I look at clever, stylish products to organize the home on a daily basis, but few have impressed me as much as IKEA's VARIERA Pot Lid Organizer for versatility and affordability — and it earns decent style points, too. Stainless steel, minimalist, adjustable — it's so much more than just a pot lid holder.
The more I looked into the product, the more I realized the multitude of ways it could be used, and not confined to the kitchen, either. From using it to display vinyl records in one of the simplest and most stylish IKEA vinyl storage hacks — my personal favorite — to hanging storage or even a collapsible drying rack, the opportunities are endless (more on that later).
It's not hard to see why it's one of IKEA's best-selling products and is rated 5 stars by almost all of its reviewers. And the best part? It only costs £5. So whether you want to organize pan lids, or find unique ways to display vinyls or books, or an array of things in between (or all of the above), at this price, you can't go too far wrong.
Size: Min. length: 8.5 cm / Max. length: 50 cm / Width: 14.5 cm / Height: 10 cm
Constructed of stainless steel, this pot lid organizer does more than it says on the tin. Adjustable to fit your drawer, cupboard, shelf, or to accommodate the size of items you wish to store — pot lids or otherwise — it makes for a neat and tidy way to organize or display your things.
Aside from pot lids, these are just some of the items that happy customers have said they love to store or display using this stylishly clever organizer:
- Plates
- Trays
- Cutting boards
- Vinyl records
- Hats
- Office files
- Crafts
- Books
- Snacks
- Winter gloves to dry over an air vent...
I could go on — and I'm here for the versatility. In fact, many customers have actually commented on using the organizer as a collapsible drying rack for their small kitchen, too. And this space-saving aspect of its design is what makes it work as well as it does as a multi-purpose product.
"Bought to have next to the stereo," explains one customer. "Very useful for use as a stand for vinyl records — it's well constructed and very well priced."
Another customer shares, "I have a high square cupboard above the oven with no shelf, where chopping boards and baking trays kept slipping and ending up as a pile, at risk of falling on my head on opening the door. The Variera vertically stores two chopping boards, 3 serving flats, 3 baking sheets, a cheeseboard, a cooling rack, 2 lap trays, a bamboo tray, and 4 muffin tins. All easily seen, accessible, and the tins are ventilated; thoroughly recommend this product."
And I was particularly impressed by those who decided to organize their pantry snacks or even their freezer with the product: "I use this to store bags of frozen veg and fruit standing upright in a freezer drawer. I can quickly see what's there, without having to burrow down through layers of bags." Genius.
Only a couple of customers have noted that the holder moves around too much — the movement comes down to the spacing not being fixed, which is what provides the flexibility in being able to adjust the organizer to different sizes; so if you're looking for something that doesn't move at all, you'll need to opt for a fixed holder instead.
Being able to adjust the width is a bonus from my point of view, and I love that — especially for the price — you could order multiple and designate a holder for thin items, such as baking trays, and another for wider items, such as roasting dishes, and so forth. Even using one to hang hats in a bedroom closet, according to one customer, or to store rolls of thread in a craft room, says another.
And let's not forget that stainless steel is very much on-trend right now — easy home organization ideas don't have to be boring — they can be stylish, and affordable, too.
Pot Lid Holder Alternatives
For more stylishly neat-and-tidy options, I've rounded up six more space-saving pot lid holders that impress on price, functionality, and, of course, versatility.
Size: 13 cm x 5.5 cm x 8 cm, it can be extended up to 48.7 cm
A very similar design to IKEA's Variera Pot Lid Organizer, this 2-Piece set at Amazon is adjustable, made of stainless steel, and is highly rated at 4.5/5 stars from 100 reviews.
Size: Frame adjustable from 30.5cm (12 inches) up to 56cm (22 inches)
You can always count on Joseph Joseph for highly functional, yet stylish storage and organization products, and this expanding cookware organizer is no exception. With 7 adjustable non-scratch wire dividers, it's also highly rated at 4.5/5 stars from 100 reviews.
Size: L27cm x W11cm x D13.5co
With a sparkling 4.9/5 stars after 21 reviews, Dunelm's Wire Pan Lid Rack makes it onto the list. Made of premium iron with a matte black coating and acacia wood detailing, it's rust- and moisture-proof, making it durable, as well as stylish and space-saving.
Size: Suitable for lids from 16cm (6.3 inches) up to 24cm (9.5 inches) in diameter
More specific to pan lid storage, these holders from Joseph Joseph can be mounted on cupboard doors or inside deep drawers for ultimate kitchen organization. Joseph Joseph also has stainless steel Space Pan Lid Holders in a slightly different style.
Size: 10.9D x 24.4W x 43.7H cm
I love the bronze detail of this pot lid organizer. It's also been reviewed over 2,000 times and still maintains a solid 4.2-star rating, which is pretty impressive. It's compatible with different lid types and can be mounted onto either cupboards or walls.
Size: 28D x 15W x 9.3H cm
With space to store six pot lids, chopping boards, or whichever suitably-sized items take your fancy, this cupboard organizer is a handy item for getting your kitchen storage in check.
For more ways to elevate your home on a budget, our favorite IKEA hacks prove that you can still make something inexpensive look designer.
