We Tested the Best Food Storage Containers—Here Are the Ones Worth Buying

Best Overall: Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers

Why It's Great

• Good variety of sizes
• Cleans well in the dishwasher
• Stain- and odor-resistant

Grain of Salt

• Some sizes may be too tall for some small cabinets

As our best overall pick, the Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers earned perfect ratings across all categories, including performance, design, capacity, and ease of cleaning. Whether you need large containers to store ingredients in bulk or small containers for leftovers, this set consists of 10 containers in a variety of sizes plus airtight lids that lock into place to keep food extra fresh. Plus, they are freezer-safe so you can preserve food for months. Our testers were impressed by the clean look and attractive design of the containers as well as the features that made them just as functional as visually appealing.

One of the biggest concerns for plastic containers is how they will look and smell after many uses. Luckily, these passed the test. After two days of holding tomato sauce and onions, we hand washed some and ran others through the dishwasher, and they were all odor- and stain-free. When testing its design, our product testers said there were zero leaks and that they stayed tightly sealed.

The Details: Made from plastic; includes 10 containers with lids, sizes: two 0.5 cups, 1.3 cups, 3.2 cups, 6.6 cups, 7.8 cups, 8.1 cups, 12 cups, 16 cups, 19.9 cups

Best Design: Better Homes & Gardens Flip-Tite Square Food Storage Containers

Why It's Great

• Ideal for dry foods
• Stacks nicely
• Lids are very secure

Grain of Salt

• Lids are not entirely dishwasher safe

This food storage container set by Better Homes & Gardens stood out from the others in terms of design thanks to its ability to stack nicely in pantries and cabinets as well as close securely with its flip buckle lids. With four sizes ranging from 6.5 cups to 19.4 cups, you'll be able to store your favorite dry goods inside, such as cereal, pasta, and baking ingredients, and save so much room when you remove all the original bulky packaging.

And just in case your container takes a tumble, you can rest assured knowing your goods inside will stay secure. When put to the test, our product tester said, "the clasp popped up, but the lid was still sealed and did not break." The container and lid are dishwasher safe, but be sure to take out the silicone seal for hand-washing.

The Details: Made from plastic, includes four containers with lids, sizes: 6.5 cups, 10.1 cups, 16 cups, 19.4 cups

Best Glass: Le'raze Glass Kitchen Canisters with Bamboo Lids

Also available at Le'Raze.

Why It's Great

• Looks great on countertops
• Doesn't leave odors or stains
• Cleans well in the dishwasher

Grain of Salt

• Not recommended for liquids

If you prefer the look and feel of glass over plastic, this set of five containers by Le'raze is for you. The glass is dishwasher-, microwave-, oven-, and freezer-friendly, and they display beautifully in your cabinets and on your countertops. Our tester said, "I get nervous with glass because they could fall and shatter, but these are very attractive and useful." However, they don't recommend using them for liquids, as there was some minor leakage during the splash test.

Don't be fooled by the flat bamboo lids: They have a food-grade silicone sealing lip to preserve your food and keep things airtight and fresh inside. Each container measures 3.7 inches in diameter for easy stacking or side-by-side placement.

The Details: Made from glass and bamboo, includes five containers with lids, sizes: 2 cups, 2.8 cups, 3.7 cups, 5 cups, 6.75 cups

Related: The 10 Best Lunch Boxes for On-the-Go Meals

Best Value: Seseno Airtight Food Storage Containers

Also available at Walmart.

Why It's Great

• Labels included
• Stack well on top of each other
• Cleans easily

Grain of Salt

• Not as durable as other options

Want the most for your money? This set comes with seven containers, with each one costing less than $4. The containers measure just 4.1 inches in diameter for clean stacking and range in capacity from 1.4 cups to 8 cups. Best of all, this set scored perfect ratings for its design, capacity, and ease of cleaning.

One thing to keep in mind is that the containers aren't durable enough to stay intact after taking a big tumble. Our tester noted that they "completely cracked after falling" after pushing them off the counter and onto the floor. They also might not be best suited for liquid storage, as they leaked a little when shaken with water in them. Regardless, these are an excellent option for those who want a quality set for a reasonable price. Plus, the containers come with stick-on labels and a liquid chalk marker, so you and your family can easily tell what each one holds.

The Details: Made from plastic, includes seven containers with lids, sizes: two 1.4 cups, two 3.6 cups, two 6 cups, 8 cups

Best for Baking: OXO Good Grips Baking Essentials Pop Container Set

Also available at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and The Container Store.

Why It's Great

• Come with scoops
• Feature airtight locking latches
• Modular and stackable

Grain of Salt

• Pricey
• Less variety of sizes in set

We love a lot of products from OXO's Good Grips collection, and this food storage container set is no exception. It has a round pop-in/out button on the center top of the lid creates an airtight seal to keep your baking essentials fresh inside. Our tester noted that in comparison to a previous version of the same product, this was "an improvement from their original design, where you had to remove part of the lid in order to wash it; with this one, you can put the whole thing in the dishwasher."

The set includes five containers with airtight lids, plus there are two half-cup scoops that attach to the undersides of the two largest container lids for easy scooping. If you've struggled in the past with your brown sugar staying soft and workable, the provided brown sugar saver will do just that.

The Details: Made from plastic, includes five containers with lids, sizes: two 1.6 cups, 4.4 cups, two 17.6 cups

Related: The 16 Best Dry Food Storage Containers

Best for Countertops: Crate & Barrel Aspen White Ceramic Canisters

Why It's Great

• Made with sturdy stoneware
• Stainless steel scoops on exterior
• Sleek design

Grain of Salt

• Pricey
• Can't see through containers

Constructed of beautiful white stoneware, these canisters from Crate & Barrel are perfect for displaying on open shelves or kitchen countertops. This set earned a 4.8/5 rating across all categories and was praised for its attractiveness and performance during the stain/smell and splash tests. The containers had zero leaks when shaken with water in them and smelled nice and clean after washing out the sauce and onions. The wood lids wipe clean easily, and the canisters can be thrown in the dishwasher along with the stainless steel tablespoon scoop, which hangs on the side.

If you rely on being able to see through your storage containers to know when you're running low on something, these canisters may not be the best fit for you. Our tester suggests using them as an addition to your at-home coffee station, as the provided scoops would be ideal for whole or ground beans.

The Details: Made from stoneware, wood, and stainless steel, includes three containers with lids, sizes: 4.1 cups, 6.6 cups, 11.1 cups

Our Takeaway

We landed on the Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers as our best overall pick because it was the only set that earned perfect scores across all categories. The containers have a simple, attractive design, seal tightly, and come in a variety of sizes to suit all your needs.

How to Pick the Right Food Storage Containers

Material

The most common materials for food storage containers are glass, plastic, and ceramic. Clear plastic and glass are generally preferred so you can easily see how much food is inside, but ceramic looks beautiful when displayed on countertops. Plastic is a popular choice because not only is it clear, but it's also not as fragile as glass, so it can survive accidents. Plastic is also lightweight, easy to clean, and freezer-safe.

Capacity

Most food storage containers are available to purchase in sets, typically including a variety of sizes and sometimes shapes. Depending on what you're planning to store in your containers, take into consideration how much can fit inside and how much space it will take up in your kitchen.

Lid Type

The lids of any quality food storage container should be secure and airtight to keep the contents fresh. Some lids have a manual latch, others pop up and down to seal, and some have a simple silicone seal. Depending on the design of the lid, it may not be dishwasher safe (fully or partially), and you may need to hand wash it or remove part of it before putting it in the dishwasher.

About Our Tests

Our expert product testers performed side-by-side testing on 21 different food storage containers, including 15 plastic containers and 6 glass or ceramic containers. They put each set through three tests — brown sugar, smell/stain, and shatter/spill — to evaluate their ability to keep sugar fresh after four days, remove stains and odors after holding tomato sauce and onions for two days, and remain leak- and shatter-resistant after being knocked off the counter.

Our tester rated the food storage containers based on the following metrics:

• Performance: Were there any leaks? How secure is the lid? Did the container break when dropped?
• Cleanup: Do the containers clean easily? Are there any lingering odors or stains left behind?
• Design: Does the construction feel durable and well made? Are the containers designed with ease of use in mind? Are the containers stackable?
• Capacity: Are there multiple sizes to accommodate different needs? Is there a variety of sizes offered in a set?

The Leftovers: Other Food Storage Containers We Tested

Mepal Modula Stackable Storage Containers

While these Mepal containers have a beautiful and simple design, what they have in style, they lack in overall performance. Our tester noted that not only did they leak excessively in the splash test, the lid completely popped open when dropped. "The top can be removed very easily with one finger."

This set of seven could also benefit from a greater variety of capacity amounts offered instead of having duplicate sizes that don't offer much range compared to other options.

Click Clack Pantry Canister

Also available at Amazon.

Our testers were not impressed by the overall value of these canisters. "I think they are expensive for what you get, and six pieces would be around $90. That is too much in my opinion, for what you get. In comparison to the other similar products out there, these really don't shine that much to pay so much more for them." Also, the brand recommends handwashing these, but our tester noted that an odor was left behind after cleaning.

LocknLock Easy Essentials Clear Storage Container

There were no standout features about the LocknLock containers that made them a contender for a spot on our list of favorites. Our tester noted that the lid was secure and kept food fresh, but there was an odor left behind after hand-washing, which prompted a cycle in the dishwasher that warped the container.

Our tester also shared that while there are other size options available to purchase, ranging from 5.5 to 21.1 cups, they are already on the expensive side individually. "While these performed well, I think there are much better choices that come in sets that perform just as well, if not better, than these."