Do you really need a butter bell? Well, imagine a stylish tabletop product. Now, imagine it keeps your butter smelling really good, free from microbes, and as flavorful as the time you bought it. And that’s why we really love these butter keepers — Almost on a whim, we can get fresh butter for our toast and favorite recipes.
Plus, they’re designed to keep butter in the right texture. Not too soft. Not too hard. And ready to spread, any time. So if this sounds good to you, then we urge you to take a closer look at our 3 best butter bell picks today.
While building this roundup, we learned a lot about these butter keepers. From that, we created a checklist. And it helped us spot the best butter bells this year.
Amazon’s best-seller collection also helped us a lot. So did our friends and loved ones. They recommended brands, models, and even other online shopping platforms to browse. And they told us about their experience. So after helping us test our top 10 shortlisted products — Here’s a summary of all the work we did to publish our 3 best butter keeper selections this year:
Best Butter Bell Review Center
| Image | Butter Bell | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | #1 - Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper
| 99% |
 | #2 - Butter Bell Crock French Ceramic Butter Dish (Café Retro Collection)
| 95% |
 | #3 - Sweese 305.114 Porcelain Butter Keeper Crock
| 93% |
Want to know why we chose these butter bells? Take a look at our comprehensive reviews. And once you’re done — Hit the yellow button to get the best price on Amazon!
#1 – Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper
Founded in 1973, Norpro is based in the USA. They’re a well-known manufacturer of unique, high-grade kitchen products. They’re headquartered at the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. And this butter bell from their production labs tops our list as the best today.
[wps_tabs style=”standard” active=”1″ vertical=”no”][wps_tab title=’SPECIFICATIONS’ disabled=’no’ target=’self’ ] [wps_lists icon=”gears” icon_color=”#4285bf”]- This product measures 4 inches tall and has a 3.5-inch diameter;
- It can hold a standard stick of butter at a time; and
- This butter keeper is made out of food-grade, high quality glazed stoneware with a stylish finish.
- Keeps butter fresh, dry, and ready to spread for a month, without putting it in the fridge;
- Maintains fresh smell and flavor by keeping germs, microbes and other contaminants from butter;
- Quick setup, simple maintenance, and easy cleanup when replacing water every 2 to 3 days;
- Elegant glazed stoneware design looks really good on dining tables and kitchen countertops; and
- Provides convenient access to butter, any time.
#2 – Butter Bell Crock French Ceramic Butter Dish (Café Retro Collection)
Butter Bell is a reputable producer of stylish, high-grade butter keepers. And their Cafe Retro collection is one of their best products today. Their fun, vibrant designs are available in a wide variety of colors.
[wps_tabs style=”standard” active=”1″ vertical=”no”][wps_tab title=’SPECIFICATIONS’ disabled=’no’ target=’self’ ] [wps_lists icon=”gears” icon_color=”#4285bf”]- This butter keeper is available in royal blue, cobalt blue, beige, aqua, crimson, glossy midnight black, lime green, golden yellow, maraschino red, matte white, retro white, pale sandalwood matte, and steel gray;
- It measures 4 inches tall and has a 4-inch diameter;
- Text that reads “beurre,” French for butter, is cast on one side, while “butter” is on its other side; and
- This product can hold 1 cube or 1 stick of butter.
- This butter bell is made out of durable, food-grade new bone ceramic mixture;
- 100% free from toxic materials like lead and cadmium;
- Designed to be simple to use, and ideal for all types of butter;
- Comes in trendy colors and a scratch-resistant finish;
- It’s also quick and easy to clean, thanks to its Dishwasher-safe components; and
- Guaranteed with a limited 2-year warranty.
#3 – Sweese 305 Porcelain Butter Keeper Crock
Many of our friends and relatives recommended Sweese when we asked them about their experience in using butter crocks. And we found this lovely, top-rated product in Amazon. We really love how this butter keeper looks, and after testing it — We also love how it works!
[wps_tabs style=”standard” active=”1″ vertical=”no”][wps_tab title=’SPECIFICATIONS’ disabled=’no’ target=’self’ ] [wps_lists icon=”gears” icon_color=”#4285bf”]- This product can hold up to 1 and a half sticks of butter, depending on how you want to press it;
- It’s available in classy colors like matte black, navy, steel blue, turquoise, retro orange, red, and yellow; and
- 100% food-grade, BPA-free material.
- Keeps butter smelling fresh, flavorful and dry for up to a month, without refrigeration;
- 100% free from contaminants and toxins;
- High-quality porcelain material;
- Sturdy to the heft, looks durable;
- Comes in elegant designs; and
- Quick and easy to clean, dishwasher-safe components.
Butter Bell Buyer’s Guide
Curious about our checklist, huh? Well as always, what we did here was to identify the most crucial factors. And we urge you to check out each of the things below. So keep this stuff in mind while looking closer at each of our 3 best butter crock selections:
What Makes a Butter Bell Suitable for Your Exact Needs?
1. Food-Grade Material Guarantee — Of course, health comes first. Remember, you’ll be using this to store your butter. Well, we wouldn’t want any harmful contaminant to come in contact with what we eat, right? Just make sure the butter keeper’s made out of porcelain, ceramic, stainless steel or any other food-grade material, and you’ll be safe;
2. Product Design — How this product keeps your butter fresh and dry is all in its design. This also affects how it protects your butter against germs, microbes, and other contaminants. And this is also responsible for making sure that your butter doesn’t end smelling funny. So yeah, this here is a core aspect that we urge you to look at;
3. Capacity — Well, our top 3 butter bell selections top up at 1 and a half sticks or equivalent cubes of butter. But this averages out to 1 stick/cube. Still, knowing how much butter you need on a regular basis like say for a week or so can help you know how many butter keepers you need. So remember this when you review our recommendations;
4. Overall Look & Feel — Nobody wants their butter bells clashing with the styles and color themes of their kitchens, dining rooms, and so on. But before thinking about that, of course, make sure it isn’t blatantly ugly. This goes without saying, but some still forget this. They assume that these butter keepers aren’t usually placed where it’ll be an eyesore. And yes, most of them end up being wrong;
5. Size — This doesn’t just depend on the capacity, look and feel that you want. Instead, where you place your butter crock is also important. So you need to get a butter bell that’ll sit comfortably on your table, kitchen countertop, or anywhere preferred. And make sure to place it in an area where it won’t topple over with a light bump or shake;
6. Warranty & Other Guarantees — Think of this not just as a way to avoid unnecessary costs. Yes, reviewing product warranties and guarantees can help you get a long-lasting product, an instant replacement, or the peace of mind that you’ll be refunded, in case the butter keeper isn’t as advertised. But beyond all these good things is, you’ll know the product went through a vigorous set of tests to simulate relevant real-world situations;
7. Price — Though these butter bells don’t cost that much, it’s still, of course, wise to be prudent. And this is where identifying a product’s overall value becomes crucial. But this isn’t as simple as it sounds. Keep in mind, most of us don’t get the chance to use a product before we buy it. And that’s also why we did this guide. Now you get an inside look at our experience and feedback. This can allow you to know just how much you’re willing to spend for what these butter crocks can do for you; and
8. Discounts & Promos — Lots of online shopping platforms like Amazon offer all kinds of exclusive discounts and special promos. Make sure to check out the best prices and deals that you can get today. Also, ask around. You’re bound to learn something interesting.
Butter Bell FAQs
What is a butter bell?
A butter bell is designed as a unique container where you store your butter to keep it dry, fresh, and free from microbes. Plus, it’s a small kitchen countertop/dining tabletop product. And it can maintain your butter’s ready-to-spread texture for a month or so, without refrigeration. Plus, it’s also known as a butter keeper or a butter crock.
How does a butter bell work?
A butter bell looks like a mushroom. The head is where you store your soft butter by scraping it around the center of the crock, and then by pressing the butter until it’s full to its lid. Meanwhile, the base is where you place to water up to the designated fill line. So once you place the head on top of the base, the water rises, goes through its airtight seals, and surrounds your butter. This is how a butter bell keeps your butter fresh, protects it against germs and microbes, and retains its ready-to-spread texture for a reasonably long time, all without refrigeration.
Do you really need a butter bell?
If you love toast and other recipes where butter is a significant ingredient, then the quick answer is yes. After all, you’re bound to really like fresh butter that’s ready to spread and convenient to access, right? Otherwise, you’d mostly end up with hard butter that smells funny as you take it from your fridge, or worse, full of microbes and other icky stuff that got mixed in from your previous use.
Can I use whipped, ghee, or clarified butter, margarine, or other spreads in a Butter Bell?
You aren’t recommended to store any of these in a butter crock. That’s because almost all of these types of spreads are either less dense than butter, or don’t have the same spreadability as butter. So they’re bound to fall and mix into the water.
Can I store herbal butter in a Butter Bell?
Yes, though keep in mind that storing almost all types of herbal butter in a butter keeper won’t stay fresh as long as pure butter. That’s because its other ingredients are bound to have storage requirements different from that of pure butter. For instance, our tests show that herbal butter tends to stay fresh 5 to 7 days in a butter bell, as opposed to a month or so when you store pure butter.
Are butter bells made out of safe materials?
Not all of them. But our 3 best butter keeper selections are all made out of food-grade material. So don’t forget to take a closer look at this aspect when you’re in the market for a good butter bell.