Are Pot and Pan Holders a Thing of the Past?

Updated on September 16, 2014
M.G. asks from Flower Mound, TX
27 answers

We were going to have our pot and pan holder installed over our kitchen island, but my husband decided we shouldn't, b/c he said our pots and pans are ugly, and why would we want to put our pots and pans on display? Putting our ugly pots and pans aside, are pot and pan holders a thing of the past? Or do people who hang their pot and pans just hang pretty ones for display only? I don't see it in any homes anymore. Thanks!

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

If you cook a lot, are short on cupboard space and have nice looking pots and pans a rack will work for you fine.
If not, then do something else and skip the rack.
They still sell them so somebody somewhere must be using them!

7 moms found this helpful

V.S.

answers from Reading on

I honestly wouldn't want my clean pots and pans hanging over the stove for grease to splatter up on and then get covered with dust. We just cleaned out relatives home where they did that and their entire kitchen was like that - sticky and hairy. Gross!

6 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

I used to nanny for people who had one - and I hated it. I am 6'1 so it was always in the way and it was just an eye sore. They had nice pots and pans, but still. I like clean spaces...pots and pans hanging from the ceiling is not clean in my book.

4 moms found this helpful

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

The overhead pot rack? I haven't seen that in more than 20 years. Trust your husband's judgment on this one. Unless you work in a commercial kitchen there is no need to hang your pots and pans over your head.

5 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

I have one. I hung it up over the peninsula in our kitchen. I love it. I keep the buttoms of the pans scrubbed shiny and insides facing the kitchen. I hadn't had to get down on my hands and knees to find a pot or pan in two years. This has made everyone happy lol.

5 moms found this helpful

S.G.

answers from Grand Forks on

I have friends who have one. I think they got it at Ikea. It looks OK, but the idea grosses me out. I want my pots and pans in the cupboard where they will stay clean, not hanging around getting greasy and dusty. I would feel like I need to wash every pot and pan before I use it.

4 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

You know what got me.... I was buying my All Clad high end stainless and the sales rep asked me.. " are you going to use this or display this on a pot rack". She said a lot of women buy good stuff and only display it. Not me... I use it!

I said I'm using it and have no pot rack. I am fortunate and I have a large kitchen with ample space for storage.

That was about 7 years ago and my All Clad Stainless is still as shiny and pretty as it was when it left the store because that's how I clean my pots and pans.

I also use a lot of cast iron and I would not hang that either!!!

The sales rep said a lot of people buy shiny pots to never use to have in display on a rack. Gees... I love cooking and using my good pots and pans

3 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Our kitchen is very small so we don't have a pot hanger. We do however have open industrial metal rod shelving on which we place pots, pans, bowls and plates. We have good quality pots and pans (not many - I rationalised our stuff when we downsized) which have discoloured on the outside somewhat with use, and all of our plates and bowls are white but not necessarily matching. The whole effect is really cool, and you don't notice the discoloured bits.

3 moms found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Dallas on

I have been in the real estate business for 17 years. I see them occasionally, but I wouldn't say that I used to see them more often. Most of the time they are used to fill the empty air space above a large island in a kitchen with a high ceiling. I also say that you should do whatever you want in your own kitchen, and don't worry about what people think. I would never hang up a magnetic strip on the wall with all my kitchen knives on it, but I see that too occasionally. Sometimes function precedes pretty, but that's up to the individual homeowner. I've seen many houses with pretty kitchens and the owners don't cook a lick!

3 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Hmm, I have not seen one of theses in years. I have t tiny kitchen so on one of my walls I have 4pans hanging there.Not really attractive but necessary because of the lack of space.

3 moms found this helpful

V.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

I've always wanted one... but since I've never had one, am not sure if I would like it. I have nice pots to hang, but have a 2nd set that is less nice, and wouldn't hang up the less than nice things for display. Honestly, unless space was an issue, I'd not want to deal with the dust that might accumulate on the less used pots in general.

But hanging a nice iron one over my kitchen island is a little romantic for some reason.

3 moms found this helpful
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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

We're short on storage in our kitchen, so we hang our bright red Le Creuset set on a pot rack over our island cooktop. We use them, a lot, and they're not from-the-store perfect, but they still look nice.

3 moms found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Lakeland on

I can see where this would be convenient but I would not want my Calphalon pots and pans hanging from the ceiling. I would need to wash before each use not just for dust, but if people in the house (or visiting) are sneezing or sick, yuck.

I also like to be able to see across the room and wouldn't like them in my face. My kitchen has extra tall cabinets and the bottoms are drawers which make it easier to get things out.

3 moms found this helpful

C.V.

answers from Columbia on

I have shelving under my kitchen island that I use for pots and pans. I agree with your husband, no pot hanger.

3 moms found this helpful
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K.W.

answers from Seattle on

I would love one, but we don't have the air space. If I knew how to connect steel mesh to our brick chimney (in the kitchen), I'd hang them there.

And I would be hanging my not shiny, very well-used, and beautiful-to-me copper pots on it. I have family who seems to think the pots should be polished and shiny. But I use them every day and think they are beautiful with the patina they have earned.

2 moms found this helpful

F.W.

answers from Danville on

I do have a pot hanger. I put it up to the side of my stove over the 'island' area. I have 10' ceilings, and seemed to be a waste not to use that space.

I DO use the pots, and in fact hang the ones that I use most often, so there is no need to dust them! It also encourages me to scrub them extra clean!

I have not pulled my revere wear from storage....Those copper bottoms may be for display only!

2 moms found this helpful
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C.N.

answers from Baton Rouge on

I don't hang mine. I'm short.
I keep them on a shelf.

2 moms found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

I didn't like it when it was trendy. I hope it's still not trendy. I would never use it if I had a house with one. I would never want one if there wasn't one.

2 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

If you have nasty pots and pans - greasy and the like? I would NOT hang them up. EEEWW!!!

I only have one girlfriend who has a pot rack - and personally? I don't like it. She has nice Calphalon pans - but still? I don't like seeing pots and pans hanging above cooking areas...that's me.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from San Francisco on

We had this same conversation when we redesigned our kitchen about 6 years ago. Husband wanted a pot rack, I didn't. I won. I like the openness of the kitchen and being able to see from the island into the kitchen and the living room. I am also a bit short, so reaching up would be a pain. Now it is a joke in our family and my husband teases me that he is going to install one when I am out of town.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

Not sure whether it is in or out but I don't like the look of hanging pots. Personally, I like everything put away. The only thing on my counter tops are the toaster oven, the keurig, and a two tiered bowl of fruit.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

We have a pot rack and don't have a beautiful matching set. We are not the kind to worry too much about having everything matchy matchy. In our home, it's for a practical purpose. They get out of the drawers so I can store my crock pot there instead. Ours is over the island where there is space for it and no one is going to walk into it.

If he doesn't want to display them because they are "ugly" then is he wiling to buy a new set?

K.C.

answers from Washington DC on

We have one like this hanging over our island. We're both short, but I need the storage space for the other stuff in my kitchen. I keep the pots I use the most on it. They don't get greasy, some occasionally get dusty, but I just rinse them off and move on.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_258945-76219-CIA9832MG-11_###-###...=

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O.H.

answers from Phoenix on

The only person I know that has EVER had one is my mom in her last house. And she only had it because it was already installed when she bought the house. She did use it but it was more of an eye sore I think. She has old pots and pans and couldn't reach half of them anyway. lol So I would just pass on it if it were me. Good luck.

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M.R.

answers from Seattle on

I have a friend who hung up this stunning, antique cattle neck piece thing...I'm sure there's a country name for it, but I don't know it...and she hangs her pots/pans from that, but she has a very tall kitchen ceiling. And it goes with her decorating scheme. It's quite the conversation piece.

I think if you need the under counter space, and you have the overhead space to hang up stuff, then do it. But do it so it you really like the look of it.

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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

I don't think they're "in" or "out."
I think it's a matter of preference.
I don't have O. but I HATE digging out my pots,so your post got me curious.
Have you seen some of the gorgeous pot racks out there???
I DO think you need the right kitchen and the right space (and pots) to pull it off successfully, though.

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

My mother in law brought me a pot rack this summer. I asked her to take it back. I don't like them.

I told her my pots and pans are very much used and not display items. She insisted that it is in to display the "used" post and pans and it would be okay.

My kitchen is small and it is just not an option in our home. It's still in its box in the garage.

If you google pot racks, you will find some beautiful kitchens with a variety of pot racks. It is just not for this house.

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