Laundry piles up fast, especially if you live in a large household. Keeping it from piling up or spilling all over the laundry room floor can be a hassle, plus it can be embarrassing if you have guests. Using a black laundry hamper is a great way of keeping your dirty clothes in check and out of sight, plus multi-bin hampers can help you organize them.
The best black hamper is the Household Essentials Double Hamper. It has two bins for keeping lights and darks separate at an affordable price.
Your hamper should be just large enough to hold all of your dirty laundry. Too small and you’ll need to buy another one, too large and you’re restricting your space for no reason.
Clothes exist in too many shapes and sizes to give a general estimate of how much space one load of laundry takes up in a hamper. A good method of estimating the size and capacity you need is to visit a local retailer and check out their hampers. Find the size you think would work, note the dimensions and resume shopping until you find the black hamper you like.
Some hampers have one big empty bin; others have between two and four bins. Having multiple bins is an excellent way of sorting your dirty clothes in the manner you prefer. It can also save you space; for example, one three-bin hamper will take up less space than three one-bin hampers.
If you need to transport your hamper, either from room to room or from home to laundromat, you’ll want one with handles, wheels or both. Most hampers include handles, even large ones you might struggle to lift when full. Wheels are typically only found on large hampers.
Some black hampers include liners. These liners are usually a shade of white, which adds a lovely two-tone look against the black shell. The best are removable — this lets them easily be washed with the rest of your clothes so you don’t have to spot clean the liner, and it adds an extra layer of portability.
Much of the grime you find on dirty clothes will start to smell if left inside a hamper with no ventilation. Mesh hampers have the best ventilation while solid wood tends to have the worst or none at all. Ventilation is most important for those who sweat regularly.
Inexpensive black hampers cost less than $20 while most cost $20-$40. High-quality black hampers start around $50 and can cost as much as $200 or more.
A. That depends on what you’re looking for in a black hamper. If you live alone and just want a place to keep your dirty clothes out of the way, one bin is more than enough. If you want to keep your clothes sorted or live in a small household, you should consider a two-bin hamper. Large households will likely need three- or four-bin hampers, or a handful of multi-bin hampers.
A. The specifics depend on the material used, but generally speaking, black hampers have a problem with lint — especially fabric hampers. You need to keep a lint roller nearby to remove the white, gray and colored lint or your black hamper will eventually be overrun by it all. Fabric hampers also need to be cleaned occasionally so the sweat and dirt they absorb don’t start to stink. You can do this with any fabric cleaning spray.
Woven, wooden and plastic hampers don’t need much maintenance other than not subjecting them to damaging elements, i.e. no excessive moisture or sharp objects. Once they’re broken you can try and fix them, but you’ll likely just need to replace them.
A. Black is a color that matches or pairs easily with nearly any other color, making them simple to pair with your current home and likely to pair with any future home. Their only real downside is their problem with lint.
Household Essentials Double Hamper
What you need to know: It’s has plenty of space without taking up much room.
What you’ll love: It’s only 26 by 24 by 14 inches but has two bins which each hold a full load of laundry. It has a magnetically attachable lid to hide your clothes and the bin folds down flat when not needed.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the folding system collapsing inward on itself. The black linen exterior is a magnet for white lint.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Storage Maniac Large Pop-Up Mesh Clothes Hamper, Two-Pack
What you need to know: Having two separate hampers opens up many possibilities.
What you’ll love: The two hampers can be used for sorting clothes or be split between rooms — you can also keep one in reserve for when the first wears out. It’s lightweight and easy to carry thanks to handles on the sides. It also has an exterior storage pocket.
What you should consider: Like all mesh hampers, it’s prone to tearing if overstuffed or poked with rigid objects. A few consumers had problems with the handles becoming detached.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Songmics Handwoven Laundry Hamper
What you need to know: The wicker adds a touch of elegance to your laundry room.
What you’ll love: It has handles on the sides for moving the entire hamper and comes with a removable liner if you only want to carry your laundry. The wicker is made of waterproof handwoven synthetic rattan and the metal frame is rustproof.
What you should consider: It’s a little pricey. It requires assembly and a few consumers didn’t receive instructions or didn’t receive all necessary parts.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
