I just ordered the one from Lee Valley. It has not arrived yet. I like there's better than most since it is round. I don't like the look of the flat rails. They have a very heavy gauge steel and all the accessories to hang stuff like you are after. Also it is VERY inexpensive. Check it out and maybe others will post what they have too. Caroline

I bought some IKEA Grundtal rails and accessories, but I can't hang them until the backsplash area is painted. I also have a small kitchen, and every bit of extra storage helps. I'll be using the rail system to hang a paper towel roll holder, a dishtowel, pot holders, and a bunch of cooking utensils on S-hooks. I also got the Grundtal magnetic knife strip for my knife collection; I prefer that to taking up valuable counter space with a knife block or using a drawer. I chose the Grundtal system because it's dirt cheap and I think it looks cooler than most of the other ones I've seen. I like the Rosle Open Kitchen system too, but it's about ten times more expensive.

i'm not sure what rail systems are, but i just bought this at bed, bath and beyond to hang pot holders and/or utensils.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oneida ss rack

I got a rail system as a test and took it back. The reason was perhaps personal taste.

When I tried the rail system, I had wall cabinets mounted 18" up from the counter. Altho the rail and it's gismos could fit there, it was a big pain to put things into the system and take them out. So, taking a bottle out of the upper level of a two tier rack hit the bottom of the cabinet as did tools in and out of a tool holder. It couldn't fit my favorite brand of paper towels in the size roll I use and I don't use the really huge rolls.

I think a rack would work for me if the cabinet spacing was at 24" or if I didn't have any wall cabinets. I don't think I could do the magnetic knife holders mounted under standard height cabinets either. After remodeling, I only had linear space for a small rack and chose to use the space for hanging pans.

trailrunner -- thank you for sharing your source! I've been searching for a hanging rail system which had all the gizmos we want (Haefele doesn't) -- thank you!

rm I am glad this helped you. I have their pull out pantry and love it. Their customer service folks are great. I have bought their Maslin pan and lid and measuring cups and lots of other stuff,they are a wonderful company.

I am putting the rail behind the Caldera cook top as a utensil holder. The rail is 39 inches long. I have no backsplash as I wanted a painted surface only so this will be just like a restuarant where you grab what you need...I have 33 inches to work with in height so it will be an easy on and off of utensils. I may hang small pots too. Good luck and post pics. c

Thanks for sharing your ideas, everyone! I'll definitely have to think carefully about which items to hang on the rail and which ones should just go on the counter. I would love the have a magnetic knife strip, but my prep space (peninsula) is not close enough to a wall, so I think we'll have to use drawer space for the knives (bummer). It sounds like the hooks might be the most useful thing. I'll have to check on the size of my paper towels...

EK

Echoi, we bought a wall mount knife storage thing from a restaurant supply store and mounted it on the side of the prep-area cabinet. It's out of the way but still close at hand, and it freed up a drawer. Also, I googled and found a few places with them- they were all around $50-75. Ours was not the exact one we were looking at online, but the local restaurant supply store had it for under $15 (it was the only one they had). I put a link to the expensive one below so everyone can see what I'm talking about.

Here is a link that might be useful: Knife block thingy

We've got a few utensils hanging from a rail. Bmorepanic is right; anything that would have to go in a basket would be hard to get out. However, things that can hang from hooks work fine.