The Best Soap Dishes

Buying Guide for Soap Dishes

Why buy a soap dish?

If you want to add a bit of common sense and convenience to your bathing and handwashing processes, think about getting a soap dish. Such a simple tool keeps hand soap in place, decreases mess from soap foam and slime, adds much-needed organization, and can look nice, too.

What should you look for in a soap dish?

• Material: You’ll find soap dishes made from plastic, glass, ceramic, wood, and stainless steel. Ceramic is more visually appealing, but it’s breakable, as is glass. Plastic and stainless steel soap dishes are affordable and durable options. Wood adds a nice natural element but could sustain damage from constant moisture.
• Design: Material and design are interconnected. For example, ceramic makes a lovely soap dish to rest on a surface beside a sink and adds decoration. Soap dishes meant to be mounted in the shower may be made of steel with adhesive material to secure them to the wall. The same holds true for plastic hanging soap dishes. Probably the most important design feature in a soap dish is a double layer where the topmost surface has slats or holes to drain water into the bottom layer.
• Installation: How you want to use your soap dish will help determine installation. Do you have a large family? You may want to opt for a simple wall-mountable soap dish that can hold a big bar of soap or even two. If it’s just you or you and a partner, a stylish ceramic or wooden soap dish might be nice.

What are some advantages of using bar soap?

For one thing, bar soap uses less packaging than liquid soap, so it’s better for the environment. Bar soap is more concentrated and lasts longer than liquid soap, too. It’s very affordable and is often made with fewer chemicals and ingredients. You can even make your own bar soap to have better control over the scent and ingredients you use on your skin every day.

Our Picks for the Best Soap Dishes

Pros: Keep your bar soap at hand, and protect surfaces from soap residue and excess water with the iDesign Countertop Bar Dish. This versatile soap holder accommodates your favorite bar soap brands and can be used in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, or anywhere you need it. Raised ridges inside the dish provide the necessary airflow and allow the bar to dry more efficiently after use. This sleek soap dish features a metallic bronze finish and adds a classic vintage style wherever it goes. Durable steel construction ensures this soap holder stands up to everyday use. Cleaning the dish with soap and water is a breeze, and it’s perfect for compact spaces at 5.5 by 3.75 by 1.5 inches.

Cons: Since this dish is metal, you’ll want to check for rusting and dry it off frequently.

Bottom Line: This soap dish is an excellent option for those who appreciate a vintage aesthetic. To complete the look, this brand also offers a matching hand soap pump, tissue box, toothbrush stand, tumbler, and waste can. 

 

Pros: Say goodbye to the days of trying to find a spot to balance your soap in the shower! This handy soap dish will allow you to hang it securely on your shower wall, so it’s always within reach. Stick the adhesive to the wall and hang the soap holder in place with no drilling or damage. This rustproof stainless steel dish also features four hooks for hanging a razor, washcloth, loofah sponge, or other shower supplies, so everything you need is in one convenient location.

Cons: Installing and removing this soap dish can be a bit more involved than traditional suction cup-mounted soap holders.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a way to organize your shower supplies in one easy-to-access spot, this may be the soap dish for you. In addition to the silver soap dish featured here, this mountable dish is also available in black and bronze. 

 

Pros: Handmade with genuine pinewood, this stylish soap dish will probably become one of your favorite home purchases. It’s more than good-looking; it’s designed for performance. The heightened base and hollowed-out, concave wooden slats are meant to provide optimal drainage to keep your soap from deteriorating prematurely. Even better, the slats are nonslip so that your soap won’t slip away even when you place it down with wet, soapy hands. The wood that went into this soap dish is waterproofed with a nontoxic plant-based seal.

Cons: The seal/coating on the wood won’t last forever.

Bottom Line: This handmade wooden soap dish looks fantastic and is super functional.

 

Pros: The winning feature of this soap dish is that its sturdy double-layered design bears up to 11 pounds with a simple suction cup adhesion. You can reposition the soap dish often and without a trace of residue. The dishes have two trays: one that’s perforated and holds the soap and the second that gathers the soapy water. Easily add a sponge for use in the kitchen or a razor or two for use in the bathroom.

Cons: Some found that the suction cups underperform.

Bottom Line: This double-tiered soap dish could be a bulky appliance, given its capacity to hold so much weight, but it’s not! It’s super convenient and works in a bathroom or a kitchen.

 

Pros: Having your bar soap sit in a puddle of water to melt is as wasteful as it is messy. Fortunately, the silicone soap dishes in this three-pack offer a solution to that irritating problem. These self-draining soap dishes have a waterfall feature and four raised stripes that can drain water quickly and prevent soap from dissolving too soon. Made of high-quality silicone material, they’re durable and flexible, and four nonslip corners at the bottom prevent the dishes from slipping around. With three in the set, you can use one at the bathroom sink, one in the shower, and one in your kitchen. These versatile dishes also make excellent nonslip holders for dish sponges.

Cons: Although the drainage spout and raised bars provide a means to keep your soap from sitting in a puddle, the dishes aren’t significantly slanted to offer more considerable draining. Tipping the dishes from time to time may help to increase effectiveness.

Bottom Line: Consider these soap holders if you want versatility, convenience, and great value. The silicone material is also easy to clean and safer for households with children than ceramic or other breakable materials.   

Final Thoughts

Consider a soap dish if you’re up for simplifying shower time and daily handwashing. A soap dish helps to prevent soapy residue buildup and can add a nice decorative touch to your bathroom or kitchen.