If your loaf dries out or grows mould before you finish it, the way it is stored is usually the reason. A bread bin gives bread a dark, enclosed place with a little airflow, and its material and design decide how much moisture stays in. Use this to choose the bread bin that suits the bread you buy and the room on your worktop.
What to look for
01Why does bread go stale or mouldy, and how does a bread bin help?
Bread goes stale as the starch in the crumb firms up and moisture moves out, and it goes mouldy when moisture is held in somewhere warm. A bread bin sits between the two, enclosed enough to slow drying and with enough air to stop damp building up. A loaf left open on the side dries out fastest. A loaf sealed in its plastic bag stays soft but holds on to the moisture that mould needs, especially in a warm kitchen. Vents give a bin that balance, and the Clubien bamboo bin has ventilation holes for this. A fully airtight box behaves more like the bag. The MIAXONIX is sold as an airtight bread box, which keeps soft sandwich bread or homemade loaves moist, so it suits a household that finishes a loaf within a few days and keeps an eye out for mould.
02Which bread bin material is best: wood, bamboo, metal or ceramic?
Wood and bamboo absorb a little moisture from the air inside the bin, which helps crusty and everyday loaves. Metal, enamel and ceramic absorb none and rely on the lid and vents to manage damp. Bamboo is the usual choice for a wooden bread bin. The Kabalo is a large bamboo roll top, and the LEMIKKLE and Clubien both pair a bamboo bin with a cutting board. Wood and bamboo need to dry fully after wiping. Metal wipes clean quickly and keeps its shape. The Addis is metal with a full roll front, and the Chuboir is metal with a bamboo lid that doubles as a board. Enamel is steel with a glassy coating, so it cleans the same way. A ceramic bread bin is heavy and non-porous, so look in the listing for vent holes or a loose wooden lid. Where a listing describes airflow differently from what the material suggests, go by the listing.
03Roll top, window or chopping-board lid: which design suits you?
Vents and a well-fitting lid do most to keep bread fresh, and the rest of the design is about how you use the bin each day. A roll top opens without lifting anything off, which suits a bin under a wall cupboard. The Addis rolls up at the front, and the Kabalo has a wooden roll top. A lid that doubles as a chopping board saves space if you slice on the worktop. The Chuboir's bamboo lid is listed as usable as a cutting board, the LEMIKKLE comes with one, and the Clubien adds a knife slot. A clear window lets you see what is left without opening the bin and letting air in, as on the ARTAWEIN and Gute bamboo bins. The MIAXONIX comes with tongs and a time-recording feature, useful for homemade bread that carries no date.
04One loaf or two: what size bread bin do you need?
Buy for the amount of bread you usually keep at once, so a single-loaf bin for one loaf and a large or two-tier bread bin if you keep two kinds or a loaf plus rolls. Check the height as well as the width, since a tall sandwich loaf is the usual thing that won't fit. The Chuboir measures 13 x 7 x 5.3 inches, about 33 x 18 x 13.5cm, a size for a single loaf. The Gute is a double layer bin at 15.35 x 9.84 x 12.6 inches, about 39 x 25 x 32cm, with a transparent window. The ARTAWEIN is a large two-tier bin listed for loaves, pastries, cakes and bagels, and the SG Traders Double Decker is a two-layer bamboo bin in natural wood or black. With two tiers you can keep a crusty loaf apart from soft rolls. Measure the gap under your wall cupboards before choosing one.
Our top picks
Best for crusty bread that needs airflowClubien Bamboo breadbin
Clubien's bamboo bin has ventilation holes to let humid air out, plus a chopping board and a knife slot. It is listed as a double bread bin. A good match for a household that buys bakery loaves with a hard crust.
Best black bread bin with a roll frontAddis Kitchen Bread Bin Metal Storage
The Addis is a metal bread bin in an all black finish with a full roll front opening. Nothing needs lifting off, so it works tucked under a wall cupboard, and the metal wipes clean after crumbs.
Best for soft or homemade breadMIAXONIX Bread Bin Airtight Bread Box
If you bake your own, this airtight bread box keeps a soft loaf moist for the few days it takes to eat. MIAXONIX supplies it with a lid, tongs and a time-recording feature for noting when the bread went in.
Best large bread bin for two kinds of breadGute Double Layer Bamboo Bread Box
Gute's double layer bamboo box measures about 39 x 25 x 32cm and has a transparent window. The two tiers give room for bread, muffins and bagels, so a sliced loaf and a bag of rolls can each have a shelf.
Best white bread bin for a small worktopChuboir Bread Bin
This white Chuboir is a metal bread box about 33 x 18 x 13.5cm, with a bamboo lid you can use as a cutting board. It takes little room on the side, and the same bin also comes in black.
Frequently asked
Should you keep bread in the fridge?
No, bread goes stale faster at fridge temperatures than at room temperature. If you can't finish a loaf in time, freeze part of it instead. Slice it before freezing so you can toast slices straight from frozen.
Should bread go in a bread bin in its plastic bag?
It can. Soft sliced bread stays softer in its bag inside the bin, but the bag traps moisture, so check it for mould in warm weather. Crusty bread keeps its crust better unwrapped or in a paper bag inside the bin.
How often should you clean a bread bin?
Tip out the crumbs about once a week and wipe the inside with warm soapy water, then dry it fully before putting bread back. Clean it straight away after a mouldy loaf, as mould spores can stay behind and spread to the next one. Wooden and bamboo bins need to dry in the air for longer.
Is bread safe to eat if you cut the mould off?
Food safety advice is to throw away the whole loaf. Mould can spread through soft bread further than the patches you can see. Clean the bread bin before you put a new loaf in.
Where is the best place for a bread bin in the kitchen?
Somewhere cool and dry, away from the oven, the dishwasher, the kettle and direct sun. Heat and steam raise the humidity inside the bin and speed up mould. A worktop corner or a cupboard shelf with some space around the bin works well.