Whether washing your hands when you come home from work or staying sanitary while cooking, you should reach for your soap dispenser multiple times daily. A soap dispenser can make hand washing more convenient, reduce wasteful single-use bottles of hand soap, and add a decorative yet functional tool to your kitchen or bathroom.
Because there are so many soap dispensers, we collected our favorite products in popular categories, from decorative sets to simple metal dispensers.
How to Shop for Soap Dispensers Like a Pro
Type
The best soap dispenser for you depends on your needs and preferred type of soap. Manual soap dispensers come in many different styles, designs, and materials and are suitable for liquid hand and dish soap.
Meanwhile, automatic soap dispensers offer touchless operation, which is convenient and can reduce the spread of germs. However, they are more expensive than manual dispensers and require batteries or a power source.
Also, keep in mind that if you want to use foaming soap, you need a soap dispenser with that specific type of pump. The key difference between foaming and regular dispensers? Foaming soap dispensers pump air into the soap, giving it that frothy feel. Standard soaps only dispense the liquid alone (which is typically thicker than a foaming soap).
Size
A soap dispenser usually resides next to the sink, close to the faucet, so the size you choose will depend on how much room you have.
Hand soap dispensers typically range from 9 to 12 ounces, while dispensers made for dish soap or shower toiletries tend to span from 16 to 32 ounces. Laundry detergent dispensers will typically run larger (up to 98 ounces), as the best options are designed to replace the entire bottle that the detergent comes in.
Whatever capacity you opt for will have a primary impact on how frequently you need to refill your pump. For hand and dish soap, minimizing the amount you have to think about refills is ideal—so choosing a generous size that still fits your space is key.
If your soap dispenser is in a high-traffic area (like a main bathroom ), consider a size that doesn’t require constant refilling and still fits within your space. The higher the capacity, the less frequent you'll need to refill.
Material
Soap dispensers come in various materials, which vary in design, durability, and maintenance.
Metal: Metal, such as stainless steel, is durable and has a sleek look that can complement most kitchen and bathroom decor. This material is easy to wipe down and can be lightweight. However, they may be prone to rusting over time if exposed to moisture, according to Toner.
Glass: Glass soap dispensers are stylish and minimal. They also make it easy to tell when to refill your dispenser. Glass is usually heavier, more fragile, and may break if dropped or knocked over.
Ceramic: Ceramic soap dispensers can be more decorative than metal or glass, as they often come in more shapes, styles, and colors. They are more fragile and may chip or break if dropped or knocked over.
Questions You Might Ask
Does foaming soap work in all dispensers?
Not all soap dispensers are compatible with foaming soap, so we recommend reading the product description carefully if you want foaming soap instead of liquid soap. Foaming soap dispensers usually have a different type of pump because they’re “specifically designed to mix air with liquid soap to create a foamy lather," says Toner.
"While some dispensers come with foaming mechanisms built-in, others may require the use of pre-mixed foaming soap or dilution with water,” she continues. Using foaming soap in a non-compatible soap dispenser may not create enough or any foam.
Are soap dispensers hard to clean?
Soap dispensers should be easy to clean to maintain proper hygiene. “Look for models with removable pump mechanisms or wide openings that allow for thorough cleaning and refilling,” says Toner.
Several options on the list, including the Grove Co. Hand Soap Glass Dispenser and the Kuishi Home Amber Glass Soap Dispenser, have dishwasher-safe bottles, so you can clean them with the rest of your dishes. “Regularly cleaning your soap dispenser with warm, soapy water can help prevent the buildup of bacteria and soap scum,” says Toner.
How long do soap dispensers last?
There’s no set amount of time, but all the soap dispensers we’ve rounded up on this list are designed to stand the test of time. Rust-resistant materials and sturdy pumps play a big role in their longevity. Overall, if properly cleaned and maintained, a soap dispenser could easily last years. For refilling and recharging (or replacing batteries), you’ll likely need to manage that at least once every three months. Certain devices can go longer between refills, depending on their capacity, but most will need to be recharged within that time span.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Lesley Chen, a contributing writer for Real Simple with experience writing commerce, home, and lifestyle stories. To compile this list, she thoroughly researched a variety of soap dispensers based on material, dimensions, and capacity. For expert advice, Lesley spoke with Karina Toner, the operations manager at Spekless Cleaning.
