How Silica Gel Took Over the World

This sounds like a great idea, but how do you keep it from being "drained" or hydrated?

I store mine in an plastic box with airtight lid designed for food storage.

If they're not getting hydrated slowly, they're not serving any purpose. The whole point is that water goes into them instead of whatever you're trying to keep dry.

If you're keeping them on hand for drying electronics in emergencies then you need to store them somewhere airtight.

Immediately take them out of the oven and store in the smallest airtight container you have. Obviously they'll absorb the humidity in the container and whatever is introduced anytime you open it. Ideally, keep them in containers that have an excellent seal and minimal internal volume like quality ESD bags.

other people are suggesting the microwave rather than the oven. to my mind it seems very possible that you don't keep them from hydrating, you just dehydrate them on-demand.

I think the grandparent comment meant keeping unhydrated during storage (for future uses of emergency drying electronics), not while it is being actively used for its intended purpose.

Precisely this! Even so, I refresh them just before using them.

TIL about the microwaving trick. I'll have to find out more about it. My concern would be the gel beads popping from internal pressure.

In a "ziplock" bag which you have vacuumed all the air out of.

I don't think I've ever seen an antistatic bag with a very good seal, and I'm not sure it's a good idea to drop something directly out of a hot oven into them either.

Another option is a canning jar.

Throw them in a container with some silica gel.

For the quantities of silica gel typically used, a smaller spice or condiments jar (glass with metal lid) would be more appropriate for most people.