Best Laundry Hamper Overall: DOKEHOM 20-Inches Freestanding Laundry Basket with Lid

DOKEHOM’s drawstring canvas laundry hamper won the top honors in our testing—it collapses down to a flattish circle with two handles. We liked the cotton fabric with waterproof lining. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Lightweight.

• Compact size.

• Easy to carry.

• Small frame on the top edge gives it structure.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Too small for some? This laundry hamper works well for one person—in a dorm room or apartment. But it is probably too small if you do more laundry than that. Good news: there are larger sizes of this hamper if you need more capacity.

Best Pop-Up Laundry Hamper: Handy Laundry Collapsible Mesh Foldable Hamper

Mesh laundry hampers are perfect for college dorm rooms—super lightweight and easy to carry. For the best pop-up hamper, we thought Handry Laundry did the best job . . . at a price that is easy on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Wide opening.

• Stores flat (you can fold it down into a smaller circle).

• Two handles = easy to carry.

• Mesh fabric allows for air flow.

• Affordable.

• Compact size fits well into small spaces.

What Needs Work

• Mesh can snag. That’s true for all mesh hampers, unfortunately. And those snags can turn into holes over time.

Best Slim Laundry Hamper: ZERO JET LAG 45L Slim Laundry Hamper with Handles

If space is tight (we see you, studio apartment dweller), we’d recommend a slim hamper like Zero Jet Lag’s 45L model. With an 8.5″ width, this can fit into small spaces yet still hold a decent amount of laundry.

What We Liked

• Hold more than you think!

• Waterproof lining.

• Easy to assemble.

• Metal stabilizing rods keep it upright.

• Four small feet on the bottom keep it in place.

• Net-like cover can be tightened to prevent clothes from falling out during transport.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

Best Collapsible Hamper: DOKEHOM 82L Large Laundry Basket

If you need something with a bit more capacity but still compact and collapsible, we’d recommend DOKEHOM’s 82L basket. The handles are the star here—easy to carry, thanks to the sturdy aluminum design with soft grip.

What We Liked

• Fabric with waterproof lining.

• Lightweight.

• Easy to carry.

• Great for dorm rooms.

• Good capacity (at 28″ tall).

What Needs Work

• Doesn’t stand well in its own. It can be tippy.

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!