Best vacuum storage bags for storing clothes, bedding, cushions and curtains

Maybe you're wondering if you should pick up a Shark or Dyson vacuum cleaner ready for the New Year? We've got a detailed Shark vs. Dyson vacuum cleaner comparison to help you make your decision.

Vacuum storage bags can be a bit hit-or-miss, so to help you find ones that will really work and won't just let in air, we asked parents in our Top Testers Club which ones they use and recommend. For more useful household products, take a look at our wardrobe storage ideas and fridge organisers, or take a look at the best electric cleaning brushes, cutlery trays, clothes steamers and toilet brushes.

Best vacuum storage bags at a glance

• Best vacuum storage bags for jumpers: Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags, £13.49
• Best vacuum storage bags for duvets: Lakeland Vacuum Clothes and Duvet Storage Tote Bag Jumbo 87L, £26.99
• Best extra large vacuum storage bags: Compactor Vacuum Storage Bag 210L, £25
• Best patterned vacuum storage bags: YAAVAAW Medium Vacuum Storage Bags, £7.99
• Best budget vacuum storage bags: Wilko Vacuum Sealed Storage Bags 2 Sizes: £6
• Best vacuum storage bags for hanging clothes: SGerste Vacuum Storage Bags for Clothes, £12.99
• Best vacuum storage bags for a variety of sizes: Variety 8 Pack Space Max Premium Space Saver Vacuum Storage Bags, £20.99
• Best roll-up vacuum storage bags: Packmate Roll Up Travel Bag, £12.99

What to consider when choosing vacuum storage bags

Size – Depending on what you wish to store, you will need different sized bags. A rough guide when choosing the size is small works well for baby clothes, medium can fit clothes, including jumpers but not bedding. Large is ideal for big bulky clothes, towels, curtains and some bedding. Extra large works well for duvets, pillows, towels and curtains but is not big enough for king-size duvets. Jumbo can fit multiple duvets including king-size as well as lots of other things too. This is a rough guide and each brand is slightly different in sizes.

Quantity – If you have lots to store and want to keep it all separated, then instead of buying one jumbo bag and putting it all in, you may want to buy a pack that contain multiple so you can easily sort through and keep your clothes separated

Variety – For storing different things, from babygrows to king-size duvets, you will need different sized bags. Most packs come in the same size but there are a few options listed where there are a variety of sizes in one pack.

Vacuum or roll-up – If you're travelling you can get a vacuum storage bag that comes with a little handheld pump which you can pack with you in your case. Alternatively, if you don't want to pack a pump then you can get roll-up bags which don't require a pump or vacuum – you just extract the air by rolling it out.

Our pick of the best vacuum storage bags

1. Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags, £13.49

– Best for jumpers

Size: Medium 71cm x 51cm (8-10 jumpers) | Quantity: 5

These vacuum storage bags are ideal for storing jumpers or larger items of clothing. You get 5 medium sized bags, each bag has a suggested capacity of 8-10 jumpers.

They claim to reduce the original volume by 80%. The bags have a double-zip seal and triple-seal turbo valve which aims to get all the air out and allow none back in.

You can use the bags with any vacuum or, you can use the free travel pump which comes included with the bags. This is great, as it means you can use the vacuum bags for packing when travelling.

Home tester Luke said, "I have used quite a few brands in the past but just use Space Saver now, they seem to be the only ones that don't rip at the valve and stay sealed. They also come with a handy hand pump as my cordless vac will shut off when it thinks it's jammed when using them this is a good addition to finish off getting the last bit of air out."

Pros: Good size for jumpers and larger clothing, double-zip seal, triple-seal turbo valve, compatible with any vacuum, comes with travel pump
Cons: All one size, may not be suitable for larger items e.g. duvets/cushions

Available from: Amazon

2. Lakeland Vacuum Clothes and Duvet Storage Tote Bag Jumbo 87L, £26.99

– Best for duvets

Size: Jumbo (king-size duvet and 4 pillows) 65cm x 50cm | Quantity: 1

If you have lots of bedding, or perhaps you have a winter duvet and a summer duvet you need to store away, then this jumbo vacuum bag is great.

Home tester Jen uses Lakeland vacuum storage bags to store her kids clothes while she waits for them to be passed down and highly recommends them.

It fits approximately a king-size duvet and 4 pillows and have easy-carry handles to help you put it up in the loft or grab it from under the bed.

The vacuum bag also has a handy viewing window so if you have multiple bags, you can easily identify which bag is storing what.

Lakeland offer a 3-year guarantee if you have any issues with this product.

Pros: Extra large for duvets and bedding, easy-carry handles, viewing window, 3-year guarantee
Cons: Larger to store than other vacuum bags, does not come with pump

Available from: Lakeland

3. Compactor Vacuum Storage Bag 210L, £25

– Best for extra large

Size: Extra large 240cm x 220cm (multiple duvets and pillows) | Quantity: 1

This vacuum storage bag is similar to the Lakeland one. However, it has a much bigger capacity, 210L, compared to 87L. This means, if you have lots of bedding or cushions then this may be a better option as you will be able to store more in one bag.

The vacuum bag comes in a semi-rigid storage box with handles and aims to save you 75% more space.

Pros: Extra large, comes with semi-rigid storage bag, handles
Cons: Large to store, does not come with pump

Available from: John Lewis

4. YAAVAAW Medium Vacuum Storage Bags, £7.99

– Best for patterned

Size: Medium (70cm x 50cm) | Quantity: 4

Patterned vacuum storage bags make it easier to identity the different bags. It's a good idea if you're storing children's clothes you're waiting for the next child to grow into. You could store each size of clothing in different patterned bags so you know which one is which, without having to take a look inside.

These vacuum storage bags are made of antibacterial materials and protect your clothing from dust, bugs, insects, odour, mould, water and moisture. They have a double zipper seal and triple turbocharger valve.

They aim to reduce the volume by around 80%. You can use the manual inflation pump which comes with it – making it great for travel – an automatic pump or any vacuum cleaner to suck out all the air.

Pros: Patterned, antibacterial, double zipper seal, triple turbocharger valve, comes with pump
Cons: May not be suitable for larger items e.g. duvets/cushions, all one size

Available from: Amazon

5. Wilko Vacuum Sealed Storage Bags 2 Sizes, £6

– Best budget buy

Size: Medium (70cm x 40cm), small (60cm x 38cm) | Quantity: 1x medium, 1 x small

You don't need to spend a lot to store your clothes away. For smaller clothing, these Wilko vacuum storage bags would do you just fine.

They protect from damp, dust, mites and moisture and have an easy-slide zip seal. They aim to reduce the volume by around 4 times.

You get 1 medium bag and 1 small bag for storing different sized clothing.

You can use any vacuum to extract the air out of the vacuum bags.

Pros: Good budget option, 2 sizes, easy-slide zip
Cons: Quite small bags, does not come with pump

Available from: Wilko

6. SGerste Vacuum Bags for Clothes, £12.99

– Best for hanging clothes

Size: Large (67cm x 110cm)| Quantity: 4

If you have fancy dresses or coats you don't want crumpled in a box then hanging vacuum storage bags may be just what you need.

You get 4 large hanging compression bags and a manual pump. The bags are soft, elastic, durable, heat-resistant and waterproof so should protect your clothes while hanging at the back of the wardrobe.

You can use the pump included or any vacuum cleaner to extract all the air out of the bags through the leak-proof valve.

The built-in 2-way hanging buckle allows you to hang multiple items of clothing from one storage bag.

Pros: Can hang the storage bags, protects clothes, comes with pump, can hang multiple items in 1 bag
Cons: Only suitable for hangable items

Available from: Amazon

7. Variety 8 Pack Space Max Premium Space Saver Vacuum Storage Bags, £20.99

– Best for variety of sizes

Size: Small (60cm x 40cm), medium (71cm x 51cm), large (61cm x 81cm), jumbo (100cm x 76cm)| Quantity: x2 small, x 2 medium, x2 large, x2 jumbo

These are very similar to the Space Saver bags, but come in a variety of sizes so are great for storing pretty much anything from babygrows to duvets and cushions.

In the set you get 2 small bags, 2 medium bags, 2 large bags and 2 jumbo bags and a pump, making the whole kit excellent value.

They claim to reduce the volume by up to 80% with their double-zip seal and triple-seal turbo valve.

Home tester Amy uses them to store clothes the next size up for her children and said, "They are super easy to seal, have an air lock type seal so no air gets in between removing the hoover and putting the cap on and they haven't let any air in over time."

To extract the air, you can use the pump included or any vacuum cleaner.

Pros: Multiple sizes, lots of bags, pump included, excellent value, double-zip seal, easy to seal, triple-seal turbo valve
Cons: None

Available from: Amazon

8. Packmate Roll Up Travel Bag, £12.99

– Best for roll-up

Size: Medium (50cm x 40cm)| Quantity: 2

If you don't want to use a vacuum or a pump, then roll-up bags such as these are also great, especially for packing.

These roll-up bags claim to reduce the volume in the bag by up to 75%. To compress, all you have to do is roll and press the bag, so there's no need to get the vacuum or pump which you might not have when travelling.

They have a white slider to securely seal the bag – it's recommended to slide the seal 4 times to ensure it's airtight.

The bags are waterproof, mould resistant, keep bugs, moisture, odour and dust locked out.

Pros: Don't need a vacuum or pump, good for travelling
Cons: May not be as compressed as vacuum bag, not suitable for larger items e.g. duvets/cushions

Available from: Amazon