Stasher bags: The storage bag dubbed the 'Rolls Royce of reusables'
If you want to get me talking, compliment my peanut butter sandwich. More specifically, the vessel that holds my peanut butter sandwich: my 28-ounce Stasher bag in 'clear'.
I'll say thank you (because I'm polite), and then trap you into a long and gushing rant about the benefits of the Stasher, the best reusable ziploc bag on the market.
It's made from premium silicone, not plastic, I'd say. It's leakproof, it's durable, it'll last you for years. It keeps things so fresh. You can cook in it, you know?
I didn't intend for Stashers to become my personality but one day I turned 29, and here I am. I have them in almost every size. I bought some for my sister on her birthday. I've caught myself staring wistfully at them all lined up, side by side, filled with leftovers and keeping each other company in the fridge. My children.
And I promise I'm not the only one who raves about their utility and sleek design. You can also ask the nice folks over at CNN. Forbes. The New York Times. Buzzfeed. Or the thousands of five-star reviewers on Amazon.
They all agree with me. They all think Stashers are the bee's knees.
The 'Rolls Royce of Reusables'
I have a sneaking suspicion my love of Stashers grew so deep and fanatic because it took me such a long time to find them. The brand has only been around since 2016 and before they came to dominate the market, there weren't many reusable ziplocs I liked very much.
They would either break, or rip, or the ziploc part would lock and not zip, causing the contents to be trapped. Or it would zip and not lock, causing the contents to leak all through my tote (true story).
And because I do try to be a conscious consumer, I didn't want to keep buying more of the same version of something – especially when that something was supposed to stop me from creating waste in the first place.
I gave up for a while – using a mixture of single-use ziplocs and Tupperware to store food – before resuming my search about a year and a bit ago.
There was a review at the time calling Stashers the 'Rolls Royce of reusables', which I can't for the life of me find now. But I remember it was just the right amount of alliteration to convince me to add to cart. I bought the sandwich size and snack size to test them out and, as you can already guess, was immediately impressed.
Why are they so good?
If my fervour is not enough to convince you, and you prefer to deal in "facts" and "product details", then here are some that make Stashers such a joy to own:
– The thick, leak-proof seal locks together in a way I can only describe as 'satisfying'.
– They're made out of premium food-grade silicone, not plastic, so you don't have to worry about any chemicals leaking into your food. They're also BPA and latex-free.
– They're dishwasher and microwave-safe.
– You can boil and cook and even sous-vide in the bags. (Obviously, I do not sous vide, but it's nice to know there's that option.)
– You can use them as toiletry bags or to organise random bits about the house.
– They look cute and come in a bunch of colours.
Mostly, and this seems like such a 'duh' point, but they're endlessly reusable. They're so easy to grab in a pinch, you'll no longer store food in plastic wrap or single-use bags. Your waste will decrease exponentially, giving you a tiny flicker of self-satisfaction to know you're doing your bit for the planet.
The catch
Compared to similar products, Stashers come with a premium price tag. This is the one area I find a little difficult to justify. (It's also part of why that aforementioned reviewer likened them to a luxury car.)
It hurt to bite the bullet and give my first bundle a try – the sandwich and snack bundle currently set you back $48 on Amazon – but I waited until they were on sale. As I did with the others I bought following that.
Stashers really are an investment. But for me, having tried so many other options and feeling so constantly disappointed in the quality, the price is worth it.
In saying that, everyone has their own circumstances, so if you find a more affordable eco-friendly storage option that works for you, go for that instead.
If that's not a consideration, and you really just want the best, join the cult. I mean, club.
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