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Plus, these storage tools will extend their shelf life and start at just $6.

We go through a lot of strawberries in our house—so many, in fact, that I once tried growing my own. We quickly learned that one small garden bed wasn’t nearly enough to keep up with our strawberry habit. Because of that, I’ve developed my own tried-and-true methods for keeping strawberries fresh, such as storing them in a ceramic fruit basket. Still, I couldn’t pass up the chance to check in with the experts and see how my approach stacked up. I spoke with the growers behind Sunset® WOW® Dreamberry strawberries, and I learned how to keep these temperamental fruits fresh.

“The best way to store fresh strawberries is in the refrigerator,” says Lindsay Gammonbrand manager at Sunset. One of the most common mistakes people make is leaving them on the counter. “Even a few hours at room temperature can significantly shorten their shelf life.” Based on her advice, we pulled together some of the most popular strawberry storage tools at Amazon.

The Best Strawberry Storage and Prep Tools at Amazon

• Nordic Ware Naturals Eighth Sheet$14 (was $17)
• OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Colander$32
• Onemore Ceramic Berry Basket$23 (was $25)
• Rubbermaid Fresh Works Produce Saver$25
• Chef’n Original Stem Gem Strawberry Holes$8

When you store your berries in the refrigerator, loosely arrange them in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate or container, either uncovered or loosely covered. “The paper towel absorbs excess moisture, and keeping them in a single layer prevents bruising from stacking.” She explained that when you stack them in a deep pile, the weight bruises the bottom berries, which then deteriorates them much faster. I immediately added these small Nordic Ware rimmed baking sheets to my Amazon cart and plan to sideline the bowls I’d often store strawberries in.

If you need or want to put them in a container, make sure it’s breathable, like this OXO Good Grips saveror leave the container slightly open to let air circulate. “Condensation buildup is the enemy of fresh berries,” says Gammon. Excess water causes strawberries to mold faster. Stored appropriately, your strawberries should last anywhere from three to seven days. And the fresher they are when you purchase them, the longer they’ll last, according to Gammon.

I also gleaned from Gammon that one of my tried-and-true strawberry storage habits is legit: Don’t wash them before you store them; wash them when you are ready to enjoy them. That premature water on the berries will accelerate mold growth and turn them soft faster.

Nordic Ware Naturals Eighth Sheet

$17 $14 at Amazon

As a brand, Nordic Ware is one we’ve tested and reviewed and continue to recommend. This eighth-sheet size is compact and better suited for the refrigerator at 10 x 7 inches than a quarter- or half-sized baking sheet. Put simply, it’s perfect for spreading out strawberries and stashing them in the refrigerator.

OXO Good Grips Storage Container, 1.6-Quart

$17 at Amazon

If you prefer to store your strawberries in a closed container, this OXO version is one of the better choices on the market. The green inner basket allows airflow, and the vented lid helps prevent condensation from building.

Pyrex Simply Store Glass Food Storage Container

$10 at Amazon

At EatingWell, we love glass containers, and Pyrex is a go-to brand for us. The long, rectangular shape of this food storage container makes it easy to store strawberries in a single layer. Just don’t forget to line the bottom with paper towels and keep the lid off entirely or partially open to let the air circulate.

OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Colander

$32 at Amazon

The OXO brand is tried-and-true for a reason. The products are well-designed, durable and reasonably priced. I always prefer a stainless steel colander over plastic as I’m always trying to minimize our plastic exposure, plus the small, grippy rubber handles are classic OXO and great for wet hands.

Gomakren Fruit Basket, Set of 2

$37 at Amazon

These ceramic fruit bowls pull triple duty, as you can store your berries in them, rinse them and then transfer the basket directly to the table—it’s as pretty as it is functional. Shoppers praise them for their quality and also share other uses, such as storing grapes or cherry tomatoes. It’s also dishwasher safe.

Onemore Ceramic Berry Basket

$25 $23 at Amazon

Similar to the ceramic fruit bowl, this berry basket serves multiple purposes, including good-looking kitchen decor. The set of four is the best value at $7.50 apiece. Take note, though, these baskets are hand-wash only.

Rubbermaid Fresh Works Produce Saver

$25 at Amazon

A different design, this Rubbermaid container also has the storage qualifications Gammon recommended. The FreshVent technology encourages airflow and discourages moisture buildup, and the bottom of the container is designed to elevate the berries ever-so-slightly away from moisture.

Chef’n Original Stem Gem Strawberry Holes

$8 at Amazon

I’m not usually a fan of single-use kitchen gadgets, but for the amount of strawberries we consume, this huller seems like a worthy investment. While I might not pull it out for a snack-sized pile of berries, it surely will come in handy when I’m making a strawberry dessert or a fruit salad for a crowd.

Ortarco Strawberry Cutter

$6 at Amazon

Don’t judge yet—this isn’t a single-use gadget! This strawberry cutter doubles as a hard-boiled egg slicer, too. And I’m sure you can find other items to slice, too. If slices of strawberries are preferred in your house over chunks, this is worth the $6.

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