The Best Food Storage Containers of 2023

A good option in glass containers is Oxo Good Grips Smart Seal Glass which excelled at keeping chips crispy. These containers can go right from the freezer to the oven so are perfect for anyone who freezes a lot of soups and stews for weeknight reheating. Like other glass containers we tested, Oxo didn’t break when dropped and of course had exceptional stain resistance. However, you will see some discoloration on the lid, so consider using something else as a cover for microwaving.

The Pyrex Simply Store Food Container features glass containers with simple, flat colorful lids. In our tests, this was the only brand with both a container and a lid that stayed stain free. Plus, they kept chips super crisp. However, a container leaked badly when left on its side, leaving us with a big puddle of tomato sauce to clean up; be careful about putting one on the car seat without overwrapping it. The Pyrex container is safe for use in a preheated oven, as long as it’s not coming straight from the freezer, and you will need to be careful handling it when hot as there’s no rim or handles to grip.

Four latches on the sides and a gasket in the lid give Snapware Total Solution Plastic an airtight seal. In our tests, air stayed out so chips remained crisp and fish oil odors stayed in. However, when dropped, one latch opened, splashing water all over the floor. And microwaving spaghetti sauce left the container and lid stained and badly pitted.

If you’re trying to avoid storing food in plastic, GlassLock Oven Safe is another great choice for keeping food fresh. When we first evaluated containers several years ago, this set was our favorite. Even though it's made of glass, it won’t break easily. While the containers themselves won’t stain, the lids do so you might want to consider using a piece of plastic or a paper towel or plate for microwave heats. And although GlassLock can go in the oven, it can’t take the heat directly from the freezer. There’s a lip that extends past the rim which makes it a little difficult to latch on the lids and requires a little extra work to clean.

With Snapware Total Solution Glass you get break-resistant, oven-safe glass containers that along with four latching lids and gaskets are quite effective at protecting food from air and keeping food smells in, so that your whole fridge doesn’t wind up smelling like garlicky leftovers. The lids will stain if used to zap red sauce in the microwave.

Rubbermaid TakeAlongs are another brand designed primarily for carrying potato salad to a picnic or brownies to book club and then tossing. As potato chips went soggy when stored in one, you won’t want to use them for long-term storage. A TakeAlong was the only container we tested that actually cracked when we dropped it from a counter.

Another inexpensive set to easily stock up on in the supermarket is Ziploc Containers. They’re fine for gifting cookies or bringing coleslaw to a party but aren’t super effective at keeping food fresh so you won’t want to use them for long-term pantry or freezer storage. Plus, if left on their side or dropped, liquids seep out, so you definitely don’t want to toss one packed with a salad in your work bag. The lids are nice and flat so they stack neatly in your fridge.

Made of clear hard plastic with a latching lid, Rubbermaid Brilliance was one of the very best at keeping chips crispy. However, Brilliance is far from perfect. The lids fit so tightly that it can take a little pull to remove them, which is problematic if you use them in the microwave, as hot liquids can splatter when you tug them off. After zapping tomato sauce, the plastic didn’t pit or degrade but did discolor. And although a spin in the dishwasher took out most of the staining, the container itself retained an orange sheen and some coloring around the gasket in the lid. When filled with water and dropped, it didn’t break but the clasps snapped open, making a mess. And while it kept air out to keep chips fresh, it did let water in when submerged for several days. Brilliance also comes in canister sizes, perfect for storing baking supplies, pasta, rice, and other dry foods. With their perfectly flat lids, they’re very stackable and are a great tool for organizing your pantry.

Stash all your staples like flour, sugar, dried fruit, and nuts in the attractive clear Oxo Good Grips Pop containers and give your pantry shelves an instant upgrade. They’re very stackable and come in everything from spice to spaghetti to bag of sugar sizes. It’s kind of fun to press the big button in the lid to release the seal and open the lid. However, here’s a warning: Pop didn’t keep chips super crispy so it’s best used for foods that are in heavy rotation and not for items that will sit for months unused or things like coffee that are highly susceptible to staling quickly. The only part that can safely go in the dishwasher is the gasket and it takes a little finagling to figure out how to put it back in place after cleaning.