This Is the Reason Your Herbs Never Last, Plus 6 Clever Hacks to Keep Them Fresher Longer

We’ve all been there: You buy a fresh bunch of herbs, take them home, turn around, and find a wilted pile of green in front of you. It seems to happen instantly, and it’s incredibly frustrating when you’re trying to buy enough for meals throughout the week. 

Unfortunately, this happens because delicate herbs, like cilantro, parsley, basil, thyme, and more, lose their access to moisture once they’ve been cut and packed for the store. So, storing them without anything to soak up means you’ll have a limp bouquet of what once was in no time. Luckily, folks found a very inventive way to prevent this from happening, and it’s called an herb keeper. There are various options on the market, so we rounded up some of the most popular finds to make things easier for you. Shop everything from mini pods to large container-like keepers and keep those precious herbs fresher for longer. Prices start at just $10.  

Bestselling Herb Savers

• Cole & Mason Fresh Herb Keeper, $20 
• Prepara Mini Herb Saver, $10 (was $14) 
• Novart XXL Herb Keeper, $27 with coupon (was $40) 
• Progressive International ProKeeper Herb Keeper, $24 
• The Herb Angel Mason Jar Herb Keeper, $20 
• OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Herb Keeper, $15 (was $19) 

Cole & Mason Fresh Herb Keeper

This Cole & Mason herb keeper has a sleek, modern design. It holds a decent amount of herbs, measuring roughly 5 x 7 x 9 inches. It has a unique pull-down top, where the top of the container’s lid flips up, allowing you to push the clear part of the container down. You can fill the base with water, add your herbs,  pull the top back up, flip the lid over, and pop it in the refrigerator. The keeper comes with three dividers so you can store multiple types of herbs at once. Shoppers say that their herbs, like cilantro and parsley, have “double” the lifespan thanks to this nifty container. Score it for just $20. 

Prepara Mini Herb Saver

If you want something that takes up minimal space and holds a small amount of herbs (like those slim plastic containers at the store), consider this Prepara Mini Herb Saver. It’s shaped like a tall pod and measures 3 x 10 inches, so it’ll fit in many refrigerators. The base of the pod holds water for your herbs, featuring a small opening on the back of the pod for filling and emptying. The pod has a clear front door for easy access to herbs. For $10, it’s an excellent investment to keep herbs fresh. 

Novart XXL Herb Keeper

This rounded herb keeper has an extra large design to store those big bunches of herbs easily. It measures 12 x 5 inches, so it’s best for folks with large refrigerators. It also has a reservoir base that holds the water. The transparent exterior lets you monitor the freshness of your herbs over time. Where it differs from other keepers is its French press-like design. You use the knob on top to lift the herbs out of the container. The herb keeper is fitted with a lid with vents, allowing the herbs to breathe. According to shoppers, because it’s extra tall, you can use this container for heaps of herbs and other produce, including asparagus and green onions. 

Progressive International ProKeeper Herb Keeper

This Progressive International herb keeper has enough space to hold one to three nicely sized bunches of herbs. It’s designed to make getting your herbs as easy as possible since the herb basket lifts with the lid. When you flip it open, the base raises so you can pull as much herb as you need. “As a test, I have kept fresh herbs for 5+ weeks in this container. Drain and add fresh water once a week,” writes one reviewer. “I highly recommend this container if you are tired of throwing away herbs that have gone limp,” they added. 

The Herb Angel Mason Jar Herb Keeper

If you have a ton of mason jars, this might be a great way to repurpose some of them. It’s essentially a lid that attaches to 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jars. Just fill the jar halfway with water, add your herbs, and twist this lid on. The lid has a built-in door, so you can grab herbs as you need. Because the lid is tall, you can use it for a range of herbs and other produce. It measures around 11 inches tall, so you should account for that in your refrigerator. One user called this keeper “clever,” adding, “I’ve used it with basil and parsley, and the parsley is still fresh three weeks later.” 

OXO Good Grips GreenSaver Herb Keeper

This OXO model has another nifty design. The herbs are kept in a hanging basket that's inside a larger, clear container to promote better air circulation. Simply lift the basket out to grab the amount of herbs you need for your weeknight meal. The basket opens to make it easier for you to grab the herbs. It’s the ideal in-between size if you want something that can hold a decent amount but won’t take up too much space, measuring 7 x 6 x 4 inches. Score it for less right now, too, since it's on sale for just $14.