Amazon Basics Tall Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags Review
I tested Amazon Basics 13-gallon tall kitchen drawstring trash bags against name brands. Here's whether the cheaper 120-count pack really holds up.
This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Quick Verdict
I used to think Amazon Basics trash bags were subpar quality. I was wrong. You get a 120-count pack of 13-gallon drawstring bags at a better price than the name brands, and the drawstring and thickness match what I look for.
Buy if you:
- Run a standard 13-gallon tall kitchen canister and burn through bags weekly
- Want way more quantity for your money than a name-brand box
- Care about drawstring strength and 0.9 mil thickness, not the logo
- Buy household staples in bulk to restock less often
Skip if you:
- Want a heavy-duty contractor bag for construction debris; 0.9 mil isn’t built for that
- Don’t have a 13-gallon can and need a different size fit
- Prefer a scented bag and only see the unscented listing in stock
Clicking takes you to the seller's website. We may earn a small commission if you purchase, at no extra cost to you.
| Capacity | 13 gallon |
|---|---|
| Count | 120 bags, 4 rolls |
| Thickness | 0.9 mil |
| Dimensions | 24 in wide × 27⅜ in tall |
| Closure | Red drawstring |
| Scent | Unscented or clean fresh |
I Was Wrong About Cheap Trash Bags
I’mma let you in on a little bit of a secret, something I didn’t know that probably all of you knew way before me. Amazon Basics trash bags are a tremendous value, and the quality is not what I assumed it was. For years I figured a cheaper bag meant a thinner, weaker bag that splits open when you lift it out. That is not the case here. These are 13-gallon tall kitchen drawstring bags, 120 to a pack, and after using them in my own canister I’d put them right next to the name brands.
The pitch is simple: 120 bags at a lower per-unit cost than name brands, with the same 0.9 mil thickness and drawstring grip you’d get from Glad.
What You Get In The 120-Count Pack
120 bags across four rolls, each one a 13-gallon tall kitchen size. That’s the version I’ve been running. The bags measure 24 inches wide by 27⅜ inches tall, which fits a standard tall kitchen canister without a mountain of excess plastic bunching at the rim.
The thickness is 0.9 mil. That’s the number I care about most when I’m buying something at what I feel is a discounted price. I’m looking at the thickness, the bands that hold up around the canister, and the drawstring. The closure is a red drawstring, and you also get options: 45 count, 80 count, 120 count, and a 200-count pack. Scent-wise you can go clean fresh or unscented. Whatever you want, whatever you need, you’ve got it.
I Pulled A Bag Out And Checked The Drawstring
The drawstring is the same quality as the name brands. I took one bag off the roll, brought it out on camera, and pulled the drawstring taut to see how it held. It stretches out clean and grips the same way a premium bag does when you cinch the top to tie it off. No thin, flimsy plastic band that snaps the second you pull.
The bag body is where I expected to find the compromise, and I didn’t. Coffee grounds, food scraps, and a week’s worth of packaging, I never had a seam split or a leak at the bottom. Each roll dispenses one bag cleanly; no yanking a fused pair off together. The seams held every time I dragged a full bag across the rim of the can to tie it off.
The One Thing You Should Know
These are 0.9 mil, and that’s the ceiling. It’s plenty for a tall kitchen canister full of everyday household waste, which is exactly what they’re built for. But if you’re loading heavy, wet, or sharp junk, you’re going to feel the difference from a thick contractor-grade bag. This is a kitchen bag, not a garage demolition bag. Match the bag to the job and you won’t have a problem. Ask it to haul broken tile and you’re pushing past what 0.9 mil was designed to carry.
Get it now
Amazon Basics Tall Kitchen Trash Bags
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Who These Trash Bags Are For
If your household burns through a box of trash bags every month or two, this is the swap. At 120 bags per pack, you’re restocking roughly half as often as you would with a standard 45-count name-brand box, and at a lower per-bag cost. The quality doesn’t drop. The habit of grabbing Glad off the shelf is the only thing you’re giving up.
It’s also a smart pick if you like buying household staples in bulk. Four rolls tucked in a cabinet lasts a while. And with the scent choice, you can go clean fresh if you want a little cover on food odor or unscented if you’d rather have none at all.
Amazon Basics vs Name-Brand Tall Kitchen Bags
The name brands win on one thing: shelf recognition. That’s about it. Same 0.9 mil thickness, same red drawstring that cinches tight without snapping, the only thing a Glad box has that this one doesn’t is a rooster logo and a 30, 40% markup. You’re paying for the aisle display, not the bag.
Where a premium bag might edge ahead is if you specifically want a thicker mil rating or a heavily perfumed scent technology. Amazon Basics keeps it straightforward at 0.9 mil with a simple scent choice. For everyday kitchen duty, that trade lands squarely in favor of getting more bags for less. Why pay more?
My Advice Before You Buy
Pick the count that matches how fast you burn through bags. The 45 and 80 counts are fine for a small household or a trial run, but the 120 and 200 counts are where the value really shows. Confirm your can is a true 13-gallon tall kitchen size so the 24-inch width seats right on the rim. And decide up front on scent, because unscented and clean fresh are separate listings and it’s easy to add the wrong one to your cart. If you haven’t tried these, give them a shot. The per-bag cost beats the name brands by 30, 40% without losing drawstring strength or thickness.
Pros
- Tremendous value; 120 bags for less than a name-brand box
- Drawstring matches name-brand quality when pulled taut
- Sturdy 0.9 mil body for everyday kitchen waste
- Fits standard 13-gallon tall kitchen canisters at 24 in wide
- Choice of unscented or clean fresh, plus four count sizes
Cons
- 0.9 mil isn’t meant for heavy, sharp, or contractor-grade loads
- Scent and unscented versions are separate listings, easy to mix up
- Only fits a 13-gallon can, not smaller or oversized bins
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bags come in the pack?
The 120-count version has 120 bags spread across four rolls. You can also get them in 45, 80, and 200-count packs depending on how fast you go through them.
Will these fit a standard tall kitchen can?
Yes. They’re 13-gallon tall kitchen bags measuring 24 inches wide by 27⅜ inches tall, which seats on a standard tall kitchen canister. Just confirm your can is a true 13-gallon size.
Are they scented or unscented?
Both are available. You choose between unscented or a clean fresh scent, but they’re listed separately, so pick the right one before you check out.
Do they hold up as well as Glad tall kitchen bags?
For everyday kitchen waste, yes. The drawstring and thickness are the same quality I look for in a name brand, just at a lower price. The main difference is the logo on the box, not the performance.
Can I use these for outdoor or garage trash?
For light outdoor or garage waste, sure. But at 0.9 mil they aren’t contractor bags, so heavy, wet, or sharp debris will push past what they’re built to carry.
How thick are the bags?
They’re 0.9 mil thick. That’s plenty of strength for daily household trash without tearing or leaking at the seams, which is the exact use case these are made for.
Do the bags come loose or on a roll?
On rolls. The 120-count pack comes as four rolls, and each dispenses one bag at a time so you tear off exactly what you need and store the rest neatly.
Is buying the bigger count worth it?
If you go through bags weekly, yes. The 120 and 200-count packs bring the per-bag cost down the most and mean you restock far less often. Smaller counts make sense only for a light household or a trial.
Get it now
Amazon Basics Tall Kitchen Trash Bags
Get the best price on Amazon →This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ Shop everything in this video
Every product mentioned, in one place — these are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ Amazon Basics Drawstring Trash Bags for Tall Kitchen Canister — check price on Amazon →
