I used to have a small kitchen with limited storage, and so kept my utensils in a crock next to the stove. Those that I used all of the time were fine, since they were washed regularly, but the others were dust collectors (yuck!) and since I had inadequate ventilation, greasy dust collectors. Gross! Now I use a drawer next to the range.

I have most of my large spoons, whisks, some spatulas, and pancake turners in a crock that my grandparents used for making sauerkraut (inside diameter is about 7"). The rest of my ustensils are in a drawer next to the stove. Works well for me and being able to put more of the utensils in the crock (old utensil holder wasn't as large) has really made it easier for me to find stuff in the drawer. I haven't reno'd yet, but when I do I'll keep this setup except that my drawer will be better organized. ;)

In a big glass cookie jar on the back of the range. I'd hate to have to open a drawer to grab a spatula when I need it!

Drawers. In my old kitchen it was mostly two of them. One with sections for knives, wooden spoons, scrapers, and bamboo skewers/chopsticks, etc. The other held everything else. Now I have a drawer for baking/measuring, one for stove related things, wooden and silicone stirrers in my top, shallow drawer under the cooktop with the spatter screens, grill pans, etc., one for knives and small prep bowls in the island, and another for miscellaneous cutting and prep tools in the island. I LOVE my new drawers. Oh, and I have pegboard space for hanging oversized tools as well, but it's not as conveniently located.

OTOH, if you need the drawer space for something else, I get why a crock would be useful. But you can get a whole drawerful in a crock? If you have cupboard space but not drawer space, you could compromise by getting a couple of crocks and putting them inside a cupboard. That way you're taking advantage of vertical space, and giving yourself the drawer, without cluttering your counter. I say "couple" of crocks so you can have one for the most used things in the front, and one for the every now and then things behind. That would also likely help the dust/ick issue. :)

Another thing you could do if you have cabinets is put hooks on the inside of a cupboard door and hang your most used utensils there. You might need to cut down the shelves a little, though.

Or you could put up a rail or other hook system on the side of a cabinet or a piece of empty wall/backsplash. And you can put a cover over it to make an art style display rather than having to look at your tools if you don't want to.

Drawers next to the range. always. Stuff just attracts more stuff and pretty soon I don't know where the counter is. Tools in the drawer are always clean. always THERE somewhere.

I have both--SS tool caddy and drawer(s)!

right now i only have two drawers and so keep most everything in a combination of ss and white porcelain in the window. I keep all the wood in one, the ss in another and the spatulas all together in a third. It actually looks pretty good. My new kitchen will have three (count them!!!!) drawers - so I may be able to move some of it indoors.

The best thing I did though was to get rid of about half of the junk I had in drawers and crocks. My new rule - if it gathers dust, I don't need it.

everything in a drawer next to over....I don't likealot of clutter on the countertops either. Plus I have them all spread out in the drawer so I can see exactly what I need instead of trying to fish around in an open container. But I have seen some lovely containers in some kitchens that people keep utensils in.

I have a small container next to the stove for the most used utensils and the rest in 2 - 3 drawers. I'm not fully moved in yet.

One crock for a few wooden spoons and a few spatulas which I frequently need to grab. The rest go in a drawer next to the stove/oven. About a year ago I went through that drawer and culled out anything that we "rarely" or "never" used. That opened up tons of space. LOL

In the old kitchen I had crocks, because I didn't have drawers. In the new kitchen, I have a big utensil drawer next to the cooktop, and I like it. I thought I might miss being able to grab what I need out of the crock, but so far, I have adjusted to grabbing from the drawer just fine.

Cj

I have mine in the drawer, but I do love the way Martha Stewart displays hers in crocks.

In my old kitchen in a crock by the range. In my new kitchen I have everything in a long shallow drawer next to my cooktop. Having experienced both scenarios I would have to say I prefer the drawer storage. Looks better and I think it keeps all the utensils cleaner.

Right now I have "tons" of utensils in a pampered chef lazy susan type holder. It doesn't look that great but it very functional. With my new kitchen I'm leaning towards a drawer. I guess I can always switch back to counter top storage if I decide the use the drawer for something else that I've forgotten about. If I use a crock on my counter top it will be right in the prep area and that doesn't feel right. I guess I'll find out in 2-3 months... or longer:)

What catmom said -- both! I have a stainless caddy that holds three wooden spoons and the two most popular spatulas. Everything else is in an adjacent drawer.

Both (I expect). I plan on putting in a rail for hanging the most used stuff and will use drawers for the less often used ones.

In several crocks on a wide windowsill ... things for moving food in one, things for stirring in another, and scrapers in a third.

It's a shortage of drawers in part, and my inclination to keep the things I use the most ready to grab and use. I don't want to open a drawer to look for a spoon. I want it right there. I want a pot rack!

I also have both.

I have a small drawer right next to the cooktop, and two more drawers within arm's reach, with one housing my baking utensils.

I really don't need the crock, but I think it looks pretty. ;^)

Most are in 2 crocks (one pottery one my sister made and one flower pot my son decorated in preschool 16 years ago) next to our range. I really like seeing the tools I have available. I have different shaped metal, wooden and coated spoons and rubber scrapers and spatulas and tongs. They all get used often. Ladles and a special spatula dh made hang on the backsplash behind the range. I like seeing tools and appliances in a kitchen. I also don't mind seeing dish drying racks. I feel most comfortable in kitchens that looked lived-in whether it's my own or someone else's.

I also have both. A drawer on the left side of the stove and a stainless crock on the counter on the right side of the stove. Works great for us. Most heavily used utensils are in the crock.

Well, my plan was to have everything off of the counter. So, everything was. Then I started cooking and I decided I can't stand not to be able to see my utensils and quickly grab what I need. (Plus I've got a couple of really long spoons, so I would have had to place them in a "special" place apart from the other place and it was getting too complicated.)

Now I have the stainless steel tools and spatulas in one crock on the left and all the wooden utensils on the right in a crock. This works best for me. I don't have any appliances out on the counters though. I also have a pepper grinder, a salt mill, a spoon holder, and a garlic holder grouped with the crocks.

The tools I use most for cooking (spatulas, spoons, etc.) go in a crock, stove side. Other specialty items of odd sizes and less used are in drawers as close to the range as possible. In my new kitchen, I have 2 drawers flanking the range for this purpose. I have the everyday utensil drawer on the other side of the kitchen (which isn't all that far, since my kitchen is only about 12' wide) across from the dishwasher. I only have 3 shallow drawers although I also have 4 deeper ones under a large pantry closet near the fridge; haven't figured out their use yet as I'm not fully moved into the kitchen yet (one will be the junk drawer for sure lol).

I like seeing my tools too. The crock is a simple, marble one which I've had for a very long time. Not sure if it's going to match my counter any longer but I like it a lot so until I find a more suitable one it stays.

I keep them in a shallow drawer under the cooktop. Pots and pans in deep drawers under that. Then, condiments in pull out shelves flanking that. It really works great!

both. spatulas and wood spoons in a crock on counter next to stove. all other utensils in divided drawers next to stove.

I am curious if anyone uses hanging storage for their utensils? I know it's sort of a cluttered look, but wonder if it might be handy to simply reach up and grab the utensil, while keeping the counter clear.

I would need about 4 crocks to hold all my utensils :-).

I have a 36" wide drawer right below my cooktop and it's filled to the gills with all my utensils. I love it.

The right crock can be pretty on the counter though.

Both...my most used are in two crocks...one for cooking "gluten-free" and one "regular" cooking.

Less used are in drawers (one drawer for gluten-free tools/utensils + other misc tools/utensils and another drawer for "regular" cooking + knives)

Mine is, in part, a space issue. Since I have to have two sets of many things (gluten-free vs not), I didn't want to devote two entire drawers to cooking utensils. The crocks are working very well.

Johnliu,

I had hanging in a previous kitchen and I found it inconvenient. The motion needed for pulling the utensil down puts it in entirely the wrong orientation, and one pretty much has to shift hands or put it down to realign it. Or toss and catch. In a drawer, it's just pull, grab, push/hip-bump. Much easier when one is occupied.

It's a great space saver for a crowded kitchen, though.

I put frequently used utensils in crocks, one for wood, the other for metal. The rest I keep in a drawer. This might change in my new kitchen, where I will have more than four drawers, but probably not - it works well for me. I did see some crocks suspended from a bar (at Ikea I think.) That might be a good way to keep utensils easily available but off the counter.

I remodeled my kitchen partly so I could put that stuff in drawers.

In drawers, with medium use, clunky stuff is on rails - masher, large whisk, ladle, spatula, tongs. I used to keep everything in a crock, but now the most frequently used and rarely used are in drawers.

I use a utensil crock on the counter for frequently used spoons, spatulas, whisks. The one I have (Pfaltzgraff Weir in your Kitchen) is very pretty and holds a lot:

http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/pfaltzgraff-fennel-utensil-crock-reviews

It comes in red, dark blue, and the color I have, "fennel" - a deep yellow.