Anyone who does a lot of cooking at home knows that there is a need for a variety of pots and pans to get the job done. And that’s in addition to all of the various other kitchen tools, utensils, and cookware that are needed to prepare a wide range of yummy and nutritious recipes for family and friends.
What does this all mean? Well, your kitchen might quickly become disorganized if you don’t have the right system in place to keep everything neat and tidy. And because pans can be so large and take up so much space, you might realize that your cabinets aren’t providing you with the room that you need to keep all of your pans in great condition and within easy reach. This is when a high-quality pan organizer may be exactly what you need!
With a pan organizer, you can keep all of your pans separated so they won’t cause any accidental damage to each other. They can also be easy to find, so you don’t need to waste any time or get frustrated trying to grab the exact pan that a recipe calls for. And if it’s a space saving organizer, you might even be able to open up some extra storage space that you can use for anything else you need to store away neatly.
Once you start looking for a good pan organizer, you will realize that there are a lot of products that you can choose from. To help you figure out which type of pan organizer would be best for your needs, we have compiled a handy list of items below that you can check out.
1. Top Pick: Better Things Home Silicone Pots and Pans Organizer
If you aren’t properly storing your pans away (for example, if you’re stacking them on top of one another), you might end up scratching them up. And you definitely don’t want that to happen, especially if you are using nonstick pans. Well, with this pan organizer, you can take an extra step to protect your pans so they will remain in great condition. That’s because this product features silicone strips that are designed to help keep all of your pans from getting scratches and scrapes.
This pan organizer boasts a patented design that makes it easy to store pans and lids of varying shapes and sizes. And whether you opt to put this organizer on your countertop or in a cabinet, you can rest assured that its sturdy feet will help keep it in place to prevent damage to your kitchen.
We also like that this is an expandable rack, so if you need more storage space, you can get it without needing to buy another organizer. And if you don’t want to expand it as one piece, you can separate it into two organizers. Plus, the product comes with 12 adjustable dividers so you can properly store all of your pans securely.
Pros:
- This pan organizer is easy to set up and simple to use, thanks to its ability to expand and the adjustable dividers that are included.
- This organizer is adjustable in ½” increments.
- Silicone padding helps prevent damage like scratches to your pans.
- You get two racks, and you can use them separately or as a single expandable rack.
Cons:
- Some people might find that this organizer takes up too much space, so measure the area you’re planning on using it in so you’ll know if it will fit well.
2. Best Adjustable Pan Organizer: Toplife Expandable Pans Organizer Rack
When you can get your hands on an adjustable pan organizer, you can feel like you’re in a lot more control over how you store your cookware, which is why we like this option from Toplife. This is an organizer for pans and lids, so you can conveniently keep everything in one place and within easy reach.
You can easily set this up and place it in a pantry or in a kitchen cabinet. It will expand from 12” – 23”, so you can choose how much you need to use. And it also comes with 10 adjustable dividers, so you can decide where you want to place the dividers, in 0.6” increments, to give every pan and lid enough room.
Like other pan organizers, this one also gives you the option of separating it into two separate racks. This extra flexibility can help ensure you will definitely have enough room for all of your pans. Plus, if you have a smaller amount of space to work with in your kitchen, the fact that you can customize this product in several ways is also going to be ultra-convenient.
Pros:
- This is an expandable pan organizer, but you can also separate it into two separate organizers if that works better for you.
- This product comes with 10 adjustable dividers (you can adjust them in 0.6” increments), so you can set your organizer up to suit your needs.
- This pan organizer has silicone feet that are non-slip and can help keep the product in place while keeping your countertops and cabinets safe from damage.
Cons:
- Some customer reviews state that this product can be flimsy.
3. Best Pull Out Pan Organizer: Lynk Professional Cookware Organizer Pull Out
The nice thing about a pull out pan organizer is that you can set it up in your cabinet so it’s out of sight, but when you need to use it, you can access whatever you need so much more easily than you would if you have to reach into the cabinet to get it.
This pan organizer is designed to be easy to install in minutes, and it has heavy-duty dividers that are simple to adjust to suit your needs. Once you have it all set up, this organizer should be able to hold various pans and lids, and they should fit securely so you can rest assured they won’t get damaged. Then, when you need a particular item, you can just roll out the rack to get what you need.
Pros:
- This pan organizer features materials like steel and chrome to ensure durability and stability.
- You can set this up quickly and easily in a cabinet.
- Thanks to this product’s patented ProGlide ball bearing glide system, this rack will slide out smoothly to give you easy access to the pans and lids you need.
- You can adjust this pan organizer so everything fits securely.
Cons:
- To make sure that this pan organizer will work in your cabinet, you need to be sure to measure the space first.
- This organizer might not work as well if you have heavier or larger pans to store away.
4. Best Heavy Duty Pan Organizer: Cuisinel Pan Organizer for Cast Iron Skillets, Griddles and Pots
If you own heavier pans, such as those that are made of cast iron, a regular pan organizer might not be strong enough to support them. That’s when it’s worth looking into heavier duty organizers like this one, which features strong construction.
This product has a total of five tiers, and you can set a pan on each tier to keep them separated and protected against scratches. All of the tiers are 2.5” apart, except for the bottom two, which are 3.5” apart to give you extra space to store your largest pan.
Pros:
- This pan organizer is great for storing heavier pans, such as those that are made of cast iron.
- Because this pan organizer measures 12.2”, it can be a good choice even in a kitchen where you don’t have a lot of space to work with.
- You can set up this pan organizer vertically or horizontally, depending on what you prefer.
- This pan organizer is available in a variety of colors to match any kitchen’s décor.
Cons:
- Because you can only store a total of five pans on this rack, it might not be big enough if you have a larger collection of pans that you want to organize.
5. Best Large Pan Organizer: X-cosrack 11 Dividers Pot Organizer
If you are in need of a bigger organizer because you have a lot of pans and lids, and you want to keep as many of them on one rack as possible, check out this product from X-cosrack. It is designed to hold a variety of pans, such as those made of stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminum.
This product has a slim yet sturdy design, and it comes with non-slip silicone feet that will ensure it stays in place without damaging your cabinet, countertop, pantry, etc. It also comes with 11 dividers that you can adjust and set up just how you need them to be so you get the most out of this storage rack.
You can extend this item out on both sides, and you can expand it so that it will be a total of 29” long. Alternatively, you can separate it so you get three organizers instead. You might decide to put one in your pantry, another in a cabinet, and another on your countertop, or you might use each one to hold a different set of pans.
Pros:
- This expandable pan organizer is made of strong carbon steel.
- This product can provide more storage space than others that are available because it expands on both sides.
- With this pan organizer, you get 11 dividers so you can set it up however you need it to be.
- You can use this as a single rack or separate it into three smaller racks.
Cons:
- This rack is meant to be used horizontally, so it isn’t the right choice if you would prefer using one that you can set up vertically instead.
6. Best Vertical Pan Organizer: GeekDigg Pot Rack Organizer under Cabinet
For those who are looking for a pan organizer that you can set up vertically, this one might be the ideal choice. Plus, you can also set it up horizontally if you ever change your mind. And, when set up vertically, you can keep all of your pans to one side or set it up to have pans on either side of the rack.
This product features triangular feet to help ensure it will be as stable as possible no matter where you set it up, whether it is on a countertop or inside a cabinet. The racks are also designed to keep your pans in place, and you can store various pans of different sizes on this adjustable rack.
Pros:
- This is an adjustable pan organizer that will allow you to easily store a variety of pans of different shapes and sizes.
- You can set this product up to hold your pans vertically or horizontally, and there are multiple ways to customize it to suit your needs.
- This organizer comes with eight tiers.
Cons:
- Depending on what you’re storing on this rack, it might not be stable enough to hold everything in place.
7. Best Two-Tier Pan Organizer: Rev-A-Shelf 5CW2-2122-CR 21-Inch 2-Tier Wire Pull Out Kitchen Cabinet Organizer for Pots, Pans, and Lids
The nice thing about this pan organizer is that it features two tiers, so you can get double the storage space with a single product. It is easy to install in a cabinet, and you can pull it out like a drawer to easily access whatever you need from the top rack or the bottom rack.
The top rack is perfect for keeping all of your lids organized. Then, on the bottom rack, you can store all of the matching pans of varying sizes and shapes too. That way, everything is easy to find and will always be organized.
Attractive features include the heavy-duty construction, and the fact that you can adjust the height.
Pros:
- This pan organizer rolls out like a drawer so you can easily reach whichever pan and lid you need.
- This product has two tiers, so you can store your pans on the bottom and the lids on top to keep them separate and secure.
- This pan organizer comes with adjustable dividers.
Cons:
- This product can take up a lot of space because it has two tiers, so it might not be right if you don’t have a lot of cabinet space for it.
8. Best Pan Organizer for Cabinet: YouCopia StoreMore Rack Expandable Cookware Organizer
This affordable and basic pan organizer can be set up easily in your cabinet, and it can hold several pans. It comes with 10 adjustable dividers, and it can expand up to 22” to give you extra room if you need it.
In addition to being quick and easy to set up, we also like that this product comes with a base that is sturdy to keep everything in place. And the non-slip feet are also a plus because they can help keep the rack from shifting out of place as well.
Pros:
- This organizer can hold a variety of pans of varying sizes, thanks to the adjustable dividers.
- You can expand this rack or keep it smaller, depending on what you need.
- You can set this up without any tools, and you don’t need to install it either.
Cons:
- This rack might not be strong enough to support larger and heavier pans.
Things to look out for:
When you’re shopping for the right pan organizer, there are a few things that are worth keeping in mind so you can make the choice that’s right for you. Here are some things that we recommend looking into as you browse the many options that are available:
First off, consider how large you want your pan organizer to be. This will depend on the amount of space that you have for your organizer, as well as how many pans and lids you want to store on it.
Consider whether you want to have a pan organizer that can be set up vertically or if you would prefer one that sits horizontally. There are also products that will give you the versatility to choose how you want to set it up, so that’s something else to think about.
If you’re planning on holding a few heavy pans on your organizers, it’s best to select one that’s designed for that purpose. A sturdy product that’s made of strong materials will be more likely to hold heavier pans than one that’s made of more lightweight materials.
Finally, consider where you’ll store your pan organizer. If it will go on a countertop, you might not need to worry too much about any extra details aside from space. But if it will be going into a cabinet, you might want to go with a rack that you can pull out of the cabinet to make it easier to use.
Photo credit: Aleksey Matrenin/Shutterstock