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Target Packing Cubes (Review and Comparison)
Cost: $30 – $45
Size: 5pc Set, 3 pc Set, 2-sided Cube Set, Compression Cube Set (See below for dimensions on each cube)
Materials: Polyester
Cleaning: Spot or wipe clean
Origin: Made in China
If you’re like me, you may occasionally peruse the travel section at Target. Recenty I’ve noticed they’ve started to carry a nice variety of carry on travel accessories. Amber even bought their anti-theft cross body bag, which she loved carrying around Europe this summer.
This got me thinking about the quality of the rest of their gear, especially the packing cubes. I love testing travel gear, so I decided to buy every packing cube on the shelves at my local Target and test them out. I was pleasantly surprised.
Overall Impression of Target Packing Cubes
Packing cubes will change the way you pack your bags. Keeping your clothes separated helps you stay organized when you’re trying to live out of a tiny suitcase. And compression cubes can help you save space. There are a ton of packing cubes on the market, so what makes these stand out?
Size and Dimensions
You have 4 options for sets of Target Packing Cubes. They come in a 3 and 5 piece set, as well as a set of 2-sided cubes, and 2 compression cubes. Which you choose will depend on the size of your bag, and how many clothes you have to pack. The Target website does a poor job listing the dimensions, so I have listed them below for each set.
5pc Packing Cube Set
- 2 Large (18” x 12” x 3.1”)
- 1 Medium (12” x 9” x 3.1”)
- 2 Small (9” x 6” x 3.1”)
The Large Cubes (18” x 12” x 3.1”) are big, they will hold a lot and fill up the entire side of a large travel backpack. I was able to fit 2 pairs of pants (1 pair jeans, & Eddie Bauer Horizon Guide), 3 long-sleeve dress shirts (Wool & Prince Oxford, & Hardvark Everyday Shirt), and 2 short-sleeve button up shirts. The Medium Cubes are (12” x 9” x 3.1”) the same width, but shorter. These are great for T-shirts, I was able to fit 7 rolled shirts. The Small Cubes (9” x 6” x 3.1”) are exactly ¼ the size of the large cube. These are great for smaller items, like socks and underwear.
3pc Packing Cube Set
- 1 Large (18” x 12” x 3.1”)
- 1 Medium (12” x 9” x 3.1”)
- 1 Small (9” x 6” x 3.1”)
The cubes in the 3pc set are identical to the ones in the 5pc set, except you get one less Large, and one less Small. 2 larges is kind of overkill, unless you’re packing a full-size carry on suitcase. I found this set to get a good compromise on size and price. The cubes fit well together in a modular design, with a small extra space to allow for a toiletry bag.
2pc 2-sided Packing Cube Set
- 1 Large (18” x 12” x 6.25”)
- 1 Medium (12” x 9” x 6.25”)
The 2-sided cubes are the Target Packing Cube equivalent of an Eagle Creek Clean/Dirty Cube, but WAY LARGER. I love the idea of separating your clothes, but these cubes are a little big. The Large cube alone will take up the entire space of your carry-on luggage.
In the Large 2-sided cube I was able to fit 6 T-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of nylon pants, 3 short-sleeve button up shirts, 5 long-sleeve button-up shirts, and a pair of shorts.
The packing style of these is a little unusual. You access both cubes from the same side, instead of flipping the cube over. Meaning you have to flip the heavy clothes-filled top half open to access the bottom half. You also lose the wonderful modular ability with these giant 2-sided cubes. They are both 6.25” thick, and don’t fit together will like the Regular Cube Sets.
2pc Compression Packing Cubes
- 1 Large (18” x 12” x 4”)
- 1 Medium (12” x 9” x 4”)
Compression cubes are super helpful. Regular cubes help organize your clothes, but they don’t really save you space. Compression cubes are different. They have an extra zipper that lets you compress them down about 2 inches. You pack them at full capacity, then close the compression zipper, and all the air is squished out of your clothes. Giving you a much more compact package that fits easier in your carry-on.
Don’t pack these too full, or you will have a really hard time getting the compression zipper closed
I fit more in the Large Compression Cube than I could in the Regular Packing Cube, and it compressed smaller. I was able to fit 2 pairs of jeans, 1 pair of nylon pants, 3 long-sleeve button up shirts, and a pair of shorts. The Medium cube I fit 7 T-shirts and 1 short-sleeve button-up shirt. However, don’t pack these too full, or you will have a really hard time getting the compression zipper closed.
Design and Performance
My favorite feature on these cubes is the modular design. Target figured out the simple idea many other brands fail to understand. Packing cubes need to fit together in your travel on bag. The dimensions of the Medium Cube are ½ of the Large, and the Small is ½ of the Medium. They fit together perfectly. The Target Packing Cubes nail the modular design.
For example, look at this 4 piece set of Amazon Basics Packing Cubes. The large cube is (17.5 x 12.75 x 3.25”) and the medium cube is (13.75 x 9.75 x 3”). Neither the length nor widths match. These packing cubes won’t fit together perfectly in your bag, and will leave you with weird-sized spaces and lumpy luggage.
Material
The Target Packing Cubes are made from ripstop polyester, with an easy to see mesh top, and target brand zippers. They’re well made, with good zippers that don’t snag, but the quality isn’t anything to write home about. These are your standard “Made in China” quality, 100% polyester packing cubes.
For me, the selling point on these cubes isn’t the quality. The quality is identical to a huge line of packing cubes you can find on Amazon. But it’s the modular design, I’ve tried a dozen sets of packing cubes, they all tend to be random sizes that don’t fit together. Target Cubes fit together perfectly
Price
The Target Packing Cubes are a moderately inexpensive option that work well. But there are definitely less expensive options out there, like cubes by Gonex and Amazon Basics. If all you’re looking for is an inexpensive cube to store your clothes, the Target brand cubes don’t impress me as being worth the extra price.
If however, you want something from a brand you can trust, that you can easily test and return, then it might be worth it.
Summary
Overall, I love the 3 and 5 piece sets. They are a little pricier than some cubes you can get on Amazon, but the modular packing style justifies the price increase. The 2-sided cubes are WAY too large, and you lose the modular function that makes the other sets so great. The compression cubes are a nice feature and will save you space, however they should have included a small cube in the set.
Best Features
- Modular design, the cubes fit perfectly together into a rectangle in your carry-on luggage, unlike many other cubes which just have random sizes.
- Easy to buy, try and return. Almost every major city in the US has a Target, making it super easy to buy these cubes, and return if you don’t like them.
Worst Features
- Not machine washable. The label says “spot or wipe clean” which is kind of inconvenient.
- Price is high for the quality. These are standard polyester packing cubes, the quality is nothing to write home about. There are definitely less expensive options on Amazon, but it’s hard to find cubes with good modular design.
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