Review of Grab Bags

For today's review, we will be chatting about the Grab Bag. These reusable bags have a variety of useful features; they are easy to store, easy to clean and clip on to your shopping cart!  I'm a big fan of reusable bags so I was excited and eager to test this product out.

As I first examined the product it seemed pretty comparable to other reusable bags.  Then I noticed some of the grab bag's other features.  It has plastic clips near the handles which allow the Grab Bag to clip to shopping carts.  The sides of the bag has elastic allowing it to stretch and hold more items.  There is also a velcro strap at the top of the bag which allows the bag to close and stay closed.  

To test this bad boy out, I took one on a grocery trip with me.  The purpose of this shopping trip was to pick up a few essential items for our house, but also grab some treats and snacks because we were heading out of town.  I did my shopping and whipped out my Grab Bag while the cashier was ringing me up. I clipped the bag to the cart so he could bag all the groceries with ease. Just so you get a mental picture, below is a list of items that were put in my bag:

flour

6 pack of beer

chocolate covered almonds

tortilla chips

pita chips

inner peas

salsa

hummus

chocolate bar

4 larabars

carrots

butter

cranberry juice

lemons

chocolate bar

As you can tell, I had a few heavy items in my bag.  I figured the bag would be fine because everything fit. These bags are also supposed to carry up to 40 pounds, and I didn't think I was over the limit with this purchase. Since my bag was heavy, I carried it by the handles, but also supported the bottom with one hand on my way to the car.  As I unlocked my car, about to put my bag in the back seat, one of the handles broke!  Luckily I caught the bag and nothing dropped on the ground--could you imagine if the salsa jar and beer bottles broke all over the ground??!!

Very unlucky that the first time I used this product it broke.  But, I feel as though I helped contribute to that outcome since I had a few glass items in there.  Since I received two Grab Bags in my order, I figured I would give the second a shot.  I decided to take my second bag on our trip and pack a few lighter items.  I didn't have any problems or broken handles when I used the bag this way.

Thinking about this product, I would RECOMMEND the Grab Bag WITH RESERVATIONS.  The concept is well thought out, however, I'm not sure I trust the quality since the first bag I ever used broke.  If a grocery purchase had lighter items I would certainly trust the Grab Bag. I have used my second Grab Bag several times since my first one broke and have had no problems.  Perhaps that first one was a fluke?  Maybe I really had over 40 pounds in my bag?  Either way, I still like my Grab Bag.

There are a few things I would like to see in the future of Grab Bag production:

1. A machine washable version

I'm not sure if this is possible since the clips are plastic.  

2. Different patterns and colors
Cute patterns and colors would make the bag a bit more desirable.

3. Add pockets on the inside
This is one detail I love about some of my other reusable bags.  An internal pocket allows me to secure glass items so they don't roll around in my bag.

If you are a big fan of re-usable bags, you should give the Grab Bag a try!