8 Artful Salt Cellars to Upgrade Your Kitchen Aesthetic
From sturdy ceramic pigs to sculptural wooden orbs, these hand-crafted containers are for cooks who sweat the details.
Published on July 8, 2025
This piece originally appeared in SAVEUR’s Spring/Summer 2025 issue. See more stories from Issue 204 here.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the origin of the salt cellar, probably because people have been sprinkling salt on their food for at least 8,000 years. By the Middle Ages, when crystallized sodium chloride had become widely available among Western civilizations, fine forms of table salt were expensive and therefore reserved for the rich. The upper crust flaunted the stuff at mealtimes as a show of wealth, often in elaborate footed dishes made of silver, gold, porcelain, or glass. (The connection between salt and money goes back even further: The Latin word “sal” is considered the root of the word “salary.”) Much more than a seasoning, salt has long been prized for its ability to preserve foods—essential in pre-refrigeration society. Around the 18th century, industrialization and advancements in mining brought the price of salt down, and salt-serving vessels became more attainable as well.
As ceramics replaced precious metals, the salt cellar made its way into kitchens, and a practical “hood” was added to keep out dust and debris. The decidedly precious term “salt pig” is likely not a reference to the tubby animal, but rather an evolution from the Scottish word pygg, either an earthenware pot or simply “clay.” Etymology aside, today’s salt keepers are crafted for a variety of budgets and tastes, so that the masses may season our food with ease, whether tableside or at the stove. From sleek and spherical to colorful and quirky, these salty sidekicks will ensure you’re seasoning in style.
North Carolina ceramists blend potash, kaolin, and flint to make the porcelain slip that forms this dish. Though small in stature, the vessel maximizes volume and minimizes mess. Nestle it beside your stovetop and you’ll never have to reach very far for a sprinkle of seasoning.
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