They release a fragrance by a different smells, like magical potions, that may help turn even the worst of cooks into precious and begrudged chefs. The aromas of spices and herbs such basil or ginger or cilantro whiff out of relatively tiny containers that are easy to lose in the jumble of serving spoons and pastry brushes. Therefore of course spice racks are mainstays in the kitchen of all serious chefs. Unfortunately, more often than not, the chef’s spice rack has had too long a stay in many homes. Doesn’t the zestful fragrance of oregano deserve more? After many years of being overlooked, that cumbersome wooden rack no more does justice to the garden of flavors it holds.

With the flourishing popularity from herb gardens, there’s been an increase in newfangled spice racks. These new units may add a little something special to a kitchen. While many chefs prefer placing the spices behind cabinet doors, many very attractive and artful racks are available that can breathe new life into an indifferent nose, and add an attractive feature to your kitchen.

Chefs in their kitchens have often been compared to magicians or even scientists in their labs. With that in mind, the new trend towards spice containers that resemble glass test tubes makes perfect sense. These would look wonderful in any style kitchen. These test tube containers are like small islands of color and class. The elegantly long tubes use corks for stoppers and stand upright in a wooden, square container. Also, because they do not take up much space, there’s no reason for them not to be put on display. The only drawback is that they do not have labels on the containers. This may only be a problem for the novice spice cook. So unless you know your spices by sight and smell, you may feel stranded without a guide to decipher one from another.

For those of us who don’t know our spices by smell, let’s turn to the more traditional racks. These are a new take on the clunky wooden amongs yore. They are smaller, more compact, less expensive and still complement a more traditional setting. These more economic pieces have, you guessed it, less wood. They display the colourful show from a rainbow of flavors, because the containers aren’t masked by a large, constraining rack.

In the quirky-style kitchen or the space with an amalgam of different design motifs, a divorce from the traditional spice rack is needed. This mode comes in chrome, black, or white, and because of their rotund, circular shape, they’re often referred to as “carousels.” With small square windows that reveal the spice inside, these units also have automatic measuring knobs to appease the most careful of chefs. Referable their size, they could find a house in the smallest by kitchens. Simply because of their spacey design, the overall style of the culinary space should be fun or wacky.