Utensil Organisers Buying Guide

So you're not in college  any more and you need more than just a bunch of cereal spoons  in your kitchen drawer.   Have no fear, the utensil organiser is here.  In fact, it's been here for quite awhile, but it keeps improving to better suit your needs and your décor.   Use this guide to check out all your organiser options--your flatware  and your sanity will thank you later.

Drawer Organisers

When most people talk utensil organisers, they're taking about those handy inserts for kitchen drawers.  Today, these babies come in everything from plastic to stainless steel and bamboo.  Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages to each:

• Bamboo 
• Pros: Stronger than other woods (maple wood is the most commonly used in organiser construction), more sustainable, flexible, often expandable.
• Cons: Needs to be rubbed with mineral oil to maintain colour, may shift in the drawer.
• Stainless Steel 
• Pros: Durable, sleek in appearance, often comes with rubber insert to promote cleanliness and avoid scratching, machine washable.
• Cons: May shift in the drawer, heavy.
• Acrylic 
• Pros: Easy to see utensils, doesn't show signs of wear--including scratches and pen marks.
• Cons: May shift in the drawer if not fitted, see-through dividers may give the appearance of looking more cluttered.
• Mesh 
• Pros: Keeps heat and moisture away from utensils, can drain water from utensils if used in a sink or outdoors, lightweight.
• Cons: Less durable than most other options, may shift in drawer.

Speciality Options

Many companies sell utensil organisers that are specifically designed to hold knives  and other cutlery.   Some companies will also custom make your drawer organisers so that they match existing woods and will not shift when opening and closing the drawer.  These custom made drawer organisers are often removable for washing and come with a floor, so that utensils cannot slide underneath the dividers while in place in the drawer.  Although slightly more expensive, they may be worth it if you have a lot of kitchen gadgets  lying around and a lot of family members that need to get to them.

Major Manufacturers

• Interdesign 
• MSR 
• Rev-a-Shelf 
• Rolodex 
• Rubbermaid 

Related Guides

Kitchen Utensils	Flatware	Table and Counter Organisation	Knife Storage

External Links

• Organize.com: From dream drawers to expandable trays, this site catalogues every way to organize your flatware and cutlery.
• Yahoo.net: Everything you need to know about custom organiser inserts.