They can even double as kitchen décor
Laura Denby is a food, home, and lifestyle writer who specializes in creating thorough and analytical product reviews to help shoppers make more informed purchasing decisions. She has a Culinary Arts diploma from the Institute of Culinary Education and a WSET Level 2 Award in Wine and Spirits. Her work has appeared in leading food and lifestyle publications like PEOPLE, Food & Wine, Real Simple, Martha Stewart Living, Verywell Family, Southern Living, and more. Travel Candle Tins
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Bread is one of those ubiquitous culinary pleasures that’s present in almost every type of cuisine. Whether you’re eating French, Italian, or Indian — bread makes up the backbone of hearty soul food across the globe. We all know that bread is at its best when it’s fresh, but it’s not always feasible to buy a fresh loaf for every meal. That’s where a bread box comes in: This handy and decorative tool can help keep any kind of loaf — from baguette to pullman — stored in a way that optimizes freshness and prevents mold growth. The best kind of bread box depends on your design style and how much space you have to spare. However, no matter what style you choose, bread boxes should always be durable, convenient, and they should all feature a tight-fitting lid.
In search of the best bread boxes for use in home kitchens, the expert product testers at PEOPLE Tested put 18 different models to the test by storing a variety of bread styles over the course of a week. We examined each piece of bread throughout the testing process and evaluated each box on the freshness of the bread inside, while keeping an eye out for any mold growth or staleness.
Read on for the best bread boxes for every type of loaf.
The lid sits on top rather than on the side, so it fits snuggly and allows you to store more.
This box was one of the best at preventing mold growth out of all the options we tested.
Two helper handles on the sides make it easy to transfer from countertop to tabletop.
This is a great value for the price.
This is a really big bread box, so make sure you have ample space to store it.
Because of the larger size, it could make it easy to forget about smaller breads or buns.
This sleek and simple bread box excelled in all of our tests — it’s large enough to fit multiple loaves, it’s sturdy and durable, and the tight-fitting lid helped seal in freshness better than any other box we tested. In fact, no matter what style of bread we stored in it — from panettone to English muffins — we didn’t see any mold growth even after weeks of use.
In addition to preventing mold growth, we also found that breads stored in this box didn’t get as stale as breads stored in different types of boxes. The large metal box features a tight-fitting lid that sits on top rather than on the side, which allows for maximum storage and optimal freshness.
The box itself boasts a retro-inspired modern farmhouse style that’s simple and chic, and we love that the helper handles on either side allow for easy transport from countertop to tabletop, too. This large box can store a wide range of breads efficiently, but keep in mind that due to its size, it can be easy to forget about smaller pieces of bread like buns or pastries.
Material: Aluminum | Dimensions: 14.75 x 7 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 11 ounces | Lid Style: Top
The roll-top lid closes firmly and tightly.
The sturdy exterior is durable and easy to wipe down with a damp cloth.
This is a sizable bread box, so it takes up a good amount of counter space.
Considering that this product only serves one purpose, the price is a bit high.
This sleek and sturdy metal bread box features a roll top lid, meaning it’s easy to see what’s inside every time you open it. The lid is heavy and closes firmly, but we love that it closes quietly and locks in freshness. During testing, we found that this bread box kept breads fresh for longer, and prevented things like potato bread, baguettes, and cookies from getting moldy. Our tester said that her Bread Alone bread usually goes stale after two days, but right now, she's on day ten, and it's still super fresh.
The modern design is chic and functional, and we love that the exterior is easy to wipe down with a damp cloth. In fact, it’s so functional that the strategically-designed lid allows you to stack other things — like jars or cans — on top of the box while still allowing full access to what’s inside. Throughout our testing, we found this metal bread box surprisingly sturdy — it never dented, cracked, or scratched.
Material: Metal | Dimensions: 18.3 x 9.84 x 7.36 inches | Weight: 3.85 pounds | Lid Style: Roll top
The smart design features a flat top to allow for more storage space in the kitchen.
A magnetic seal helps keep the lid tightly closed, so bread stays fresher for longer.
Hanging eyes on the back mean it can easily be mounted to the wall.
This is a really big bread box, so it’s not ideal for someone who lives alone or eats minimal bread products each week.
It’s one of the pricier models we tested.
For an expertly-designed stainless steel bread box that helps streamline your kitchen storage, look to the Brabantia Rectangular Fall Front Bread Box. This option employs a flat top that allows users to stack other gadgets or groceries on top, while still allowing full access to the sizable bread box inside. It’s large enough to store two full loaves of bread, and the fall-front lid means nothing gets squished.
The rectangular design is perfect for stacking and storing neatly on an already-filled countertop. Keep in mind that this is a really large bread box, so it’s not ideal for someone with a small kitchen who doesn’t eat bread products. Additionally, it’s one of the most expensive on our list.
Material: Stainless steel | Dimensions: 9.84 x 18.7 x 7.36 inches | Weight: 3.66 pounds | Lid Style: Fall-front opening
The clever design means it’s the perfect shape for storing a loaf of sandwich bread.
It allows you to keep bread in its original bag, ensuring it stays fresher longer.
The BPA-free plastic helps prevent crushing, so you can easily transport a loaf of bread on camping trips or vacation without it getting damaged.
Because this is designed to hold uniformly-shaped loaves of sandwich breads, it’s not super versatile.
It can’t accommodate baguettes or boules.
It’s not particularly stylish.
If you’re sick of squished loaves of bread, try this individually-sized container that helps keep bread in perfect condition. The BPA-free plastic is designed to hold one loaf of bread in its original bag, which means it can maintain freshness longer without losing its shape. Throughout testing we found that this product helped keep pre-sliced loaves — like Wonderbread pullman bread — fresh and moist for over a week.
The design is simple, so it’s not particularly stylish or decorative, but it is efficient at saving and storing sandwich bread. Keep in mind that because this is specifically designed to store sandwich bread, it’s not an efficient way to store loaves like boules or baguettes.
Material: BPA-free plastic | Dimensions: 5 x 5 x 13.5 inches | Weight: 12.3 pounds | Lid Style: Snap-on lid
The basic, neutral design fits well with a variety of style choices.
The lid doubles as a cutting board.
The body is made from heavy, super-durable plastic, and a non slip base keeps it securely in place.
It’s not big enough for two loaves.
For a sleek and modern bread box that doesn’t take up too much space on the countertop, look to this option from Joseph Joseph. The versatile tool doubles as a cutting board, thanks to an expertly-designed reversible lid made entirely from bamboo. That means you can store your bread in the same container that you use to cut it on. The body of the bread box is made from strong, durable and BPA-free plastic, so it’s heavy-duty while remaining lightweight.
During testing, we found that this box was equally efficient at preserving store-bought bread as it was at preserving home-baked bread, and each style remained fresh and free from mold growth. We found this box to be efficient at storing one loaf of bread and a few other bakery items, but it isn’t big enough to store two loaves. Overall, we love that this is a more compact and modern option that’s great for storing in smaller spaces, but you’ll want to keep size in mind if you plan to store multiple loaves of bread at a time.
Material: | Dimensions: 14.5 x 7 x 8.75 inches | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Lid Style: Cutting board lid
It comfortably fits up to six loaves of bread.
It’s big enough to fit extra sandwich supplies like butter or jam, too.
The rectangular shape means you can easily stack things on top, and the hinged lid lets you open it and see what’s inside.
It’s the most expensive bread box on our list.
This extra-large bread box is functional, efficient, and durable. It’s large enough to fit six loaves of bread without squishing them, and the hinged door on the side allows for easy access to the pastries inside. In fact, the interior space is so large, you can even store sandwich essentials like peanut butter, jam, or butter. The magnetic closure makes sure the box seals tightly, which we found helped keep all types of bread fresh.
Throughout the testing process, we stored nine different types of bread products in this box and they all remained moist, fresh, and free of mold. The style is modern and minimalist, making it a chic addition to any kitchen aesthetic. However, it’s important to keep in mind that due to its size, it requires a good amount of countertop space. As a result, it’s not ideal for someone with a smaller kitchen.
Material: Metal and bamboo | Dimensions: 14.37 x 16.93 x 9.45 inches | Weight: 11.25 pounds | Lid Style: Hinged-lid
Small holes in the back allow for ventilation and airflow.
It’s roomy enough to store multiple loaves at once.
Magnetic closure helps keep the lid tightly sealed.
Opaque front lets you see what’s inside without opening the lid.
Though we didn’t see any mold growth, we did notice that bread got slightly stale when stored without a bag.
When it comes to simplicity and efficiency, this bread box is a perfect combination of both. The bamboo sides are slick and sleek, so it has a neutral design that fits perfectly within a wide variety of design styles. The box is meant to be stacked, so you can fit two on top of each other to save space. The opaque lid hinges from the side, so you can still access everything that’s inside even with other things stacked on top. We love that the opaque lid allows you to see what’s inside without opening the lid, so you can make sure everything stays fresh without even having to open it up.
This bread box is made from bamboo with five ventilation holes in the back to allow air to flow freely. Throughout our testing, we found this box efficient at preventing mold growth. However, we noticed that bread stored in a plastic bag inside the bread box stays fresh longer than bread stored directly in the box. When we stored bread directly in the box without a plastic bag, we noticed it got slightly stale and lost freshness after a few days.
Material: Bamboo | Dimensions: 15.75 x 9.84 x 8.26 inches | Weight: 6 pounds | Lid Style: Hinged side lid
Bread boxes come in different shapes and sizes, both of which will determine how much bread you can store and for how long. Before investing in a bread box, first determine how much bread you typically eat on a weekly basis. These are sizable containers that aren’t multipurpose, which means they can take up a lot of space on your countertop. If you live alone or your family doesn’t eat a lot of bread, you may not want to waste precious counter space on a single-use gadget. In that case, the Joseph Joseph bread box might be a good option for you, because it's compact and the top doubles as a cutting board.
Alternatively, if you and your family eat bread products often — and especially if you find yourself throwing out a lot of bread each week — a bread basket can make for a great addition to your kitchen. While some are designed to hold one loaf of bread, others are designed to hold a loaf of bread, bag of bagels, and any other type of bread product you might have on hand. Before selecting the right one for you, consider how much bread you eat and determine what size is best. Keep in mind that bigger isn’t always better — having a bigger box to store bread means you might forget about odds and ends that might get shoved to the back.
Bread boxes come with different lid styles — some have hinged lids on the sides, while others have a lid on the top that gets lifted off, like the Granrosi large bread box. The lid style will directly impact the accessibility of bread and your ability to stack things on top. If you have limited counter space and want to stack other supplies — like cookbooks or spices — on top of your bread box, look for one that has a hinged or sliding lid on the side.
To ensure you’re storing your bread effectively, consider how the lid closes. You’ll want to check for things like an efficient seal or magnetic closure that keeps the lid in place. A tight-fitting lid is your best bet for locking in freshness, so consider that before investing in a bread box. All of the bread boxes on our list have a tight-fitting and properly secured lids.
As is the case with any kitchen gadget, price is a big factor to consider when shopping for a bread box. We tested a wide variety of bread boxes that range in price from $12.49 to $149.95, all of which had different benefits and drawbacks. Before selecting the right bread box for you, consider what type of features you need and how those features will impact price. If you’re looking for a simple container to hold one loaf of sandwich bread, an inexpensive option — like the Buddeez Sandwich Size Bread Buddy Dispenser — would work perfectly. If you’re looking for an elegant box that can hold up to six loaves of bread while acting as a stylish kitchen accessory, you’ll want to upgrade to something a bit more pricey like the Yamazaki Tosca Bread Box.
When testing the efficiency of bread boxes for use in home kitchens, we focused on freshness. The main purpose of a bread box is to keep bread tasting fresher than it would if it had been left on the countertop, so in order to test that, we stored three types of bread in each box and observed the overall quality at different intervals. To start, we stored things like homemade bread, bakery-fresh bread, and store-bought bread in each box and checked how stale, moldy, or (hopefully!) fresh it tasted after three days and again after seven days. We noted what types of bread were in each box and how much — if any — mold grew on each style after how many days. Testing a range of bread products allowed us to gain more in-depth insights into each product’s ability to prevent different styles from developing mold growth.
In addition to performance, we also observed each product’s convenience, durability, and style. Bread boxes can be on the larger size, so we took overall design into mind when considering our favorites. Design is an important factor that can directly influence durability and convenience, so we examined what material each box was made from, how the lid impacted accessibility, and aesthetics.
Allowing bread access to moisture is the fastest way to create mold growth, so it’s important to store your bread in a clean, cool, and dry place. If using a bread box, make sure to keep it in a part of your kitchen that has a consistent temperature, and do not keep it on top of an oven or toaster oven. Storing a bread box around variable temperature zones — like near an oven — could create too much fluctuation in temperature, which could lead to molding.
As is the case with any kitchen gadget, it’s best to clean your bread box according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As a general rule, make sure to wipe away any excess crumbs or bits of bread in the back and in the corners. Keeping your bread box free of access crumbs is a great way to prevent mold growth from accumulating over time. You can also wipe down the outside with a damp cloth to keep it free from other kitchen stains.
Laura Denby is a food writer and former chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education. In addition to her years of experience working in professional kitchens throughout the New York area, Laura is also a professional product tester for sites like Food & Wine, Food Network, and Forbes. She has tested hundreds of pieces of culinary equipment — like air fryers, stand mixers, and baking sheets — and utilizes her professional culinary experience to create thoughtful, in-depth product reviews with the goal of helping her readers become more efficient home cooks.
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