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The Best Butter Dish

Last updated on May 1, 2023
Butter in a dish

Our Review Process

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Our Picks For The Top Butter Dishes

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Product Overview
Key Takeaway
 Top Pick

OXO Good Grips Transparent Plastic Lid Butter Dish

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OXO

Good Grips Transparent Plastic Lid Butter Dish

This butter dish comes equipped with stoppers on either side of the dish to minimize slipping when cutting. The tray even features tablespoon marks to make measuring easy.

Overall Take

The No-Slip TrayThe no-wiggle butter dish from OXO Good Grips simplifies baking with its easy-to-read tablespoon markings, so there is no need for additional measurin

 Runner Up

DOWAN Silicone Seal Wooden Lid Butter Dish

DOWAN

Silicone Seal Wooden Lid Butter Dish

This butter dish is ideal for anyone who prefers to leave their butter at room temperature and spreadable. Its ceramic body is large enough to accommodate both Eastern and Western-style butter sticks, while its stylish wooden lid keeps butter fresh.

Overall Take

The Room Temperature SolutionKeep your butter at room temperature and spreadable in this eye-catching countertop dish.

 We Also Like

Rubbermaid Dishwasher Safe Plastic Butter Dish

Rubbermaid

Dishwasher Safe Plastic Butter Dish

This simple plastic butter dish keeps an airtight seal, prolonging the butter’s shelf life. Specifically designed to house butter, this dish ensures the highest quality while maintaining easy access.

Overall Take

An Old Reliable OptionThis dish is the simple solution to ensuring the highest quality butter while storing it in the refrigerator.

 Strong Contender

Progressive International Silicone Seal Base Butter Dish

Progressive International

Silicone Seal Base Butter Dish

Want a butter dish that is dishwasher safe? This option from Progressive International is just the ticket, making cleanup much more manageable when changing out butter sticks. It even includes a clear lid to quickly identify whether you are low on butter.

Overall Take

Easy to CleanSimplify household chores with this easy-to-clean, dishwasher-safe butter dish.

Buying Guide

Butter dishes are specifically designed to regulate butter temperature so it remains spreadable whenever needed. While the dish’s design varies, they typically consist of a tray for the butter to sit on and a lid that latches on to create a seal strong enough to regulate temperature.

Butter dishes keep the butter from the light, air and bacteria, all of which can drive the butter to spoil prematurely. Keeping butter in a butter dish while storing it in the refrigerator can also be beneficial because it will protect the butter from absorbing other refrigerator aromas.

There are many styles of butter dishes available. While the most common is the tray with a lid, some butter dishes resemble a jar with a sealable lid.

Materials will also vary. Butter dishes can be made from plastic, porcelain, ceramic, metal or glass. Some dishes are even made with tiles. When choosing the most appropriate material for a butter dish, the best option often boils down to personal preference.

Size also plays an important role. While most butter dishes in the United States are made to accommodate a standard stick of butter, some butter dishes are made larger to accommodate European-style butter sticks.

It is essential to consider which style of stick you use the most to ensure you purchase the appropriately sized dish. Some butter dishes were developed with both types in mind, so purchasing a European-style butter dish may be the ideal option if you use both.

There are all kinds of butter dishes available to suit various needs and kitchen aesthetics. When shopping for a butter dish, it is best to consider the size, whether you prefer to store butter in the refrigerator or at room temperature and aesthetics.

What to Look For

  • Consider whether you prefer to use Eastern or Western-style butter sticks to ensure you purchase the appropriate size container.
  • Before buying, think about which material you prefer, such as ceramic, plastic or glass.
  • Decide whether you prefer to keep your butter in the refrigerator or at room temperature to inform the sort of dish you buy.
  • Feel free to express your personal style through your butter dish’s color and design.

More to Explore

The butter dish was first developed in France during the late 19th century before refrigeration to keep butter fresh and spreadable for longer periods of time.

The original design was a two-part pottery crock, consisting of a base that holds water and a cup on the lid that holds the butter. The water would help create an airtight seal to prolong the butter’s freshness.

Over the years, the butter dish was popularized for its effectiveness in maintaining freshness. The specific French two-part dish was introduced in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s through craft fairs and boutiques.

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