Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact Knife Organizer, Bamboo (85169)

Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact Bamboo Knife Organizer Review: An In-Drawer Block for a Moving Kitchen

The Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact is a two-tier bamboo knife block that lies flat inside a kitchen drawer. Small knives go in the upper tier and long ones in the lower tier, blades down in slots, so the edges are covered and the knives can't slide around the drawer. Both of our knife guides rank an in-drawer block as the most secure way to carry knives in a van, and the van knife storage and safety guide names the DrawerStore as an example. This review puts a specific product behind that advice.

It's a budget-to-mid-range accessory from an established British housewares brand, and its job in a van is narrower than in a house. In a house it's tidiness. In a van it's keeping a chef's knife from migrating across a drawer on washboard gravel and waiting for the next hand that reaches in.

What the Amazon link sells: "Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact Knife Organizer, holds up to 9 knives, Kitchen Organization & Drawer Storage, Bamboo" (ASIN B08QH2VR9S, part and model number 85169). That's the natural bamboo compact version. Joseph Joseph also sells a gray plastic compact knife organizer, a newer recycled-plastic two-tier model and a larger 12-knife bamboo version under other numbers. None of those is the product this page covers.

This review is research-based. VanLifeKitchens doesn't test products hands-on. The specs below come from Joseph Joseph's US product page for item 85169 and the Amazon listing, listed under Sources. The mounting advice follows our knife storage guide and general practice for securing loads in a vehicle.

Choose this if:

• You have a drawer at least 3⅜ inches tall inside and about 16 inches deep that can be dedicated to knives.
• You carry two to four kitchen knives and want them enclosed while you drive.
• You'd rather pull a knife from a slot than untie a roll or remove a guard every time.

Skip this if:

• Your galley has no drawers, only cabinets and bins. A knife roll or blade guards suit that better.
• Your drawers are shallower than 3⅜ inches inside, or your knives have unusually tall handles.
• You don't want to oil bamboo. Joseph Joseph says to oil it regularly.

Specifications and sources

The Amazon listing gives a slightly larger minimum drawer depth of 3.5 inches and adds that "larger handles may require extra height." Its item data lists about 1.74 lb. Joseph Joseph's page doesn't publish a weight or the width of individual slots.

Will your knives fit?

Joseph Joseph's limit is a 9-inch blade. Checking the knives in our catalog against it:

• Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef knife: Victorinox lists a 7.9-inch blade. Within the limit, in the lower tier.
• MAC Superior santoku SK-65: MAC lists a 6.75-inch blade. Within the limit.
• WÜSTHOF Classic 3.5-inch paring knife: a 3.5-inch blade for the upper tier, which Joseph Joseph designates for small knives.
• Opinel No. 8: a folding knife locks closed with its Virobloc ring and doesn't need a slot.
• OXO kitchen shears: shears aren't designed for the slots; keep them in a utensil tray.

Joseph Joseph doesn't publish slot widths, so wide-bladed knives such as cleavers or very tall chef's knives may not seat fully. A typical van kit of a chef's knife, a paring knife and perhaps a bread knife or santoku fits well within nine slots.

How it fits a van kitchen

Drawer size. Measure the drawer's inside, not the face. You need at least 15¾ inches front to back, 4½ inches across and 3⅜ inches of clear height, plus a little more if your knives have chunky handles. The organizer's narrow 4½-inch width means it can share a wide drawer with a utensil tray, or sit alone in a slim one. Our van kitchen layouts guide covers drawer planning before you build.

Stopping the block from moving. The non-slip feet stop it sliding on a kitchen counter, but a van drawer sees braking, cornering and vibration. Our knife storage guide recommends three layers:

1. A non-slip liner underneath. Con-Tact Grip Premium is the liner we cover.
2. Blocking. Two small wooden wedges or L-brackets screwed to the drawer bottom against the block's sides and end, so it can't shift even under hard braking. Don't drill the bamboo itself; block around it.
3. A drawer that stays shut. A block keeps knives in place only while the drawer is closed. Magnetic and push-to-open catches can release on a bump. A positive-locking latch such as the Southco MP push-to-close latch keeps the drawer shut until you pull it.

Our guide to stopping van kitchen rattles explains the difference between quieting a load and securing it. Treat this organizer as a way to stop knives sliding around and to cover the edges, not as a crash restraint.

Humidity and bamboo. Bamboo is a laminated grass. Our knives and prep guide notes that its glue lines can separate over time, especially with soaking. Joseph Joseph's care instructions match: wipe with a damp cloth, dry by hand, don't soak, and oil regularly with a food-safe oil. In a van, put knives away dry, every time. A wet blade in a wooden slot keeps the wood damp and invites rust spots on the steel. Joseph Joseph doesn't give an interval; our suggestion is to oil it whenever the bamboo looks pale or dry: rub in a little food-grade mineral oil and let it dry before loading knives.

Cleaning. Crumbs and grit collect in slots. Turn the block over and tap it out, or use a dry pipe cleaner or thin brush. Avoid running water into the slots.

Compared with other ways to store knives in a van

• Knife roll: no installation and fully portable, but slower to use, and knives can slide inside sleeves unless it's tied tight. Better for weekend kits and for knives that go outside to cook.
• Blade guards: the cheapest and most flexible option for one or two knives, but guards get lost and cheap ones slip off.
• Magnetic strip inside a closed cabinet: fastest access, but blades are exposed to humidity and the strip must be screw-mounted into solid wood.
• Pelican 1430 with custom foam: maximum protection for expensive knives, but it's a case to open and close, not a drawer.

The DrawerStore suits builds where knives get used daily and a drawer can be spared for them. The storage complete guide puts this choice in the context of the whole galley.

Limitations

• Needs a drawer. No drawer, no use.
• Bamboo upkeep. Regular oiling and no soaking, per Joseph Joseph.
• No published slot widths or weight. Check unusually wide or tall-handled knives.
• Not a restraint. It keeps knives in place only while the drawer stays closed and the block can't shift.
• More slots than a van kit needs. Nine slots for a two- or three-knife kit, though the footprint is still compact.

Verdict

The Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Compact Bamboo Knife Organizer is the straightforward way to follow the most secure option in our knife storage guide. Joseph Joseph publishes everything a van builder needs to check fit: 3½ x 4½ x 15¾ inches, a minimum drawer height of 3⅜ inches, blades up to 9 inches, two tiers and a two-year guarantee. It fits the chef's knives and paring knife in our catalog. Its limits are the ones of any in-drawer block in a vehicle: it needs a dedicated drawer, liner and blocking underneath, and a latch that keeps the drawer shut. Add those, keep the bamboo oiled and the knives dry, and it's an inexpensive fix for a real van kitchen hazard: a loose blade in a drawer.

FAQ

What size drawer does the DrawerStore Compact need? Joseph Joseph lists the organizer at 3½ x 4½ x 15¾ inches and a minimum drawer height of 3⅜ inches. The Amazon listing says 3.5 inches and notes that larger handles may need more height.

How many knives does it hold? Up to nine, in two tiers: small knives on top and large knives below.

Will my 8-inch chef's knife fit? Joseph Joseph's limit is a 9-inch blade. The Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch, with its 7.9-inch blade, is within it.

How do I stop it sliding in a van drawer? Put non-slip liner underneath, block its sides and end with wedges or L-brackets fixed to the drawer bottom, and fit a positive-locking latch so the drawer can't open on a bump.

Can I wash it? Joseph Joseph says to wipe it with a damp cloth, dry it by hand and not soak it. Oil it regularly with a food-safe oil.

Is bamboo a problem in a humid van? It needs more care than plastic. Store only dry knives in it, never soak it, and oil it when it looks dry.

What warranty does it have? Joseph Joseph's US page lists a two-year guarantee.

Sources and verification

• Joseph Joseph US, DrawerStore Bamboo Compact Knife Organizer product page: product code 85169, dimensions, natural bamboo, nine-knife two-tier design, 9-inch maximum blade, 3⅜-inch minimum drawer height, non-slip feet, care instructions, two-year guarantee. https://us.josephjoseph.com/products/drawerstore-compact-knife-organiser-bamboo (checked 2026-10-13)
• Joseph Joseph US, DrawerStore Compact Knife Organizer (gray) page, to confirm the gray plastic version is a different product with its own code. https://us.josephjoseph.com/products/drawerstore-compact-knife-organiser-gray (checked 2026-10-13)
• Amazon product listing for ASIN B08QH2VR9S, the listing this review links to: title, part and model number 85169, bamboo, nine knives, 9-inch blades, 3.5-inch drawer note, non-slip feet, item weight, availability (checked 2026-10-13)