Outside of the butter bell (which I used with success until summer in my a/c-free apartment), I've been intrigued by this contraption genre for years: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/moma-butterup-knife-review.html.

For my my kids, I smear and then scrape cold butter on a cutting board; this turned it into a spreadable paste that they can put on their bread (one does not like toast).

Anonymous wrote:What's the benefit of dealing with a butter bell vs. just leaving some butter in a dish on the counter? We do the latter -- 1/2 or 1 stick of salted butter lasts for 7-10 days on the counter in a covered butter dish just fine.

We keep unsalted butter in the refrigerator for baking and other needs.

The water in the butter bell creates a seal keeping out oxygen, so the butter stays fresh longer than just in a dish with a lid. I’ve read up to 30 days but I find after 2 weeks visible mold grows.

Try the kerrygold spreadable butter that has a little olive oil in it. I prefer regular butter, but that's what my kids use.

No way. Just get spreadable butter.

I put a stick of butter on a covered butter dish - no water involved - and leave it on the counter. It stays there for a week or so until we use up that stick, wash the dish, and replace it with another. I've been doing this for 30+ years and nobody has ever gotten sick or smelled rancid butter. But we do use a lot of butter in our house, so a stick only lasts a week or two. If you use less, I'd put half a stick on the dish.

Geez! Just use spreadable margarine. So much easier.

I love our butter bell, and every house guest leaves saying they plan to get one. Ours holds a stick of butter and we probably go through it in a week.

What's the benefit of dealing with a butter bell vs. just leaving some butter in a dish on the counter? We do the latter -- 1/2 or 1 stick of salted butter lasts for 7-10 days on the counter in a covered butter dish just fine.

We keep unsalted butter in the refrigerator for baking and other needs.

Anonymous wrote:My whole life, we have made it a practice to keep the butter out. Maybe we go through it fast enough for it not to be an issue, but no one has gotten sick, it never smells or tastes rancid , and it’s been find. I use a covered dish.

Same. We have had butter in a butter dish on the counter my whole life. Never a problem.