Why one $50 dispenser ended years of sticky countertops
My Sister Asked If My Olive Oil Bottle Was Designer. I Told Her It Was Fifty Dollars And She Didn't Believe Me.
Six things a dual oil dispenser gets right that a plastic squeeze bottle and a decade of drip rings got wrong, written down by a customer, not a chef.
Nancy Brooks · Customer · Melbourne, VIC · 4 min read
I did not buy this because I needed another kitchen gadget. I bought it because the ring of dried olive oil under my old bottle had become a permanent feature of the counter, no matter how many times I wiped it.
Then my sister came for dinner in May and picked it up mid-conversation, turning it over, asking where I'd found something this nice. I told her it was under fifty dollars and she put it down like she didn't believe me.
It's called the 2 in 1 Oil Dispenser, from Cute Home here in Melbourne. I mentioned the dinner party thing to them, which isn't something I usually do, and they asked if they could share it. So here it is — the six things this dispenser gets right.
It actually keeps oil and vinegar separate, from one bottle
I was sure this was a gimmick until I used it. The inner chamber holds the vinegar, the outer holds the oil, and one bottle sits on the counter instead of two. No more digging through the pantry for the balsamic while the oil bottle drips onto the bench.
"Didn't believe it would actually keep them apart until I tried it. It genuinely does."
Rebecca T., Bendigo, VICThe spout doesn't drip down the side
This was the entire reason I bought it. The spout has a small groove that pulls the last drop back in rather than letting it run down the glass, which is the exact thing my old bottle never did. My counter under it is finally, actually clean.
"No more sticky bottle neck. I didn't realise how much I'd been putting up with until it stopped."
Josie M., Ballarat, VICThe dark glass actually protects the oil
My old bottle was clear, which looked nice for about a month before the oil started tasting faintly off from sitting in direct light near the window. The tinted glass on this one keeps the light out, and the oil in it has stayed fresher for noticeably longer.
"My oil doesn't go rancid nearly as fast as it did in my old clear bottle by the window."
Anita R., Frankston, VICIt looks like something I'd spend three times as much on
I wasn't trying to make a statement with a condiment bottle. But it sits out on the bench instead of getting shoved in a cupboard, which says something, given I used to hide my old plastic one before guests arrived.
"Looks like it belongs in a homewares catalogue, not under fifty dollars."
Helen G., Cairns, QLDIt's easy to refill and actually clean
The opening is wide enough to refill without a funnel, which sounds small until you've fought a narrow-necked bottle with a measuring jug at 6pm. It rinses out properly too, instead of holding onto that faint old-oil smell the way plastic ones do.
"So much easier to top up than my old bottle. Wide opening makes all the difference."
Deb S., Wollongong, NSWIt's become my go-to housewarming gift
I've since bought one for my sister and one for a friend who just moved. It works as a gift in a way most kitchen things don't: everyone uses oil, nobody thinks to upgrade the bottle themselves, and it's under fifty dollars, so it doesn't feel like a production.
"Bought one for my daughter's new place. She texted me a photo of it on her counter the same day."
Marion K., Launceston, TASOne Honest Note Before The Price
This is glass, not unbreakable plastic, so it wants a stable spot on the counter rather than the edge of a busy bench. It's also built for thinner liquids like oil and vinegar — I wouldn't try honey or thick dressings through the spout. If what you want is something indestructible you can toss in a bag, this isn't it. If what you want is something that looks good on the counter and stops the drip rings, it is.
The 2 In 1 Dispenser, Against The Bottle You've Been Using
A Plastic Squeeze Bottle
- Drips down the neck onto the counter
- Clear plastic lets light spoil the oil faster
- Two separate bottles for oil and vinegar
- Gets hidden away before guests arrive
The 2 In 1 Oil Dispenser
- Anti-drip spout, clean neck every time
- Dark glass protects oil from light
- Oil and vinegar from one bottle
- Looks good left out on the counter
About The Price
It's $49.95, down from $89.95, and Cute Home are currently running a deal where you get a second one for the same price — which is how I ended up with one for my own kitchen and one gifted the same week without really planning to. I expected the glass to feel thin for the price. It doesn't.
If your counter has a permanent oil ring the way mine did, this is the one I'd actually tell you to get before your next dinner party.
— Nancy
2 In 1 Oil Dispenser
- ✓ Dual-chamber design — oil and vinegar, one bottle
- ✓ Anti-drip spout keeps the neck and counter clean
- ✓ Dark glass protects oil from light
- ✓ Available in black, white, green & yellow/orange
- ✓ Free Australia-wide delivery · 30-day money-back guarantee
The 2-for-1 offer is running now. Once this batch is gone, it is gone.
About the writer. Nancy Brooks lives in Melbourne, VIC. She writes occasionally about the household things she's actually kept using. She is not affiliated with Cute Home beyond being a customer.
This page is an advertisement for Cute Home. Nancy's letter is shared with her permission. Cute Home · An Australian start-up from Melbourne · Free Australia-wide delivery · 30-day money-back guarantee.