The kitchen, to me, is a living, breathing thing. It needs tinkering and maintenance to keep it running smoothly (the spice drawer needs frequent reorganizing, the cabinets require periodic degreasing, and so on), and I’m always looking for ways to improve how I move through the room.
For example, I added little sliding feet under my countertop appliances, such as my coffee grinder, so that I can easily move them around; they would otherwise stay pushed against the wall. I’m also routinely restacking pots, pans, cutting boards, and dishes to account for those I reach for the most, and of course, I’m constantly finding new and creative ways to handle the overflowing junk drawer.
Suffice to say, a lot has changed since my fiancé and I moved into our little apartment three years ago. One thing that has remained a kitchen mainstay, though, is the astoundingly convenient Dr.BeTree Magnetic Spice Rack fridge organizer.
Staff pick
This ingenious and affordable organizer magnetizes to the side of a fridge to hold spices, oils, paper towels, pot holders, and more.
I happened upon this handy little guy while looking for things to take advantage of the unorthodox space that is the side of the fridge. You might not think that it’s valuable storage space, but when you’re working with a dearth of counter space, it’s a lifeline for corralling odds and ends.
I’d wager that most people who live in small spaces would tell you that the number-one trick to staying organized and sane is to use every last surface possible for storage. Plus, when you have your fridge a stone’s throw from your stove, it’s a great place to stack up all manner of things you’d reach for while cooking.
Offering a surprisingly strong magnetic backing, the Dr.BeTree rack holds a remarkable amount of items. On the upper and lower shelves, I keep two types of salt (kosher and flaky, of course), my pepper grinder, my butter crock, two different extra virgin olive oils for cooking and for finishing drizzles, and avocado oil. I like that the top shelf has a protective rail to prevent tall bottles from toppling over, and that the bottom shelf allows me to store clunkier items.
I also keep paper towels stocked on this organizer, and I have never had the frustrating issue of not being able to tear off a sheet due to a wobbly holder—something I’ve found is common with countertop paper towel holders.
The included hooks are helpful for keeping a pot holder and an apron on hand, so they’re always at the ready when I inevitably need to yank a sheet pan out from under the broiler or realize halfway through a pot of tomato soup that I should probably protect my shirt.
As a longtime fan of the Japanese brand Yamazaki, I can’t help but notice how similar my fridge rack is to its Tosca Magnetic Kitchen Organizer. And considering the price and material differences, it’s probably safe to assume that the Yamazaki model is higher quality.
Whereas the Amazon listing for my off-label fridge rack doesn’t disclose the exact materials it’s made from (the description just reads “metal”), Yamazaki clearly states that its organizer is made from steel and that the towel bar is an ash veneer with a clear varnish. Mine is presumably made mostly from steel as well, but the shelves have plastic bases, and the towel rod appears to be made from bamboo.
The difference in materials likely cuts down on manufacturing costs—my fridge organizer is priced just under $25, in contrast to the Yamazaki model’s $50-plus—but if you’re looking to support a smaller brand, definitely opt for Yamazaki. (Wirecutter recommends some 27 Yamazaki products across various home categories, so it’s a brand we stand by often.)
That said, I’ve had my fridge rack for over three years now, and it’s functioning just as well now as it was when I slapped it up on the fridge. I regularly wipe it down with a multipurpose cleaner, and for deep cleans, I scrub it in the sink with soap and water; it hasn’t rusted or corroded at all.
I also wanted to keep things cohesive in my kitchen with black finishes, and Yamazaki doesn’t currently offer its Tosca organizer in black. I opted for this Dr.BeTree one because it satisfyingly scratches a little itch by matching my dish rack and two-tiered fruit and vegetable basket, both of which have held up to the same three years’ worth of frequent use as the fridge rack.
Wirecutter senior staff writer Michael Sullivan, who covers kitchenware, owns the Yamazaki rack and uses it to keep pepper mills, a bottle of olive oil, and vinegar readily accessible while he’s cooking. He also uses the hooks to store kitchen tools that “are clunky and/or would get easily lost in a drawer, like pastry brushes, a nutcracker, a cherry pitter, and a pastry wheel,” he tells me.
The rack is helpful, too, if you have low cabinets that aren’t conducive to an undermount paper towel holder. “I much prefer storing the roll on the side of my fridge,” Michael says, “which would otherwise be unused real estate.”
If you’re especially short on space, you can instead purchase single shelves and racks to snugly fit the space you do have. That’s why the kitchen team’s senior editor, Marguerite Preston, opted for a Yamazaki magnetic spice rack and key holder, which she says is actually the perfect thing for holding measuring cups and spoons.
Even if you’re not looking for ways to maximize the side of your fridge, this organizer might still be helpful for anyone who lives in a small space. It comes with screws if you’d prefer mounting it on drywall, though I’d caution that you should definitely mount it into studs or with drywall anchors to prevent it from falling off.
Thanks to all the thought I’ve put into organizing my tiny kitchen, I don’t even crave a larger space to work in. I’m perfectly happy shuffling around in my pint-sized space, and I anticipate that my magnetic fridge rack will continue to contribute to my kitchen contentment, too.
This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Catherine Kast.
