Yes, the Butter Bell crock is safe for use in the dishwasher; however we do encourage handwashing as this is the preferred method of cleaning for ceramic products.

A. Yes! If your butter consumption is infrequent, we encourage you to use half of the stick and save the rest for later in the refrigerator. Make sure to firmly press the half stick into the lid and make sure it adheres to the inside of the lid so that it will not fall out.

A. All Butter Bell crocks are made in China, from one of the most prominent and respected factories in the region. Our factory adheres to strict compliance of our FDA food safety regulations and California prop 65 standards. As a company that has been in business for 30 years, we take safety seriously, and make sure any required testing and certification is done. Our testing method uses Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometric analysis. This specifically assesses the leachable amount of lead or cadmium from the surface of glazed ceramics that could come into contact with food or beverages. This method is widely used in regulatory standards for food-contact ceramics, such as those by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
We can assure all customers that there is no leachable lead or cadmium in any of our Butter Bell crocks.

A. The Butter Bell crock works best with real butter – either salted or unsalted. Other spreads such as margarine, cream cheese or other cheese spreads, or nut butters are not recommended for long term storage in the crock. Ghee, whipped butter or clarified butters are also not optimal for storage in the crock as they become too soft to properly stay in the lid when brought to room temperature. The Butter Bell crock could be used as a presentation or serving vessel for various spreads for an evening or afternoon – minus the water in the base of the crock.

A. Herbal butters are fine to store in the crock; however the shelf life of fresh herbal butters will be 3 to 5 days.

A. The Butter Bell crock holds one stick – ½ cup or 125 grams of butter when packed properly.

A. It is not necessary to measure a 1/3 cup of cold water exactly to add to the base. Once you get used to using the Butter Bell crock, it is very easy to eye ball the correct amount of water to add to the crock base. Use enough water to create an airtight seal when the bell lid is replaced into the base. About an inch in depth is all you need. NOTE – Make sure to change the water every 3 days.

A. It is important to use all the butter in the lid before adding new, fresh butter to the lid. Please clean thoroughly in between uses and make sure the lid is completely dry before packing new butter into the lid.

A. The butter falling out of the lid is a very easy problem to correct and 99% of the time it is the technique of packing the butter into the lid that needs correcting. First you want to make sure not to over soften the butter before packing it into the top. Make sure the crock lid is clean and DRY before using. In hotter climates or when the temperature in the room is over 70°F, 10 to 15 minutes out of the refrigerator should be enough time to soften. Over-softened butter is the most common cause for butter falling into the water. Start with 1/4 stick and press it firmly down into the bell. Make sure it adheres to all sides of the lid. The back of a spoon works well for this purpose. Then finish with the remaining butter, smoothing over the top and make sure all air pockets have been pressed out of the butter. Add approximately 1/3 cup or slightly more of very cold or refrigerated water to the base. Refresh your water every few days, and be sure to place your Butter Bell crock in a spot away from heat sources such as the stove and out of direct sunlight. If you follow these steps, you should not encounter the butter falling into the water issue.

A. Whipped butter or light butter has air whipped into it, so when it is brought to room temperature, it becomes too soft to adhere properly to the inside of the lid without refrigeration. As a result, we do not recommend the crock for storing whipped butter.

A. If you do happen to experience your butter falling into the water you do not need to throw the butter out. If you have a paper towel or napkin, gently place the butter on it, and blot the water off. Clean and dry the inside of the lid – this is very important. The lid must be dry in order to re-pack the butter back into it. Make sure the butter is pressed firmly and all air pockets are removed from the inside of the lid. Smooth the butter around throughout the lid and then the butter should be ready to use again.