Best cutlery trays for shallow drawers

Measure the lowest point along the closing route

Open the empty drawer and look for a rail, fixing or underside of a worktop that it passes beneath. Measure from the surface the tray will sit on to the lowest obstruction in that path. Take readings at the intended position of the tray, including where the tallest handles will sit. The height of the drawer front can be larger than the space you can actually use inside.

Add the tray's raised base or feet and any liner to the height you measure. A 3.5 cm tray with an item sitting above its rim can take more room than its outside dimension suggests. Measure the tallest group with all its pieces stacked as you usually return them. If you have mixed handle shapes, try the widest or thickest one first. The drawer measuring guide explains how to check the base and closing height separately.

Check the longest pieces and the way you take them out

Lay the longest table knife, fork and spoon on a flat surface. Measure the longest point and the widest part of each piece. Compare those with the compartment opening and its narrower base. A tray with rounded ends can have less usable length than its overall depth. Leave enough room to get a finger under the handle and lift it free.

Try the compartment arrangement with a full set of dry cutlery. When spoon bowls nest, their handles can sit at different heights. Thick handles take more space when several pieces sit together. Keep bulky serving spoons and tongs in a separate utensil organiser if they reduce the space for daily cutlery.

Choose a shape for the drawer you have

For the lowest empty tray here, the Space Home wooden tray has a 32 × 22 cm footprint, 3.5 cm outside height and four fixed compartments. Check the usable length of the longest section and leave space for hands around the rim. Follow the maker's care directions and keep it out of the dishwasher.

For a compact flat tray with grip lining, the madesmart Classic Mini uses five compartments in a footprint of about 22.9 × 32.4 cm. Check whether the small size suits your longest cutlery and the complete group you need to keep nearby. Its lining can help keep pieces separated as the drawer moves.

For a wider drawer, the Joseph Joseph DrawerStore 85042 expands from 29 to 48 cm wide. The stated depth is 38 cm. Set the width against the smallest usable base and see whether the expanded section still leaves the grip space you need. Check the fit with the drawer in its usual open position, especially if the rear is partly covered.

For very limited width with adequate height, the Joseph Joseph Compact 85119 uses staggered pockets in an 11 cm-wide tray. Joseph Joseph specifies 8 cm of minimum internal drawer height. Check the way a handle sits when inserted and whether the drawer opens far enough to reach the far pocket. Keep to a flat tray if closing height is the tighter limit.

Test the loaded tray before filling the rest of the drawer

Place the empty tray at the intended spot and move the drawer gently through its closing path. Load one group at a time, beginning with the tallest or thickest handles. Try retrieving the piece at the rear while the drawer is normally open. If the tray needs to sit farther forward, check that the front rail and handle remain clear at that new position.

Give everyday cutlery the easiest reach and move pieces used for serving elsewhere if they obstruct it. Use the paper layout guide to test the footprint alongside other inserts. If the empty tray moves across the base, check how to stop an organiser sliding before adding a liner that changes its height.