We Tried the Containers That Keep Your Produce Fresh for Weeks—And They’re Life-Changing

Juicy peaches and strawberries, tender greens, bright bell peppers—is there anything better than peak summer produce? We think not.

But those high highs come crashing down as soon as you see your beloved fruits and vegetables have spoiled. For me, it’s a race against the clock to eat as much as I can; otherwise, I have to toss half-full containers into the trash. (And I’m not alone—the United States chucks nearly 40 percent of its food each year.)

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While there’s nothing wrong with eating tons of fresh fruits and vegetables quickly, I jump on any trick or tool that promises to extend the life of my farmer’s market purchases. And my most recent experiment? Rubbermaid’s FreshWorks Produce Saver.

Made with a FreshVent technology that regulates the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as a CrispTray that elevates food and facilitates airflow, the containers promise to keep produce fresh for up to 80 percent longer than store counterparts. Yep, 80 percent longer.

To buy: $27 for three-piece set; amazon.com

I’ll admit, it sounded too good to be true. But a little bit of digging in Amazon’s reviews section uncovered some vocal fans. The FreshWorks Produce Savers have more than 2,220 perfect five-star reviews, and are currently ranked as “Amazon’s Choice” for produce savers.

“I can't believe it, but it works! I have three-week-old blackberries that are still fresh,” raved one reviewer. “I'm such a believer now.”

Another user gave them a try because Rubbermaid guarantees the lid filters will last the life of the container: “I went on a 10 day trip to visit my mom and left my husband home with asparagus, strawberries, and spinach in the containers,” she wrote. “He ate some of all of them, but there was plenty left when I got back and they were in perfect condition! I couldn’t believe it!”

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Curious to see if they really were life-changing, I called in a set of the containers (full disclosure: they were given to me by the brand) and roped a few of my teammates to try each of the sizes with me. Here’s what we thought:

“I’m never going to store my berries in anything other than the Rubbermaid Produce Saver from now on. I’ve left raspberries in them for up to two weeks and there was absolutely no mold. Not to mention, I recently went away and stored blueberries in there—when I came back a week later, they were still super fresh, juicy, and ready to be added to my morning yogurt. If you hate your favorite fruit going bad quickly in the fridge, I highly recommend these containers!” — Christina Butan, ecommerce Amazon writer

To buy: $6 (was $11); amazon.com.

“For someone who doesn't cook very often when I do actually buy produce, making my food last longer is key. The Rubbermaid Produce Saver is literally a life-saver (yes, pun intended). I used the small rectangle box, and it kept two large tomatoes fresh and delicious until I was ready to use them with a ground turkey stir fry. I had them out on the counter instead of in the fridge, and the boxes still did the trick!” — Madison Alcedo, ecommerce lifestyle writer

To buy: $9 (was $10); amazon.com.

“I was looking for a better way to store greens in my fridge—I eat one to two salads a day, so I go through several bags of mixed greens and spinach every week, however I often have to throw out bags of lettuce because they spoil and begin to rot so quickly. When I started using the produce savers, I was amazed by how much longer my greens would last. I’ve already saved so much money and several trips to the grocery store. Now my greens last anywhere from a week to 10 days.” — Jessica Leigh Mattern, ecommerce Amazon writer

To buy: $9 (was $13); amazon.com.

“I immediately grabbed this size because I was tired of throwing out my bags of slimy chopped kale days after buying them. Normally, my bags last for about four days before I start noticing a spoiled smell, but the kale remained fresh for a little over a week of packing my lunches in the FreshWorks. I love that this was big enough to fit an entire bag (even with a little squishing), and plan on using it to store bulkier produce, like bell peppers, cauliflower, and summer squash.” — Katie Macdonald, ecommerce food writer (me!)

To buy: $14 (was $16); amazon.com.

This article originally appeared on Real Simple.