Types of cutlery trays and rules for their selection

The proper organization of the kitchen involves the neat placement of all kitchen utensils in drawers and shelves. This allows not only to save the space of the room, but also turns ordinary cooking into a fascinating process. Therefore, every housewife seeks to provide for the presence of special trays in the kitchen for various dining utensils. Such devices are available in different types, differ in functionality, design and price.

The cutlery tray is a small drawer, the design of which consists of separate sections designed to store a particular type of appliance. Typically, such accessories have from 4 to 6 sections and differ in size, which makes them easy to match the size of the kitchen drawer. The width of these devices can be from 30 to 90 cm, height - from 15 to 30 cm, and depth - from 40 to 60 cm.

For spacious kitchens equipped with roomy modules, usually purchased two-tier trays.

Such an organizer for kitchen accessories has many advantages, the main of which is ergonomics. Thanks to such a simple device, every housewife has the opportunity to reliably hide forks, spoons and other appliances from prying eyes, and when setting the table you do not need to look for them, since they are always at hand.

In addition to storing and packaging the kitchen “small things”, these trays can cope with another important task - serve as a place for drying appliances. As for the cons, they are not, with the exception of the high price of individual models made of high quality materials.

Today, trays for kitchen appliances are presented on the market in a huge assortment and differ among themselves in many indicators. So, depending on the design features, the containers are divided into the following types.

• Direct. This is a traditional version, when the capacity for storing devices is placed in the rectangular compartments of floor modules (pencil cases and cabinets). To get a fork or a spoon, it is enough to open a sliding drawer "on itself".

• Corner Such models are installed in a drawer located in a trapezoidal or L-shaped cabinets - the internal corner compartment allows you to actively use the unused space of the kitchen. Often these trays have a special dispenser for a specific type of instrument and a knife stand. If the kitchen does not provide a separate place for the dryer, then it is recommended to put the trays in drawers under the sink. In this case, a drip tray is installed under them.

• Carousel system. They can be installed in modules of various designs, but the best option is angular. The insert under the tray is attached to the side walls of the cabinet and extends when it is opened.

Since the box designed to accommodate the tray with cutlery, as a standard consists of a body (without the upper wall), a facade and a guide system, it is important to pay attention to the type of furniture guide before buying the tray. There are cabinets with a telescopic (ball) and roller mechanism.

As for telescopic mechanism then it allows you to fully open the drawer and place large trays in it.

Cutlery containers, depending on the purpose, are divided into the following types.

• Narrow and long. They are used to store spatulas, ladles and knives.
• Large. They are used to place forks and spoons. There is also a double tray on sale, in which the compartments are placed in 2 tiers.
• Small ones. Represent a compact insert in a box for placement of dessert forks and teaspoons.

In addition, such trays differ among themselves and the material of manufacture.

• Metal. Stainless steel products are characterized by a long service life. They are resistant to cleaning with detergents, are not afraid of the negative effects of water. The only minus of these devices is that the metal insert when folding or removing kitchen appliances makes a noise.
• Wood. Accessories from a natural array look elegant and expensive. They are usually purchased for long-term storage of devices. For daily use, a wooden tray is not suitable, since the array quickly absorbs moisture, deforms and undergoes the formation of fungus.
• Plastic. These accessories are most in demand among housewives. This is due to their low price, ease of construction and high strength. Plastic containers are resistant to detergents, are not afraid of fat and moisture. They are most often produced with a lower plastic grill equipped with a drip tray.

In addition to the above options, you can also find on sale extravagant models of trays with original finishes in the form of velvet and velveteen. But they are not practical and are purchased, as a rule, for storage of collectible devices.

Also, the trays can be solid (without ventilation holes) and trellised.

Despite the fact that the market is represented by a huge selection of cutlery storage trays, housewives give preference only to reliable manufacturers whose products have received many positive reviews. The most popular models include the following items.

• Telescopic box-tray made of wood from the German manufacturer Kesper. The product is made in the original style, in its design it is possible to increase the width from 35 to 58 cm. For this, an additional compartment is installed. The kitchen appliance is made of beige wood. The weight of the tray is small and is 1.8 kg. The main advantage of the model is a convenient and roomy design, the disadvantage is not suitable for storage of wet appliances.

• Telescopic drawer with adjustable width - "Career". The product is an original stand for devices, which, if necessary, can be expanded and expanded in width from 33 to 58 cm. The design consists of 5 compartments, in an expanded form - from 7. The accessory is made of natural material (bamboo), therefore it has an easy look and chic design. The disadvantage of such a tray is a short lifetime.

• Multifunctional tray with Idea folding pallet. Designed for compact placement of tableware. The main feature of the design is that in it you can remove the additional nozzle if necessary, making the tray more compact. The standard sizes of the accessory are 31 cm in width, 7 cm in height and 40 cm in length. Plus models - light weight, minus - fragility, as it is made of plastic.

• Folding container from the domestic manufacturer "Mixi". This model has proven itself due to the average price and high quality. The design is made of high-quality plastic, its dimensions: length - 40 cm, width - 30 cm and height - 7 cm. The advantages include the presence of additional cells, the disadvantages are the limited term of use.

• Modular tray Blum. Unlike previous models, such an accessory can be assembled at your own discretion, depending on the type of cutlery. The design is equipped with convenient dividers and is easily installed in boxes of any sizes. The product is made of transparent plastic, its width is 800 mm, height - 500 mm. The modular system is assembled from 4 parts of various lengths, for its stability the manufacturer has provided rubber legs and a ribbed bottom. The disadvantage of this model is the small number of capacities.

• Modular organizer DrawerStore. It is assembled from separate parts, which allows you to change capacities in places depending on the location of certain devices. The design consists of 4 capacious boxes, each of which has a height of 5 cm, width and length can vary. Stability tray give rubber nozzles on the legs. Despite the convenient design, when buying such a model, you must additionally purchase sections to accommodate large dining accessories.

• Classic wooden Ergobox drawer tray. Allows you to perfectly place all the necessary cutlery in a specific order. The product looks expensive and is durable, although it is not suitable for daily use. The frame of the structure is represented by an array of ash, its thickness is 8 mm, the bottom is sheathed with MDF and additionally decorated with ash veneer on both sides. The tray has a width of 30 cm and a length of 45 cm. Due to the large number of compartments, the model is considered universal, but it is not resistant to the negative effects of detergents and is resistant to moisture, so it is best used for storing collectible cutlery.

• Wooden tray stand Barredo. The kitchen attribute is made of high quality wood (beech) and not only looks presentable, but also has excellent performance characteristics.The design consists of 8 compartments, which, if desired, can be equipped with special cells. In addition, the container is easily supplemented with an insert holder for convenient sorting of kitchen utensils. The disadvantage of this product is its high cost.

• Durable Hettich Metal Organizer. It is made of steel alloy, which makes the product "eternal". Austrian manufacturers also guarantee that this tray is corrosion resistant. In this container, metal is not only the case, but all the boxes. The width of the structure does not exceed 47 cm, its length is 28 cm. The positive qualities of the model are a long service life and the ability to rearrange or remove the internal parts. Negative characteristics - high cost.

• Metal tray Volpato. Provides easy overview and quick access to the contents of the kitchen drawers, allows you to maintain perfect order. Since the accessory is made of steel alloy, it has excellent performance. The container combines 12 different boxes, which are also made of metal. Their sizes can be set at your personal discretion, most often housewives combine several boxes at the same time for forks and spoons. This product is easy to assemble and disassemble, which allows it to be transported and installed without problems. The downside of the model is the high price.

• Comfortable plastic multifunction tray Linus. Despite the fact that the product is made of transparent plastic, it is of high quality and stability due to the perforated bottom. In this container, cutlery dries quickly and fits comfortably. The design can be placed both in modules (drawers) and on the countertop, because it looks aesthetically pleasing and original, emphasizes the design of the room. The design has 5 sections, its dimensions are 27 cm in width and 34 cm in length.

• Organizers made of plastic from the Italian manufacturer Volpato. They are in great demand among housewives, as they allow you to conveniently store kitchen utensils and look good in the interior of modern kitchens. The design of the trays is made in a restrained style. The design is assembled from 6 gray trays, their width is 38 cm, their length is 49 cm. Anyone can afford to buy such a model, since it is inexpensive. The only negative - the manufacturer did not worry about choosing a color palette.

• Perforated container Idea, providing quick drying and subsequent ventilation of devices. Due to the presence of ventilation holes in the tray, the bottom receives good air circulation, and the moisture in it does not stagnate. The structure weighs only 300 g, it consists of 5 small compartments and has the following dimensions: width - 4 cm, length - 45 cm. The minus of the model is low strength.

Trays with compartment for large items Blum Tandembox. This device is presented from strong plastic and is characterized by high German quality. The design can be placed anywhere, it is especially suitable for installation in pull-out modules up to 50 cm deep. In addition to the compartments for standard appliances, the tray also has sections for larger kitchen utensils.

In addition to all of the above products, designs of little-known manufacturers are also on sale, they differ in chic design, a huge selection of color palettes, but are often inferior in quality.

Before you purchase such an important kitchen accessory as a cutlery tray, some indicators should be considered.Since spoons, forks and other devices must be constantly maintained in sterility, cleanliness and at hand, you need to pay attention to the size of the structure, the number of sections and the presence of holes for ventilation.

To avoid mistakes when buying a tray, experts recommend paying attention to the following criteria:

• correspondence of the material from which the product is made to the interior of the kitchen;
• the container should be selected for the standard sizes of kitchen drawers, for this they must first be measured at the edges;
• the capacity of the product, the organizer sections should allow to place various types of devices (not only forks and spoons);
• production material - it will determine the period of use of the tray (it is best to give preference to metal models).

To learn how to make a simple and convenient organizer for cutlery yourself, see the video below.