Organizing kitchen cabinets may seem like an insurmountable task, but it doesn’t have to be if you know how to plan for it and have the right supplies on hand. Cabinet organizers maximize storage by taking up unused space, keep cans and other items from falling out and make what’s buried at the bottom (like spices) more visible. They can also eliminate countertop clutter to make more room for your new smart oven.
Organizers come in a multitude of styles to meet specific storage needs, and fortunately, most are reasonably priced ($30 or less). Read on for recommendations on the best kitchen cabinet organizers, as well as a guide to the most important things to know before you buy.
Best Kitchen Cabinet Organizers
What to consider?
Whether you’re looking to target one cabinet or reorganize your entire kitchen, you’ll need to get organized before putting your plan into action. We’ve broken down the process into three steps, from identifying problem areas to creating a custom, functional storage system that works for your space.
Identify problem areas
Organizing (or reorganizing) like a pro involves finding unused or cluttered spaces and solving existing disasters behind cabinet doors. For example, you may have dishes in a deep corner cabinet with an irregular configuration. While you can stack the pieces, you use the least toward the back. Getting them out requires disassembling what’s in front and then replacing the set with 12. To optimize storage and avoid extra work, a large turntable or extendable metal shelves can help you easily access what’s hard to reach.
Another scenario is an overstuffed cupboard that spills boxes of pasta and jars of jam everywhere when it opens. Despite your best efforts to play master Jenga, piling up items to occupy every square inch of the closet only leads to frustration. Here, cabinet organizers designed for a specific purpose, such as a can dispenser or spice rack, are probably your best bet. If you can’t find anything that works perfectly for you, you may need to get creative and find a solution by combining multiple organizers or organizers marketed for a different purpose.
How to Measure?
There is more to installing a cabinet organizer than just checking the dimensions. Always allow for a little extra space, but the next smart step is to step back and consider all the potential reasons the product you’re considering might not fit. Will the door hinges prevent a pot rack from sliding? Will pot handles stick out too far if we stacked cookware on a turntable? Will pipes interfere with the installation of an under-sink shelf? The key is to give yourself time to think before you buy.
Style Options
With so many unique kitchen needs, it’s no surprise that kitchen cabinet organizers come in a variety of styles that serve essentially the same purpose. For example, you may know that you want a better way to store spices, but you may struggle to decide between spice racks, pull-out spice racks and door-mounted spice racks. The style you need depends on the size of what you are storing and where you plan to store it. Many organizers come in a variety of sizes, as well as different finishes and colors, if you want to coordinate the pieces with your appliances and decor to achieve a unified look.
How we chose
Our selections include organizers for both above and below the counter kitchen cabinets in a range of styles, most priced well under $50. During our research, we evaluated organizers from top brands, including Lynk Professional, Rev-A-Shelf, Copco and YouCopia, and based our decisions on material quality, design and value-added options like the ability to stack, extend or adjust an organizer to different heights for a custom fit.
1. Expandable Storage Rack
This sturdy alloy steel cabinet organizer covers a lot of ground, extending your existing shelf space up to 2.7 feet. There are four finish options, and it comes with rubberized feet to keep it from slipping.
2. 3-Tier Corner Cabinet Organizer
Here’s another solid shelf organizer that maximizes usable cabinet space. They designed this one for corners, with three levels to hold nine-inch dinner plates, as well as cups and glasses. This alloy steel organized features a rust-resistant PE coating to prevent scratches and is available in bronze, charcoal gray and white finishes.
Buy: 3-Tier Corner Cabinet Organizer
3. Heavy Duty Sliding Cabinet Organizer
Under-counter storage for large pots and pans and appliances is common in most kitchens, but using it often means getting down on the floor to search for kitchen utensils, pulling almost everything out of the cabinet to find it, then lifting the desired piece onto the counter before putting everything else back.
Fortunately, this wide sliding rack makes finding what you need much easier. It attaches to the bottom of a cabinet with four screws and features a commercial-grade ball bearing slide system. The rack is also available in a variety of sizes, plus a wood tray option with chrome accents.
Buy: Heavy Duty Sliding Cabinet Organizer
4. Sliding Spice Rack
Anyone who cooks most nights of the week or frequently entertains on the weekends will appreciate this chrome sliding spice rack designed for deep cabinets. It holds up to 20 bottles of spices, with durable polymer trays and ball bearing tracks. It’s available in two double rack options, and if you have fewer spices to store, you can choose from three single rack sizes.
Buy: Sliding Spice Rack
5. Two-Tier Sliding Cabinet Organizer
This commercial-grade sliding kitchen utensil rack doubles the shelf space for storing pots, pans and appliances. It features two deep baskets and ball bearing rails that can support up to 100 pounds at full extension.
Another advantage is that you can adjust the space between the shelves, and it comes in three sizes, with a range of widths and depths. However, it’s important to note that mounting hardware is not included.
Buy: Two-Tier Sliding Cabinet Organizer
6. 2-Tier Expandable Under-Sink Organizer Rack
This fabulous under-sink cabinet organized works around pipes, with eight removable panels - four small, four large - to customize its configuration. It extends up to 30 inches wide and adjusts to about 25 inches high, further adding to its versatility.
Buy: 2-Tier Expandable Under-Sink Organizer Rack
7. Stackable Can Storage
Can dispensers be a must in the world of kitchen cabinet organization? If you didn’t know they existed, we highly recommend trying one to stop stacking precarious towers of cans.
This option holds up to thirty-six 15-ounce cans with six adjustable dividers that give you the ability to store additional sizes. It’s also available in five finishes, and you can purchase a set of two to stack.
8. Pot and pan organizer
The YouCopia cookware organizer is a brilliant choice for those who don’t have a lot of space in their cabinet. The shelf features 10 adjustable dividers and extends up to 22 inches to store everything from pans and grills to pots and lids, as well as other small kitchen items like cutting boards. It has non-slip feet at the base to keep it from slipping.
9. Pull-out under-sink cabinet organizer
This is another under-sink organizer we love for its clever design. There’s plenty of room on the bottom shelf for everything from laundry detergent to window cleaner, and the slim top shelf is the perfect size for sponges and scrub brushes. It’s also reversible, so you can install one on each side of the cabinet.
They made the rack of heavy-duty, commercial-grade steel with an industrial-grade ball bearing slide system and is available in three sizes.
Buy: Pull-out under-sink cabinet organizer
10. Cabinet Organizer
Door-mounted cabinet organizers save a lot of space and are inexpensive. This affordable metal rack stores kitchen utensil lids, including glass lids that can break if stacked. It’s made of steel, with a rustproof coating, and has five slots for lids with knobs or round handles. Install it and you’ll never look for the right lid to cover a pan again.
Buy: Cabinet Organizer
