We all want every convenience possible, especially when it comes to household chores. To make laundry day that little more bearable, the best laundry baskets can help. With useful features or a sturdy design, a modern basket should reflect a modern home. Some products are tailor-made for larger families whilst others are great for separating colors from whites.
If you have been using the same olf basket for some time then you might not even be aware of what makes the better designs so good. To help you make this decision easier, we have created a list of the best laundry baskets available. There are a variety of products with something for every taste with capacity and material being important as well as some surprising features.
- Editor’s Choice
DOKEHOM 82L Large Laundry Basket (Amazon) – Review - Best For Comfort
BirdRock Home Water Hyacinth Laundry Baskets (Amazon) – Review - Best 3 Compartment
Simple Houseware Heavy-Duty 3-Bag Laundry Sorter Cart, Chrome (Amazon) – Review - Best Foldable
AmazonBasics Foldable Laundry Basket Hamper (Amazon) – Review - Best For Carrying
Rubbermaid Hip Hugger Laundry Basket, Standard, White, 1.86 cu ft (Amazon) – Review - Also Consider (Best Collapsable)
SAMMART Collapsible 4 Handled Laundry Basket (Amazon) – Review - Best Hamper/Basket
BirdRock Home Oversized Divided Hamper with Liners (Amazon) – Review
Editor’s Choice: DOKEHOM 82L Large Laundry Basket
For a laundry basket that ticks all the boxes, this large product from Dokehom is a great option. It has the capacity of the bigger laundry boxes but because of the design, it is much easier to carry. The fabric is hard-wearing, durable, and strong and when it is not in use, it collapses down to a compact size.
The PE coating inside is waterproof and they are available in several colors. Because of this, it is an ideal product for a kid’s room and can even be used to store toys. It is ideal for anyone who has a bit of walk to the machine or wants a laundry basket they can pack down small and throw in the cupboard.
- Easy to carry
- Collapses down
- Hard-wearing fabric
- Good value
Best For Comfort: BirdRock Home Water Hyacinth Laundry Baskets
You can buy this impressive laundry basket as a pair or a single unit and whichever you choose you are getting an environmentally friendly product. This is because the basket is handwoven from Water Hyacinth. The material is both strong and lightweight so it won’t add a lot to the load making this one of the most convenient laundry baskets for carrying your clothes to the machine.
The sturdy handles have a comfortable amount of grip to them and as a whole, these baskets have an elegance to them. You have more than enough room for a full load and they are more durable than a plastic laundry basket, not to mention easier on the eye.
- Handwoven
- Strong and lightweight
- Comfortable reinforced handles
- Can hold a full load
- Can’t separate light and dark colors
Best 3 Compartment: Simple Houseware Heavy-Duty 3-Bag Laundry Sorter Cart, Chrome
With 3 compartments, this is the best laundry hamper for families or anyone who likes to separate different parts of their laundry. With an additional horizontal bar to support the frame, this is sturdy and rugged enough to hold multiple loads of laundry and each bag can hold 13 gallons worth of clothing. In a way, each one doubles up as a laundry bag.
The casters ensure it is easy to roll it into your laundry room and two come with brakes so it doesn’t go anywhere unless you want it to. With a steel frame and durable bags, it has the build quality to last a long time making it one of the best laundry sorters around. You can buy it in a 4 compartment version if you need a larger capacity.
- 3 bag laundry sorter
- Sturdy construction
- Casters are convenient and can be locked
- Durable materials
- Takes a little while to assemble
Best Foldable: AmazonBasics Foldable Laundry Basket Hamper
Convenience is the name of the game with this laundry basket as it fits into smaller spaces, making sure you don’t have to make do with a product that takes over your room. The cut out handles on the side make it comfortable to carry and even though it is compact, it can still carry most of a full load.
It would make a good addition to a bathroom, giving you somewhere to put your dirty clothes and it folds down flat for a compact storage option. Any stains like mud can be wiped down and have a durable canvas outer, making it perfect for a kid’s room.
- Cut out handles
- Foldable design
- Compact size
- Made from durable canvas
- Not as big in terms of capacity
Best For Carrying: Rubbermaid Hip Hugger Laundry Basket, Standard, White, 1.86 cu ft
This is the best laundry basket for transporting your clothes to the machine as it comes with a curved design to fit nicely around your hip. When combined with the adjacent handle, this ensures you can carry a load with one hand to move down the stairs safely.
A smooth finish means it won’t snag your clothes and the lightweight design makes it easy to carry heavier loads. Although it might seem like a basics plastic laundry basket, this is one of the better options. The well-thought design and durable materials mean it should last for ages. Good for anyone due an upgrade, especially with the reasonable price tag.
- Fits around the hip
- Won’t snag clothes
- Lightweight
- Good value
- Not as good for large loads
Also Consider (Best Collapsable): SAMMART Collapsible 4 Handled Laundry Basket
The BPA materials of this useful laundry basket is a good place to start, but let’s not forget its impressive feature – the collapsable design. This is unheard of for a laundry basket of this size and with four comfortable handles on all sides of the basket, it is easy to carry.
When collapsed it saves up to 70% of space at a height of only 3.7 inches making it easy to store in a cupboard. Because of the materials, it can be used to keep beverages on ice or even bath a pet. Both the hard and soft plastics are durable and strong so it is fine to carry a full load with the convenience of being able to pack it down after.
- BPA free materials
- Four handles
- Saves up to 70% of space when collapsed
- Occasionally it can be a little tricky to collapse
Best Hamper/Basket: BirdRock Home Oversized Divided Hamper with Liners
This is the best laundry hamper/basket in terms of design but it is also incredibly functional. It works as both a hamper and a basket because of the removable liners. Because of the two compartments, you can separate your clothes to his and hers or colors and whites and the liners are machine washable so you can just grab a side and throw it in the machine.
The cut out handles on either side make it easy to move from room to room and the woven seagrass fiber design looks great and is hard-wearing. It fits around two laundry loads giving you plenty of space and is available in two color options, honey, or espresso. It’s 28 inches wide so you do have to find a bit of room for it but as with many of the comments online from customers, you’ll find it a great addition to your home.
- Pleasant design
- Handles either side
- Removable and washable liners
- Two separate sections
- Not strictly a basket
Although these products used to be simple once upon a time, there are so many. types of laundry baskets available. This makes it difficult to keep up with what a quality product should be capable of. Some of the attributes should be obvious but when you know a bit more than the basics, it is easier to find the right basket for your needs.
To help provide a bit of clarity, we have created the following buyer’s guide.
Durability
One of the issues with a wicker basket is the rough edges and angles of some of the corners that stick out. These can snag clothes, including the ones in the basket and what you are wearing as you carry the basket.
A reputable brand will have the build quality for this to not be an issue so you can either buy a wicker product from the best or opt for another material. If you are looking for a durable laundry basket then plastic is often a good option although any product will last longer if you don’t overload it too often.
Capacity
The more people in your home, the larger the laundry basket needs to be. This is obvious but some brands don’t give you a lot of information on how much of a load their basket can hold.
No one wants to make multiple trips up the stairs just to put one wash on so be mindful of this when selecting a laundry basket.
Handles
Some products have better handles than others so look for the ones that are cut into the basket. These tend to be on the hamper designs and although they are convenient, the build quality needs to be strong when carrying a full hamper load.
The position of the handles can make them easier to carry with some products putting handles on all four sides. Look for handles that are reinforced as this will make them stronger, and more comfortable to grip.
Ventilation
Not every laundry basket has ventilation which means you will need to transfer any wet clothes to the dryer or hang them outside before they start to attract mold.
You can buy yourself more time by purchasing a laundry basket with ample ventilation. It doesn’t need to be a lot, just enough for the clothes to breathe between washing and drying.
Material
This is one of the most vital elements when shopping for a laundry basket. The material is what ensures you end up with a durable product, but also one that is practical.
The likes of wicker look great so in terms of appearance they are easy to like but they aren’t always as durable. Although plastic is a little simplistic and not as desirable in the way it looks, they do wear well, are waterproof, easy to clean, and pretty strong despite being lightweight.
Canvas is another popular material and it is good because it is lightweight yet durable and wipes down easily. Let’s not forget fabric. It is, after all, the material used on our top laundry basket, the DOKEHOM 82L. We found it to be easy to clean, durable, and ideal for anyone who wants to pack their laundry basket away when they’re not using it.
A lot of people consider a laundry basket to be an essential household item as transferring your dirty clothes to the washer can be a pain otherwise. We like products that function as both so a hamper that has removable liners as it saves you on space.
They are also good for drying your clothes if you need to take them outside. Otherwise, you will be grabbing a laundry load of wet clothes and have nowhere to put them when you get to the line.
There is something to be said for both designs and there are great products made of both. When it comes to appearance it is hard to beat a wicker laundry basket as plastic doesn’t have that natural feel or look.
Still, a plastic basket is easier to clean and the handles can be more comfortable. In terms of price, plastic is also more enticing but many people opt for a wicker laundry basket because of their appealing design.
Although a wicker laundry basket can get moldy over time, this is only when you leave wet or damp clothes in there for an extended time. It is a good idea to transfer wet clothes to the machine before too long, no matter what type of basket you own.
If you put wet clothes from the machine into a wicker basket, be sure to hang them or transfer to the dryer without much of a delay. If it is a matter of hours before the wet clothes leave the basket, the wicker will attract mold. Act a little faster and it will protect the wicker.
We never recommend spending more than you can afford so always stick to your budget but the best laundry baskets tend to cost between $30 – $60.
This should get you a product with some neat features such as a collapsable design or one that is easy to carry. Also expect durable materials and decent capacity.
