Ask experienced puzzlers what single accessory most improved their solving experience, and sorting trays consistently rank alongside puzzle mats and proper lighting as the answer. The logic is straightforward: effective sorting is the single greatest determinant of solve speed and efficiency, and a set of well-designed sorting trays — each holding a clearly defined colour zone or puzzle section — transforms a chaotic pile of pieces into a structured, workable system.
The market for puzzle sorting trays has matured considerably in the last five years. What was once a category of improvised solutions (baking trays, ice cube trays, egg cartons) is now served by purpose-designed products from dedicated puzzle accessory brands. This review covers the best options in 2026, from basic budget trays to premium sorting systems.
What Makes a Good Sorting Tray?
Lip height: The tray edge must be high enough to prevent pieces from sliding out when the tray is moved, but not so high that removing individual pieces requires awkward hand angles. Approximately 1.5–2.5 cm lip height is the practical optimum for standard cardboard puzzle pieces.
Tray size: Larger trays hold more pieces but require more table space and are harder to move. For a 1,000-piece puzzle, most solvers find 6–9 trays of medium size (approximately 20 × 15 cm each) provide the right balance between granularity of sorting and physical manageability.
Surface texture: A slightly non-slip tray base prevents pieces from sliding and clustering at one end when the tray is set down after moving. Felt-lined bases are ideal; plain plastic is functional but less ideal.
Stackability: When not in use, sorting trays should stack compactly for storage. Trays that nest into each other are preferable to those that are fixed-depth.
Top Sorting Tray Recommendations
Bits and Pieces Puzzle Sorting Trays (Set of 6, ~$20 USD)
The most widely recommended budget option in North American puzzle communities. Six lightweight plastic trays with adequate lip height and a reasonable base size. Pieces do not slide excessively. Stack neatly for storage. Available through Amazon and puzzle specialty retailers. Simple and effective.
Ravensburger Puzzle Sort & Go ($25–$30 USD / £20–£25)
Ravensburger’s own sorting and portability system: six trays that stack and clip together into a compact storage unit. The clip-together system means loaded trays can be moved as a unit without the tray arrangement being disturbed. Quality construction consistent with the Ravensburger brand. Widely available globally.
SunsOut Stacking Sorting Trays (Set of 10, ~$25 USD)
The 10-tray set is the key advantage — more trays allows finer colour zone separation, which becomes meaningfully valuable for larger piece counts (1,500+). Good lip height, lightweight, stable base. Available in North America primarily.
Jigsaw Puzzle Sorter Portable Case (Puzzle Lovers, ~£35 / €40)
A premium sorting solution: multiple trays contained within a zippered portable case. The case folds flat for transport and provides a stable working surface. Excellent for puzzlers who travel or puzzle in multiple locations. Available through specialist UK/European puzzle retailers and online internationally.
DIY Solutions
The puzzle community has long been inventive with sorting solutions. Baking trays (standard size, with moderate lip height) remain popular and functional. IKEA’s MUFFIN baking tray set provides six equal-size compartments per tray — effective for fine sorting of small colour zones. Ice cube trays work well for very small-piece or precision-matching sections. The quality gap between DIY solutions and purpose-built trays has narrowed as budget commercial trays have improved.
Sorting Tray Strategy
The trays are only as useful as the sorting system you apply to them. Common approaches include sorting by colour (one tray per dominant colour zone), by image feature (sky, water, figures, text), or by piece characteristic (edge pieces, two-tab pieces, specific colour intersections). The optimal system depends on the image — there is no universal best approach. For detailed sorting strategy guidance including the two-pass sort method, see our speed puzzling techniques guide. For the full range of accessory recommendations, our Puzzle Accessories and Tools section is the starting point.
