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- Reusable shopping bags are a great way to cut down on plastic usage and add a bit of sustainability to your grocery routine.
- Our top pick, the BagPodz Reusable Bag and Storage System, makes it easy to store your shopping bags so they don’t clutter your space.
Plastic shopping bags are terrible for the health of the environment. New York recently became the second state to ban the use of plastic bags at most stores, following California. But plastic bags are also bad for your mental health. Who hasn’t been driven nearly mad by an ever-creeping pile of grocery bags in one corner of the kitchen? Mine is big enough that I’ve been considering adding it the lease.
Even if you don’t have a giant wad of plastic taking over your living quarters, you wouldn’t be here if you weren’t considering making the switch to reusable grocery and shopping bags, or looking for better options. Luckily, there are tons of them on the market as sustainability becomes increasingly important to consumers.
Most are made of nylon or canvas and come in all shapes and sizes. Though they look similar on the surface, there are subtle differences that make some reusable shopping bags perform better than others. Some, like our top pick, come with their own storage solutions, and others are just cuter and sturdier than the competition. Regardless, through plenty of research, these bags on our list are customer favorites.
The best reusable shopping and tote bags you can buy:
- Best reusable shopping/tote bag overall: BagPodz Reusable Bag and Storage System
- Best canvas reusable shopping/tote bag: Baggu Duck Bag
- Best waxed reusable shopping/tote bag: Colony Co. Reusable Grocery Bag
- Best reusable shopping/tote bag for under $10: Easy Fold Bag Reusable Grocery Bags 3 Pack
- Best large reusable shopping/tote bag: Baggu Large Reusable Shopping Bag
Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.
The best reusable shopping/tote bag overall
Amazon
Why you’ll love it: The BagPodz Reusable Bag and Storage System comes with several nylon shopping bags, plus a pouch to hold them all together without taking up too much space.
The BagPodz Reusable Bag and Storage System comes in sets of five or 10 shopping bags made of sustainable, water-resistant, machine washable nylon. These are ideal for transporting groceries.
This set is unique because it comes with a compact pouch that holds the bags for easy storage in a cabinet or the trunk of a car when they’re not in use. There’s a clip on one end that attaches to a shopping car, so you don’t have to juggle with them in the middle of the produce aisle. If you always forget to bring enough bags when shopping, having them all in a convenient place would help.
The Spruce has the BagPodz Reusable Bag and Storage System on its list, calling it the "best combination of value and usefulness." The product has a 4.8-star Amazon customer rating based on 545 reviews.
“I’ve had several of these … for years. These are heavier duty than most of my others. I love their boxy bottom that helps them stand upright without much fuss,” wrote one shopper.
Pros: Comes with multiple bags, storage pouch, clip for shopping cart
Cons: No cute patterns
Buy BagPodz Reusable Bag and Storage System on Amazon for $24.94 to $34.95
The best canvas reusable shopping/tote bag
Baggu
Why you’ll love it: The Baggu Duck Bag is an attractive and sturdy canvas tote suitable for a variety of lifestyles and purposes.
For a reusable shopping bag that could double as, well, a regular bag, look at the Baggu Duck Bag. Adorable name aside, this is a nice-looking and practical canvas tote. You could easily take it from the office to the grocery store, or as an everyday tote.
The Duck Bag snaps shut, has an interior zipper pocket, and two sets of straps — top handles and shoulder straps. It’s a bit more structured than other reusable bags, so it’s well-suited to more than just groceries. That said, despite the deep compartment, the size makes it better for smaller runs than your big weekly shopping haul.
But the slouchy material and artfully worn fabrics create a cool, lived-in effect. These bags are machine washable but should be hung to dry to prevent fading. While the structure and thicker fabric make it a bit more durable than some of its nylon counterparts, the shape is a bit restrictive so you likely can’t carry as many items.
Real Simple and The Wirecutter both give the Duck Bag high marks. The Wirecutter likes that the "bag can stand up to lots of abuse," but lack of interior padding means it isn’t great for fragile items, like glass jars.
Pros: Stylish, durable, machine washable, multiple handles
Cons: Not as large as some picks, expensive
Buy the Duck Bag from Baggu for $34 to $44
The best waxed reusable shopping/tote bag
Amazon
Why you’ll love it: The Colony Co. Reusable Grocery Bag is made of stylish, durable waxed canvas for a look inspired by old-school paper bags.
Another stylish-meets-functional choice is the Colony Co. Reusable Grocery Bag. Inspired by the look of a classic paper shopping bag, it’s made of waxed canvas that is stain-resistant and easy to clean, though not machine washable.
The 16-ounce bag is shorter than it is wide and measures 17 inches tall, 12 inches wide, and 7 inches deep. It’s also vegan and made with an eye toward sustainability, as most reusable grocery bags are. The brand also sells reusable produce bags, which would make a nice addition to any sustainable shopping routine.
“I’m loving my new grocery bag so far. It’s strong enough that I can load up a lot more groceries in one bag than I could with my old lighter-weight bags. The handles don’t seem like they’ll have any trouble holding up (stitching looks to be well done),” wrote one Amazon shopper.
Overall, the bag has a 4.8-rating based on 83 reviews on Amazon. The bag has also been featured by Apartment Therapy and The Spruce.
Pros: Cute design, durable waxed canvas
Cons: Only has top straps
Buy Colony Co. Reusable Grocery Bag on Amazon for $28
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- The best folding bikes you can buy
- The best commuter bikes you can buy
- The best vacuums for pet hair you can buy
Source: Business Insider – mgokey@businessinsider.com (Erin Mayer)