diff --git a/tools/cache/reflector.go b/tools/cache/reflector.go
index 8d015833..45eaff52 100644
--- a/tools/cache/reflector.go
+++ b/tools/cache/reflector.go
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ func (r *Reflector) list(stopCh <-chan struct{}) error {
 			pager.PageSize = 0
 		}
 
-		list, paginatedResult, err = pager.List(context.Background(), options)
+		list, paginatedResult, err = pager.ListWithAlloc(context.Background(), options)
 		if isExpiredError(err) || isTooLargeResourceVersionError(err) {
 			r.setIsLastSyncResourceVersionUnavailable(true)
 			// Retry immediately if the resource version used to list is unavailable.
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ func (r *Reflector) list(stopCh <-chan struct{}) error {
 			// resource version it is listing at is expired or the cache may not yet be synced to the provided
 			// resource version. So we need to fallback to resourceVersion="" in all to recover and ensure
 			// the reflector makes forward progress.
-			list, paginatedResult, err = pager.List(context.Background(), metav1.ListOptions{ResourceVersion: r.relistResourceVersion()})
+			list, paginatedResult, err = pager.ListWithAlloc(context.Background(), metav1.ListOptions{ResourceVersion: r.relistResourceVersion()})
 		}
 		close(listCh)
 	}()
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ func (r *Reflector) list(stopCh <-chan struct{}) error {
 	}
 	resourceVersion = listMetaInterface.GetResourceVersion()
 	initTrace.Step("Resource version extracted")
-	items, err := meta.ExtractList(list)
+	items, err := meta.ExtractListWithAlloc(list)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unable to understand list result %#v (%v)", list, err)
 	}
diff --git a/tools/cache/reflector_test.go b/tools/cache/reflector_test.go
index 8b9457a7..b26fe345 100644
--- a/tools/cache/reflector_test.go
+++ b/tools/cache/reflector_test.go
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ limitations under the License.
 package cache
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
 	"reflect"
+	goruntime "runtime"
 	"strconv"
 	"syscall"
 	"testing"
@@ -28,10 +30,13 @@ import (
 
 	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	apierrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/meta"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/resource"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1/unstructured"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch"
 	"k8s.io/utils/clock"
@@ -1119,3 +1124,493 @@ func TestReflectorResourceVersionUpdate(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected series of resource version updates of %#v but got: %#v", expectedRVs, s.resourceVersions)
 	}
 }
+
+const (
+	fakeItemsNum      = 100
+	exemptObjectIndex = fakeItemsNum / 4
+	pageNum           = 3
+)
+
+func getPodListItems(start int, numItems int) (string, string, *v1.PodList) {
+	out := &v1.PodList{
+		Items: make([]v1.Pod, numItems),
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < numItems; i++ {
+
+		out.Items[i] = v1.Pod{
+			TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{
+				APIVersion: "v1",
+				Kind:       "Pod",
+			},
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("pod-%d", i+start),
+				Namespace: "default",
+				Labels: map[string]string{
+					"label-key-1": "label-value-1",
+				},
+				Annotations: map[string]string{
+					"annotations-key-1": "annotations-value-1",
+				},
+			},
+			Spec: v1.PodSpec{
+				Overhead: v1.ResourceList{
+					v1.ResourceCPU:    resource.MustParse("3"),
+					v1.ResourceMemory: resource.MustParse("8"),
+				},
+				NodeSelector: map[string]string{
+					"foo": "bar",
+					"baz": "quux",
+				},
+				Affinity: &v1.Affinity{
+					NodeAffinity: &v1.NodeAffinity{
+						RequiredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution: &v1.NodeSelector{
+							NodeSelectorTerms: []v1.NodeSelectorTerm{
+								{MatchExpressions: []v1.NodeSelectorRequirement{{Key: `foo`}}},
+							},
+						},
+						PreferredDuringSchedulingIgnoredDuringExecution: []v1.PreferredSchedulingTerm{
+							{Preference: v1.NodeSelectorTerm{MatchExpressions: []v1.NodeSelectorRequirement{{Key: `foo`}}}},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				TopologySpreadConstraints: []v1.TopologySpreadConstraint{
+					{TopologyKey: `foo`},
+				},
+				HostAliases: []v1.HostAlias{
+					{IP: "1.1.1.1"},
+					{IP: "2.2.2.2"},
+				},
+				ImagePullSecrets: []v1.LocalObjectReference{
+					{Name: "secret1"},
+					{Name: "secret2"},
+				},
+				Containers: []v1.Container{
+					{
+						Name:  "foobar",
+						Image: "alpine",
+						Resources: v1.ResourceRequirements{
+							Requests: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("1"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("5"),
+							},
+							Limits: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("2"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("10"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					{
+						Name:  "foobar2",
+						Image: "alpine",
+						Resources: v1.ResourceRequirements{
+							Requests: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("4"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("12"),
+							},
+							Limits: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("8"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("24"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				InitContainers: []v1.Container{
+					{
+						Name:  "small-init",
+						Image: "alpine",
+						Resources: v1.ResourceRequirements{
+							Requests: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("1"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("5"),
+							},
+							Limits: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("1"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("5"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					{
+						Name:  "big-init",
+						Image: "alpine",
+						Resources: v1.ResourceRequirements{
+							Requests: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("40"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("120"),
+							},
+							Limits: v1.ResourceList{
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceCPU):    resource.MustParse("80"),
+								v1.ResourceName(v1.ResourceMemory): resource.MustParse("240"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+				Hostname: fmt.Sprintf("node-%d", i),
+			},
+			Status: v1.PodStatus{
+				Phase: v1.PodRunning,
+				ContainerStatuses: []v1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						ContainerID: "docker://numbers",
+						Image:       "alpine",
+						Name:        "foobar",
+						Ready:       false,
+					},
+					{
+						ContainerID: "docker://numbers",
+						Image:       "alpine",
+						Name:        "foobar2",
+						Ready:       false,
+					},
+				},
+				InitContainerStatuses: []v1.ContainerStatus{
+					{
+						ContainerID: "docker://numbers",
+						Image:       "alpine",
+						Name:        "small-init",
+						Ready:       false,
+					},
+					{
+						ContainerID: "docker://numbers",
+						Image:       "alpine",
+						Name:        "big-init",
+						Ready:       false,
+					},
+				},
+				Conditions: []v1.PodCondition{
+					{
+						Type:               v1.PodScheduled,
+						Status:             v1.ConditionTrue,
+						Reason:             "successfully",
+						Message:            "sync pod successfully",
+						LastProbeTime:      metav1.Now(),
+						LastTransitionTime: metav1.Now(),
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		}
+	}
+
+	return out.Items[0].GetName(), out.Items[exemptObjectIndex].GetName(), out
+}
+
+func getConfigmapListItems(start int, numItems int) (string, string, *v1.ConfigMapList) {
+	out := &v1.ConfigMapList{
+		Items: make([]v1.ConfigMap, numItems),
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < numItems; i++ {
+		out.Items[i] = v1.ConfigMap{
+			TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{
+				APIVersion: "v1",
+				Kind:       "ConfigMap",
+			},
+			ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("cm-%d", i+start),
+				Namespace: "default",
+				Labels: map[string]string{
+					"label-key-1": "label-value-1",
+				},
+				Annotations: map[string]string{
+					"annotations-key-1": "annotations-value-1",
+				},
+			},
+			Data: map[string]string{
+				"data-1": "value-1",
+				"data-2": "value-2",
+			},
+		}
+	}
+
+	return out.Items[0].GetName(), out.Items[exemptObjectIndex].GetName(), out
+}
+
+type TestPagingPodsLW struct {
+	totalPageCount   int
+	fetchedPageCount int
+
+	detectedObjectNameList []string
+	exemptObjectNameList   []string
+}
+
+func newPageTestLW(totalPageNum int) *TestPagingPodsLW {
+	return &TestPagingPodsLW{
+		totalPageCount:   totalPageNum,
+		fetchedPageCount: 0,
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *TestPagingPodsLW) List(options metav1.ListOptions) (runtime.Object, error) {
+	firstPodName, exemptPodName, list := getPodListItems(t.fetchedPageCount*fakeItemsNum, fakeItemsNum)
+	t.detectedObjectNameList = append(t.detectedObjectNameList, firstPodName)
+	t.exemptObjectNameList = append(t.exemptObjectNameList, exemptPodName)
+	t.fetchedPageCount++
+	if t.fetchedPageCount >= t.totalPageCount {
+		return list, nil
+	}
+	list.SetContinue("true")
+	return list, nil
+}
+
+func (t *TestPagingPodsLW) Watch(options metav1.ListOptions) (watch.Interface, error) {
+	return nil, nil
+}
+
+func TestReflectorListExtract(t *testing.T) {
+	store := NewStore(func(obj interface{}) (string, error) {
+		pod, ok := obj.(*v1.Pod)
+		if !ok {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("expect *v1.Pod, but got %T", obj)
+		}
+		return pod.GetName(), nil
+	})
+
+	lw := newPageTestLW(5)
+	reflector := NewReflector(lw, &v1.Pod{}, store, 0)
+	reflector.WatchListPageSize = fakeItemsNum
+
+	// execute list to fill store
+	stopCh := make(chan struct{})
+	if err := reflector.list(stopCh); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// We will not delete exemptPod,
+	// in order to see if the existence of this Pod causes other Pods that are not used to be unable to properly clear.
+	for _, podName := range lw.exemptObjectNameList {
+		_, exist, err := store.GetByKey(podName)
+		if err != nil || !exist {
+			t.Fatalf("%s should exist in pod store", podName)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// we will pay attention to whether the memory occupied by the first Pod is released
+	// Golang's can only be SetFinalizer for the first element of the array,
+	// so pod-0 will be the object of our attention
+	detectedPodAlreadyBeCleared := make(chan struct{}, len(lw.detectedObjectNameList))
+
+	for _, firstPodName := range lw.detectedObjectNameList {
+		_, exist, err := store.GetByKey(firstPodName)
+		if err != nil || !exist {
+			t.Fatalf("%s should exist in pod store", firstPodName)
+		}
+		firstPod, exist, err := store.GetByKey(firstPodName)
+		if err != nil || !exist {
+			t.Fatalf("%s should exist in pod store", firstPodName)
+		}
+		goruntime.SetFinalizer(firstPod, func(obj interface{}) {
+			t.Logf("%s already be gc\n", obj.(*v1.Pod).GetName())
+			detectedPodAlreadyBeCleared <- struct{}{}
+		})
+	}
+
+	storedObjectKeys := store.ListKeys()
+	for _, k := range storedObjectKeys {
+		// delete all Pods except the exempted Pods.
+		if sets.NewString(lw.exemptObjectNameList...).Has(k) {
+			continue
+		}
+		obj, exist, err := store.GetByKey(k)
+		if err != nil || !exist {
+			t.Fatalf("%s should exist in pod store", k)
+		}
+
+		if err := store.Delete(obj); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("delete object: %v", err)
+		}
+		goruntime.GC()
+	}
+
+	clearedNum := 0
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-detectedPodAlreadyBeCleared:
+			clearedNum++
+			if clearedNum == len(lw.detectedObjectNameList) {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkExtractList(b *testing.B) {
+	_, _, podList := getPodListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	_, _, configMapList := getConfigmapListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		list runtime.Object
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "PodList",
+			list: podList,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "ConfigMapList",
+			list: configMapList,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		b.Run(tc.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+			b.ResetTimer()
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				_, err := meta.ExtractList(tc.list)
+				if err != nil {
+					b.Errorf("extract list: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+			b.StopTimer()
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkEachListItem(b *testing.B) {
+	_, _, podList := getPodListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	_, _, configMapList := getConfigmapListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		list runtime.Object
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "PodList",
+			list: podList,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "ConfigMapList",
+			list: configMapList,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		b.Run(tc.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+			b.ResetTimer()
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				err := meta.EachListItem(tc.list, func(object runtime.Object) error {
+					return nil
+				})
+				if err != nil {
+					b.Errorf("each list: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+			b.StopTimer()
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkExtractListWithAlloc(b *testing.B) {
+	_, _, podList := getPodListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	_, _, configMapList := getConfigmapListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		list runtime.Object
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "PodList",
+			list: podList,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "ConfigMapList",
+			list: configMapList,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		b.Run(tc.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+			b.ResetTimer()
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				_, err := meta.ExtractListWithAlloc(tc.list)
+				if err != nil {
+					b.Errorf("extract list with alloc: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+			b.StopTimer()
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkEachListItemWithAlloc(b *testing.B) {
+	_, _, podList := getPodListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	_, _, configMapList := getConfigmapListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		list runtime.Object
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "PodList",
+			list: podList,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "ConfigMapList",
+			list: configMapList,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		b.Run(tc.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+			b.ResetTimer()
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				err := meta.EachListItemWithAlloc(tc.list, func(object runtime.Object) error {
+					return nil
+				})
+				if err != nil {
+					b.Errorf("each list with alloc: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+			b.StopTimer()
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func BenchmarkReflectorList(b *testing.B) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), wait.ForeverTestTimeout)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	store := NewStore(func(obj interface{}) (string, error) {
+		o, err := meta.Accessor(obj)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		return o.GetName(), nil
+	})
+
+	_, _, podList := getPodListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	_, _, configMapList := getConfigmapListItems(0, fakeItemsNum)
+	tests := []struct {
+		name   string
+		sample func() interface{}
+		list   runtime.Object
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "PodList",
+			sample: func() interface{} {
+				return v1.Pod{}
+			},
+			list: podList,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "ConfigMapList",
+			sample: func() interface{} {
+				return v1.ConfigMap{}
+			},
+			list: configMapList,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range tests {
+		b.Run(tc.name, func(b *testing.B) {
+
+			sample := tc.sample()
+			reflector := NewReflector(newPageTestLW(pageNum), &sample, store, 0)
+			reflector.WatchListPageSize = fakeItemsNum
+
+			b.ResetTimer()
+			for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+				err := reflector.list(ctx.Done())
+				if err != nil {
+					b.Fatalf("reflect list: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
+			b.StopTimer()
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tools/pager/pager.go b/tools/pager/pager.go
index 9ba988f6..3c77cc37 100644
--- a/tools/pager/pager.go
+++ b/tools/pager/pager.go
@@ -73,7 +73,23 @@ func New(fn ListPageFunc) *ListPager {
 // List returns a single list object, but attempts to retrieve smaller chunks from the
 // server to reduce the impact on the server. If the chunk attempt fails, it will load
 // the full list instead. The Limit field on options, if unset, will default to the page size.
+//
+// If items in the returned list are retained for different durations, and you want to avoid
+// retaining the whole slice returned by p.PageFn as long as any item is referenced,
+// use ListWithAlloc instead.
 func (p *ListPager) List(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions) (runtime.Object, bool, error) {
+	return p.list(ctx, options, false)
+}
+
+// ListWithAlloc works like List, but avoids retaining references to the items slice returned by p.PageFn.
+// It does this by making a shallow copy of non-pointer items in the slice returned by p.PageFn.
+//
+// If the items in the returned list are not retained, or are retained for the same duration, use List instead for memory efficiency.
+func (p *ListPager) ListWithAlloc(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions) (runtime.Object, bool, error) {
+	return p.list(ctx, options, true)
+}
+
+func (p *ListPager) list(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions, allocNew bool) (runtime.Object, bool, error) {
 	if options.Limit == 0 {
 		options.Limit = p.PageSize
 	}
@@ -123,7 +139,11 @@ func (p *ListPager) List(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions) (runti
 			list.ResourceVersion = m.GetResourceVersion()
 			list.SelfLink = m.GetSelfLink()
 		}
-		if err := meta.EachListItem(obj, func(obj runtime.Object) error {
+		eachListItemFunc := meta.EachListItem
+		if allocNew {
+			eachListItemFunc = meta.EachListItemWithAlloc
+		}
+		if err := eachListItemFunc(obj, func(obj runtime.Object) error {
 			list.Items = append(list.Items, obj)
 			return nil
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -156,12 +176,26 @@ func (p *ListPager) List(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions) (runti
 //
 // Items are retrieved in chunks from the server to reduce the impact on the server with up to
 // ListPager.PageBufferSize chunks buffered concurrently in the background.
+//
+// If items passed to fn are retained for different durations, and you want to avoid
+// retaining the whole slice returned by p.PageFn as long as any item is referenced,
+// use EachListItemWithAlloc instead.
 func (p *ListPager) EachListItem(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions, fn func(obj runtime.Object) error) error {
 	return p.eachListChunkBuffered(ctx, options, func(obj runtime.Object) error {
 		return meta.EachListItem(obj, fn)
 	})
 }
 
+// EachListItemWithAlloc works like EachListItem, but avoids retaining references to the items slice returned by p.PageFn.
+// It does this by making a shallow copy of non-pointer items in the slice returned by p.PageFn.
+//
+// If the items passed to fn are not retained, or are retained for the same duration, use EachListItem instead for memory efficiency.
+func (p *ListPager) EachListItemWithAlloc(ctx context.Context, options metav1.ListOptions, fn func(obj runtime.Object) error) error {
+	return p.eachListChunkBuffered(ctx, options, func(obj runtime.Object) error {
+		return meta.EachListItemWithAlloc(obj, fn)
+	})
+}
+
 // eachListChunkBuffered fetches runtimeObject list chunks using this ListPager and invokes fn on
 // each list chunk.  If fn returns an error, processing stops and that error is returned. If fn does
 // not return an error, any error encountered while retrieving the list from the server is