hmmm...had never seen or heard of one.

I see it says, "Keeps butter fresh, delicious, and spreadable for up to 30 days without refrigeration."

Very interesting.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: The Original Butter Bell Crock.

According to food storage experts, butter should ALWAYS be stored in the coldest part of the fridge. They strongly recommend AGAINST even keeping butter in the butter compartment in the door of the fridge, because it's not cold enough for safe butter storage. I'm even careful when buying butter at the store to always get it from the back/bottom of the stack, since I don't think those pounds sitting near the front of the shelf, or on top of the bin are being properly stored.

Butter is all fat, of course, and stored at too warm a temp, fat goes rancid.

It's up to you--and I guess if your family uses up the butter in the bell in a few hours up to a day, you're probably okay, but I just am not comfortable with storing dairy products at room temp.

And these days, there's absolutely no need to do so anyway. Just zap your ice cold butter for about 15 seconds (more or less, depending upon the strength of your microwave) and it's perfectly spreadable, but still safe to feed your family.

you have to decide what's right for your family, but you asked a question--have I ever used a butter bell? No, and obviously never would.

Yes, I have used them for many years. They work very well. I make them even. I am a potter. They were used for centuries before we had fridges. When butter had more fat in them than they do now. You just need to change the water every few days and use COLD water. My butter has kept very well and never gone rancid if I keep the water changed, even the heat of summer without air conditioning. I live in Nevada. To keep the butter in the crock without falling out, just remember to pack it in firmly. I usually just take the wrapper off the butter, stick the end of the stick in the bell part and using the wrapper to protect my hand, shove it in. Smooth it out with the wrapper and there you go. Shoved in firm enough so it doesn't fall out.

Enjoy it and don't worry. Just keep that water fresh in there.

My grandmother used one all the time when we were kids. It was left out on the kitchen table along with a matching set of salt and pepper shakers. Haven't thought of that set in some time. Thanks for the memory jog jasdip! I myself just leave the stick in our butter dish to use next to the toaster. NancyLouise

I really loved the idea of having butter soft enough to spread whenever I wanted it, so I bought a bell a few years ago. If soft butter was available, I believe we'd use it (instead of soft-spread margarine) fast enough for it not to spoil. But I found that it just is not practical in California. In the summertime, the butter just slips out of the bell into the bowl. The only way to keep the water cold enough to prevent that from happening would be to refrigerate the bell, which of course defeats its purpose. But I do use it in the cooler weather.

I have never heard of those before, I must look for one in the store. They sound like a great idea, I hate hard butter, always tearing the bread apart.

I have one. We are empty nesters, and we just don't use the butter fast enough to keep it from spoiling. Maybe the bells need to be made much thicker than mine is so that they stay cool better. I bought one for my son, and he had the same problem.

I'm with you, nancylouise. I only refrigerate the butter if it's really hot in the house. Nothing has happened to us yet, and I'm almost 49!

I think I have a couple of years on you sjerin, lol. But as you have said nothing has happened yet. We are all alive and kicking. I don't see it as being a risk. NancyLouise

I have used one for years. I don't like hard butter, so this is the way to go without compromising the butter.

My SIL keeps a very neat and clean house. She keeps her butter out all the time, on a small table, with the salt and papper. She doesn't use a butter bell. It completely disgusts me. I had food poisoning once in my life and I vow to never eat anything that wasn't stored properly.

We had a butter bell, and I have to tell you, they don't work in Texas! The butter was too soft, fell into the water well, and the bell was an all-around failure. Too bad, because it was cute and very decorative!

My mom always kept our butter or margarine in a butter dish in the cupboard. It was so hot in CA that sometimes the butter melted but my dad didn't like hard butter.

We've used a Butter Bell for years, and have never had a problem. We're in northern California (Sacramento County), and it's not uncommon to have 112º days in the summer.

As cwnev said, above, use cold water, and change it every couple of days. We've never had butter fall out of the "cup" into the water, and we've never had the butter turn rancid or melt.

Yes,I have one,in fact one of cwnev's hand thrown ones!LOL I useed it all the time but haven't lately because I am the only one in the house that uses real butter and don't use it that often.Anyway,I never had a problem with it and the butter was always fresh and spreadable.There was one time I forgot and left it out for a week in the summer while gone on a trip.Let's just say that fuzzy black stuff growing on it was not very appetizing!LOL I live in hot TX too and have never had the problems mentioned with the butter bell.As others have mentioned,you do have to change the water daily and use cold water.Wonder what people did with their home churned butter back when there was no refrigeration? And that butter wasn't even pasteurized as it is today.LOL My grandmother kept the butter on the kitchen table in a pretty little round blue dish with a lid and I ate it every day with no ill effects.

I grew up with margarine never being refrigerated. If I'm on a kick where I use a lot of butter it sits out unless it's 90°. I usually freeze butter and pull a stick as I need it. Salted butter is much more safe to leave out than unsalted, but I generally buy unsalted these days.

Personally I've never liked the thought of those butter bell things. To me they seem like a haven for bacteria. Damp conditions. Then I prefer to have a sealed butter container and leave it on the counter. But usually I don't use enough anymore so I put it back in the frig.

That is what the water does. Seals out the air so that it stays fresh. It is safer than just a lid on your tub. The gap between butter and lid. With the bell, the water rises up to wrap around the butter in the bell part. Make sense? It seals out all the air so that can't make it go bad.