10 Best Laundry Baskets, According to Cleaning Experts (2024)

This hamper from Pottery Barn has all the features the Cleaning Lab looks for in a laundry hamper: dividers to separate clothes, a lid to keep laundry out of sight and cut-out handles that make it easy to transport clothes to the washing machine. The removable liners make it easy to empty the laundry without picking up the entire heavy basket.

Not only does the handwoven rattan and seagrass material look stylish enough to blend in with your room decor, but it also provides the airflow needed to keep clothes from getting smelly. While it's an expensive option, the functionality and style of this hamper make the price tag worth it.

• Dimensions: 28" x 13.5" x 27"
• Material: Seagrass and rattan with a metal frame

Small bedrooms and dorm rooms call for smart storage solutions. This lightweight, collapsible basket can be squished flat and hidden away in a closet, under a bed or other tight spaces. The three handles are designed with a rubber grip so that you can hold on tightly, while one side of the basket is slightly curved to comfortably lean against your waist.

Assistant Commerce Editor at the GH Institute Isabella Cavallo was gifted a collapsible basket right before college and has owned it for six years: "I had a separate hamper that sat in the corner of my room, but this basket was perfect for carrying clothes down the elevator to the laundry room. And when I was all done, I just collapsed the basket flat and stuck it under my bed," she said.

While the rubber middle section of Cavallo's basket now has a hole in it, she said that only happened after five years of use — and the basket is still functional even with the tear.

• Dimensions: 122.8" x 17.5" x 2.7"
• Material: Polypropylene (PP) and Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)

Take a cue from other Amazon shoppers — over 23,000 customers have given this hamper a five-star review. This lidded pick has two sections, so you can divide your lights and darks. Use the attached removable mesh bags to conveniently move your clothes to the washing machine and clean the bags themselves to keep your basket smelling fresh.

While it's collapsible for better storage, it takes a bit of time and effort to fold the hamper up and set it back up again. Choose from nine different colors (including neutrals, bright pink and blue) to match your room.

• Dimensions: 23" x 13" x 22.75"
• Material: Polypropylene plastic frame with canvas covering

If you don't have room in a closet to hide your hamper, make sure you choose a good looking option that blends in with your bedroom's decor. This two-tone rope basket doesn't take away from your room's overall look, and with eight color options, you can choose one that suits your aesthetic.

It's offered in two different sizes of 16-inch and 18-inch diameters, which can easily squeeze into small spots or fit more laundry depending on which one you purchase. While there is no lid, the woven material looks stylish even when your clothes are overflowing if you've skipped laundry day one too many times.

• Dimensions: 18" x 16 in" or 20" x 16"
• Material: Cotton

Whether there are multiple staircases in your home, the laundromat is down the block or you live on the second, third, fourth or higher floor of a walk-up building, a heavy or bulky laundry basket is not ideal. Solve this problem with one Amazon buy: The three large wheels on each side of the dolly means it's easy to bring up and down stairs and makes for smooth travel from the bedroom to the laundry room.

Simply keep the canvas hamper on your floor and then place it on the dolly when it's full. And when you're not using the dolly to tote around laundry, you can use the metal wheeled frame to move other heavy items or groceries. Keep in mind that many online reviewers said the hamper only fits one person's laundry for about a week, so it's best suited for people who can frequently wash their clothes.

• Dimensions: 18" x 11" x 36"
• Material: Polyester denier, EVA and tubular steel frame

If you need more than one basket, pick up this bundle of six (or 12) laundry baskets, so you can scatter them throughout the house (one in your primary bedroom, one in your kid's room, etc.). The plastic material is easy to clean: Simply wipe the basket down with cleaning spray every so often and you're good to go.

There aren't any bells and whistles here, but Amazon reviewers love how sturdy and durable the plastic is and its uses beyond the laundry room — one online reviewer even said they use these baskets to store supplies in their art studio. When not in use, these baskets can nest within each other when empty to save floor space. However, some online customers found these too wide to get through smaller door frames.

• Dimensions: 27.38" x 18.63" x 12.38"
• Material: Plastic

This laundry hamper from Full Circle is collapsible for storage, lightweight to carry and big enough to hold a regular load of laundry. It fits easily in a small corner of your bedroom, bathroom or laundry room and has long handles so you can sling it over your shoulder.

It's another great option for college dorm living too, but you won't be able to throw it in the wash if the hamper gets too dirty. You can also attach a small mesh bag for delicates to the snaps on the hamper's side to keep those items separate until wash day.

• Dimensions: 15" x 14" x 24"
• Material: Cotton with metal frame and polyethylene liner

Here's a sleek, lidded hamper from Joseph Joseph that has everything you need to streamline your laundry day prep including removable tote bags and compartments to separate your lights and darks. It takes a bit of time to assemble this basket, but once you do, you'll be impressed with the ease of use that comes with this hamper.

There are straps on the top of the bags to carry your laundry easily so that you don't have to take the entire hamper to the washing machine. Our pros loved the "helper handles," which are straps on the bottom of the bags, that made it easier to hold the bags upside down and quickly empty out clothing. It also scored well for sturdiness in the Lab.

• Dimensions: 28" x 22.25" x 15.75"
• Material: Cotton tote bags with polyester exterior

Brabantia makes quality products we've tested at the GH Institute. Home Care and Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forté recommended this particular model because of its unique appearance: "You almost can't tell it's a hamper!" she said.

The lid makes this hamper look like a regular piece of furniture, while the ventilation holes prevent bad odors from forming in the closed basket. You can even quickly toss items into the "Quick-Drop opening" without the need to manually lift the lid. We also love the leg stands that make sweeping, vacuuming or mopping underneath the hamper easier than ever. Plus, you can sort your clothes by colors, materials or items between the two compartments in this laundry basket.

• Dimensions: ‎21.26" x 12.6" x 31.1"
• Material: ‎Alloy steel and plastic

Sort dirty laundry and then iron clean clothes and linens with this spacious laundry hamper-and-ironing board combo. Designed with removable laundry bags with handles and a wheeled frame, this rolling hamper gives you two easy ways of moving your laundry to your washing machine on wash day.

The ironing board serves as a handy folding station once everything is nice and clean. Some online reviewers reported the frame is a bit wobbly, but is sturdy for the most part.

• Dimensions: 32.5" x 33" x 18"
• Materials: Metal frame, cotton covered foam top and fabric bags with mesh sides

For the model tested in the Lab (pictured), our expert added multiple, 7-pound loads to the hamper to check for capacity, carried the laundry hamper back and forth a short distance and assessed how easy the hamper was to assemble.

We considered capacity as well as whether there were multiple compartments for sorting. We factored in aesthetics, material (for airflow to prevent odors), portability and whether it included removable liners. When possible, we chose hampers with a lid for keeping soiled washables out of sight and odors contained.

✔️ Size: When shopping, consider the space, both inside and outside the laundry hamper. Forté said function in regards to size is the most important feature to look for. "It needs to hold the laundry your family generates," she explained. While large hampers with dividers will cut time out of your laundry day by allowing you to separate your clothes up front, these can often be bulky and take up a lot of space in your home. Think about how much floor space you can spare: An empty corner? Slim space between bedroom furniture or near your washer and dryer? A sizable portion of your closet? Also, consider how much laundry your household generates between washes.

✔️ Ventilation: Proper ventilation will go a long way in keeping laundry baskets and hampers — as well as your laundry room, bedroom or bathroom — smelling clean. "Ventilation is important to help keep odors down and a lid is nice on a hamper to hide the dirty clothes," Forté said. However, your hamper should not be completely sealed at all times or it will trap odors. A laundry hamper that's constructed with a loose weave or made from a breathable material like cotton, linen or bamboo will be the best option for making sure air can properly circulate through your laundry to keep odors at bay.

✔️ Features: Find a laundry basket or hamper that will tackle your specific needs: Wheels and handles will make it easier to transport heavy loads to and from the laundry room; lids conceal unsightly piles; collapsible designs save space. There are even hampers with shelves for organizing or that double as an ironing board. Finding the right hamper or basket for your home will make doing laundry less of a chore (all while making it possible to finally see your kid's bedroom floor again).

If you're trying to decide between purchasing a fabric or woven hamper or a plastic basket, Forté recommended considering the size and shape of both. "Hampers hold more, are deeper and are a place to toss in dirty laundry until you can wash it," she said.

You can also consider the design of each, especially if you prefer separating colors or certain items: "Some [hampers] are divided to help with sorting, meanwhile with a laundry basket, everything is mixed together usually," Forté explained. She also pointed out that hampers typically have lids while baskets don't — making hampers better if you're storing laundry in your bedroom, rather than a laundry room or closet.

However, a laundry basket can be a better choice if you want to purchase a one-and-done item. A basket is a strong, functional container for carrying laundry around the house, whether it's dirty or clean and folded. It's a more practical option that gets the job done, even if it's not the most appealing design-wise.

They each have their pros and cons, with different strengths for different situations." Baskets should be easy to carry and store and hampers should be attractive if left out in a room," Forté said.

Your laundry hamper can start smelling for two reasons: Poor ventilation traps soiled clothing odors, or wet clothing placed in the hamper causes a smelly mold to grow. To keep your laundry hamper odor-free, make sure that the hamper you’re using is made of breathable material. If possible, wash laundry often enough to keep the hamper from overflowing and allow damp laundry — like wet towels or sweaty gym clothes — to dry out before tossing them in.

And it’s important to clean the hamper itself from time to time, if possible. Hampers with removable cloth liners are also great for keeping things fresh. You can throw the liners in the washing machine together with your regular load of laundry to keep it clean and odor-free.

Jodhaira Rodriguez is a former reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Home Appliances and Cleaning Products Lab where she tested laundry products and other cleaning tools and appliances. She helped update this list with highly-rated picks and tested the Joseph Joseph model included in this guide.

Amanda Garrity is a former editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covered all things home and holiday, including interior design trends. Isabella Cavallo most recently updated this story with new picks and information with the help of Carolyn Forté, Home Care and Cleaning Lab Executive Director at the GH Institute.