You Don’t Have to Butter Us Up to Buy One of These Cute Butter Dishes

A delicious slice of buttered toast is one of life’s simple pleasures. Trying to spread cold, solid butter as it rips out the middle of the bread while still remaining in one unspreadable clump is one of life’s nightmares. This is why investing in one of the best butter dishes and being able to keep your butter out of the refrigerator is always a smart idea.

Butter dishes keep butter protected from the light, air and bacteria which contribute to butter going bad. These dishes also act as a barrier to bugs and other unwelcome guests. Plus, they make attractive kitchen decor and come in a range of different styles and a number of different materials, too. Common butter dish materials include:

• Glass
• Ceramic 
• Plastic
• Stoneware
• Enamel
• Stainless Steel
• Wood

Does Butter Need to be Refrigerated?

It’s certainly a hotly debated subject, but the real answer to this question really looks at what the word “need” means. Butter will last longer if it is refrigerated. But if you live in a busy household where butter is used on a regular basis before it’s even close to spoiling, there’s less of a need to refrigerate it. Especially as kept-out butter is soft and spreadable, avoiding that inconvenient wait or that piece of toast being obliterated by spreading too early.

Conversely, if you rarely use butter and a stick lasts you months at a time, then yes, it’s probably a wiser decision to keep your butter in the fridge until needed. This will prevent your butter from going rancid before you can use it all.

In conclusion, it’s okay, even handy, to leave butter out in the short term, especially if it’s housed in a butter dish. But long term butter storage is best done in the refrigerator. It’s also important to remember that there are a number of factors that can accelerate the process, such as sunlight and warm temperatures. Such environments lend themselves to in-refrigerator storage.

Below you’ll find 11 of the best butter dishes available on the internet. We’ve included functional dishes as well as a number of cute butter dishes that add a touch of fun to your kitchen interiors, too.

1. Sweese Porcelain Butter Dish

BEST OVERALL

The Sweese Porcelain Butter Dish beautifully balances function and style. Boasting over 2,000 five-star reviews, this classic-style dish is made from a flat base and a full lid, both of which are constructed from lead-free, non-toxic professional-grade porcelain, adding to the overall classy feel. Functionally, The dish is both dishwasher and microwave safe, while the range of eight available colors makes it easy to find an option to match your kitchen interior.

Buy: Sweese Porcelain Butter Dish $19.99

2. Rubbermaid Standard Butter Dish

BEST BUDGET

If you’re simply looking for a functional butter dish, it’s hard to look beyond the Rubbermaid Standard Butter Dish. At under $10, this piece is never going to break, and while the full-plastic construction is unlikely to win any beauty contests, it’s very functional. Not only can it act as a standard butter dish, but this versatile piece can also be used to easily transport butter, too, making it great for outdoor activities, like camping and picnics. Furthermore, the thick, durable plastic is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning post-use.

3. Kangaroo Glass Butter Dish

BEST GLASS

The Kangaroo Glass Butter Dish is another classic butter dish that is loved by Amazon users. It has over 1,800 five-star reviews and does everything you need in a butter dish. The clear glass construction makes it easy to keep tabs on how much butter you have left, while the handleless lid makes it easier to store the dish on shelves without having to worry about it being too tall. Additionally, the fixed lips at either end make it easier to carry and lessen the chance of any accidental drops during transport.

Buy: Kangaroo Glass Butter Dish $8.95

4. OXO Good Grips Butter Dish

FAMILY PICK

In a family household with numerous inhabitants, butter can go missing pretty quickly. The OXO Good Grips Butter Dish helps you stay aware of your butter level with its clear lid. It also boasts several other handy features, including stoppers to help the dish remain in place as you cut and convenient tablespoon markings to help you slice just the right amount of butter with every cut. There’s also an internal ridge to help keep the lid in place and prevent any butter from ever contacting the top of the dish.

Buy: OXO Good Grips Butter Dish $9.99

5. The Pioneer Woman Flea Market Cow Butter Dish

ARTSY PICK

If you weren’t already aware, butter is made from milk and milk comes from cows. That’s why The Pioneer Woman Flea Market Cow Butter Dish is a fun, and relevant, addition to any kitchen. This two-piece butter dish is made up of an eye-catching red base covered in white spots and a sitting cow-shaped lid adorned with attractive flowers painted over the white background. With its attractive appearance, this cow butter dish makes a great gift idea for new homeowners.

6. SZUAH Porcelain Butter Dish

BEST DISH/KNIFE COMBO

Ever find yourself in need of butter but lost searching for a knife to spread it with? The SZUAH Porcelain Butter Dish eliminates that problem by including a handy storage space for a butter knife in the lid. The base is made from high-quality porcelain which is dishwasher, microwave and oven-safe, while the lid is made from natural bamboo and includes a silicone seal for a reliable closure every time. Additionally, the dish’s relatively large size means it’s capable of housing larger butter blocks without the worry of them sticking to the lid.

Buy: SZUAH Porcelain Butter Dish $15.99

7. Fishs Eddy Butter Dish

BEST NOVELTY

How about keeping your stick of butter inside a stick of butter? Crazy, right? Well, with the Fishs Eddy Butter Dish, that’s exactly what you’ll do. This attractive and eye-catching butter dish has a rectangular lid which sports the appearance of an average, paper-covered, four-ounce stick of butter. Underneath, the baby blue base adds a welcome balance of color to deliver a piece of kitchenware fit for self-gifting and gifting to friends, too.

8. Granrosi Farmhouse Butter Dish

BEST DECOR PIECE

With its combination of classy wood and high-quality enamel, the Granrosi Farmhouse Butter Dish is a welcome decor addition to any style of kitchen. A great gift idea, the impressively reviewed butter dish is capable of holding up to two standard sticks of butter or even cream. Plus, the thick wooden lid provides a secure closure to help maintain freshness and prevent exterior smells from entering the dish.

Buy: Granrosi Farmhouse Butter Dish $17.97

9. Birch Lane Desimone Whale Butter Dish

BEST ANIMAL

As the name suggests, the Birch Lane Desimone Whale Butter Dish is shaped like a whale. The smart design uses the whale’s large body as the main cover over the butter, while the tail curves around to create a full-loop handle. Underneath, the dish’s base sports wave-like edges to create a sea-like appearance for your marine mammal butter dish. And, sticking with the ocean theme, it comes in either a light or navy blue color. Furthermore, the stoneware piece is dishwasher, oven and microwave-safe.

10. Gingerbread Butter Dish

CLASSIEST PICK

For a subtler butter dish choice which will still put a smile on your face every time you use it, consider the Gingerbread Butter Dish. For the most part, this dish follows tradition with a lipped base and a ball-handle lid. However, to add a little touch of fun, the dish features red accents, including a border and main decal in the form of a cute gingerbread man with “gingerbread” written under his feet. This beautiful piece is ideal for passing down through generations and is sure to be a favorite with young kids.

11. Le Creuset Heritage Butter Dish

BEST SPLURGE

You can’t have a kitchenware list without a Le Creuset piece featured, and ours is no different. While not as budget-friendly as some options, this Le Creuset Heritage Butter Dish oozes class and comes in a range of eight different colors, making it easier to match your butter dish to your kitchen decor. The one-color dish is made up of a flat base and a lid that sports a built-in, complete loop handle for a more secure hold. The dish’s stoneware construction also allows it to maintain temperatures for longer than other materials, which is especially handy if you’re eating outside on a warm summer’s day.

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