“It’s important first of all to find one that meets your practical needs, and then to find one that fits your style and the style of your home,” says Priscilla Moiseoff, lead stylist and interior designer at Walker Edison Furniture. Moiseoff also recommends keeping location in mind; consider where in your home the key holder will live and how much space you have for it. She notes that it may make sense to opt for a small accent piece or a larger statement unit depending on your situation. With these considerations in mind, we researched dozens of key holders, evaluating their style and hanging format, extra features, and ease of use. Our top choice is the Yamazaki Magnetic Key Holder because it has a sleek and compact design with plenty of holders for your keys, mail, and other small items. Read on to discover the best key holders to suit a variety of needs, preferences, and budgets. However, the small footprint could also be a drawback, especially for larger households. While the upper compartment can hold a few papers if you order a lot of magazines or oversized mail, this key holder will fill up quickly. Still, it’s constructed of durable wood and steel, making it a sturdy pick that should last in your home for ages. It’s quick to set up, especially if you can use the magnetic connection. Overall, this model is a reliable and sleek choice to keep your daily essentials organized. Price at time of publish: $29 However, finding how much they can hold is up to trial and error since the maker does not list the weight capacity. If you have a particularly large set of keys or are looking to hang your daily tote bag or other heavier items, these may not be the best solution. Nonetheless, these hooks can be applied similarly to Command strips, making them easy to install wherever you need them. Price at time of publish: $13 This piece has a large footprint, making it suitable for those who have a larger space and are looking for a statement piece to warm up their entryway, hallway, or foyer. However, due to its large size, the assembly is a bit more laborious than other options on this list. While it comes with all the hanging hardware, you will need another person and a Phillip’s head screwdriver to complete the assembly process. Once it’s hanging, it’s very easy to clean and maintain—simply wipe it down with a soft, dry cloth and make sure the screws are properly tightened since they can become loose over time. Overall, this is a splurge-worthy piece durable enough to last for years. Price at time of publish: $200 Although it doesn’t lend itself to all design styles, we think the distressed wood finish would look great in rustic and farmhouse homes. It does come with mounting hardware and is rather easy to install, but you may need to enlist another person to help you. Price at time of publish: $18 This key holder has four simple hooks and a modest 3-pound weight capacity, so it can hold smaller items like leashes and masks alongside your keys. We love that it comes fully assembled and has pre-drilled holes to help with hanging. Since it requires mounting onto the wall, this isn’t the best option for apartment dwellers or renters who cannot make changes to the walls. Price at time of publish: $53 With four hooks, we can imagine this versatile holding keys and masks in your entryway, charger cords in your office, and combs and loofas in your bathroom. However, since it is so small and lightweight, it’s not ideal for larger households or for holding heavier items like jackets and tote bags. Price at time of publish: $9 This durable engineered wood key holder comes in two color schemes to complement various home decor styles. We’re partial to the dark walnut shade with bronze accents shown here, but the white option with brass hardware looks just as stunning. This piece requires assembly, and the instructions recommend having another person help you. Fortunately, it includes all the hardware you need and comes together within a few minutes. Price at time of publish: $50 It has a small footprint, making it ideal for small spaces. However, you do have to mount it on the wall with screws, so it’s not suitable for renters who need their walls to remain as is. It comes with everything you need for installation, but be aware that you might find this step tricky and benefit from using your own anchors. As a bonus, the key holder is backed by a five-year warranty should you incur any problems. Price at time of publish: $28 You can wall-mount this unit, which includes all of the hardware needed to hang it. It comes fully assembled, but since it is quite large, we recommend enlisting another person to help you install it. Unlike other options on this list, it is on the more expensive side, but we think the natural brown finish of the wood feels especially charming and high-end. While this would serve as a great statement piece in your entryway, we also think this would be great in a kitchen too. Price at time of publish: $134 You’ll also want to consider its hanging format. Most key holders are wall-mounted, meaning you may have to drill holes into the wall, which is not ideal for renters. If you need a non-permanent solution, look for adhesive or magnetic key holders.
Extra Features
While some may opt to find hook-only options, key holders come with plenty of extra features if you need them. For example, if you’re looking for a quick place to stash the day’s mail or need a new place to display stylish candles or potted plants, try looking for a key holder with baskets and shelves. We recommend options with baskets specifically for mail since too much mail can sometimes look untidy on an open shelf. Other extra features include chalkboards for leaving messages and reminders in larger households, mirrors to take one last look at yourself before leaving, and personalized backboards.
Ease of Use
Whether you choose a wall-mounted or adhesive-style key holder, consider the ease of assembly and installation. Most key holders come fully assembled unless they are larger statement pieces that need building. Take note if you can assemble and install it yourself or if you need someone to help you, along with what tools you’ll need. What type of hook you choose will also change the unit’s ease of use. Key holders with hooks or double hooks will securely hold your items—especially if they’re on the heavier side—but they may catch on your fingers or feel too fiddly. Key holders with pegs are a great alternative, allowing you to quickly slide your keys on and off. If you’re worried about your items slipping off of pegs too easily, you can also look for options with notched pegs, which feature a shallow indentation for your item to nestle into and keep it secure.
Why Trust The Spruce?
Madeleine Burry has been writing for The Spruce for several years. For this roundup of key holders, she consulted with Priscilla Moiseoff, lead stylist and interior designer at Walker Edison Furniture, to understand essential features and nice-to-have functionality. Then she researched dozens of key holders available for sale online, considering their design, installation process, and features. She selected options for a variety of budgets and design needs and preferences. To install a wall-mounted model, take a pencil and mark a spot on the wall where the screws will go. You can do this by holding up the key holder to the wall and bubbling in the screw hole or by putting a piece of masking tape on the holder, marking the holes on it, and taping it to the wall. Make sure to level/align the key holder or tape properly so it will hang straight once installed. Then slowly drill a hole into the wall. If there is a beam, you can screw the screw directly into the wall. If not, you should drill a hole for a molly and hammer the molly flush to the wall before installing the screw. Once you’re done drilling a hole, feed the screw through the key holder and line it up to the hole (or molly) on the wall. Then use a screwdriver to tighten it in place. Repeat this on every hole until the keyholder is secure. To install a self-adhesive model, wipe off the hanging area on the wall with an alcohol wipe. Then peel off the paper covering the adhesive on the back of your keyholder and firmly press it to the wall for a couple of minutes. Before placing any items on the key holder, let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour to ensure it completely adheres to the wall.
