The Reisenthel Carrybag is one of those products that at first glance seems nice but unnecessary. Why would I buy a $40 basket when I have a whole pile of inexpensive reusable shopping bags that can be carried around in a purse or pocket?
Then I started using one. And now I almost always use it for food shopping instead of a reusable bag, especially at the farmers market. Here's why I find it so indispensable:
The basket is extremely light and has a padded handle, so it can comfortably be carried by hand or over one arm. For small supermarket trips I use it while shopping instead of plastic grocery baskets, which are not as easy to carry when full. Because the handle is so wide and well-padded and the aluminum frame and polyester basket are so strong, it can handle a lot of weight.
The real advantage it has over bags is the ease with which it can be filled. Constantly reorganizing a big farmers market bag so that the ripe tomatoes don't end up crushed under the two pounds of potatoes is annoying and often futile. With a basket, it's much easier to move the delicate items out of the way and keep them there.
The handle can also be easily snapped down, so that the basket can be filled without having the negotiate around the handle. For me, this comes in handy when I am using it to carry containers of prepared food that need to remain flat. I can load them more easily than I would with a bag, and I don't have to worry about the basket tipping over or the contents shifting.
Although I carry my basket in the trunk of my car, it is light enough when empty to be convenient for those who rely on public transportation, as long as you aren't trying to cram it in with a lot of commuters. (It also theoretically folds flat, but I've never tried it and have heard the process is a bit inconvenient.)
I still bring along a reusable bag when I'm just buying a few items, but most of the time nothing can take the place of my Reisenthel basket.
• Find it: Reisenthel Carrybag, $39.99 - $42 on Amazon
Do you have one of these baskets?
Related: Ghana Bolga Market Baskets from Baskets of Africa
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(Image: Amazon)
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Have 2--got 'em cheap @ TJMaxx. Use 'em constantly, for any kind of shopping & for trips to the beach, the public library, anywhere. I tote everything up & down three flights of stairs, & they're great for that, too.
I love mine! I use it for the farmer's market. I love that the zippered pocket means I can bring my keys, some cash and an ID to the market without needing another bag or a wallet or anything. It's great for picking up bunches of flowers there, too.
I love mine too! I got it cheap at Marshall's a couple of years ago, and the rubber grip is starting to split a tiny bit at the end, but it's still quite usable and comfortable! I just saw a few new patterns at Marshall's recently if somebody else wants a cheaper one. I think it was $10 or $15. I find myself disappointed when I get to the grocery store and realize I accidentally left it at home, so I try to keep it in the car. Plus, it squishes up really well in the trunk so I can put stuff on top of it.
*Put stuff on top of it when it's empty I mean. :) Keeps my car from getting too cluttered. Mine is not at all inconvenient to fold--you just squish it and it goes flat.
I love mine! I got it has a gift a few years ago, I think it's from Garnet Hill. I also use it to carry food, beverages and gifts to parties - everything fits without being squished and it's easy to carry alot at once.
I love mine, especially for the farmers market. It's a pretty floral pattern too (Container Store, I think).
I've had one for years. I bought it at Marshall's for $10.00. I keep mine in the trunk of my car and use it at the farmer's market, transporting things to my classroom, carrying items to a pot luck, etc, etc. I love it and it's a cool lime green!
I have one I got it for $9 at Home Goods several years ago. The farmers at the farmers market tell me I'm a professional haha. I love this thing. I take it everywhere
+1 for the homegoods/marshalls version for cheap.
For all those reasons I have been using semi-flexible woven grass and straw baskets for years. Sturdy, wide, reasonably stiff (but not hard) handles are key.
these baskets are a live saver, I recommend them to all avid shoppers/cooks.
Hmm, I love the idea of this bag/basket, and I could imagine it being really useful if you are putting it in the trunk of a car.
But is it possible to slide it up your arm so that the weight is on your shoulder? I have to walk 15-20 minutes to get to the farmers' market, which means carrying a few pounds of produce home for that same amount of time, and I've found that a reusable bag that I can carry on my shoulder is WAY more comfortable than something I have to hold from a hand strap. I do like the idea of not squishing tomatoes, though. Still looking for the perfect solution I guess!
i agree with joco that trying to carry the basket for a longer stretch of walking is a lot more strenuous than using a shoulder bag. i deal with the squished fruit issue by bringing my own food storage containers from home when i know i'm going to be buying berries, grapes, and tomatoes. using those containers also allows me to give the farmers back their berry boxes on the spot for reuse.
Can a 13X9 pan fit in it? Then it would have another purpose--I'm always hoarding shopping bags with a wide bottom to carry cakes or casseroles.
TJ Maxx - $9.99. I use them for picking stuff at my CSA.
And it has a lovely little pocket for a pair of pruners, should I need it when picking.
I am definitely checking out TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Home Goods for one of these now! Love that tip! $40 is a bit steep, but $10-15 sounds great!
The thing I worry about is being able to clean it. While I was all about the filmy reusable bags groceries stores sell, they get dirty pretty quickly and are impossible to clean. I've switched over to all canvas, which unfortunately shrinks in the wash the first time (yes, even on cold and air dried)---but other than that works great. That way the stray bugs/dirt/bacteria from produce and such gets cleaned away once every other week when I do laundry. I checked on the website and can't find instructions for removing the actual canvas, which makes me a bit wary of it.
It won't fit well on my bike, so it's a no-go for me.
I have a knock off that I bought at the Christmas Tree shop. The downside is that the handles don't fold down like these bags, but considering that it was $6, I'll deal with it. It's awesome for the farmer's market. Every week someone asks me where I got it.
I have the exact one pictured which I bought at HomeGoods 6 years ago for $8.99 and it is still in excellent condition. I love it. And every time I've taken it to a farmer's market, oddly the farmers compliment it. One farmer informed me I was a "Pro-market shopper" hah. I LOVE this thing.