The Best Packing Cubes for Travel

eBags' Hyper-Lite line is a travel insider favorite and consistently top-rated. These cubes are durable, versatile, have a lifetime warranty, and little details like corded pulls on the zippers make for easy opening and closing. They’re also built with a fancy patent-pending spring technology that keep cubes upright while packing, but without being rigid. 

The Pack-It Specter Tech Cubes from Eagle Creek are just as solidly constructed as the much-touted Pack-It Originals, but weigh half as much. Top handles make them easy to carry, and they’re also tear/water/stain-resistant. If you’re dealing with particularly bulky items like heavy sweaters and jackets (or just generally want to cram in as much as possible), Eagle Creek also make a separate lightweight compression sac set that reduces volume by up to 80%. That’s a lot of extra space.

AmazonBasics' four-piece set is one of the most popular options on the market, and it leads the pack when compared to other budget options. These sturdy bags do a good job stretching to accommodate heavy packing, and we also like that the largest size bag is, well, larger than those of similar sets. 

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It may be beside the point, but it’s probably fair to say that most packing cubes aren't particularly stylish. Away's, on the other hand, are simple and sleek, and still have key features like water-resistance and mesh panelling for visibility.  They’re available in sets of four or six in a bunch of pleasing shades, and there's a 100-day trial period so that you can test and return with no questions asked. 

Imagine if we said you could get seven lightweight and durable four-inch deep cubes, with sturdy zippers and a lifetime warranty—and all for under $20? Well, ta-dah! And unsurprisingly, this set's got a lot of fans: over 3,500 Amazon customers have reviewed it, and almost 90% gave it five stars. The number of cubes also means a lot more versatility with mixing and matching sizes to accommodate different bags. Also included in the set are two TSA-approved waterproof toiletry bags for carry-ons, as well as a shoe bag.

For a weekend away, this light three-piece set works perfectly in a carry-on. The cubes have breathable mesh tops, two-way easy-pull zippers, and top handles that easily pull out. There are nine colors to choose from, but we think the punchy lime green and passion pink are the most fun. 

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Pack effectively and pack more. Whether you’re thinking about the extra room you’ll need for the stuff you pick up on your travels, or generally tend to overpack (no judgement), compression cubes work miracles. This smart-looking three-piece set from LeanTravel is double-zippered and has re-enforced edges to support the added pressure. This means your four-inch pile of stuff can magically compress down to one. 

Coming in at the #1 spot for Amazon’s top-selling travel organizer is this six-piece from Bagail. It comes with all the stuff you’d expect—three sizes, sturdy nylon with mesh top panels, solid double zippers, and a lifetime warranty. There are sixteen color options to choose from, but we particularly like the set of mixed colors for even extra ease navigating a bag.

For anyone somehow still on the fence, this six-piece IKEA set is a good way to test the waters. It’s basic, but at 10 bucks, it’s worth giving a whirl.