Great For Light Loads & Storage, But Not Much More
Written: Apr 04 '03 (Updated Aug 04 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Nice for light loads, lots of airflow, stacks nicely when empty, inexpensive.
Cons: Not for heavy loads, sides are flimsy.
The Bottom Line: If you need a general laundry basket or something to tote around light loads, this is a great pick.
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| Freak369's Full Review: Rubbermaid Laundry Basket |
I have several laundry baskets, a few from Rubbermaid and a few from Sterilite. Since I do a lot of laundry each week I need to have a system in place where I can just grab a basket full of dirty clothes and toss it n the washer. I have finally engrained it into the boys heads that socks should get turned right side out, jean pockets need to get emptied and under no circumstances should anything other than clothing be placed into the baskets. 85% of the time doing laundry is relatively easy but when I need to do whites, it tends to get ugly.
Since one of the boys has extremely sensitive skin I need to double wash the whites in hot water using All Free for the first load then Dreft for the second instead of using bleach. This means I need to drag the whites out, toss them in the laundry basket and check to see if there are any socks or underwear that need extra scrubbing before the second load. I had the white Rubbermaid laundry basket [model 2965] designated for only white clothing [simple to remember – whites go in the white basket]. After about a year of putting up with getting soaked [more on that later], the sides collapsing and not being satisfied with this basket I was forced to reevaluate my laundry system.
The Basics
Shaped just like most every other standard laundry basket on the market, the Rubbermaid basic model laundry basket is a no frills item. It’s made of a sturdy yet flexible plastic that is best used for storing dirty clothes or transporting light loads to and from the washer and dryer. If you need several baskets these are stackable to take up less space when they are not in use. They are available in several colors however they seem to be bountiful in white, cream and blue. It has handles on all four sides so no matter how you carry it, you’ll have access to the recessed handles. There are a lot of small slots on the sides of the basket for airflow so clothes that may be damp or stinky won’t have a chance to build up more power before you get them into the washer. The size is 11 x 22.5 x 16.5 so it will hold a good bit of dirty laundry – it’s just that using it to transport them where this basket loses a few points in my book.
You can find these at most retailers that sell laundry baskets but I picked mine up at Target for about $2.49. I didn’t really think much about the basket when I was looking at the different models and brands and figured – it’s just a laundry basket. After having this for a while I realized that not all laundry baskets are the same and you have to determine your specific needs before you make a purchase. I’ve also seen these at Wal-Mart and K-Mart for about the same price. Rubbermaid makes several different styled laundry baskets so be sure to check out what is available before you make a purchase.
My biggest complaint about this laundry basket would be that if you are carrying it on your hip the sides don’t provide you with enough support and often times it will bend inward and make carrying a real chore. My washer has been known to be very temperamental at times and when this happens I have to use my neighbors washer which means going out the garage door, through the yard, into her side carport and into her laundry room – that’s four doorways to navigate so carrying this sideways is a necessity. Don’t get me wrong, this will handle heavy loads but most of the time you’ll notice that the part that is against your stomach will bend inwards or flex. When I had to drag out the whites after the first washing I would grab the basket, pick it up and end up leaning backwards with it to try and keep it from flexing under the weight of the wet clothes, which meant that my shirt would get soaked. Since this was happening each and every time I did whites I picked up one of the Sterilite baskets that are made of a hard plastic and my problem was solved.
If you only have small loads or do laundry often, then this would make a great basket to have around the house. If you have a few kids, a messy spouse that changes clothes three times a day or let the laundry pile up for a week or so, this just won’t give you the stability that a hard plastic basket can provide. Rubbermaid offers a wide variety of baskets ranging from the thin basic model that I am reviewing to the larger hard plastic ones that can take a real beating. If you are curious about all the different styles and models that they sell, you can visit the website or this direct link to this section of the site: http://www.rubbermaid.com/hpd/consumer/product/list.jhtml
The Bottom Line
This is a great ‘all purpose’ type laundry basket to keep in the bathroom, bottom of the linen closet or in the laundry room for items that need a second wash or clothes that get mixed in with loads they don’t belong with. Since I switched to using the Sterilite basket for the “wet whites” and heavy loads my laundry days [and nights] have been a lot more tolerable. I still have this particular Rubbermaid laundry basket and use it in the laundry room as well as when I have to go around and gather up bright clothes from the bathrooms or for clothes that need special treatment [double washing, immediate washings or delicates]. This laundry basket is a great value but it’s important to know that even though the manufacturer claims that this would be good for handling heavy loads, it’s best suited for light loads or general laundry storage.
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Other Rubbermaid product reviews…
• Rubbermaid Laundry Basket • Rubbermaid Blue Ice Mini Freezer Pack • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs 9 Ounce Sip Cup • Rubbermaid Servin’ Saver Egg Keeper • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Rectangle • Rubbermaid Ice Cube Bin • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Chug Bottle 17 Ounce • Rubbermaid Take-Alongs Deep Square • Rubbermaid Snap Case Series •
Recommended:
Yes
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