The best overall
The InterDesign Orbz Shower Tote Holder and Organizer keeps all your shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and so on in place so you can carry it along with you into the communal showers or shared bathroom.
It's important to have one of these and to remove it from the shared bathroom (if you have one) when you're done each time so that you're never without your toothbrush in case your roommate stays in the shower for ten years.
The InterDesign caddy can hold all sorts of products, thanks to its two big side compartments and its smaller organizer in the middle. The handles are relatively comfortable to hold, and there are air holes in the design to help your belongings dry out after your shower.
Perhaps the best part is that you can get it in a few colors, including black, coral, lemon, mint, and white. Buyers love this shower caddy, and it has an average star rating of 4.2 on Amazon. The only criticism buyers make is that the small version wasn't big enough for their needs, so take note of how big it is: The InterDesign caddy measures 11.75 by 6 by 12 inches.
Pros: Dividers keep products in place, nice handles, easy to carry, multiple sizes
Cons: A tad pricey
Buy the InterDesign Orbz Shower Tote Holder and Organizer on Amazon for $15.59The best plastic shower caddy
If you're not sold on our top pick, the Sterilite Bath Caddy is a great alternative. It's made of a tougher, stiffer plastic and it has a short handle in the middle, which is surrounded by five compartments.
The largest compartments on each side of the caddy easily hold shampoo, conditioner, and other large products. You'll also find two smaller compartments on one side of the handle and one medium one on the other side. The smallest sections are great for toothbrushes, toothpaste, and razors, while the medium one may hold a hairbrush or loofah.
Since it's likely to get a bit wet in the showers, the caddy has drainage holes at the bottom. You'll want to clean it from time to time, but plastic is easy to wipe down. It measures 15.2 by 9.8 by 9.5 inches, so it's a bit longer and wider than the InterDesign caddy.
Pros: Sturdy design, lots of compartments, good handle, drainage holes
Cons: A bit pricey
Buy the Sterilite Bath Caddy on Amazon for $16.94The best toiletry bag
The L.L. Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag holds tons of toiletries, but it zips them all up in a cool looking travel bag that you can take anywhere you roam. When you unzip it, it folds out to reveal all your products, and you can hang it up on the bathroom door.
You can store all your toiletries in the different-sized pockets. Some of them have zippers to keep your stuff in place. The largest section at the bottom should be able to hold full-size shampoo and conditioner bottles and then some. It also has mesh compartments to separate products better.
L.L. Bean sells it in several sizes, too, so you can pick whatever size is right for your needs. The large version measures 12½ by 11½ by 4 inches, and we expect it'll be the best size for most people. The medium version is good if you need something a tad smaller.
There's a removable mirror inside, too, and a hook for easy hanging on a door hook or rack. Some buyers say the large and family size bags are too big and heavy to hang properly without stretching awkwardly, so keep weight in mind when you buy the larger sizes.
One of the coolest things about the L.L. Bean Toiletry Bag is that you can use it later in life after college when you go on extended trips or vacations.
Pros: Attractive bag, tons of compartments, a hook to hang it, good for travel, multiple sizes and colors
Cons: Can be too heavy to hang, expensive
Buy the medium L.L. Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry bag on LLBean.com for $29.95 Buy the large L.L. Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag on LLBean.com for $39.95 Buy the family size L.L. Bean Personal Organizer Toiletry Bag on LLBean.com for $49.95The best collapsible shower tote
If you're short on space and you don't want to have your shower caddy full all the time, you'll love the collapsible Handy Laundry Dorm Shower Caddy. It has a flexible wire frame that holds it upright when you're using it, but it conveniently folds flat when held by the elastic strap for easy storage. It's just like those pop-up laundry hampers, but smaller.
The caddy is made from a durable nylon mesh with an open top and a reinforced nylon strap for carrying it for hanging it up. There is a drainage hole in the bottom of the caddy, and the mesh shouldn't absorb too much water or collect mold.
The Dorm Shower Caddy measures 8 by 12 inches, and it holds several full shampoo bottles and other products without any problems. You can get it in tons of different colors and patterns, too, so you always know which one is yours.
Pros: Many colors and patterns, folds up flat, holds lots of stuff, easy to carry, affordable
Cons: Durability unknown
Buy the Handy Laundry Dorm Shower Caddy on Amazon for $5.99 and up (price varies by color)The best mesh shower tote
The Saltwater Canvas Mesh Dorm Shower Bag will hold all of your products and then some. This durable mesh bag is made out of what the company calls, "outdoor mesh," so it should dry faster than almost any other mesh shower caddy.
It has a doubled back strap that runs through the bag for added strength and stability. There are three outer pockets that hold smaller shower items, and the big part in the center can hold four-to-five bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and other large products.
This very popular shower caddy is also recommended by The Wirecutter in its college supplies guide, and buyers love it, too. You can get it in black and red, though the black version tends to sell faster.
Pros: Durable, lots of space, easy to carry, strong strap
Cons: Some Amazon customers complain material is too stiff and too large
Buy the red Saltwater Canvas Mesh Dorm Shower Bag on Swim Outlet for $8.95 Buy the black Saltwater Canvas Mesh Dorm Shower Bag on Amazon for $19.97The best secure shower caddy
I hope to goodness that I'll never, ever need something to protect my toiletries in my bathroom, but for anyone with potentially thieving roommates, the Shlocker is an excellent idea.
The rustproof, combination-locking Shlocker has a shelf, four toothbrush/razor holders, and an anti-fog mirror, along with drain and ventilation holes throughout to keep mildew at bay. The two suction cups that attach to your bath or shower's tiles will purportedly support up to 40 pounds of weight.
At 2.8 pounds, it's not our lightest-weight recommendation, but it might be worth the slightly higher price tag for the piece of mind, especially for those who invest more in their haircare products.
The Shlocker is relatively new, but so far, the Shlocker has earned a 4.6/5-star average from 29 customers who left feedback (with the majority giving it 5 stars), and while some have found the suction cups faulty and others wish it were larger and more accommodating, most reviews are complimentary of how surprisingly sturdy the unit is. Just be sure to follow the detailed installation instructions and don't put it on any textured finishes or grout lines. — Owen Burke
Pros: Secure, low profile, holes for draining and circulation
Cons: Sort of expensive, suction cups might not work in all showers
Buy the Shlockler on Amazon for $39.99-$44.67 (price varies by color)The best alternative
No, maybe you don't need this Shower Squid, but why can't shower caddies be fun, too? With nine tentacles, there should more than enough room for all of your toiletries on this clever little cephalopod.
We especially like that you can hang your bottles upside-down from the Shlocker so that you can not only dispense your shampoo with a single hand, but use up the entire contents of the bottle.
These adorable little squids may not make for the most conventional shower caddies, but they work, after all, and seem to be pretty durable, especially compared with plastic that can easily be stepped on and destroyed.
Nearly 500 reviewers on UncommonGoods gave the Shower Squid an average 4.4/5 stars, and multiple shoppers have had them for over a year with no troubles to report. — Owen Burke
Pros: Versatile, fun, easy to store
Cons: Expensive
Buy the Shower Squid from UncommonGoods for $33
