How do I choose a laundry basket?
You’ll be using your laundry basket on a weekly, if not daily, basis, so it’s worth choosing a high-quality, good-value product from a reputable supplier. To start, we’d recommend considering the following:
How many people are in your household? This is a good indicator of the amount of washing that’ll need to be done.
Where will you store it, and how much space is there? Make sure to take measurements of where you’d like it to sit. You don’t want to find yourself tripping over it because it is too big.
Do you need it to be collapsible? If you plan on putting it away when guests come to stay or packing it for your holiday, you’ll need to be able to fold it down easily.
When it comes to materials, do you want something made from synthetic materials or from natural, breathable fabrics that prevent clothes from getting musty?
Do you want it to be stylish and functional? In this case, you’ll want to consider your decor.
Will you be carrying washing up and down stairs or from room to room and therefore require a basket with handles? Above all, your laundry basket should be large enough to hold a load of laundry but not so big that it’s impossible to carry it to the washing machine. Consider buying one with strong handles, a removable liner or wheels for portability.
If you’re a particularly tidy person and the thought of unsightly washing being displayed in your home fills you with dread, you may want to consider a basket with a lid.
What is the difference between a laundry basket and a laundry hamper?
Strictly speaking, a laundry basket is what you collect your washing in, take it to the machine, transport to the airer and so on. A laundry hamper is where you put your dirty laundry while it waits to go into the laundry basket to get washed.
In reality, the two terms tend to be used interchangeably, and we’ve used both here.
What is the best material for a laundry basket?
Much depends on where you want to use it. If your laundry basket is for the bedroom or nursery, you might want one you can dust easily, made of wood or something in fabric or chambray that blends in with a bedroom environment. You’ll want something that won’t mind getting splashed in the bathroom and can be wiped clean easily. But much of it is down to personal preference. Some laundry baskets are made of breathable materials, which isn’t a bad idea to keep your laundry a bit fresher while it waits for a wash.
What is the best laundry sorter?
A laundry basket with compartments to separate lights and darks saves a job for you when it comes to washing. John Lewis does two hampers like this that we’ve included in our round-up. The Habitat Industrial Laundry Sorter with three compartments and the Songmics Rolling Laundry Sorter actually has four compartments (one for colours, too).
Are bamboo laundry baskets good?
They’re as good as anything else. Bamboo does have natural anti-fungal properties, and it’s more water-resistant than most woods, so it’s a good choice for a damp area like a bathroom.
What is a good size laundry basket?
The answer to this will depend on the size of your household and, of course, the age and cleanliness of any young people you live with! Most of the laundry baskets we have listed here are capacious but also easy on the eye.
Make sure you know the dimensions of the space you have in mind for the laundry basket and have considered how many loads you typically do a week. A good size laundry basket has a capacity of around 60 litres.
Why are there holes in laundry baskets?
Piling up dirty clothes in a confined place can lead to mould and mildew, so a laundry basket with holes may reduce the risk of this. The holes can also help to keep the laundry basket clean by allowing odours and moisture to escape, and holes will make the basket lighter when you’re carrying a load of washing, wet or dry, around the house.
But if you’re the type of person who likes to stay on top of your washing pile, a basket with holes may not be something you need to consider.
How many laundry baskets do I need?
Again, this will come down to personal preference, but it’s a good idea to have at least one. A family of four may choose to have a laundry basket in every bedroom to keep clothes organised and darks and whites separate, while smaller households may only require one. Some people may also choose to have a laundry basket for clothes and another for towels and bed linen.
Where should you put a laundry basket?
Convenient places to store a laundry basket include:
The bathroom
The bedroom - some households may have one in every bedroom
The laundry room
A hallway or landing (especially if the whole family shares one basket)
What is the best laundry basket?
The practical but stylish Joseph Joseph Tota Laundry Separation Basket gets our vote as the best laundry basket to buy. Its 90-litre size is one of the largest capacities on the market and would suit a large family who wants to stay on top of their laundry pile.
Whether you want to show it off or for it to be discreet, it will look good in any room in the house. The separate fabric totes keep the laundry process easy.
If all else fails, Mumsnetters recommend repurposing this old faithful: the IKEA FRAKTA blue bag. IwisheIwereamillionaire says: “I use the large blue IKEA bags as they’re easy to carry, I squish them down the side of the washing machine when I’m not using them, and they don’t take up space. I think they’re only 50p, I had mine for years, and they’ve lasted longer than any baskets I previously had!”
How we chose our recommendations
Every Mumsnet Swear By list is created using our triple-check vetting process, ensuring every recommended product is loved by families, trusted by experts, and rated by previous customers.
Mumsnetter recommendations
Every article starts its life on the Mumsnet forums, where we spend hours sifting through discussion threads in search of the products that parents rated, and with over 10 million unique users per month, that’s a lot of expertise to draw on. Laundry, in particular, is a hot topic, so we looked for those laundry baskets mentioned frequently and had plenty of positive recommendations.
Expert opinion
Next, we consulted consumer watchdogs like Which? and noted what they looked for in a laundry basket and which brands they recommended to their readers. We also compared them with other product lists looking for those with awards and accolades.
Consumer reviews
Finally, we collated all that information and then looked at other online reviews to see which were the bestsellers and which received rave reviews after purchase.
Celebrated laundry baskets
Using this process, we guaranteed that our recommendations and buyers guides were honest, reliable and up-to-date, providing you with information you can trust and laundry baskets you’ll love.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.