6 Best Herb Keepers For Storing Fresh Herbs

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As the summer draws to a close, it is time to start thinking about your final harvest. If you’ve followed along with our series on growing herbs in pots, you likely have quite a few fresh herbs to trim down before the first freeze (if not, get started with this article on how to grow basil at your fingertips).

Unless you want to take the time to dry your herbs to restock your spice rack, then you’re going to need an effective way to fresh-store all those savory leaves and twigs. We previously covered a great tip for keeping herbs fresh for the long haul, but, for most people, the easiest way to store herbs so they don’t take up much room and so they last more than a few weeks, is to use an herb keeper.

Even if you don’t have your own herbs to harvest, herb keepers are a great solution for keeping fresh store-bought herbs from going bad as soon as you get them home.

But not all herb keepers actually do what they advertise. So, to help simplify your search, we’ve reviewed the top six best herb keepers that we’ve found so you can easily find the one that’s right for your needs.

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Best Herb Keepers at a Glance:

Important Features of an Herb Keeper

Herb keepers tend to be a pretty straightforward product. They are usually composed of some type of basin that holds a small amount of water, a compartment that holds the twigs upright, and some kind of door or lid for access.

But some of these products are far more user friendly than others. And some don’t work nearly as well in keeping herbs fresh. Here are three specific characteristics you’ll find in every easy-to-use and effective herb keeper.

  • A shallow, easy-fill water holder – Almost all herb keepers will have a basin for water, but some require you to remove the herbs completely before you can dump or refill the water while others allow for quick and easy refilling. Also, be sure your keeper features a shallow basin that keeps the stem ends submerged but won’t soak and rot the leaves of your herbs.
  • Easy accessibility – A sleek design is great for showing off, but it doesn’t mean much if you can’t easily add and remove herbs when you need to. Look for a removable holder or, better yet, a device that moves the herbs into your reach when needed and back into the water when you’re done.
  • Adequate ventilation – Fresh herbs are living systems that still need air circulation to thrive. Make sure your herb compartment utilizes dividers or screened baskets to allow for plenty of airflow. Small holes in the outer container will help reduce condensation and help your herbs last longer, as well.

The 6 Best Herb Keepers

You’ll be well served by any of these herb keepers, but here are our favorites, in order of preference.

1. COLE & MASON Fresh Herb Keeper

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  • Best Feature: Adjustable height
  • Best Suited for: Storing multiple herbs at once
  • Price: $$$

This Cole & Mason herb keeper has two features we absolutely love. First, the clear lid can be adjusted for taller herbs so no stalks get pinched or bent. The ability to lower the lid all the way down also means that there will be nothing in your way when it is time to access your herbs.

The second thing we love is also what makes this product truly unique. The clear lid has small ventilation cracks in the corners that allow enough air in and out to keep your herbs fresh and breathing, but without losing too much necessary humidity.

This keeper also features removable dividers so you can easily keep bunches of different herbs separate. The water basin isn’t as easy to fill as others on this list, but the small water window does make it simple to know when your herbs are getting thirsty.

2. OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Herb Keeper

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  • Best Feature: Removeable herb compartment
  • Best Suited for: Small herb batches
  • Price: $

Sometimes simple is all you need. And that’s exactly what you will get with this affordable but elegant herb keeper.

The herb compartment of this OXO keeper is comprised of a simple plastic basket that allows for plenty of airflow and can be easily removed and opened for quick access to your herbs. The clear outer shell acts as the water basin and can be refilled once the basket is removed.

The white lid fits tightly in place to assure your herbs stay humid and the 360-degree view of your herbs will help you keep an eye out for spoilage.

3. Premium Herb Keeper and Herb Storage Container By NOVART

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  • Best Feature: Simple-lift herb basket
  • Best Suited for: Large herb harvests
  • Price: $$

This fun herb keeper from NOVART looks like a french press with a lift and push plunger that functions in a similar way. By pulling the lid up and then lifting the plunger, you can quickly move your herb basket into your reach for easy harvesting. Once you are done, simply push the plunger back down into the water basin and reposition the lid.

The small herb basket has openings in the bottom to allow the stems to make contact with the water and is short enough to give you a 360-degree, uninterrupted view of your produce.

In addition to being one of the most uniquely designed herb keepers you’ll find, this is also likely to be one of the largest. That’s a major plus if you have a lot of herbs to keep fresh, but can be a big problem (literally) if you have a small fridge. As the seller recommends, it is a good idea to measure your shelf height before selecting this product.

4. Prepara Herb Saver Eco

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  • Best Feature: Its look
  • Best Suited for: Small harvests
  • Price: $

If you are looking for a stylish herb keeper that won’t take up a lot of space, you’ll love this Prepara capsule keeper.

This herb keeper is shaped like a spaceship and has a small footprint that leaves more room in the fridge. Being a smaller size means this product won’t fit quite as many herb stalks as others on this list, though.

But what this keeper lacks in space, it makes up for in ease of use. The herb compartment sits behind a long, removable front door, so you can quickly grab your herbs without having to jam your hand down into the keeper. The water tank is also easily accessible through a small capped port on the back, allowing you to dump and refill the basin without removing your herbs first.

5. Prepara Herb Savor Pod

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  • Best Feature: Integrated washing basket
  • Best Suited for: Small harvests and tight spaces
  • Price: $$

Like our other Prepara pick, this herb keeper is perfect for those looking to save on space. But it also has a few features that set it apart and make it worth the slightly higher price tag.

The herb compartment of this keeper consists of a half-basket that fits inside a clear, flat, oblong outer shell. The basket allows for good circulation while also doubling as a surface for rinsing and drying your herbs.

The entire herb compartment sits in the water basin, which can be easily filled and emptied through a capped port, similar to the other Prepara product.

6. Prepworks Prep Solutions Produce Keeper

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  • Best Feature: Lift and lock basket
  • Best Suited for: Grab and go herb harvesting
  • Price: $

Another ingeniously designed herb keeper is this one from Prepworks. The small, slatted herb basket is connected to the top of the capsule. When the top is removed, the hinges on the basket connector allow you to lock the basket into position at the top of the container for quick and easy harvesting.

Once you are done, simply lower the basket back into the water and lock the lid in place.

The clear container and small basket allow for uninterrupted views of your herbs and takes up very little space in the fridge. Unlike the other compact keepers on this list, refilling the water basin will require removing the herb basket completely, but this is a small hassle for an easy-access herb keeper at an affordable price.

Whichever herb keeper you end up with, one thing is for sure: you won’t miss the days of rolling herb stalks up in wet paper towels only to find rotting leaves the next time you pull them out of the fridge.