Best bamboo soap dispensers: buyer's guide

Bamboo Soap Dispenser: Reviews and Complete Buyers

I’ve worked with soap dispensers for many years. However, that has mainly been with soap dispensers for kids and glass soap dispensers. I do not have any affiliation with any company selling other types of dispensers.

That’s why I can guarantee you that this product review is 100 % unbiased.

However, I’ve recently been looking into a new category: bamboo soap dispensers.

They’re cool, they’re eco-friendly and … by the look of it, it has an increasing demand:

Trend in searches for “bamboo soap dispenser” on Google.

Therefore, I bought several bamboo soap dispensers products on Amazon. That’s done because I can recommend the best ones to you guys – and ignore the poor ones.

That’s always how I do my product reviews.

In this article, I will recommend the best bamboo soap dispensers on the market. In addition to that, I will tell you what you should look for in a good product – and, more importantly, what to avoid.

Best bamboo soap dispensers: buyer's guide

Table of Contents

In a hurry? Here are my top 3 picks

My favorite
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
Pinklife Natural Bamboo Liquid Soap Dispenser,Lotion Sanitizer Shower Gel Bottle,Large Capacity Refillable Container for Bathroom Kitchen,2.8’’x2.8’’x6.7’’
EVIDECO 6250195 Ecobio Square Bamboo Bath Soap and Lotion Dispenser Color: Brown, 2.83 L x 2.83 W x 7.09 H
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
Pinklife Natural Bamboo Liquid Soap Dispenser,Lotion Sanitizer Shower Gel Bottle,Large Capacity Refillable Container for Bathroom Kitchen,2.8’’x2.8’’x6.7’’
EVIDECO 6250195 Ecobio Square Bamboo Bath Soap and Lotion Dispenser Color: Brown, 2.83 L x 2.83 W x 7.09 H
$16.12
$12.99
$14.99
My favorite
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
$16.12
Pinklife Natural Bamboo Liquid Soap Dispenser,Lotion Sanitizer Shower Gel Bottle,Large Capacity Refillable Container for Bathroom Kitchen,2.8’’x2.8’’x6.7’’
Pinklife Natural Bamboo Liquid Soap Dispenser,Lotion Sanitizer Shower Gel Bottle,Large Capacity Refillable Container for Bathroom Kitchen,2.8’’x2.8’’x6.7’’
$12.99
EVIDECO 6250195 Ecobio Square Bamboo Bath Soap and Lotion Dispenser Color: Brown, 2.83 L x 2.83 W x 7.09 H
EVIDECO 6250195 Ecobio Square Bamboo Bath Soap and Lotion Dispenser Color: Brown, 2.83 L x 2.83 W x 7.09 H
$14.99

If you want more information about any of these bamboo soap dispensers, feel free to scroll down.

1. iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable: My absolute favorite

Not only is this soap dispenser made out of high-quality materials.

It’s also extremely pretty to look at.

  • Good & eco-friendly alternative to single-use dispensers
  • Made out of high-quality bamboo
  • See-through, which means you can see how much soap you have left
  • Works best with soap that isn’t colored
  • Very easy to refill

Also, I found that the shape and size was perfect for my bathroom. The height is 8,5 inches – and the width is 3,5 inches.

Plastic?

Let’s be honest: this bamboo soap dispenser is not made out of 100 % bamboo. That would be impossible.

But what’s great about the plastic is that it’s labelled “BPA-FREE”. That does not only extend the durability of the product. It also means that once it has to be recycled, it’s not going to make such a big environmental footprint.

Best available option

All-in-all: this is the best bamboo soap dispenser on the market.

And believe me: I have almost analyzed the whole Amazon and American market to try to find something better.

Product specifications

Size8,5 inches * 3,5 inches
Total capacity10 ounces
Brand nameiDesign

2. Pinklife Natural Bamboo Liquid: The big option

If you want a large bamboo soap dispenser: this one’s for you.

Also – it’s cheap.

  • Includes a leak-proof gaskets
  • Suits perfectly for a “Scandinavian home style”
  • Can be nice as a gift
  • Large size

You don’t have to necessarily take my word on the fact that this is a good product.

I’ve looked through the reviews on Amazon – and they all say the same. This is quality.

You can’t see how much soap that is left

After I bought this soap dispenser, I was quite happy.

Well. That happiness slowly disappeared that one day I stood in the bathroom and wanted to wash my hands – just to figure out there’s no soap left. What I loved about iDesign bamboo soap dispenser is their see-through functionality.

With this dispenser from Pinklife, you would have to open it up in order to see how much is left.

That’s a minus in my book.

Wash the countertop a couple of times per year

To be honest, this product comes with a countertop that should be cleaned at least a couple of times per year.

I did not see any mold or something like that, but after a year it started to have a bit of a bad smell. As it was placed on the cabin, it might be that it wasn’t used for about 5-6 months (during winter).

Still: I would recommend you to clean it at least once in a while.

Product specifications

Size6,5” * 3,5 inches
BrandPinklife

3. “EVIDECO Ecobio Square Bamboo Lotion Dispenser” – French quality

I am honest: EVIDECO and the one I listed as #2 are very much similar.

But I love them both.

  • Made out of high quality bamboo
  • Rectangular shape
  • Made in France (!)
  • Very easy to refill
  • Got loads of great reviews on Amazon

If you want to give away a bamboo soap dispenser to someone as a gift: buy this one.

It looks more classy than the other ones. In addition to that, it’s slightly more expensive.

The high price might be simply because it’s made in Europe.

Product specifications

Size7 inches * 2,8 inches
Brand nameEVIDECO

Why buy a bamboo soap dispenser

  • Bamboo soap dispensers provide your kitchen or bathroom with a classy look. Bamboo is as close to perfect as a home decoration material can ever get. As a Scandinavian guy, I have seen the higher-end home decor shops (not IKEA…) fill their shelves with bamboo products. And the outcome is almost always amazing. It’s classic, stylish, and neat.

  • It gets rid of that plastic waste. Buying a refillable soap dispenser for your home is more than just design. It’s also a container that you won’t throw out in the next month or so. In 2020, every American citizen will create about 102 kilos of plastic waste (source: The Guardian). That’s massive. Take action. Now.

  • Bamboo is a strong and durable material. Many soap dispensers (at least the ones that are made out of glass) do have a lifespan of about a year. Bamboo soap dispensers can last “a lifetime”. Seriously. They do not “go old” or smell at all. If you are careful about cleaning them every 6th month, it’s more than good enough.

Key features

Durability

Many of the plastic soap dispensers are not designed to last more than a year. Honestly – so many of them are straight out rubbish. Many American companies manufacture them in a dirty factory in a developing country and push them out on Amazon.

Most bamboo soap dispensers are not like that. You can’t “fake it” when you make something out of bamboo.

One of the main reasons to buy a bamboo soap dispenser is the fact that it’s eco-friendly. But it’s not eco-friendly if you have to throw it out of the house in six months. The materials need to be strong and well-designed in order to work for at least a couple of years.

Quality of the pump

Frankly, most non-plastic soap dispensers have a super bad pump. This is something that I experienced a lot throughout this test as well. Most of the bamboo itself was super hard and soft, but the pump was easily broken after a week or so.

They become rusty, slow, and ugly after about three months. In this article, I’ve only recommended bamboo soap dispensers that I have used for more than half a year (yup, it took some time from I bought them until I wrote the article…).

Smell

You might not know this, but bamboo is a material that “keeps” the smell for a long time. Therefore, it’s important that you buy something that is made of high-quality bamboo – and that’s easy to clean.

Let’s say you’re buying some refillable soap with a banana smell. You don’t want that soap dispenser to smell banana for the next 10 years. There’s a big difference on poor and good soap dispensers when it comes to smell.

If it’s made out of plastic, you can always clean it. However, if it’s made in wood, bamboo or glass – you should be careful to only buy soap dispensers that can easily be cleaned.

PS! Also, as a consumer, you do have the responsibility to clean your soap dispenser at least two times per year.

Types of bamboo soap dispensers

There are three types of bamboo soap dispensers available on Amazon:

1) Bathroom set.
2) “Normal” bamboo soap dispenser.
3) Soap bar “plate”.

I have picked the best products from each of these three categories:

Dispenser
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
Full set
Seville Classics Bamboo Eco-Conscious Bathroom Vanity Organizer Set Kitchen Home Over The Sink Trash Bin, Soap, Cotton Ball Holder, Towel Tray, 5 piece, Natural
Soap bars
stjerne Nigiri Bamboo Soap Dish
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
Seville Classics Bamboo Eco-Conscious Bathroom Vanity Organizer Set Kitchen Home Over The Sink Trash Bin, Soap, Cotton Ball Holder, Towel Tray, 5 piece, Natural
stjerne Nigiri Bamboo Soap Dish
$16.12
$54.99
$9.90
Dispenser
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
iDesign Formbu Bamboo Refillable Soap Dispenser - 3" x 3" x 8.75", Clear/Natural
$16.12
Full set
Seville Classics Bamboo Eco-Conscious Bathroom Vanity Organizer Set Kitchen Home Over The Sink Trash Bin, Soap, Cotton Ball Holder, Towel Tray, 5 piece, Natural
Seville Classics Bamboo Eco-Conscious Bathroom Vanity Organizer Set Kitchen Home Over The Sink Trash Bin, Soap, Cotton Ball Holder, Towel Tray, 5 piece, Natural
$54.99
Soap bars
stjerne Nigiri Bamboo Soap Dish
stjerne Nigiri Bamboo Soap Dish
$9.90

As you can see, what you buy depends on how your bathroom and sink area looks like. More precisely: how you would want your bathroom to look like. 🙂

It also depends on what type of soap you use. I’m a SUPER BIG fan of liquid soap, which means I will always buy “normal bamboo soap dispensers”. However, I know that some people prefer soap bars.

And if you do want to have a full bathroom set, your bathroom will get quite a luxurious look. Every time I go to someone’s’ house and they have something else than a boring plastic soap dispenser bought at Tesco, it somehow impresses me.

Top Brands of Bamboo Soap Dispensers

iDesign

Started more than 40 years ago, iDesign is one of the most trusted companies when it comes to bathroom accessories. They have done an impressive job marketing their products online. And now that they have also listed their products on Amazon, they are easily accessible for everyone.


IKEA

I have to admit that IKEA is also a strong contestant when it comes to branding in the “home and kitchen niche”.

They do have some beautiful dispensers made of bamboo. “DRAGAN”, which means “dragon” in Swedish, is the prettiest one. Click here to have a look at their cutest soap dispenser.

Pricing

  • Below 10 $: To be completely honest, I would not buy any bamboo soap dispenser below 10 $. As you might already know, bamboo isn’t a very cheap material to produce. So if the manufacturer can sell it for a very cheap price, it means one of two things.
    Either they’re selling something that is of super-bad quality…or they’re losing money. 🙂

  • Between 10 and 25 $: Most of the bamboo soap dispensers can be found in this price range. They are strong, have a high-quality pump, and will last for more than a couple of years. In addition to that, they’re not smelly.

  • Above 25 $: If you buy someone in this price category, it should be premium stuff. Or a bathroom set with many different bamboo pieces. Please note that a full bamboo soap dispenser set should cost between 25-50 USD.

FAQ

✅Where do I buy the actual soap?

You can buy refillable soap bags in any supermarket close to your home. I’ve been living in several different countries and have yet to see a large supermarket that doesn’t have soap bags.

You can also buy them on Amazon (click here to go to the search for “refillable soap”).

✅Why is bamboo such a good material for a soap dispenser?

There are many reasons for that. First and foremost because it’s a super-strong material. According to makawear.com, bamboo is 2-3 times stronger than timber.

But that’s not all.

Bamboo products also have a reputation for being long-lasting, which is something I love. Low maintenance, high quality and it stays pretty for a long period of time.

✅Can these dispensers be bought wholesale from China?

I am sure they can.

But you will not know about the quality of them. What’s often problematic is the pump quality. Even though the bamboo itself can last for a long time, cheap soap dispensers from China are often problematic due to a defect or fragile pump system.

Wrapping things up

I love buying bamboo products. And I feel that bamboo in the bathroom gives a fantastic and luxurious feeling.

You can have a super ugly bathroom, but if you put in some hard-wood or bamboo soap dispensers, it will give a nice impression.

Not only that. Bamboo is a material that can last long. If you drop your glass soap dispenser on the bathroom floor, it’s broken. Done. Can never get back to its original shape.

That doesn’t happen with bamboo. In fact, bamboo is one of the hardest tree materials that can be found out there.

Please note that I’ve only recommended products that I have personally tried. I do not link to products that I sell myself – or that any of my friends sell. None of them are in the “bamboo soap dispenser” business anyway. If you do have feedback or questions, please let me know in the comment section below. I love to hear from people that have real-life experiences with these types of products.

Other bamboo product recommendations

Did I mention that I love bamboo…? 😉

I think I did. And I’ve several times written articles about other bamboo products – and I think you’ll find them quite interesting as well.

16 thoughts on “Bamboo Soap Dispenser: Reviews and Complete Buyers”

  1. Avatar

    The natural bamboo with its warm color is a modern version of wood we are familiar with in the Scandinavian style and is well suited for bathroom accessories.

    1. Avatar

      Sure.

      As a Scandinavian myself, I would say that being surrounded by bamboo products is almost something I’ve gotten used to now. 😉

  2. Avatar

    Bamboo is a much stronger material than most other wooden materials. I went to a shop trying to ask if they had any bamboo soap dispensers, but they only said that they had something called TEAK.

    I was sort of disappointed by that. Not only had I been looking forward to get the soap dispenser, but I feel that very few shop owners understand the importance of using more bamboo and less plastic.

  3. Avatar

    The IKEA bamboo soap dispenser works well for me, but I udnerstand it doesn’t give a “luxurious feeling”. If you want to have a classy bathroom,,,,I agree. You need something else.

    But it worked OK for me as I don’t live like a millionaire 😛

    1. Avatar

      I can assure you that my home doesn’t seem like a millionaire’s home either 😉

      But I would still go for a bamboo soap dispenser to give that extra “touch” to the bathroom.

  4. Avatar

    Bamboo is beautiful, durable and sustainable – which makes it an incredibly attractive material.
    One of the most amazing things about bamboo is that all the leftover material can be used. Even when the manufacturer make something like a soap dispenser, they can use the leftover material in the process. 🙂

    Many people don’t know that. But it makes it a very versitle and great material for home decor.

    Bamboo grows extremely fast, faster than any other plant. As it grows, bamboo absorbs 3-4 times more CO2 than living trees.

  5. Avatar

    I bought one at IKEA but im confident its like 10 years ago?

    It still works. It stands there by my kitchen sink and looks shamazing 😉 bamboo > plastic any day

  6. Avatar

    many people that own bamboo soap dispensers are the same people that want to create a “scandinavian look” in their homes

    unless you have the money: dont even try baby 😉 its not cheap to get that type of style home

    1. Avatar

      Hello Henriette. I am not sure exactly how long these soap dispensers will last. What I can say is that bamboo is a material that lasts for quite a long time.

      Plastic is also a good alternative – as long as you use it for a long period of time. Plastic might be easier to clean. However, I find the wooden/bamboo dispensers more delightful in the way they look.

  7. Avatar

    Bamboo is a material that doesn’t go old. Many soap dispensers and other bathroom accessories tend to go “old”.

    And by “old” I mean:

    1) Look old.
    2) Start to smell.
    3) Needs to be thrown out after about 3-4 years.

    Bamboo products is much stronger than that. And I know it because I’ve been working with these types of products for more than a decade…and got a lot of customers in UK and USA that sell bamboo soap dispensers etc.

    1. Avatar

      Hello. Interesting that you’ve actually worked with bamboo products for a while. I agree – it’s a super good material to make soap dispensers out of. And it looks like a lot of the big home decor corporations agree with us on that. 🙂

  8. Avatar

    Even though I would love to buy a plastic soap dispenser, I’ve already figured out that bamboo is the best material.

    There are many reasons for this to be the correct decision.

    1) You do NOT pay much more for bamboo soap dispensers (at least those I saw on Amazon)
    2) Plastic is harmful for the environment.
    3) bamboo also looks good when it stands on the bathroom sink. It gives a luxury impression

    1. Avatar

      Hello. I agree.

      However, I find nearly “all” soap dispensers useful. The reason is that they all limit plastic waste.

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