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The Spruce
I’ll admit: I have a weakness for new kitchenware, including baking dishes, Dutch ovens, and, of course, nifty cooking gadgets. There’s a certain rush I get when I take out my favorite 8-inch ceramic baker from Great Jones, for instance. To me, it looks so adorably cute when I serve up a warm batch of brownies or a pan of buttery, golden cornbread.
But the problem is, over the years, space has definitely become a major issue, especially as my collection has grown. One way I’ve dealt with my overflow is to invest in efficient kitchen cabinet organizers that maximize my space and streamline my kitchen.
While shoeboxes and acrylic containers do come in handy in a pinch, a tidy shelving unit corrals spices, a sturdy turntable stashes away condiments, and a slender rack conveniently hides baking sheets and pans.
There are plenty of organizer options out there, but these seven are my absolute favorites for their design, size, material, and functionality.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
SpaceAid Cabinet Shelf Organizers
Best For: Those who want to create more space for dishes, mugs, or glassware.
You can instantly create tiers and double your shelving space with these attractive bamboo risers. This simple set from SpaceAid is my top pick for a kitchen cabinet organizer, because it has sturdy metal legs and allows you to quickly scan your cabinet and grab whatever you might need.
It’s a smart idea to take advantage of your cabinet’s unused vertical space. You can organize dishware, baking equipment, pantry items, or even cleaning supplies. These units are so versatile you can also leave them out on your counter, stacking coffee mugs or juice glasses for easy daily access.
Depending on your cabinet’s measurements, these handy shelves are available in two lengths: one with a smaller, 11.7-inch width and another with a larger, 15.7-inch width. And at less than $20 for two, we love the idea that you can buy multiple to fit your cabinetry, creating your own customizable shelving system—without the hassle of drilling into your walls.
Plus, the organizers in this set are a breeze to wipe clean with a microfiber cloth. While they do require assembly, it takes just five minutes with the included screwdriver. They come outfitted with black or white metal legs, so it’s up to you to pick the color that best suits your kitchen aesthetic.
Consider Versatility
When you’re shopping for the best kitchen cabinet organizer, consider versatility. If you move to another home, can you still use the organizer some other way? Contemplating the possibilities may help you decide if the organizer is a smart fit for your lifestyle.
Best Turntable
Copco Non-Skid Storage Turntable 12-Inch
Best For: Households looking to organize their pantry space or their fridge.
When I poke my head into my pantry, it often feels like a deep, dark cave of food supplies. It’s a constant shuffling act to figure out what I actually have on hand, as I gently move around tall bottles of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and soy sauce to dig for whatever I’m searching for. That’s why I love this 12-inch Copco turntable.
Unlike many spinners out there, this unit has a tall outer rim, so your bottles and jars won’t recklessly fly off your cabinet shelf as your fingers let it spin. We think it’s especially great for storing cooking essentials, so ingredients like salt and pepper are right at your fingertips.
If you’re a baker like me, you can even dedicate a turntable specifically for cake and cookie supplies, by neatly organizing jars of sprinkles, packets of yeast, and a fragrant bottle of vanilla in its housing. Or use it beneath your sink to store your all-purpose cleaners.
The non-skid base is an added bonus to ensure your favorite items stay put, and the plastic construction makes it easy to clean up spills in a jiffy, but it may be more prone to stains. Still, this turntable is essential for any pantry.
Best for Pans
YouCopia StoreMore Cooking Rack
Best For: Those who are tired of stacking their pans and skillets.
Precariously stacking your pans can now be a practice of the past with this 11.5-inch, slender cooking rack that organizes all of your frying pans, cast-iron skillets, and baking sheets. What sets this organizer apart is that its seven dividers are adjustable, so you can precisely customize the width to fit your cookware.
By keeping everything upright, you can clearly see your entire cooking collection in your cabinet without having to pull every single pan out. Plus, non-slip feet at the bottom of the organizer keep it from accidentally scratching your cabinet’s floor.
We also like that it comes in a 21.6-inch, expandable version with 10 adjustable dividers for even more pans. The one drawback is that it’s not set up to hold pots. Instead you can rely on our best pull-out pick, but still use this YouCopia rack to line up all of your pots’ metal and glass lids.
Best for Spices
Madesmart Two Level Spice Organizer
Best For: Kitchens that love cooking with spices and need a little organization.
To keep your spice jars in check, I love this lightweight organizer from MadeSmart. You can store your favorite spices on the two levels, like a jar of Everything Bagel seasoning for jazzing up avocado toast or a sprinkle of cinnamon for fluffy morning pancakes.
The organizer can hold up to four pounds, and it has a removable, non-slip liner for quick cleaning in case of accidental spills. I also like that it sports two comfortable handles, so you can effortlessly carry your goods from the cabinet to your kitchen counter.
This design lends itself well as a spice caddy, but I also envision it as a versatile storage unit for assorted tea bags or even as a mini barista bar for coffee beans, creamers, and sugar.
Just note that it is made of plastic, so it can crack if it ever falls from the counter or is overly weighed down. The trick is to fill it up, but not overload it so that it becomes too heavy to actually lift out of your cabinet.
Best for Plates
Yamazaki Tosca Plate Holder
Best For: Those who want to display and protect their dishware.
When your guests come over for Friday night pizza, you can open your cabinet to show off your neatly stored dishware. We love Yamazaki’s sophisticated and modern design here at The Spruce (including the brand’s dish rack), and this plate holder is no exception.
Built from carbon steel and wood, this sleek organizer is roughly 8 inches tall and can hold your pretty plates upright, so you can grab what you need without shuffling through a piled stack. It’s so gorgeous that you may also be tempted to leave this organizer out on the counter, especially if you’re lacking cabinet space.
Silicone protects the steel bars, so your plates remain unscratched and free of chips as you put them away. Just be sure to measure your dinnerware’s dimensions to ensure that your plates will actually fit. You can expect this organizer to hold about 20 pounds of weight, and plates as large as 12 inches in diameter.
Best Pull-Out Organizer
Lynk Professional Pull-Out Drawer
Best For: Kitchens with deep cabinet space and a surplus of cooking gadgets or pots and pans.
For all of the budding chefs out there, this professional-style pull-out drawer is a dream come true. Install one (or even two!) of these pull-out shelves in your cabinet for quick access to your KitchenAid mixer, pots and pans, casserole dishes, and other cooking gadgets.
It comes in multiple sizes, so you can find the unit that best suits your cabinetry space. It’s made with laminated wood and alloy steel, and has a ball-bearing glide system and reinforced crossbars to support all of your culinary tools. In fact, depending on which shelf size you choose (there are a few different options), this organizer can store up to 250 pounds.
Not only will you avoid straining your back and knees because you won’t have to squat all the way down, but this shelf will actually help you see what’s in the back of your cabinet without having to pull everything out. The shelf does require a simple installment with screws and a screwdriver, but if anything should go awry, know that it has a lifetime guarantee.
Best Over-the-Door Organizer
SimpleHouseware Over the Cabinet Door Organizer Holder
Best For: Those who want to create dedicated space for cutting boards and baking pans.
We love to hide kitchen gear in smart spaces, and this over-the-cabinet-door organizer from Simple Housewares does the trick. If you have a cabinet without built-in shelves inside, or a pantry closet with some extra space, you’ll love this clever metal basket to store cutting boards, racks, and baking pans.
That said, you can also position this basket so it’s facing outward. This is useful if you own gorgeous wooden cutting boards that you’d love to display.
Just know it’s a must to measure exactly, including your door or cabinet’s thickness, to make sure the organizer’s 1-inch hooks can actually slide over and into place. The hooks do include padding, so rest assured: You won’t scratch the cabinet’s wood during setup.
Mostly, we love that this wire basket is versatile and roomy. You can even use it to neatly store rolls of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and parchment paper.
For our best overall, I love the SpaceAid Cabinet Shelf Organizers, because they come in handy in almost any kitchen situation, including dishware, mugs, pantry items, or glassware. Another great option is the beautiful Yamazaki Tosca Plate Holder. It’s not only gorgeous, but also functional, as it’ll help you stack your dishes upright.
What to Look for in a Kitchen Cabinet Organizer
Pick the Best Organizer That Suits Your Space
There are plenty of kitchen cabinet organizers to choose from, including pull-out drawers, caddies, and turntables—so, it’s important that you think about the solution you really need to help organize your kitchen supplies. Determine how you actually cook and eat in your kitchen, then figure out ways to make it better by asking yourself a few questions:
- Is your pantry a total mess? If so, try the SpaceAid Cabinet Shelf Organizers to store various cans and boxes of dried goods.
- Is your under-sink cabinet a collection of dishwashing and cleaning supplies? If so, try the Copco Non-Skid Turntable, so all of your sprays are at your fingertips.
- Are your pots and pans just about ready to clatter to the floor? If so, try the Lynk Professional Pull-Out Drawer, which allows you to pull out all of your cookware.
- Is your cutting board living on top of your microwave? If so, try the SimpleHouseware Cabinet Organizer to hide it behind a cabinet door.
You’ll want to create a space dedicated to your kitchen items, such as a pull-out shelf to help you see all of your pots and pans, and shelf risers to display your dishes on two tiers. Just make sure you choose an option that will ultimately fit within the dimensions of your cabinet (which I'll get into more below), while still providing style and functionality.
Get Organized With a Label Maker
As a home editor, let’s just say I’ve interviewed plenty of professional organizers over the course of my career. And there’s one thing they all say: Whatever you do, label, label, label. A good label maker can help you sort and organize your kitchen, so that every item has a home.
Measure and Calculate Your Space
Once you figure out the best organizational solution for you, break out the measuring tape to figure out what size organizer you can use. You'll need to think about the height of your cabinet, as well as its width and depth.
While it’s a lot easier to guesstimate with your hands or feet, you’ll want to be precise. It takes a little time and prep work, but it’s better to take these initial steps before you actually invest in an organizer. If you choose our best over-the-door pick, the SimpleHouseware Cabinet Organizer, you’ll want to also make sure to measure your cabinet’s thickness, too, so that the hooks fit properly.
One More Thing
Before you even begin shopping, it’s important to scale down your collection, whether that’s with mugs, dishes, or yes, super cute baking pans. You’ll need to step back and be honest with yourself, and realistically decide if you’ll actually ever use your great auntie’s heirloom platter.
Paring down your supplies (as hard as it is!) will help you in the long run. After all, how many Cool Whip containers will you ever really repurpose? While we all know it’s hard to part with things, it comes down to making your kitchen feel and look manageable.
Why Trust The Spruce?
I’m Michelle Lau, an editor at The Spruce, specializing in appliances, cleaning, organization, and home tech. For this story, I spent hours vetting the best kitchen cabinet organizers, including the ones I’ve owned over the years. Before including a product on this list, I carefully evaluated its functionality, style, and value.
I’m a big fan of any organizer that will make your kitchen look neater and run smoother. And while I have resorted to using plastic bins in the past, I’ve slowly worked on investing in smart organizers that look beautiful and make life in the kitchen easier. I especially love the beautifully designed, well-thought out products from Yamazaki.