I couldn't find any review with the keyword "spice" to check before purchase whether these would work to replace an open rack for my jars of herbs and spices. Since you want to avoid light and heat exposure to prolong the life of those items, I thought of these bins we used to use in my family's warehouse for our small business when I was a kid. (Too bad my parents sold the bins with the company decades ago!)The Akro-Mils 30230 bin--measuring in real life as described, 11" deep, 5" wide, and 5" tall--fit perfectly on a small open bookcase shelf I have at the end of a kitchen counter. The black bins block lots of light from hitting the glass sides of the spice jars, though there is some exposure at the front where the half height "reach in" cut-out area is. (I may add a curtain on a wire across the front of my wooden bookcase to further reduce light exposure.)Inside one Akro-Mils 30230 bin, with average supermarket spice jars, I can fit 10 bottles in a relatively space efficient formation. The larger jars from "Simply Organic" brand spices (look up similar 6 FLUID ounce size bottles for sale empty here on Amazon, about 2" square and 4.5" tall; I bought SpiceLuxe brand) only fit four to a column (front to back in bin) though they do fit two side-by-side in a row (bin left edge to right edge.) The smaller commercial square bottles sold by Trader Joe's (look up similar 4 FLUID ounce size bottles for sale empty here on Amazon, about 1.75" square and 4.25" tall; consider SpiceLuxe brand) fit five (5) deep in columns and the same two (2) wide in rows. If, like me, you own an array of supermarket brand spice jars, assume you'll fit an average of 9 jars per bin (unless you are willing to repackage some jars to ensure the most efficient fit.)I won't need all dozen (12) bins from my order to put away my herbs and spices, but I will use six on my shelf and use the extra room alongside for the odd extra large, unusual container of seasonings. (The jumbo round Borsari tub I ordered from Amazon last month, for example, which is 6" in diameter!)As an FYI to anyone who, like me, has arthritis or other issues with hand strength and dexterity, one of these 30230 bins filled with spice jars weighs just under 4 pounds. On a good day (or for those with fully healthy hands), this is a manageable weight to life with just one hand (to carry spices to the prep area elsewhere in the kitchen.) Even on a typical bad day, I will be able to lift and move a filled bin by using both hands. This is an improvement over the 12 x 7 x 5 cardboard box I was using for this purpose previously; it held more spices, but could be dangerously heavy for someone with an autoimmune disease like myself. (And who wants to drop a box full of GLASS JARS? Eek!)I will have no trouble finding a good use for the rest of the bins from my order. Maybe I'll do like another reviewer and put small packaged snacks in them? I'm also considering lining up a few in my son's closet for his socks which he never seems to put away now; open bins do make it easier for lazier people to tidy up. (Speaking for myself as much as for my teen!)Even with my limited dexterity, it is pretty easy to set a bin back in place atop the one below it in the stack, though I do sometimes (1 in 5 tries?) need to slightly re-align to get them perfectly placed. Overall, however, the shapes seem squared and appropriate, the plastic seems the right thickness (sturdy yet light), and I don't see any manufacturing issues with the half of the bins in the case that I've already put into use in my home.Some people will demand a more aesthetically pleasing display for their kitchen seasonings, but I prioritize functionality. That said, though slightly industrial, I don't think the stacks and rows of uniform black bins look out of place in my fairly traditionally designed kitchen. (Light wood cabinets with black counters and a white tile floor with black insets.)I'm satisfied with my Akro-Mils 30230 bins aesthetically, functionally, and in terms of value for the price (less than five dollars per bin.)