Does anyone have first hand experience with a butter bell or recommendations? How long does it keep butter fesh and more importantly, how hard is it to clean?
My mom has one and loves it. They claim it will keep butter fresh for 30 days but one stick never lasts that long on her table so I don't know if it would or not. As for cleaning, it's no harder than a greasy teacup. Assuming this is what you are talking about:
My butter sets out on the counter in a covered butter dish. A 1/4 lb. stick seldom lasts more than 4 days, but it has lasted for more than two weeks once while I was gone.
I use a butter bell too and love it. Mine never lasts for more than a couple of days but it sure is nice to have soft butter whenever you want. Just make sure to keep plenty of fresh water in it.
I'm actually not really concerned about butter spoiling - it's never around long enough. The real issue here is that the stick of butter on the rectangular dish gets smashed and smeared around by 'unnamed others' in my house and it frankly looks unappealing. I figured having the butter already smooshed into the crock might solve my grievance...
A few years ago I bought a little crock of Stilton around Christmas time. It's about 5 inches high and three across with a crockery lid, in a cobalt blue. After the yummy Stilton was gone I converted it (washed and dried) to a butter crock. I leave it on the counter without any problems. I can keep adding for a couple of weeks before I have to let it run empty and wash it. It works great and my butter loving cats can't get the lid off. I think any little covered crock would work just as well.
I love my butter bell too. It really does keep the butter soft enough to spread. If you change the water every few days, the butter can last for 2-3 weeks. When empty, I just pop it in the dishwasher.
I keep my table butter in a wide mouth 1/2 pint mason jar, on the counter. The lid keeps the dust and bugs out, it is soft and spreadable and lasts forever. I live alone, and a stick or two lasts for a couple of weeks or longer. The only time I have had a problem was when crumbs got in the butter--they molded.