Get a label maker and make labels to fit on the lids of your spices. It won't help 100%, but it should help some.

Plan 2: put the spices in the drawer and use the spice pullout for something else.

I'd put lids in it. I have no trouble with my pots and pans but the lids!!

Anyway, don't worry. You'll put something in there, or you won't and it'll still be okay.

Oh, I like the pot lid idea! We had the base cab spice pull outs when we moved into this house and I hated them for every day use, but I kept the spices I used only rarely (ras el hanout, five spice, etc) in them and it worked okay.

The pots lids! That is a great idea, thanks!!

How wide is the pullout? A 9 or 12" cab will be great for bottles (oils, vinegars,etc)

I love mine! I use my top shelf for all my oils. I have them in sport top water bottles and labeled, so they fit perfectly and are easy to grab and use, mess free. Vinegars, soy sauce, oils, you name it. I keep most of my other spices in the same spot everytime so I can often grab without having to bend and check. Don't despair, I think you'll love it once it's in.

I love mine! I've used a base pullout for spices for over 16 years, first In our previous kitchen and now in our remodeled kitchen. They hold a lot of spices- just put the ones you use the most on the top shelf with a label on the lid. I use small round chalkboard labels. Put less frequently used ones on the lower shelves. We have a ton of spices and I've memorized where they are to the point where I barely need to glance at the labels.

I'm with you. My Michigan sister has one of these and it's not that useful. Try bending down trying to read spice labels with long hair and a lit front gas burner. Good times.

But you'll think of something that works for you - pot lids or utensils or something else altogether. Let us know after you've had it installed for a while.

My spice rack pull out will be 9"w. Emily, Rebeca and Melis918 - you give me hope:)

I hated mine as a spice rack. But, I love it as a rack for oils and vinegars. You just install 2 of the four racks instead of all four. I really like the picture above that percyb posted. That's a great use. You can order the bain Marie's from Amazon or a restaurant supply store.

I composed a post suggesting storage on the upper cabinet doors ('cause that's that I have) and then re-read your post. Sorry!! I know you've venting, but with the creative genius on the forum, hope you will get a solution which helps. Honestly - a brand new post like: I'm stuck with a pullout for my spices - how can I make the best of this?! might yield some helpful results. Are you willing to post a layout of your kitchen so we can understand the space?

I have one that is similar and I've set it up much like homechef59's suggestion.... spices on the top shelf and oil and vinegars on the bottom. Works really well for the taller bottles.

I used one for a filler in the bathroom. I didn't have a medicine cabinet, so...

The thing is, they're really pretty useless as designed. I think the O&V set up is the most logical.

Just like 3" deep top drawers. Whaaaaaat?

We put one in and I'm soooo happy..never had one before and we have A LOT of spices..and they always stood on the counter, on that three-step organizer. and in an upper cabinet-now that was hard to read and to reach

Now, I put the most used spices on the top shelf of the spice base cabinet, and less used plus bottles plus refills(like salt for example)on the bottom ones. The most comfortable set up I ever got.

I also have an upper cab that I use for bigger bags of spices, bottles, etc.

I use three shelves instead of four and have oils & vinegars in it. Spices are in a drawer with labeled lids. Much better use of space!

Not sure I would like a below the counter rack, ours is 72" and I can't imagine not having it. It's right next to the range, extremely handy.

Maybe you can retrofit it with something like this to bring your spices into full view. If so, I would label the lids as Lauren0319 suggested. I believe that this is a shelf genie product.

Pull Out Spice Rack · More Info

Thank you everyone for all the great ideas! I just ordered my kitchen cabinets and added the spice cabinet for my larger bulk spice containers. Great to have alternatives!

It makes a big difference if the top shelf is accessible from the top or only from the side.

Lauren0319, hoping that you see this. Can you tell me what the total depth of your spice container racks including the jars are? I can't tell from the link if their dimensions include the bottles or not. I have much the same pullout as you, with about 3 3/4" of width. TIA!

@sherri1058 they are 4 1/4 in. deep. So I don't think these would work, bummer.

Cefreeman--in my bathroom, I love really shallow drawers. Have 3.5" in my vanity-vanity and 5" in my sink vanity and actually put a jewelry sorter in one stacked to make teeny little compartments.

I may be anal though. ;)

I just put my spices in drawers and label the lids. I'm up to around 170 separate spices and mixes now, so it's really space efficient.

Thanks for the info Lauren. Saves me a purchase plus return!

I use it to store my utensils on their sides, and so far it's working pretty well. I tried putting in a cylindrical utensil holder (like in percyb's photo), but I didn't like hearing the utensils moving back and forth when I pulled the drawer in and out. They make less noise laying flat, and I make sure they're not too crowded or I can't find what I want easily. As for the very bottom baskets, I need to think of something I use rarely but still want nearby - maybe cookbooks.

Not a solution for the OP-this is how I usually do them. Pictured is a 15" frameless. I aim for 15-18", 21 max.I rarely allow a 9" cabinet into a design but have done these at 12"

For semi custom brands ordering is a hack, talk with your KD and get detailed drawing and order info.

Should be something like- door shipped loose (or deleted and separate door ordered) one standard RO, one tall RO or drawer box (8" high).

Method for field install of door depends on door style-options include : 6" tall narrow angle brackets on sides, "L" bracket on top of bottom box, ply attached to door, sometimes can just attach the door to the bottom box-depends. From mid range and up can just be ordered. I disable the soft close on the bottom RO often to cut down on stress when opening and no the bottles don't fall over.

We used to do this a little differently so I don't have current photo just rendering but the cut away side helps clarify (have a few installing currently and will get pix once they are loaded).