Cookie Jars
Cookie jars come in shapes and sizes of all sorts: You can buy one that looks like the Cookie Monster, Tinker Bell, or Mr. T. But what about function? We want our jar to keep cookies fresh, intact, and easy to grab. Avoiding novelty jars, we bought four models, one each in glass, plastic, ceramic, and stainless steel, all with at least 4-quart capacity so they could hold plenty of baked goods. We looked for jars with a tight seal to maintain freshness and with openings wide enough to allow us to reach inside for really big cookies (up to 4 inches in diameter). We filled the jars with French tuile cookies (they’re brittle, so particularly susceptible to humidity) and inspected them daily for a week: Even the worst performer kept the cookies crisp for a respectable four days. Next we filled each jar with a moisture-sensitive color indicator called Drierite; its crystals change from blue to pink as dampness penetrates. After seven days, we noticed changes in color, which were more drastic in some jars than in others. Only one jar kept the Drierite blue. It made an airtight seal that can keep our homemade cookies fresh, crisp, and delectable for days—if they last that long
- Good:
- ★★★
- Fair:
- ★★
- Poor:
- ★
- N/A:
- ----
| Product Tested | Performance | Comfort | Price* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highly Recommended | ||||
 |
Victorinox (formerly Victorinox Forschner) 6-inch Straight Boning Knife: FlexibleThe nonslip grip and narrow, straight blade let testers remove the smallest bones with precision and complete comfort. Perfectly balanced with enough flexibility to maneuver around tight joints. The low price was a bonus. |
★★★ | ★★★ | $19.95 |
| Recommended | ||||
 |
Wüsthof Classic Boning KnifeHefty in weight, this knife was a solid performer when removing poultry bones, and the handle was easy to grip, even when covered in chicken fat. Piercing silver skin was a challenge since the tip wasn’t sharp enough and the long narrow blade produced slightly jagged cuts. |
★★ | ★★★ | $99.95 |
| Recommended with Reservations | ||||
 |
Mundial Boning Knife: FlexibleThe sharp tip performed well when removing silver skin, but it was too flexible when maneuvering around poultry joints, leaving testers feeling a lack of control. The heavy handle was slightly unbalanced and became slippery once covered in poultry fat. |
★★ | ★★ | $19.95 |
| Not Recommended | ||||
 |
Shun Gokujo Filet KnifeDesigned to replicate a samurai blade, this expensive knife was a disappointment. It struggled to pierce the silver skin, although long cuts were smooth and even. Minimal flexibility and extreme curve got in the way when maneuvering around joints. The smooth handle was hard to grip and slippery. |
★★ | ★ | $179.95 |
 |
MAC Boning Knife—Chef SeriesThe large, cumbersome handle reminded testers of an outdoors knife for fishing and hunting. The blade was too wide to maneuver around joints and it struggled to pierce silver skin. Unlike other knives, this boning knife could only slice in one direction, making intricate cuts around joints difficult. |
★ | ★★ | $34.95 |
 |
Messermeister San Moritz Elite Flexible Boning KnifeThe blade was so flexible it led to erratic cuttings; testers said the knife was hard to control. The blade was not sturdy enough to maneuver around joints and the lightweight handle felt flimsy and unbalanced. |
★ | ★ | $53.60 |
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