The Best Containers to Use for Storage, Reheating, Cooking, and More

When you’re buying tools for your kitchen, multi-purpose ones are always an added bonus—say, an air fryer that can roast, bake, air fry, reheat, and dehydrate, or a can opener that does double duty as a bottle opener. The same idea applies to storage containers. We like ones that can not only store our food, but safely reheat them in the microwave, keep them preserved in the freezer, and even, in some cases, be used for baking or sous vide as well. (Being dishwasher-safe is a given.)

We've found several sets, individual containers, and storage bags that can weather all kinds of temperatures and make your kitchen routine a little easier—check them out below. Just note: Unless otherwise noted in the product description, make sure you don’t subject any of these containers to extreme temperature change, such as putting them straight in the oven from the freezer. It could cause them to shatter.

Vacuum Seal Set 

This storage container set comes with the added bonus of a vacuum sealer, so you can keep food fresh “up to five times longer,” according to the description. There are two glass containers with lids, as well as two small bags and two medium bags, which are good for preventing freezer burn and can be used for sous vide cooking, too. Items are freezer-, dishwasher-, and microwave-safe, and the glass containers are also heat-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Zwilling Fresh and Save Vacuum Sealer Set, $100 (was $125) at surlatable.com or williams-sonoma.com

Colorful Nested Bowl Set

Although these bowls aren’t oven-safe, you can still put them in the microwave (without the lids), freezer, and dishwasher as well. They’re airtight and leak-proof—currently, the Pastel Mixed Set (four bowls) of colors is available, in either shallow or deep.

Mepal Microwavable Nested Storage Bowls, $55-$62 at surlatable.com, williams-sonoma.com, nordstrom.com or  food52.com 

OXO Set 

This OXO set gets five-star ratings across Williams-Sonoma and Amazon. It can easily nest and stack like other sets, but an extra plus is that the containers are made of borosilicate glass, which is “thermal-shock resistant for freezer-to-oven convenience.” If you are going directly from the freezer to the oven, the product description says to not heat the oven above 450 degrees. Be aware that the lids aren’t oven-safe, and they have to be put on the top-rack of the dishwasher when it’s time to wash the containers. 

OXO 8-Piece Smart Seal Glass Rectangle Container, $30 at amazon.com or williams-sonoma.com

Individual OXO 

If you’re not in the market for a set, grab an individual storage container on Amazon. Like the larger set, it has great reviews, and comes in a variety of sizes, from one-cup to eight-cup. (And yes, it’s still oven-, microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe.)

OXO Good Grips 3.5 Cup Smart Seal Leakproof Glass Rectangle Food Storage Container, $11 at amazon.com

Vented Lids 

These containers are also made of borosilicate glass, so they can do it all—plus, they have vented lids, touted to help keep your food fresh longer.

ZWILLING J.A. Henckels Borosilicate Glass Storage Container (Set of 2), $30 at amazon.com or food52.com

Pyrex Bowl Set

Pyrex is always a solid choice, and in this set, you’ll get five differently-sized bowls with lids (10-piece refers to five bowls and five lids, not 10 bowls). They’re also microwave-, oven-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe—glass lids with a silicone lip ensure an airtight and leakproof seal.

Pyrex Ultimate 10-Piece Variety Set, $63 at williams-sonoms.com, macys.com or crateandbrarrel.com

Pyrex Baking and Storage Set 

In addition to storage bowls like the previous Pyrex set, this set includes two baking dishes, one three-quart and one eight-inch square. The baking dishes are dishwasher-, microwave-, freezer- and oven-safe (sans lids, of course), while the storage bowls and their lids are dishwasher-, microwave- and freezer-safe.

Pyrex 10-Piece Set, $50 at crateandbarrel.com 

Stasher Sandwich Bag 

These reusable silicone bags can be used for storage, but they’re also great for sous vide cooking as well. You can put them in the freezer, according to the description, and the microwave and oven. Once you’re done, throw them in the dishwasher.

Stasher Reusable Silicone Sandwich Storage Bag, $12 at surlatable.com or amazon.com

The Big Set 

If you’re in need of a lot of storage, this Anchor Hocking set includes 13 containers: four one-cup containers, four two-cup containers, three four-cup containers, and two seven-cup containers. All are identified by different colored lids, so it makes for easy organization and measuring. As for use and care, the glass containers are microwave-, pre-heated oven-, refrigerator-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe; the lids, on the other hand, are top-rack dishwasher-safe.

Anchor Hocking Classic 26 Container Food Storage, $37 (was $42) at amazon.com or wayfair.com

The Deal 

This set has unanimous five-star rating at Macy’s, and it's over half-off right now. Like the Anchor Hocking set, it also has color-coordinated lids, which you can match to dots on the bottom of each container. While they’re not oven-safe, they are microwave-, freezer-, and dishwasher-safe.

Lock n Lock Easy Essentials Color Mates 18-Pc. Food Storage Container Set, $19 with promo code (was $41) at macys.com or at amazon.com