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Rose Maura Lorre is a writer on Wirecutter’s discovery team. She has reported on turkey fryers, composters, body pillows, and more. Cookies Plastic Bag
My name is Rose, and I used to hand-wash plastic sandwich bags.
The sordid details of my deranged ritual are nothing you need to know. Suffice it to say, what I did to divert my non-recyclables from the landfill cost me way too much precious free time. But I’m not here to relive those dark days. I’m here to tell you that there is a better way to free yourself from the tyranny of single-use plastic bags while keeping your kitchen operations a bit more streamlined.
My name is Rose, and I am in love with my Stasher bags.
These multipurpose, durable bags seal securely and can hold everything from snacks to prepped ingredients to leftovers, and they can go from fridge to freezer.
Stashers are reusable storage bags made from food-grade silicone that can go from the fridge or freezer into a boiling pot of water, through the dishwasher, and back again. (You can even sous vide in them.) In other words, they’re extremely durable and versatile, without sacrificing form for function. Stasher bags also come in a variety of sizes and pleasing colors, including soft pastels and bright neons. They've become a indispensable part of my routine as I constantly rotate them through various food-prep and leftover-storage tasks.
I use my smallest Stashers (like these 4-ounce bags) to store fresh herbs, lemon wedges, sausages, and fancy cheese, as well as to pack on-the-go snacks.
The Stand-Up Mega Stasher is designed with a stand-up bottom, which allows it to easily hold my family's weekly 4-pound roast chicken—both before we cook it and after we eat it. (We run the bag through the dishwasher during dinner; once it’s clean, we return what’s left of the bird to the same bag and later use it to make chicken noodle soup.)
Though I mainly use my sandwich-sized Stashers for leftovers—or, when I’m feeling more adventurous, for marinating one or two chicken breasts or fish filets—I was pleased to discover when using them for sandwiches that the bags are slightly wider at the top, which makes it especially easy to get a sandwich in and out.
Recently, I started using my medium-sized Stashers (either the 28-ounce sandwich Stasher or the half-gallon Stasher) as toiletry bags when traveling. I love that I can see all my items through the bag, that I can leave it on a wet counter if needed, and that the bag's seal stays put no matter how much turbulence or how many potholes I encounter.
My oldest Stasher has been in use for about five or six years, but it still has nary a nick or scratch on it, and its seal (which I find really satisfying to open and close in a tactile way) has yet to let me down.
Keep in mind, though, that Stashers, like all reusable products, aren't automatically more sustainable; it comes down to how often you reuse them.
Only one of my Stashers has endured a life-ending injury, which happened when my husband took one out of the freezer and banged it against the counter to break up the ice cubes we'd placed inside it. (We also often use Stashers as ice packs for sore joints and such.) From what we were able to deduce, the sharp ice crystals that had formed along the bag cut into the silicone and created a half-inch gash. So yeah, don't bang frozen Stashers against hard surfaces.
In our guide to the best reusable produce bags, we praise Stashers for being slim and space-saving, and I wholeheartedly concur. Whereas my overflowing Tupperware cabinet often torments me with its calamitous array of mismatched containers and lids, my Stasher drawer (it’s actually about a third of a drawer, with each Stasher folded in half) is a place of easy access and blissful calm.
Keeping Stashers clean is likewise blessedly simple. I stand them upside down in either the top or bottom rack of my dishwasher, depending on their size, making sure the bags will remain in an open position throughout the wash by gently stretching them over the racks' tines. While some of my colleagues have found that silicone bags can hold onto smells and remain sticky even after washing them, I have yet to encounter any left-behind oily residue or unpleasant odor.
Stashers are not cheap, but over the past several years, I’ve managed to slowly accrue them at deal prices.
Keep in mind that purchasing Stashers à la carte tends to increase the price per bag. It’s definitely more economical to buy starter kits and bundles, especially when they’re on sale.
My name is Rose, and I am about to go buy more Stasher bags.
This article was edited by Ignacia Fulcher and Nathan Burrow.
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Rose Maura Lorre is a senior staff writer on the discovery team at Wirecutter. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Esquire, Salon, Business Insider, HGTV Magazine, and many more. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, and lots and lots of houseplants.
Black Plastic Bags For Sale Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).