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The 8 Best Clothes Hampers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Refresh your laundry routine instantly with our favorite finds

Clothes Hampers

The Spruce / Kevin Liang

We like to think of a hamper as a step above a laundry basket. A hamper is typically sturdier and larger, plus it may be stationary or set on wheels, and designed with handles for easily transporting items to a washing machine. To find hampers that will truly elevate your laundry day, we spent two weeks testing over 20 laundry hampers in our homes from brands such as Caroeas, Sterilite, and Steele Canvas, evaluating each on their design, durability, and value.

When shopping for a hamper, laundry experts told us that it's important to keep your lifestyle and personal preferences in mind. “I prefer nice laundry hampers that are hard plastic or metal, as they’re easy to wipe down and sanitize,” says Kyrstyn Brown of Zoom Express Laundry. “Also, anything with linen linings inside that can be removed and popped into the washer.”

Through several loads of laundry, including trips up and down stairs to our washing machines, we tested features like removable liners, dividers for sorting your go-to T-shirts and your favorite bamboo sheets, and ventilation for damp items from bath time or the washer itself. We considered how much each hamper could carry too, as you can find picks on our list from 38 inches to 10 inches in size.

Whether you lean toward a hamper that is woven (which will look great if you're leaving it out on display) or made of plastic (which is a plus if you like to throw in damp towels), we’ve researched and conducted real-life testing to find the best options for you.

Editor's Note: This review was revised in February 2024 to include new testing insights for all eight of our top clothes hampers.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

HomeHacks Large Laundry Baskets

HomeHacks Large Laundry Basket 2-Pack

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • Long, sturdy handles

  • Both freestanding and collapsible

  • Stain-resistant

What We Don't Like
  • No liner

  • Only available in one color

When it comes to laundry day, we expect a lot out of our laundry hampers—they need to be sturdy, spacious, and easy to use. For all of these reasons and more, the HomeHacks Large Laundry Basket is our best overall choice for a laundry hamper. 

From the start, we were impressed with this hamper’s well-constructed design, which consists of an iron frame to keep it upright and open. It’s equipped with long handles that are comfortable to hold while carrying, plus it's sturdy enough to support the weight of several days' worth of laundry. We even threw in heavy damp towels, and the hamper easily held up. While it doesn't have a removable liner, like the Seville Classics Woven Laundry Hamper (our pick for best lidded), the hamper's cotton fabric has a water-resistant PEVA (polyethylene vinyl acetate) coating, making it easier to wipe down with a microfiber cloth if it ever needs cleaning. We do question how dirty it may get over time, especially on the areas with the white and light gray stripes, but any concerns we have are outweighed by the hamper's reliable design.

HomeHacks 2-Pack Large Laundry Basket

The Spruce / Andrea Tenborg

In case one large hamper isn’t enough for your household—say, because you have multiple kids with hampers in each of their bedrooms—we’re happy to note that this hamper comes in a pack of one, two, or three. Opt for a multi-pack if you’d like to put laundry hampers in different rooms. Extra hampers can also serve as storage for stuffed animals, toys, or blankets. Best of all, this hamper is also collapsible, which means you can store it under your bed or tuck it on the side of your washer when it’s not in use.

Number of Compartments: 1 | Dimensions: 15.7 x 11.8 x 24.4 inches | Material: Water-resistant PEVA fabric, iron frame | Color: White and gray striped | Handles: Yes | Liner: No

Best Value

Home Logic Laundry Basket

Home Logic 2-Bushel Plastic Laundry Basket

Walmart

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    4.8/5
  • Design
    4.8/5
  • Durability
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • Sturdy and comfortable to carry

  • Great for damp towels and clothing

  • Plastic is easy to clean

What We Don't Like
  • Not the best-looking option

  • Not easy to store

For less than $20, this basic laundry hamper from Home Logic is made from sturdy plastic. It has superb breathability because of its cutout design, so you don’t have to worry about hamper odors, and it can be easily wiped down when needed. Some may find the design to be a bit underwhelming, especially if you’re looking for an aesthetically pleasing hamper that can be left on display in your bedroom or bathroom. However, we like this hamper’s roomy size and how easy it was to use during our testing. The hamper comes equipped with four handles, so you can reposition it as you tote it from room to room. We consider this a major perk if you need to squeeze through tight doorways or climb a flight of stairs.

Home Logic 2 Bushel Lamper Laundry Basket

The Spruce / Abigail Wetzler

Aside from holding your laundry, we think this versatile hamper could also be useful for storing household items like toys, shoes, or sports gear. It could also serve as a place to stash clean folded towels, blankets, and bed sheets if you’re short on the storage space in your linen closet. This hamper would also work perfectly to hold damp swimsuits and towels, especially if you have a bathroom near your backyard pool because it's made of plastic and offers lots of ventilation. You may find storing the hamper itself to be a challenge, though, since it's not collapsible and has a larger footprint (it's roughly 11 inches bigger than our smallest pick). Despite its utilitarian look, we think this durable laundry hamper is a great and reliable option.

Number of Compartments: 1 | Dimensions: 21.63 x 16.96 x 18.86 inches | Material: Plastic | Color: White | Handles: Yes | Liner: No

Best Lidded

Seville Classics Woven Laundry Hamper

Seville Classics Woven Laundry Hamper

Macy's

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    4.8/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    4.5/5
  • Value
    3.5/5
What We Like
  • Attractive design

  • Washable liner

  • Two compartments for sorting

What We Don’t Like
  • Not ideal for damp clothes

  • Not easy to carry

Made of durable wicker, this stylish hamper is certainly attractive enough to set out on display. Not only does it look great with dual lids to hide your items, but it also features double compartments on the inside. These compartments allow you to sort your dirty clothes as you go, saving you time on laundry day. In addition to having handles on the side of the wicker frame, the removable liners also come with handles, which make transportation to the washing machine a cinch. After testing, we think this hamper is sized for about a week or two's worth of clothes, even though the hamper material doesn't stretch to accommodate overstuffing.

While we love the sturdy design of this wicker basket, we found that it's not the easiest to carry to the laundry room. With that in mind, we think it makes the most sense to keep the hamper stationary and use the removable liners to transport clothes to and from your washer and dryer set. Additionally, the woven wicker allows for limited ventilation, and the lid restricts airflow, too. To prevent odors and mildew, we recommend only putting dry, dirty clothes in this hamper. Though it is one of the pricier items on our list (it's about $60 more than our best value option), we genuinely enjoyed testing this hamper at home, largely because of how pretty it looks.

Number of Compartments: 2 | Dimensions: 22.75 x 13 x 24 inches | Material: Polyethylene wicker | Color: Mocha | Handles: Yes | Liner: Yes

Best Rolling

Steele Canvas Basket Corp Small Bag Caddie

Steele Canvas Basket Corp Small Bag Caddie

Food52

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    5/5
  • Value
    4/5
What We Like
  • Rolls well on various surfaces

  • Washable canvas liner

  • Large capacity

What We Don’t Like
  • Not easy to store

We were initially skeptical of this hamper’s construction, but upon its arrival, we immediately loved its durable and unique design. We had no issues rolling the hamper across various floor types—carpet, tile, hardwood, you name it. This made it easy to pull and push it from room to room, especially because of its height. Our model was roughly 3 feet tall, which is something to keep in mind if you or someone in your household is short. The hamper does come in a variety of sizes, so you can find one that fits you well if the 3-foot option is too tall, though. And the canvas liner feels heavier-duty than standard cotton liners.

Steele Canvas Basket Corp Small Bag Caddie

The Spruce / Paige VandeWiele

While this hamper is certainly a statement piece and not easily stored (due to the non-collapsible steel frame), we think it would suit a range of home designs, from minimalist to mid-century modern. We don’t recommend storing wet clothes in it—but you can always wash the canvas liner if it begins to smell or look worn. The main trade-off with this hamper is its price, which starts at $130. However, if you are looking for a hamper that’s particularly easy to transport on flat surfaces, with smooth-rolling wheels, this is our top contender.

Number of Compartments: 1 or 2 | Dimensions: Varies | Material: Canvas, steel | Color: Gray, natural, olive, khaki, navy | Handles: No | Liner: Yes

Best for Small Spaces

Caroeas Rolling Laundry Hamper

Caroeas Rolling Laundry Hamper

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    3.8/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    5/5
  • Value
    4.5/5
What We Like
  • Lightweight design

  • Locking wheels

  • Holds a full load, despite narrow footprint

  • Can be disassembled

What We Don’t Like
  • Not ideal for stairs

  • Spot clean only

If you’re hoping to stash a hamper in a closet or small bathroom, this tall, slim hamper on wheels is an excellent option at roughly 8 inches wide. Just roll it into any narrow space you’ve got or leave it out on display, too; we like that this look is minimalist. We also like its lightweight design, but note that there are several variations linked through the Amazon listing. We tested the hamper that has a drawstring mesh closure and looped handles, rather than the hamper with the removable mesh bag and extra attached handle. We recommend paying special attention to the slight variation in product design on the listing to ensure you purchase your desired style. The looped leather handle on the version we tested seems great in theory—however, it unsnapped when we tried to carry the hamper with a full load of clothes in it, rendering it unhelpful as a handle. This makes carrying the full hamper up and down a flight of stairs more challenging, and is particularly handy when you’re loading and unloading items into it.

Despite the issue with the handle design, this hamper is easy to move on flat ground. It rolls steadily and has wheel locks to keep it in place, which we love and is particularly handy when you’re loading and unloading items into it. The hamper could serve as extra storage in a pinch, and it can also be disassembled and packed away if needed. While the hamper's exterior is not machine washable, we found it easy to spot-clean with a damp cloth. We also discovered that this hamper could hold a full load of clothes, including bath towels, making it an especially great choice for users with limited storage space. 

Number of Compartments: 1 | Dimensions: 15.4 × 7.8 × 22 inches | Material: Nylon exterior, mesh liner | Color: Dark gray, black, pink, navy, light gray, light blue | Handles: Yes | Liner: Yes

Best with Multiple Compartments

Songmics 4-Bag Laundry Cart Sorter

SONGMICS 4-Bag Laundry Cart Sorter Rolling Laundry Hamper

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    4.8/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • Sturdy construction

  • Easy-to-roll wheels with brakes

  • Plastic-lined compartments

  • Handles on individual compartments

What We Don’t Like
  • Large footprint

If you prefer to group your dirty laundry as you go, this Songmics laundry cart is worth your consideration. Equipped with four removable bags supported by sag-proof bars, the hamper allows you to sort your laundry in advance, and the durable wheels make transportation to and around the laundry room a breeze. If you’d rather keep the cart in one spot, you can set the double brakes to make sure it doesn’t go anywhere. We love wheeling this cart around a home to quickly collect dirty laundry and sort it at the same time.

During testing, we found that each individual bag has metal handles at the top. This made it easy to lift out of the sorter to dump the clothes straight into the machine.

While not machine washable, the laundry bags are covered in a waterproof coating, so you can throw sweaty fitness clothing into them without too much worry about odors or mildew. We also found the bags to be very easy to wipe down with a microfiber cloth between loads.

SONGMICS 4-Bag Laundry Cart Sorter

The Spruce / Ashley Jacobs

This cart does require some assembly, so we recommend having an extra set of hands nearby to assist. Although you can’t easily store this cart away, as you can with some of our other options, we think it is attractive enough to leave out in a laundry room or walk-in closet.

Number of Compartments: 4 | Dimensions: 37.4 x 16 x 34.6 inches | Material: Metal frame, polyester bags, plastic casters | Color: Black | Handles: No | Liner: No

Most Versatile

WarmGrey Company Washable Paper Laundry Basket

Warm Grey Company Paper Laundry Bag

Etsy

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    4/5
  • Design
    5/5
  • Durability
    4.8/5
  • Value
    5/5
What We Like
  • Multi-purpose

  • Eco-conscious design

  • Great for kids’ rooms

What We Don’t Like
  • No handles

  • Might not work with all decor styles

Straight away, we thought this popular Etsy hamper was a fun option, starting at under $40. If you’ve been on the hunt for an eco-conscious laundry hamper, it’s definitely one to consider. While it may seem questionable in concept, this bag’s design lives up to its claims. Not only is it designed with the environment in mind (it's made with washable paper), but it’s incredibly versatile and easy to care for—just spot clean or hand wash the hamper when it gets soiled. In our testing, we also used this bag as an additional storage space for clean towels and washcloths in a bathroom, and we found it held six bath towels and more.

WarmGrey Company Washable Paper bag/Basket

The Spruce / Paige VandeWiele

If you’re looking for a hamper for kids, we think this paper bag would also be a great option as well. It skips out on any sharp or heavy components that more structured hampers tend to have. It’s attractive enough to be displayed near a closet or shoe rack, but it’s still sturdy and can hold a decent amount of clothes or linens. While this bag does not have handles, we found it relatively easy to carry by supporting the flat bottom. The pliable material can also be collapsed down when not in use. All in all, we love the design and are impressed by this hamper’s overall quality, versatility, and eco-conscious construction.

Number of Compartments: 1 | Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 18 inches, 14.5 x 14.5 x 30.5 inches | Material: Cellulose fiber | Color: Black, white, khaki, gray, brown | Handles: No | Liner: No

Best for Laundromat Trips

Sterilite Hamper With Wheels

Sterilite Hamper With Wheels

The Container Store

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Use
    4.5/5
  • Design
    4/5
  • Durability
    5/5
  • Value
    4.5/5
What We Like
  • Flip-top lid

  • Ventilated design

  • Easy to clean

What We Don’t Like
  • May not roll well on uneven surfaces

  • Not easy to carry long distances

Trips to the laundromat can be made even easier when you have a hamper that’s easy to transport. This Sterilite hamper has integrated wheels and a collapsible handle, making it function just like a suitcase for easy transportation from a home to a car, into a laundromat, and back again. That said, we’re hesitant to recommend this hamper as an option for people who might walk two blocks or more to a laundromat because we don’t think the wheels would hold up well with extensive use on uneven surfaces. Plus, after testing, we think it isn't the easiest hamper to carry because it's tall, and the handles are on the sides. However, we love its performance for wheeling multiple bulky comforters around. 

Sterilite Hamper With Wheels

The Spruce / Paige VandeWiele

The well-ventilated design also prevents damp towels and sweaty workout clothes from becoming too smelly in between washes. Since the entire hamper is plastic, you can also easily wipe it down if it gets dirty, which is a perk. Plus, we’d be remiss not to mention the flip-top lid, which makes it convenient to keep items from falling out while en route to the laundromat.

Number of Compartments: 1 | Dimensions: 21 x 14 x 29 inches | Material: Plastic | Color: White | Liner: No

Final Verdict

For a reliable, yet attractive laundry hamper, we give a thumbs up to our best overall pick, the HomeHacks Large Laundry Basket. It has long, sturdy straps that make carrying it super easy, plus it is water-resistant and large enough to hold about a week or two’s worth of clothes. We also recommend the Home Logic 2 Bushel Lamper Laundry Basket, which is spacious, breathable, and under $20. We were also impressed that it's equipped with not two, but four handles.

How We Tested the Clothes Hampers

We tested over 20 laundry hampers—including some with wheels, some with handles, and some with dividers—over a two-week period in our homes across the country. Here's what we were looking for:

  • Effectiveness and Durability: We incorporated the hampers into our regular laundry routine. We made sure to use the hampers in a variety of situations, such as holding clean and dirty laundry and transporting loads of various sizes. Where it was possible, we also carried hampers up and down stairs and wheeled rolling hampers across various types of flooring. 
  • Ease of Use and Design: We noted any hampers that worked well with damp items and considered whether a hamper's design could be used for other purposes, such as storing linens or children’s toys.
  • Value: After assessing each hamper’s performance, we reviewed the price of each hamper and considered whether it was reflective of the product’s value, features, and quality.

What to Look for in a Clothes Hamper

Size

First things first, you’ll want to consider the size and capacity of your hamper. Hampers come in a variety of sizes. If you live alone, a smaller hamper might suffice. However, if you have a family of six, you might need an extra-large hamper or several hampers for different rooms. Consider how much laundry your household produces, as well as how often you do laundry, to figure out the best hamper size for your needs.

Our smallest hamper is the Caroeas Rolling Laundry Hamper, which sports a slim design and has a width of roughly 8 inches. Another option is to choose a hamper that is collapsible, like the HomeHacks Large Laundry Basket, which is a good solution if you have limited space. On the flip side, our biggest option is the Songmics 4-Bag Laundry Cart Sorter. At 37.4 x 16 x 34.6 inches, this laundry hamper will take up quite a bit of space, but also provide notable functionality for busy homes with loads of laundry.

Material 

Clothes hampers can harbor unwanted smells from routine use, just like exercise clothes and bedding, so it’s important to consider your hamper’s intended use before purchasing. While natural woven materials look great and are made to put on display, sturdy plastic may be your best bet if you’re hoping to throw damp towels or smelly workout clothes into a separate clothes hamper. Some fabric hampers are coated in a water-resistant spray, which helps to prevent mildew and odor, but we recommend waiting for wet items to dry before throwing them in either way. A washable hamper—or one with a washable liner—is a smart choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-maintain design. That's one of the many reasons we like the stylish Seville Classics Woven Laundry Hamper, our best lidded pick, which is outfitted with removable liners that you can easily put in the wash.

Multiple Compartments

If you prefer to pre-sort your laundry into lights and darks (or if you don’t want your fitness apparel touching your everyday clothes), a hamper with multiple compartments can streamline your everyday routine and make laundry day easier. Our best with multiple compartments option, the Songmics 4-Bag Laundry Cart Sorter, comes with an impressive four compartments, so you can pre-sort your laundry before heading off to the washing machine. This type of hamper works especially well for big families or in cases where you might have several loads of laundry per week.

Portability

If your hamper is based in the laundry room, or if there’s a removable bag you can take out and carry with you, then a stationary hamper could work well for you. However, if you need to transport the hamper from a separate room to the laundry room, or if you need to travel to a laundromat, you might prefer a model with wheels or sturdy handles. While we tested several hamper designs with wheels, our best rolling pick, the Steele Canvas Elevated Laundry Basket, stood out for its steady caster wheels and durable frame. In addition, it has a strong canvas bag that can also be washed in the event of musty odors or staining.

FAQ
  • Where should you put a dirty clothes hamper?

    One of the most common places to keep a clothes hamper is in the bedroom closet, assuming there's room. If a closet seems like your best bet, it might be easiest to purchase a hamper with handles or wheels so you can easily transport it to your laundry machine. Alternatively, you can place your dirty clothes hamper in your home’s laundry room, so everything is close by.

  • How do you wash a clothes hamper?

    If you have a fabric-lined clothes hamper, removing odors is typically fairly easy—just follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for machine washing and drying. Fabric hampers that don’t have removable liners will likely need to be spot cleaned. For wooden or woven hampers, use a vacuum with a brush attachment to suck up any dust and dirt, and spot clean as needed. Plastic hampers can be wiped clean.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Emma Phelps, associate editor at The Spruce, revamped this article to include a fresh list of products based on our at-home testing. She closely considered our testing feedback for each hamper to create a comprehensive buying guide. Phelps also researched popular features and considered what consumers are looking for when purchasing a laundry hamper. Phelps has a collapsible fabric hamper, similar to our best overall pick, that she uses regularly, and she enjoys its lightweight, compact design.

Our Experts: