We are on a quest to find the BEST puzzle sorters out there. How do we determine the best of the pack?
The Five Criteria:
Value: Is this product giving us the best value for money spent?
Cleanability: How easily will this product wipe down after use?
Durability: Will this product stand the test of time?
Stackability: Does this product stack well (with and without pieces in them)?
Useability: How easy it is to use the tray?
We tested 5 of the most popular sorters to help you determine which is the right one for you and rated each of the criteria on a scale of 1-5, with a 5 being the highest score in each category.
BONUS: We created our own set and you can read all about it below!
Puzzle piece shaped sorters are extremely popular. It’s a really fun concept that isn’t always well executed. Most puzzle shaped sorters are not piece shapes that interlock fully, leaving the user with gaps and holes between sorting trays. This wastes space on the table and makes you more likely to drop a piece between sorters. These Clementoni sorters did not have these issues and were the perfect example of a great puzzle shaped sorter.
The puzzle piece shapes fully interlocked on all sides no matter how you connect them. These stack extremely well, but there really wasn’t enough space to stack a 1000 piece puzzle in the sorters while still having them sit inside each other properly. They are, however, very easy to clean by running under a faucet.
.jpg)
Value: 4
Cleanability: 5
Durability: 5
Stackability: 3
Useability: 5
Overall Score: 22/25
Price: $25 for 6 sorters
If you’re looking for a customizable solution for your sorting needs, you can’t do better than Zakco sorters. Handcrafted from wood, these are built to last. You can customize by choosing the sizes, types of wood, whether they nest/stack and whether there’s an edge on all 4 sides or just 3 so you can easily slide pieces off one side. You can even personalize your trays with custom text, monograms or designs engraved.
If you’re a speed puzzler, Zakco makes speed sorters that are double-sided (black and white) so you can choose the side that has the best contrast with the pieces you’re working with. They are quite shallow, so they won’t hold a ton of pieces. They are the most expensive but you’re getting high quality wood products that are durable, beautiful and long-lasting.
Value: 4
Cleanability: 4
Durability: 5
Stackability: 2
Useability: 4
Overall Score: 19/25
Price: Starting at $24.99 for 1 sorter
These bright colored organizers from Eurographics were fun to use. I used them on a puzzle with a lot of green and tiny areas of other colors. It was nice to have all four corners of the piece shape almost sectioned off so I could put four smaller batches of colors in one tray. This does mean they don’t interlock at all though, which can be frustrating if you have a small puzzle space.
These are made from durable plastic which makes them super easy to clean as well. Unfortunately, the trays were a little too shallow when stacked, so I couldn’t stack them until I had placed some of the pieces from the more full trays.
.jpg)
Value: 4
Cleanability: 5
Durability: 5
Stackability: 3
Useability: 4
Overall Score: 21/25
Price: $19.99 for 6 sorters
These were the winner for me. The sleek design of these trays had me instantly loving them. There are 8 trays as opposed to the typical packs of 6 which set it apart from the competition. It made it so easy to sort a puzzle with a full rainbow of colors and not have to use one tray for multiple colors. The black background of these trays offered great contrast. They also come in white for darker puzzles.
This set came with a top for the sorters, so instead of using the box the sorters come in for on the go storage, you can just use the sorter set itself. This feature is also great if you have a kid or pets that like to “help” you with your puzzle. These trays are made out of a thinner plastic than the others which caused one tray to snap in a corner. It doesn’t affect the experience too much, but I think over time that tray might become unusable.
.jpg)
Value: 4
Cleanability: 5
Durability: 3
Stackability: 5
Useability: 5
Overall Score: 22/25
Price: $23.99 for 8 sorters
I feel like these are the most popular sorters out there. It’s no surprise that Ravensburger made a great product. The blue color offers minimal distraction and high contrast to most lighter color puzzles. Although the piece shape is fun, these trays only interlock one way, leaving gaps between trays and taking up more space than needed.
I did appreciate how deep the trays were when stacked. I could easily fit my 1000 piece puzzle in the trays without having to shuffle pieces around. The plastic material doesn’t hold on to puzzle dust and easily can be cleaned with a wet towel or a splash in the sink.
Value: 4
Cleanability: 5
Durability: 5
Stackability: 5
Useability: 4
Overall Score: 23/25
Price: $19.99 for 6 sorters
We tried them all and we didn't find one we loved. We took the best parts of each and put them together!
These sorters are great for stacking and can easily hold a 1000+ piece puzzle. The hexagonal shape is easy to hold and they fit together on the table in a fun pattern with any gaps. We felt 6 sorters weren't enough so we made 8.
Value: 5
Cleanability: 5
Durability: 5
Stackability: 5
Useability: 5
Overall Score: 25/25 we're biased :)
Price: $21.99 for 8 sorters
We may either sell or get commissions from products in this post.
