Get a Butter Bell and You’ll Always Have Soft, Spreadable Butter—These Are Our Favorites

Smearing a pat of perfectly spreadable butter on your morning toast is a simple pleasure. But this easy brekkie can become a frustration if your straight-from-the-fridge, too-cold butter tears up your bread. Enter the butter bell. Sometimes called a butter crock or butter keeper, this simple two-part tool will have you wondering how you ever lived without it.

Made to keep butter soft, spreadable, and fresh at room temperature, butter bells work like so: Simply place your butter on the lid (or bell) and fill the base (or crock) with a small of amount of water. Once you place the lid on top, it creates seal that'll keep your butter fresh without refrigeration for up to 30 days (although you will need to change the water every few days). Most often made of ceramic, butter bells typically store about a stick's worth of butter and are a worthy investment, ensuring a smooth kick-off to the day with the smoothest of spreads.

Ready to shop this tabletop must-have? Here are some of the best butter bells to buy now.

of 08 Le Creuset Butter Crock Butter bells are believed to have originated in France, so it should be no surprise that beloved French kitchenware brand Le Creuset has one of our favorite butter keepers.

Made of ceramic and available in several colors, the Le Creuset butter bell is one of the larger butter keepers on the market (capable of storing 1.5 sticks of butter, or about 6 ounces). Plus, it's dishwasher safe and comes with a 10-year warranty.

of 08 Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper With more than 5,000 five-star reviews, this budget-friendly butter bell is an Amazon favorite. Made of glazed stoneware and capable of holding a stick of butter, the Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper comes in a classic white finish with navy trim. (Keep in mind though that it's hand-wash only.)

of 08 Williams Sonoma Breakfast Butter Keeper Simple, compact, and affordable, this butter bell from Williams Sonoma holds one stick of butter in classic white glazed stoneware. As a bonus, it's dishwasher safe, which always wins points with us.

of 08 Handmade Butter Keeper We love Etsy for its unique, artisan-made goods. Case in point: this top-tier butter bell, courtesy of Ohio potterist Linda Renee. Available in a trio of neutral hues, this butter bell boasts a simple design with clean lines and a dainty dotted print. It's also sustainable in that it's composed of ceramic and recycled glass. And yes, it is dishwasher safe.

of 08 Turkuaz Kitchen Posy Butter Keeper With its whimsical design, this floral patterned butter keeper is sure to bring a smile to your morning toast game. While handcrafted, the ceramic is durable and dishwasher and microwave safe. It's also a compact addition to your kitchen at just 3.5 inches high and 4 inches in diameter.

of 08 French Kitchen Marble Butter Keeper Stylish and practical, the French Kitchen Marble Butter Keeper is made of a chic white marble. The material makes this butter bell one of the heavier ones on the market, and it does require hand-washing for cleaning. On the plus side, the heat absorbing marble helps keep butter fresh and spreadable even in humid climates.

of 08 Kook Butter Keeper Dish This charming farmhouse-style butter bell is made of ceramic and available in several colors. It's dishwasher safe and fits about a stick of butter at a time. We also particularly like its easy-to-grasp lid.

of 08 Emile Henry French Butter Pot Emile Henry's elegant kitchenware is made to display, and their classic butter pot is no exception. Its simple, classic style makes it a favorite, as does its durability. Crafted from French clay, it's available in burgundy or white, and is dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe. It holds roughly a stick and a half of butter, and we love that each one is stamped by the artisan who created it.