There's much to love about the ProKeeper container, including its capacity. It comfortably stores up to 5 pounds of flour, and the easy-open lid is airtight. If you are a baker with many different types of flour in your pantry, you will appreciate the stackable design from a space-saving perspective.

We particularly appreciated that the container continued to open and close as expected after regular use. However, it is important to ensure the notch fully clicks into place when closing because that is a clear indication the lid is completely sealed and secure. To make sure it was airtight, we filled the container halfway with water and shook it. Not a single drop escaped.

A variety of dry measuring cups will fit inside this container without difficulty, and there is an included lever that can be inserted just below the top of the container to level off scoops before removing them from the container. This product is safe to store in the freezer, and it is dishwasher safe, too.

Material: BPA-free plastic, silicone seal, stainless steel hinges | What's Included: (1) 4-quart container with lid

Best for Spices

Libbey Vibe Mini Glass Jars with Lids, Set of 12

$31 at Amazon $3 at Wayfair

Spice drawers are notoriously disorganized—unless one is perusing Instagram posts created by interior designers—but a well-stocked home cook can also pull off a pro décor look in the kitchen with these mini Libbey jars. The versatility of this set equally matches how aesthetically pleasing they’ll look lined up in a pantry or on a shelf.

Each spice jar features a wide mouth to accommodate various measuring spoons. They’re food-safe, and the lids are BPA-free, designed with optimal freshness in mind. Spices can lose their potency when exposed to air, so having airtight storage at the ready is doubly important, and we loved how well these little jars sealed—especially since they are so easy to open, too. Whether grinding your own spices, buying in bulk, or purchasing from a grocer, these containers provide a chic, uniform, and tight seal for a plethora of herbs and seasonings.

Material: Glass | What's Included: (12) 4.5-ounce jars with lids

Best for Brown Sugar

Progressive Prep Solutions Brown Sugar Keeper

$18 at Amazon $18 at Walmart View on Lehmans.com

Brown sugar offers unique challenges when storing. It has more liquid than white sugar, is slightly less sweet, and has more minerals because of the addition of molasses. The dark syrup causes it to harden faster than white sugar as the liquid evaporates. There are tricks to soften it, but finding the right container is proactive. 

This BPA-free canister can hold 2 pounds of brown sugar and has a strong seal (although it leaked a little from one side of the container after filling it with water and giving it a couple of shakes). From a functionality standpoint, it is a clear standout when compared to other storage options, thanks to the removable terracotta disk that comes attached to the underside of the lid. A quick soak in water (weekly) will lock moisture in the disk, which helps prevent the sugar from drying out or forming hard clumps inside the container.

We suggest occasionally hand washing to clean between the grooves of the lid. The rest of the container can go in the dishwasher.

Material: Plastic, silicone seal, stainless steel hinges | What's Included: (1) 1.5-quart container with hinged lid

Best Ceramic

Kaloh Stoneware Kitchen Canisters w/ Wood Tops

$35 at West Elm $35 at Havenly.com

If minimalist style is the kitchen vibe you’re looking to cultivate, a Kaloh Stoneware Kitchen Canister from West Elm is an ideal choice. Glazed stoneware is paired with a maple lid, which adds an elegant touch to any dining nook or countertop. The designer, Aaron Probyn, is passionate about sustainability and creating products with longevity to aid in combating reliance on disposable items.

These canisters come in four colors and can be purchased individually or as a set. Although the lid is not airtight, the ceramic base will retain moisture better inside than most plastic alternatives, making this home good a solid (if pricey) investment if you're looking to primarily use it to maintain the freshness of flour and other dry baking goods usually purchased in large or bulk quantities.

We found a 1-cup dry measuring cup can easily reach all the way to the bottom of the large, 114-ounce container. The wide opening at the top (and the equally wide shape of the rest of its base) make scooping and sweeping easy to execute. This container is meant to be washed only by hand with warm, soapy water and a nonabrasive cloth or sponge to avoid scratching.

Material: Stoneware with maple wood lids | What's Included: Sold individually or as a set of 3, 4, or 5 (12-ounce, 44-ounce, 65-ounce, 114-ounce, and 194-ounce canisters with lids)