Good quality plastic hand soap dispensers?

October 28, 2022 8:34 AM

Looking for a non-glass, good quality hand soap dispenser for the bathroom countertop. Any pointers?

By "good quality" I mean durable, with a sturdy pump mechanism, and one that isn't likely to get clogged up with viscous liquid soap. (The size, shape, and esthetics of cheap dispensers is fine, it's the function I care about.)

Can't have glass or ceramic because of impulsive, neurodivergent young child.

posted by splitpeasoup to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

Best answer: I like the Target Oxo ones. It has withstood my 7 year old son's antics, but he is not neurodivergent.
posted by toastyk at 8:48 AM on October 28, 2022 [2 favorites]

For the same reasons, I got this one from The Container Store. The plastic is heavy enough that when it gets knocked off the counter it doesn't break; it hasn't clogged with any of the various hand soap refills I've tried ( I like the thick moisturizing kinds). Bonus: sometimes when I refill it with a new different soap, it stays layered until nearly empty; and one time it did a lava-lamp kind of globule thing. Fun soap time.
posted by winesong at 9:09 AM on October 28, 2022

came to say the oxo ones linked by toastyk. i have 3 and use diluted bronners and no clogging issues like with other pumps.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 9:12 AM on October 28, 2022

I bought a few of these a few years ago and they have worked very well.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NA03F7N/
posted by terrapin at 9:19 AM on October 28, 2022

Best answer: Muji has nice, basic plastic ones that have worked well for me.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 9:25 AM on October 28, 2022

Best answer: FWIW, each of the below bottles has lasted several years of refilling (not always the original soap type), including through several moves and use by young children:

Mrs Meyers Clean Day Liquid Hand Soap (for non foaming; this seems like a pretty simple/generic bottle and basically indestructible)

J. R. Watkins Foaming Hand Soap (The initial foaming soap ran out years ago and since, I have had good success diluting non-foaming soap with water and the pump works great-took small trial and error to figure out the right ratio)

Do not recommend reusing the Method foaming hand soap bottles with a self-diluted mixture-that pump did eventually stop working.
posted by subwaytiles at 9:32 AM on October 28, 2022 [1 favorite]

I just reuse the Trader Joe's ones, they work great and are cheap at $4 a bottle with soap.
posted by yueliang at 10:34 AM on October 28, 2022 [2 favorites]

(Fwiw, Method also has a line of aluminum soap bottles (Target carries them) that are expressly designed for reuse, and are in my limited experience more durable than their plastic bottles.)
posted by box at 10:34 AM on October 28, 2022 [1 favorite]

I have used Method's beaker-shaped hand wash bottle and it's light enough that it shouldn't break when falling from counter-top height, esp. if you only keep it half-filled at a time. And you can buy refill packs for those easily.
posted by kschang at 10:52 AM on October 28, 2022

I agree about the Trader Joe's ones. I've been refilling three for over ten years–come to think of it–the last five of those with a child actively using each, and they're still fine.
posted by teremala at 12:05 PM on October 28, 2022 [1 favorite]

Seconding the Muji ones. I’ve had two (kitchen and bathroom) for over 8 years—they still work perfectly and look good as new.
posted by EXISTENZ IS PAUSED at 3:40 PM on October 28, 2022

This simple human one is so far super good. One hand use. Super easy to refill. Feels thick.
posted by Crystalinne at 4:24 PM on October 28, 2022

Best answer: I've been using this one (you have to click 500ML instead of refill to get the pump) for 12 years. It's great and looks as good as the day I got it (label and everything). Admittedly pricey when you first buy it (because it's expensive soap), but totally worth it, imo.

I'll be contrarian and say that I do not recommend the Muji one. I had one in my shower and it always seemed to get gunk on it or mold or something. When I switched to the Aesop I did not have this problem.
posted by dobbs at 7:06 PM on October 28, 2022