There’s nothing worse than a bookend that doesn’t actually hold up your books. I recently moved, and while organizing books on my new shelves, I had several upsetting cascades when the bookends I was using weren’t quite up to the job. Bookends are no joke, and cookbook bookends are an especially serious business. I have an…extensive…cookbook collection, so I know how hard it can be to find bookends that are both beautiful and functional when it comes to cookbooks. Finding bookends that are sturdy enough to hold up a shelf full of thick, heavy cookbooks is not a search I undertake lightly.
So I scoured Etsy and came up with some fantastic options for super sturdy, guaranteed-to-function-properly, heavyweight bookends that are up for the cookbook challenge. It turns out there are quite a few delightful culinary themed bookends out there, but not all of them are made of strong material. If I didn’t think a bookend was up to the very serious task of supporting tomes like How to Cook Everything or Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, it didn’t make this list.
Below you’ll find 12 cookbook bookends (or bookend sets) made out of steel, wood, rock, cast iron, and petrified wood. We’ve got kitchen-themed bookends, elegant bookends, plenty of whimsical bookends, and a few strikingly gorgeous ones for good measure. I promise there won’t be any book cascades or sudden middle-of-the-night cookbook crashes with any of these bookends. Go forth and buy cookbooks to your heart’s content!
These classy bookends are elegant and simple. They’re made of steel, so they’ll easily support even your heaviest cooking tomes. $54 for a pair.
This sturdy planter bookend will add some whimsy to any cookbook shelf. $54 for one bookend.
These unique petrified wood bookends are super cool, and very solidly built. $90 for the set.
I actually have these Spruce tree bookends on my cookbook shelves at home, and I can attest they are both strong and beautiful! $30 for the set.
If you’re not into the look of steel bookends but still want something sturdy, check out these simple wooden “Cook” bookends. They’re made from oak, and mounted on a sturdy metal base. $65 for the pair.
You can mix and match the colors of these hefty concrete triangle bookends. $54 for each bookend.
These cast iron bookends will support even the heaviest cookbooks. Plus, these frogs are so cute! $32 for the pair.
Geode bookends are a classic, and for good reason: they’re eye-catching and functional. This bright blue set will brighten any shelf it’s on. $34 for the pair.
I love the bright simplicity of these heavy duty metal bookends. Go with your favorite color or mix and match! $39 for one bookend.
These whimsical whisk and spatula bookends are so much fun! They come in lots of colors, too. $64 for the pair.
If cooking (or eating) tropical fruit is your thing, you’ll love these simple pineapple bookends. They also come in black. $30 for the pair.
Calling all bakers! Check out this adorable bakery cutting board bookend. I definitely want this one for my baking cookbook collection. $29 for one bookend.
Looking for even more sturdy cookbook bookends? There are a ton more great options on this list of 25 heavy bookends. And if it’s cookbooks you’re after (I mean, once you have the bookends, you’re going to need a few more cookbooks, right?), we’ve got you covered with our cookbooks archives. You might want to start with these 12 cookbooks for quarantine cooking, or peruse this list of my six favorite cookbook authors and their one must-have cookbook.
– Laura Sackton
