You don’t have to be a top chef to know how important it is to cook with fresh ingredients. Far too often, though, pantry staples like flour and sugar get improperly stored, making them prone to spoiling or going stale. Whether you bake daily or only tie on an apron during the holidays, the best airtight containers for flour and sugar will keep your ingredients fresh and ready for use. To help you weigh your options, here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping.
According to the experts at King Arthur Flour, all-purpose flour can spoil when exposed to air after just a couple of months. Comparatively, sugar has a longer shelf life, but can transform from loose crystals into a stale, hard block due to moisture loss. For both, look for a container that has, at a minimum, a gasket or seal to prevent air flow. Some container lids take it a step further by having a locking seal to further prevent oxidation.
Also think about capacity and pick a container that can hold a standard bag of sugar or flour so you’re not left with excess. You can choose between lightweight plastic, stainless steel, or glass, depending on your preferences. Some containers come in systems that can be stacked for compact storage and a cohesive look.
The options are endless, so if you’re ready to rescue your neglected ingredients from the back of your pantry, here are the best airtight containers for flour and sugar.
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The Best Overall Airtight Containers For Flour & Sugar: OXO Steel Airtight POP Container
The overall best airtight containers by OXO feature a special button that seals the sides of the lid into the walls when pressed. This provides superior airtight sealing compared to containers with leak-prone press-on lids. The same airtight button can be pressed again and used as a handle to lift the container, and the square design nests neatly with neighboring containers. Made from durable BPA-free plastic, the dishwasher-safe container is transparent for easy viewing of ingredients. One note: Due to the mechanical, two-part design of the lid, OXO recommends hand-washing this component. The broad shape of the container can accommodate measuring cups, and rounded corners aid in pouring out ingredients like sugar. If you like the overall look of these winning containers, they come in seven sizes for storing a range of ingredients.
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The Best Value: Progressive Sugar & Flour ProKeeper Combo
These ProKeeper airtight containers from Progressive are designed with thoughtful features for each ingredient being stored. The flour container has a built-in leveling bar for measuring precision, and the sugar container comes with a sealable pour spot for easy dispensing. If you shop for other containers from the ProKeeper line, you’ll see this theme carried over into everything from brown sugar to herb containers. When it comes to volume, the flour container holds a 5-pound bag of flour, and the sugar container holds a 4-pound bag of sugar — both with room to spare. With a simple hinged, flip-top design, you won’t have to worry about mixing up lids or resting them on dirty countertops. A silicone ring and locking latch keep the lids snugly in place when items are being stored, and you can stack the containers for space-saving storage.
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The Best Stainless Steel Containers: Stainless Steel Airtight Canister With Clear Lid and Sturdy Locking Clamp
This large-capacity airtight container from Enloy is the best stainless steel option for keeping flour and sugar fresh. If you keep your ingredients on your countertops, stainless steel is a great material choice as it keeps out sunlight, which can lead to faster spoiling of ingredients. The lid itself is transparent, however, so you can easily check to see how much of your ingredients you have left. At 165 ounces of capacity (more than 5 quarts), this container can hold a 5-pound bag of flour so you can take it from the store straight to airtight storage. A locking clamp secures the silicone sealed lid onto the base for a tight seal. Though stainless steel is durable, it’s recommended to gently wash these containers with warm soapy water versus dishwashing.
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The Best Glass Containers: Anchor Hocking 96-Ounce Clear Glass Storage Jars With Wood Lids
For those looking for plastic-free options, this set of two glass storage containers from Anchor Hocking is an attractive and functional alternative. With lids fashioned from acacia wood and featuring a silicone ring, these airtight containers will maintain the freshness of flour, sugar, and anything else you wish to store in them. Unlike many other large-capacity glass containers like the tall, narrow variety used to store spaghetti, these 96-ounce containers (or 3 quarts) are relatively short with a wide mouth, making measuring easy. The flat-top lids allows for stacking, and while Anchor Hocking is known for its durable, USA-made glassware, keep in mind that these containers should be handled carefully and can break if dropped.
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