Bread Box

What is a bread box?

A bread box is a kitchen accessory that is used to store bread and other similar products at room temperature in dry, dark, well ventilated environment to protect them from damage, pests and decay. Bread boxes have lids that can be tightly sealed when closed and ventilation holes or vents to ensure that moisture in bread is retained. This prevents it from drying and becoming hard and inedible. This also keeps the bread safe from contamination by insects and pests.

Bread bins are usually large enough to hold one or two average sized loaves of bread. However there are larger ones available as well which can hold more. Some will have fully removable lids; others come with a hinged lid which can be opened from the front.

Before the advent of refrigeration, home made breads were kept fresh in Bread bins for even up to a week.

Why is it important to store bread in a Bread bins and not in the refrigerator?

There's nothing like the taste of freshly baked bread. With time constraints ruling everyone's lives these days, the tradition of baking at home is slowly dying out. Bread and other bakery products are bought in stores or supermarkets and stored in the house to be consumed as and when needed. A lot of people make the mistake of storing bread in the refrigerator thinking that it will remain fresh and edible for longer. Nothing could be further from the truth. Refrigeration makes bread lose its freshness and softness, two qualities that make bread such a universal favorite.

As bread becomes a day or two old, the starch and the moisture inside it realign and the water absorbed by the starch during baking is lost. The starch turns into its original hard state and this makes the bread hard. When the bread is placed inside the refrigerator, this process is further accelerated. Also removing the bread from the refrigerator and getting it to room temperature and then putting it back again leads to mold formation. Then the bread goes straight into the waste bin. A breadbox will make sure none of this happens.

Obvious advantages of a bread bins

• It helps you store the bread at room temperature which is the ideal temperature for keeping bread fresh, soft and delicious.

• It prolongs the life of the bread as it prevents staleness and mold formation thanks to a combination of tightly sealed lids and ventilation holes.

• It protects your loaf from sunlight which can cause the bread to sweat and makes it chewy and unappealing.

In addition to being great bread preservers, bread boxes are a great way to enhance the look of your kitchen. A good looking bread box whether old fashioned or contemporary can be a wonderful addition to your kitchen countertop and can add a touch of style and elegance to any kitchen.

If you have more than one bread box, you can make effective use of it to store any thing else in the kitchen, be it spices, biscuits or anything else.

How a bread box keeps the bread fresh

A loaf of bread fits perfectly between the sides of a bread box. Once the door closes, it presses against the exposed wrapper end to seal the loaf. Every time you remove a slice the door of the bread box slides inwards to stay as close as possible to the bread wrapper. This minimizes the volume and the freshness of bread is retained.

Bread box designs

Bread bins like everything else in today's home come in chic, stylish designs. There are several designs made out of wood, stainless steel ceramic, stoneware, enamel and plastic. They also come with various types of lids like hinged, roll top and drop down to name a few. Innovative bread boxes with pull out bread boards and other handy attachments are also popular. Another unique type of bread box is the under cabinet variety. This saves on counter space while providing adequate storage space. Though this type lacks the visual appeal of a conventional bread box, it is ideal for those who want an uncluttered clean look in their kitchen.

Popular kind of bread bins

• Wooden bread box: These are considered a little old fashioned these days but a good wooden bread box can keep bread fresh for several days. Wood bread boxes usually come with lift up lids and are quite roomy and spacious. The best thing about these is that they are quite sturdy and long lasting. Hand crafted wooden boxes can act as an attractive focal point in the kitchen.

• Enamelware bread boxes: Another type of popular bread box, this is made with metal and is coated with colorful outer layer. Enamelware bread boxes are extremely colorful and can be coordinated with anything in the kitchen. They add a new vibrancy to the space.

• Ceramic bread bins: These are either the exclusive hand painted types or the mass produced variety. Different textures and designs can lend a unique character to you kitchen, by either blending or standing out with your kitchen style.

• Antique bread bins: Some people love to collect antique bread boxes and pick them up from flea markets and antique shops. These are typically made of tin iron or aluminum and can cost hundreds of dollars.

• Stainless Steel bread boxes: Stainless steel breadboxes, with their stylish and sleek designs are a modern home owner's delight. These are available in a both glossy and dull finish and can be matched with stovetop hoods, chimneys, metallic appliances and even pots and pans. A stainless steel bread box preserves the bread's freshness with panache.

Check out our range of stainless steel bread bins

We bring you a range of stylish stainless steel bread bins from some of the finest makers of kitchen accessories. These include Blomus, Brabantia, Joseph Joseph, Polder and Zack.

• Blomus a company known for its high design quotient works magic with stainless steel and offer a range of kitchen accessories that are simple yet extremely stylish!

• Brabantia makes great looking, durable products for every day use that stay as good as new for many years.

• Joseph Joseph specializes in contemporary kitchenware, and is internationally recognized for producing some of the most stylish and technically innovative products available

• Polder Zack is yet another company known for its Stainless Steel masterpieces. Zack kitchen accessories come in various forms, sizes and shapes and lend great style to your space.

• Polder makes innovative, high quality, well designed products for everyday use.

Made from high end stainless steel, these bread bins offer you the most stylish and contemporary solution to your bread storage needs. Our bread boxes are available in a number of metallic shades like metallic black, matt steel, platinum, metallic gray, snowy white and even vibrant red. This wide range gives you the option of choosing a color that matches the metallic elements in your kitchen.

These bread bins are large and roomy and let you store different types of breads at the same time. Top quality material and the latest storage technology ensure that the freshness of bread is retained for a long time. They are available both with lift top and roll back lids.

Our bread bins are specially designed for optimizing space in your kitchen. Many of these bread boxes have flat tops, so you can easily store other kitchen items, such as canisters, bottles or bowls, on top of your bread box to save space.

What you should check when buying your bread box

• Decide how much space you can allocate to the bread bin in your kitchen. There are lots of space saver models that take up very little of your counter space.

• Consider what size will work for you. If yours is a small family, the single loaf bread bin would be adequate. It your family is large then your needs are larger too. Opt for a spacious model.

• Bread boxes should be stable and durability. Don't buy a flimsy box. It wont work the way it should and wont last you even a year.

• Check how the lid opens, as some styles may not work as you would like them to. Opt for a style which you are comfortable with.

• The top of the bread bin should be preferably flat so that you can use the flat top to place things on.

• Buy a clear bread bin if you tend to forget where you store things. That way everything will be clearly visible and easy to locate.

Whether old fashioned or contemporary, basic or artistic, wooden or metallic, bread boxes are an important accessory for any well equipped kitchen! Make sure yours has one too!