The Best Toiletry Bags (2025)

We’ve been covering toiletry bags at Wirecutter for over a decade. In that time, we’ve researched more than 100 bags and tested over 60. The toiletry bags we recommend have undergone hours of personal testing, panel testing, and field testing.

The current writer for this guide, Claire Wilcox, has covered travel and outdoor gear for Wirecutter as a freelancer and on staff for three years. She’s experimented with minimalist and maximalist packing strategies over her many decades of travel. This guide also builds on the research and testing of senior staff writer Kaitlyn Wells, whose reporting and writing still appears throughout.

Over the years, we’ve done the following for this guide:

• read dozens of travel blogs, message boards, and bag review guides
• consulted a panel of occasional travelers, daily commuters, and frequent flyers to find out what matters most to them, whether traveling across town or across the globe
• invited a panel of frequent travelers to test a selection of bags
• tested 63 individual bags, from mass-produced PVC pouches to handcrafted leather dopp kits, after considering over 100
• Like all Wirecutter journalists, the authors of this guide review and test products with complete editorial independence. They are never made aware of the business implications of their recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.

A toiletry bag is an essential part of any traveler’s kit. It should help keep you organized and reasonably well-groomed when you’re away from home, whether that means a trip across town or a multi-leg, international excursion.

We’ve sought to address a wide range of preferences and needs in this guide, using the insights we’ve gained over a decade’s worth of research and testing.

We found toiletry bags for light and heavy packers, family vacations, day use, campers, travelers on a budget, people who prefer hanging bags, folks who love organization, and people who would rather throw things all in one compartment (but still keep their toothbrush separate, thank you very much!).

This guide does not (yet) cover bags that are uniquely designed to carry makeup, though we included cosmetics in most of our packing tests.

The sleek, thoughtfully designed Peak Design Wash Pouch offers the best balance of space, organization, and ease of use of any bag we’ve tested.

It has an intuitive layout and lots of organization. We’ve recommended the Peak Design Wash Pouch for six years, in part because it has the best layout and pocket design of any bag we encountered. This bag opens like an accordion and divides into two main compartments. One side of the bag is big enough to hold three or four 3-ounce bottles, or chunky items like an electric razor. The other side has multiple open mesh pockets and elastic slots to keep nail clippers, tissues, or smaller bottles of serum or makeup in place.

Testers particularly liked the magnetically closed toothbrush pocket that divides the bag in two, which doesn’t seal completely so moisture can evaporate. There’s also a long, outer pocket deep enough to hold an electric toothbrush (although only after disassembly) but shallow enough to avoid eating into the bag’s interior space. Each time we packed and used this bag, it was easy to find a place for items and easy to find them.

It’s well-crafted and a breeze to clean. This bag is made of recycled, 200-denier nylon and coated with durable water repellent (DWR), so it’s light, flexible, and water-resistant. (No water leaked in or out of this bag during tests, though a small amount leaked through the zipper, as it did with every bag we tested except one.) It has large zippers and reinforced pull tabs, and the body of the bag is structured with thin insulating foam to keep your items intact. The internal mesh pockets are coated in silicone, so it’s easier to wipe them clean than dealing with traditional mesh pockets. As a bonus, all pockets turn inside out for cleaning.

You can hang it up. Although not a classic hanging bag, the Peak Design Wash Pouch comes with a sturdy metal hook that allows you to hang it on a towel rod or door handle and still access your things. The hook has a shallow radius compared with some other bags we tested, and previous testers found it slightly insecure in comparison. Claire rummaged through this bag as dramatically as she could for pills, lip balm, and tweezers in our most recent round of testing and never managed to dislodge it.

It comes with a lifetime warranty. Many companies pay lip service to the idea of sustainability, but Peak Design’s lifetime guarantee makes it much more likely that you’ll use this bag for years to come.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The Wash Pouch has a 2.5-liter capacity, and we were able to comfortably fit a week’s worth of toiletries (including medication and cosmetics) inside, but it’s not a bag that handles overstuffing. Travelers who bring a lot of toiletries with them, or who carry a lot of full-size toiletries, might look to the more accommodating Cotopaxi Nido Accessory Bag, or consider a multi-pouch approach.

Specs

Capacity: 2.5 liters
Dimensions: 10.2 by 6 by 4.4 inches
Colors: black, sage green, tan

If you want a compact bag that can carry a lot of toiletries—or a bag that effectively carries toiletries alongside other kinds of accessories—the affordable Cotopaxi Nido Accessory Bag - Cada Día is a great option.

It’s compact but holds a lot of stuff. The Nido Accessory Bag has a claimed capacity of 4 liters, almost double that of the Peak Design Wash Pouch, but it’s about the same size packed full, and it weighs less. During testing, we were able to fit a week’s (or more) worth of essential toiletries, medication, and supplies for a simple makeup routine. Like the Peak Design Wash Pouch, it offers a combination of smaller and larger pockets for storing different-size objects.

It has three distinct compartments. Most of the dopp kits we tested open as a single compartment that is then subdivided. The Nido Accessory bag, by contrast, has three distinct compartments. This design gives you more opportunity to separate items by category.

Items are easy to see. All the Nido bags come with bright-colored interior linings that make objects easy to spot, especially compared with the many bags we tested that had black liners, and even compared with the more neutral gray of the Peak Design Wash Pouch.

It’s tough and water-resistant. The Nido is made out of 100% recycled 840-denier water-resistant nylon with a TPU-coated bottom for extra protection on damp surfaces. No water entered the bag when we ran it under a faucet, and it was impervious to falls and scratches. The interior lining was easy to wipe clean, and it held up to more vigorous scrubbing, as well. The Nido uses high-quality YKK zippers and has a convenient handle for carrying. We have yet to see how this bag will hold up over time, but our extensive experience with Cotopaxi’s luggage suggests it’s built for longevity.

It comes with a strong warranty. If you do experience flaws or defects in your bag, the Nido is covered by Cotopaxi’s Guaranteed for Good warranty and repair policy, which covers the lifetime of the bag.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Cotopaxi’s bright, high-contrast, outdoorsy aesthetic may not be to everyone's taste.
• Because it lacks a hook, it can only be used as a countertop bag.
• Unlike the Peak Design’s carefully constructed pockets and compartments,the Nido’s pockets are simply stitched and made out of the same fabric that lines the bag’s interior.
• The light interior lining showed stains from makeup pencils more than bags with darker liners like our picks from Bellroy, Osprey, and Peak Design.
• No water leaked in or out of the outer material of this bag during our tests, but some water leaked through the zipper. If you’re carrying liquids, like toner or contact lens solution, you may want to wrap them in added protection.

Specs

Capacity: 4 liters
Dimensions: 9 by 6 by 5 inches
Colors: green, burgundy, black, and a surprise multi-color option that uses remnant fabrics

If you don’t tend to bring a lot of toiletries, or if you carry travel-size toiletries as a rule, consider the Bellroy Toiletry Kit Plus, which has an elegant, minimalist profile.

It looks and feels great. The Bellroy Toiletry Kit was one of the prettiest bags we tested. Its exterior is made of recycled nylon, but it feels more like matte-finished canvas. A bright metal YKK zipper, soft fabric carry tabs, and leather details add sophisticated flourishes without making the bag flashy. Inside, a shiny light-gray nylon—very similar to the material Peak Design uses for its Wash Pouch—offers good visibility and wipe-clean convenience. One tester liked it so much that she turned it into her daily cosmetics/toiletries bag.

It’s well-organized. This bag has a very wide opening, and it unzips on a slight diagonal. When it’s sitting on a countertop, one flap hangs open so you can see and access your things, while its larger, flat bottom keeps it stable. A series of open and zippered pockets gives you lots of storage options. Like the Peak Design, it also has a magnetic toothbrush compartment large enough to hold a full-size toothbrush.

It’s great for weekend trips or light packers. Although this is Bellroy’s larger toiletry bag that’s billed for “longer trips, and bigger products”—and it’s certainly not as diminutive as the company’s original toiletry kit—the Toiletry Kit Plus holds less than the Peak Design Regular Wash Pouch, and the Cotopaxi Nido Accessory Bag (Bellroy doesn’t list a capacity, but we’d place it at about 2 liters). In our packing tests, we found it fit three 3.4-ounce bottles just fine, with a herd of other small items. But it was harder to accommodate multiple irregularly sized containers, like pots of cream, chunky tubes, or taller bottles. This is a fine bag if your large items extend to deodorant or a pot of hair gel.

It comes with a three-year warranty. Bellroy’s warranty covers flaws in materials and workmanship for up to three years, with proof of purchase. This bag is new to us, so we’ll continue to test and report back on the strength of the warranty.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• This is the most expensive bag we recommend, yet it holds fewer toiletries than some of our other picks.The interior pockets on this bag are made out of a finer mesh than the more coarse, open-holed mesh you find in a lot of toiletry bags.
• Some testers loved its soft feel, but others felt it would be a pain to clean. We rubbed toothpaste into it and found it did take more effort to clean, but the bag was also water-resistant enough that we could run it under the faucet to wash it thoroughly without damaging any fabric.

Specs

Capacity: about 2 liters
Dimensions: 9.8 by 5.1 by 3.9 inches
Colors: black, gray, blue, bronze

Whether you’re backpacking through Europe or headed to a campsite for some time in nature, the Sea to Summit Hanging Toiletry Bag (small) offers light and compact storage.

It’s our smallest, lightest pick. Unassuming in size and appearance, the Sea to Summit is small enough to stash in a daypack or backpack and weighs only 2.8 ounces, about the same as a jumbo egg. This is 5 ounces less than the Peak Design Wash Pouch and an ounce less than our next-lightest pick, the Osprey Daylite. Only the Ziploc bag, which we only recommend as a TSA-approved bag, is lighter.

It holds a week’s worth of supplies. Despite its diminutive size—and its claimed capacity of just 1 liter—we were able to pack a week’s worth of travel-size toiletries in this bag. It comes with a large central compartment for bulkier items, two micro mesh zip pockets, and an open pocket for a toothbrush. When you get to your destination, a sturdy hook lets you hang the bag and easily see and grab your items—a plus if you’re staying in a hostel or campsite and would prefer not to set things down on questionable surfaces. It also comes with a shatterproof mirror.

It’s tough enough for the outdoors. The fabric of this bag feels thin, but it didn’t tear in our tests (Sea to Summit uses a proprietary weave called Ultra-sil, a lightweight 30-denier nylon that’s extra densely woven for strength and siliconized for water-resistance). And the seams didn’t give when we stuffed it full of travel toiletry bottles, a toothbrush, toothpaste, facial tissues, and more.

It comes with a lifetime warranty. Sea to Summit’s warranty covers workmanship and manufacturing defects for the lifetime of the toiletry bag, as long as you are the original owner and can provide proof of purchase.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The Sea to Summit is lightweight because of its techy, superlight fabric, but its willowy shape becomes lumpy when packed to the brim. Some people may prefer a dopp kit with more structure.
• Small spills are no trouble for this bag’s water-resistant exterior, but bigger messes may be a problem because moisture leaks through the zipper.

Specs

Capacity: 1 liter
Dimensions: 9 by 6 by 3 inches
Colors: gray, blue, orange

If you’re packing for a family trip, the L.L.Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag (medium) is a well-constructed, affordable option that’s big enough to carry toiletries for two or more people.

It is big and has plenty of storage. With 6 liters of capacity, the medium-size L.L.Bean toiletry bag has the most capacity of any of our picks—great for when you want to stow toiletries for multiple people in one kit. There’s plenty of space for packing full-size bathroom essentials to share among a group: We fit one full-size bottle each of shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, and hair spray into this bag and still had room to add a hairbrush. And it’s loaded with storage features, so even with all those items, everything has its place. It has a wide handle, three external pockets, two interior waterproof zip pockets, a zip mesh pouch, and three small mesh pockets for taller toiletries.

It has a sturdy hook for hanging and other useful features for collective use. Although suitable for countertop use, this bag really excels as a hanging bag. You can store it on a door knob, or towel or shower rod for easy group access without taking up too much space. The bag is heavy when full, but when we suspended it (stuffed with shampoo, toothpaste, hair spray, and more) by its metal hook for half a day, the hook didn’t break or bend. It also comes with a detachable shower caddy and a detachable mirror.

It’s well-constructed. Its YKK zippers open seamlessly. And the bag’s abrasion-resistant cover didn’t scuff in our drop tests. If something does happen, customers have a year to return the bag. L.L.Bean’s website further states, “After a year, they’ll consider … items for return that are defective due to materials and craftmanship.”

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

• This toiletry bag has two external side pockets for stashing smaller items, like lotions or facial tissues. But they’re too stubby for a regular toothbrush, so if that’s where you want to pack your toothbrush, you’ll need a travel-size one instead.
• Our testers found this bag intimidatingly large for solo travel.
• While moisture from a spill did bead up on the surface of this toiletry bag, it’s not completely waterproof. Major spills are still a problem, as liquids leak through the zipper teeth.

Specs

Capacity: 6 liters
Dimensions: 11.5 by 9.75 by 3.5 inches
Colors: about a dozen colors, including patterned options

The Osprey Daylite Toiletry Kit is a well-constructed, affordable toiletry bag that doesn’t skimp on quality.

It has a spacious interior and a couple of essential pockets. The Daylite Toiletry Kit is a simple countertop bag with a zippered main compartment. It doesn’t offer much in the way of organization, but unlike the twice-as-expensive yet otherwise comparable Patagonia 3 liter Black Hole Cube, it has a long outside pocket that fits a toothbrush and other oral hygiene items you might want to keep separate. It also has a few mesh pockets in the interior to keep small items secure. It offers ample space—4 liters—which makes it well-suited to transporting larger items too.

It’s affordable but not cheaply made. At the time of testing, the Daylite Toiletry Kit cost $20, less than half the price of all our other picks (excluding Ziploc freezer bags). It uses similarly high-quality materials, though, like YKK zippers and durable 100% recycled 660-denier polyester. Osprey’s fabric is Bluesign-certified, a third-party certification that assesses and reviews textiles for wearer, worker, and environmental safety. And its durable water repellent is PFAS-free.

It’s lightweight yet structured. At just under 4 ounces, the Daylite weighs only 1 ounce more than our lightest pick, the Sea to Summit. But the Daylite is a better countertop bag, has a flat, broad base, and opens end to end, so it’s easy to see your things, and the bag doesn’t tip over when it’s full. The Sea to Summit works great as a hanging bag but loses its shape on a flat surface.

It comes with a lifetime guarantee. Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee promises repair or replacement of any Osprey product throughout its lifespan for damage that occurs for any reason.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• This is not an ideal bag for people who want options for separating out their items. Objects also had a greater tendency to move around in this bag due to its lack of compartments.
• Water leaked through the zipper of this bag during our spill tests. If you’re carrying less viscous liquids, like toner or contact lens solution, consider adding extra protection.

Specs

Capacity: 4 liters
Dimensions: 10.2 by 5 by 5 inches
Colors: yellow, blue, tan, black

We tried more permanent options, but in the end preferred a Ziploc Freezer Quart Bag to separate liquids for airport security. But, if you avoid using single-use plastic at home and hate the idea of buying a whole box of Ziplocs, we have another option worth considering.

It meets airport security requirements. In the US, it’s less common than it once was to see carry-on liquids trundling through airport security in clear, quart-size bags. A number of testers for this guide said they no longer compartmentalize liquids, or use a dedicated liquids bag at all. But the TSA website still maintains the 3-1-1 rule: liquid and aerosol carry-ons should be placed in one resealable, transparent, quart-size bag, and all contents should be contained in 3.4 ounces (or less) bottles.

When we reached out to the TSA for clarification, they told us the guidelines still apply, but enforcement is purposefully left to TSA officers’ discretion. And when you’re travelling internationally, it’s still sometimes possible to encounter strict requirements (the U.K., for example, is known for being strict, even about the bag’s dimensions). In sum, you may not need a separate 3-1-1 clear liquids bag at all, but if you do—or you think you might—the Ziploc Freezer Quart size bag meets every requirement you’re likely to encounter. And it’s easy to throw in your carry-on, just in case.

It’s single-use plastic, but it’s durable and reusable. Single-use plastic sandwich bags typically split, puncture, and leak easily, and they’re bad for the environment. Ziploc freezer bags are about twice as thick as standard Ziplocs. They’re built to withstand the pokes and prods of sharp edges, and stretch a lot before breaking. This doesn’t make them any better for the environment from a production and disposal standpoint, but they can be used and reused many times (Claire has had the same one floating around in her toiletry bag for over a year), and they’re exceedingly easy to clean.

It’s leakproof. We tested seven TSA-compliant 3-1-1 bags for the most recent iteration of this guide, from mass-produced PVC pouches to bags with AquaGuard YKK zippers and welded seams to silicone Stashers, our favorite alternative to Ziplocs bags for food storage. Only the Ziploc freezer bag and the Stasher didn’t leak when inverted. But the Stasher burst open as soon as we applied pressure to the bag, whereas the Ziploc’s Grip n’ Seal closure held fast, even when we dropped the bag on the ground.

It’s easy to pack. In our search to find a Ziploc alternative, we found some durable, well-constructed bags, like this nifty, low-profile Cocoon bag, but we found it easier to fit different-size bottles into the Ziploc bag.

You likely already own one. We support embracing reusable storage containers in your kitchen over single-use items, but millions of Americans own and use Ziploc-brand or Ziploc-style bags. If you count yourself among this cohort, this may be the most convenient, cost-effective solution for a bag you only sometimes need when traveling.

As far as we know, the bags don’t contain PFAS. While many sandwich bag brands have been shown to contain PFAS, a class of chemicals sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” that are known to cause harm to humans and the environment, a recent study in an EPA-certified lab found no detectable levels in Ziploc brand baggies. This doesn’t guarantee they’re PFAS-free, but it suggests they’re a better alternative to other sandwich bags. They’re also BPA free.

They’re inexpensive. These bags cost a fraction of the price of every other TSA-approved bag we tested, as little as 18¢ per unit, depending on the retailer and carton size.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• Ziploc freezer bags can be reused, but they’re still essentially single-use plastic items that are destined to end up in a landfill. (Technically they’re recyclable, but products made of number four plastics like Ziplocs aren’t accepted in curbside recycling.) For a non-single-use plastic alternative, see our Worth considering and Competition sections.
• The closure is only effectively leakproof if it’s properly sealed. We haven’t yet tested the zippered-closure Ziplocs for this guide—and we’ve read that they’re more prone to leaking—but they may be easier to open and close for some people.

Specs

Capacity: 1 quart
Dimensions: 8.25 by 7 inches
Colors: clear

If you want a toiletry bag that’s 100% waterproof and leakproof: Consider the Nite Ize RunOff Waterproof Toiletry Bag. Every bag we tested leaked a little bit through the zipper during our spill tests. Not this one: We filled it with water, and it didn’t lose a drop; we submerged it in the bath and nothing got wet. It’s technically too big to be a 3-1-1 liquids bag, and it has no internal pockets, but it fits multiple full-size toiletries, making it perfect for packing liquids in your luggage. It’s also great for protecting personal items on water-logged adventures. However, its special, waterproof zipper requires maintenance in the form of a special lubricant—ugh. The bag comes with one packet. We’re curious to see how onerous that maintenance is and will report back with our findings.

We didn’t find a leather bag we loved, but if the Bellroy’s handsome profile doesn’t sway you, and it’s leather or bust: Consider Leatherology’s Small Double Zip Toiletry Bag. It has a gloriously soft full-grain leather exterior and offers a good amount of storage within each of its two compartments, all at a very affordable price (for leather). We’re not sure how the leather will wear over the long term, though (we will be checking and report back). And this bag doesn’t open wide enough to fully see what’s inside, which makes it hard to locate items.

If you want a sleek and versatile hanging bag for solo travel: Consider the State Bensen Toiletry Kit. This was our top pick for years, and we still love how easy it is to pack and travel with this simple trifold hanging bag: It unfolds and lies flat like a textbook, or it can be hung by a strong plastic hook. It has big mesh pouches that can hold objects like makeup palettes, and it comes with a convenient detachable translucent pouch. But this bag has gone up nearly $30 in price since we first tested it without any noticeable improvements, and a number of testers remarked that it felt cheaply made for the price.

If you want a more durable 3-1-1 TSA-approved bag: Consider Sea to Summit’s TPU Clear Plastic Pouch With Bottles.The Sea to Summit clear pouch is a lot more expensive than a Ziploc, but it is strong and has a high-quality YKK zipper and welded seams to prevent leaks (though it leaks through the zipper), so it will likely last longer. It measures 7.5 by 2.5 by 4.5 inches, which puts it comfortably within the TSA-approved range. It comes with six refillable plastic bottles, which you can use to carry liquids, though we found it difficult at times to remove the small caps on the bottles to fill and refill them (the twisting tops work well, though, and don't leak).

If you’d rather use multiple pouches instead of one bag: Consider the Baggu Go Pouch Set. Claire has used this set for years for toiletries because she likes having dedicated bags for different things: one for makeup or the small items she tends to carry with her in her handbag, and one or two others for liquids and larger items. These bags are super simple but made out of heavyweight recycled nylon that lasts and is easy to clean. These bags are also relatively inexpensive and come in fun patterns, with new motifs coming and going each year. But they’re bare-bones when it comes to organization.

After 10 years of reviewing toiletry bags, we have a solid foundation in the different ways travelers use these kits, but with each iteration of this guide, we approach the category anew. We gather feedback on our recommendations from long-term testers, research new products, and consult panels of travelers.

Then we compile a list of models we’re curious about within a few different categories. For this guide, we’ve tested dopp kits, hanging bags, clear TSA-approved bags, leather bags, and simple pouches. We reviewed each contender’s design, size, weight, storage capacity, materials, notable features, warranties, and availability across retailers.

We tested and judged the best bags according to the following criteria:

• Overall design and construction: We reviewed each bag’s materials, the quality of the seams, and smoothness of the zippers, as well as the usefulness of each compartment. We also considered the bag’s weight, the sturdiness of its hook (if it had one), and color options.
• Bag capacity: We filled each bag with a selection of travel-size or full-size toiletries, depending on the size of the bag. Most bags contained a combination of the following toiletries: a toothbrush, travel-size toothpaste, deodorant, razor, shaving cream, travel-size shampoo and conditioner, tampons, cotton swabs, a travel-size hairbrush, hairpins and ties, travel-size sunscreen, moisturizer, face wash, tweezers, nail clippers, a pill bottle or blister pack, and inhaler. In bags with a capacity larger than 2 liters, we also tested an additional assortment of tube-based cosmetics, including lipstick, mascara, concealer, an eyeshadow stick, cream blush, and foundation.
• Shape retention and durability: We closed each bag when stuffed full of gear and noted which bags deformed and if the seams puckered or tore under pressure. If the bag had a hook, we hung it up for at least half a day and checked both the bag and hook for structural integrity.
• Contents retention: We shook each bag around and dropped it on the ground to see if the contents spilled out or became rearranged during handling.
• Ease of cleaning: For all our test kits, except for the leather bags, we smeared toothpaste on the interior fabric, spilled clear liquid soap, and swiped each bag with eyeshadow or eye pencil. Then we tried cleaning the spill with a damp cloth or a toothbrush. We noted how easy it was to invert and clean pockets as well.
• Waterproofing: We ran each bag under a kitchen faucet for a few seconds to see how well the exterior repelled water. Then we spilled 2 tablespoons of water inside each bag, closed it, and shook it to see how easily it would leak a less viscous liquid (like spilled eye-makeup remover or toner).
• Community review: We asked a panel of staffers with varying travel needs and family sizes to look at the bags from our list and offer feedback.

We’ve tested at least 60 bags in the decade we’ve been covering toiletry bags.This is not a comprehensive list of bags we’ve tested but represents the most recent rounds.

TSA-approved 3-1-1 clear liquids bags

We loved the welded seams and bright colors of Cocoon’s Carry On Liquids Bag, but its low profile made it hard to pack bottles upright, which helps prevent leaks.

We liked Gravel’s The Pouch. It’s made out of silicone, which is more durable and less toxic than most plastics, especially cheap ones, but at 10 by 6 inches, this is the largest bag in this category. A TSA spokesperson recommended that all clear toiletry bags remain under 1 quart (typically 6 by 9 inches, though U.K. guidelines are for 7 by 7), and we don’t want to risk getting detained at the security checkpoint with the wrong-size bag. The Pouch’s zipper also frequently dislodged from its casing during use.

Clear plastic PVC pouches like these ones from Packism, Lermende, and CableintheBay are a dime a dozen on Amazon. They’re durable but cheaply made out of plastic that contains pthalates, a known carcinogen, and they leak terribly from their zippers, when inverted.

We love the quart-size Stasher as a kitchen storage alternative and thought it might make a good TSA-approved bag, too, but it wasn’t fully leakproof during tests.

The Tom Bihn Clear 3D Organizer Cube is made of scuff-proof, tear-resistant ballistic nylon, and it has YKK zippers, so it might outlast most other toiletry bags. But at just 7 by 4 by 2 inches, it’s the smallest bag we tested and barely had enough room for three travel-size toiletries. It’s also twice as expensive as other clear bags.

Dopp kits

The Away Large Toiletry Bag sits between the Peak Design and Cotopaxi in terms of capacity and has a sensible, intuitive layout. If you’re drawn to its profile, it’s a fine choice, but it’s more expensive than our other recommendations, and the materials feel cheaper.

Baboon the Moon’s Dopp Kit is actually just a large, heavy-duty pouch. It’s well-constructed but heavier and nearly as expensive as Baggu’s Go Pouch Set, which comes in a set of three.

The Baggu Dopp Kit is a fun, durable black-hole-style dopp kit—our teenage panelist was drawn to it in particular—but the Osprey Daylite, which is comparable in style and function, had more to offer by way of organization and was less expensive (she liked that one too).

Dagne Dover’s trendy Hunter Neoprene Toiletry Bag has a certain style factor, and it comes with two removable pouches, which we like. But neoprene stains easily, the bag has chunky exposed seams in the interior, and the zipper didn’t do well in leak tests.

Eagle Creek’s simple, inexpensive Pack It Reveal Quick Trip (small) dopp kit is made out of durable 100% recycled polyester and holds about 2 liters worth of toiletries, but its fabric droops and lacks structure, which sometimes frustrated our attempts to dig through it.

Eagle Creek’s diminutive Pack-It Isolate Quick Trip (xs) is essentially a glorified pencil case with convenient pockets for a bit of organization. It’s a good choice for folks who need next to nothing, and we think this could be a good choice for kids who don’t need a lot of space, but it’s too flimsy for most adult users.

The Gravel Explorer Plus Toiletry Bag is a thoughtfully designed, if expensive, toiletry bag with compartments for everything from a condom to eyeglasses. It may appeal to folks who love a very tight system, but we found it overly determined and had trouble conforming our toiletries to the pocket shapes.

The Herschel Supply Chapter Travel Kit 5L holds more than any other dopp kit we tested, so it’s large enough for a couple to share on an extended getaway. But it isn’t leak-proof, and the bag tips over easily when full of gear.

The Matador FlatPak Toiletry Case is the thinnest and lightest bag we tested and folds flat like a sheet of paper when empty. Its roll-top design ensures there’s no wasted space, and it snaps closed with a YKK buckle. But the roll-top unfurled too easily during our tests, spilling smaller items, like travel toothpaste, onto the floor.

Patagonia’s Black Hole Cube 3L is made out of solid materials, but our pick from Osprey offers more capacity and organization, for a much friendlier price.

Royce’s handcrafted Classic Toiletry Bag, and its less expensive cousin, the Pebble Grain Toiletry Bag, are beautifully made, high-quality leather bags that would make a great gift for someone who likes old-fashioned frame-style kits, but none of our testers were drawn to them for personal use. They’re comparatively large, heavy, and lack internal organization.

State’s sleek, contemporary Nylon Hart Dopp Kit has a nifty expandable function and a cute checkered interior pattern, but it was significantly more expensive, and less water-resistant, than our dopp kit picks.

Our testers loved Steele’s Massachusett’s-made Canvas Dopp Kit for its legacy look, pleasing colors, and high-quality materials, but most of them said they’d be unlikely to use a bag like it for toiletries, since it’s quite heavy and doesn’t have any organization. The canvas was also less effectively water-resistant than the polyesters and nylons our picks are made with.

We’ve recommended the Topo Designs Dopp Kit for years, and we still love this bag’s prismatic shape and colorful design, but we found the Cotopaxi Nido Accessory Bag more useful as a larger capacity bag for solo travel, and we also preferred the Osprey Daylite Toiletry Kit’s top-zip entry in our most recent round of testing.

WNDRD’s Large Toiletry Bag has a similar capacity to Bellroy’s Toiletry Kit Plus, which is to say, still relatively small. We liked its sleek black-on-black construction. For most travelers, though, the bag’s extra straps, hook, and handles add extra fuss, and WNDRD’s hooks and clips were finicky to use compared with the Peak Design’s.

Hanging bags

Materials and construction-wise, Aer’s Travel Kit 2 impressed us, but the pockets and compartments had a tendency to eat into each other’s space during packing tests, and we found it difficult to maximize the bag’s claimed 2.5-liter capacity.

The AmazonBasics Hanging Toiletry Kit doesn’t have as many storage pockets as other bags we tested, and the bag leaked during our moisture tests.

Away’s Hanging Toiletry Bag is more expensive but holds less than the State Bensen Toiletry bag, our previous top pick and a bag we still think is worth considering.

Bagsmart’s eminently affordable Toiletry Bag (medium) had excellent visibility and lots of zippered compartments, but its construction is noticeably cheap. Also, the body of the bag leaked during tests.

Dagne Dover’s Large Seoul Dopp Kit is unique among the hanging bags we tested for its barrel shape and structured frame. It is fun and holds a lot of stuff, but its interior pockets were hard to access and the “secret” toothbrush pouch is impossible to clean and cumbersome to use.

Eagle Creek’s Pack-it Reveal Hanging Toiletry Kit is lightweight and has a clever diagonal zipper that lets it hold more toiletries more effectively. Unfortunately, we found it easy to lose track of our things in the bag’s deep, black nylon back pockets. And it was hard to slot the plastic hook into its storage tab when the bag was full.

The Freegrace Hanging Toiletry Bag is the largest bag we tested and holds enough toiletries for a family trip. But its size makes it cumbersome to carry when full. The bag also leaked during our tests.

We liked the toughness of the Tom Bihn Deluxe Spiff Kit, with its YKK zippers, ripstop fabric, and reinforced carry handles. There’s also a fold-out shelf covered in Velcro that keeps four 1-ounce jars from falling to the floor. Our testers thought the jars were too small, though, and not worth the additional cost. The bag also leaked during our tests.

We’re testing new toiletry bags from Filson, and we’ve begun to make some forays into testing cosmetic bags, starting with a few bags from Le Sportsac and Leatherology. We plan to expand on this category soon.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.