With the Great British Bake Off encouraging viewers to pick up the whisk and make tasty treats, it's no surprise the hobby is growing in popularity. Whether you prefer to make pastries, cookies, cupcakes or macarons, buying a set of disposable or reusable piping bags allows you to add your buttercream or pipe your dough smoothly for a professional finish that looks visually stunning.
Picking the right cake decorating tools is no easy task as there are a few points to consider. Is silicone is the best material? How many nozzles do you really need? We're here to assist with our top tips and list of our 10 favourite piping bags to buy from Amazon, Tesco, Asda and more. Stay tuned and you'll soon be baking cakes that look as good as they taste! Moreover, we have partnered with chef Ryan Yen for reviewing and fact-checking the article to deliver you the best information.
Quick List - Top Piping Bags
Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels, he also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
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Ryan is a trained chef with experience in several restaurants (with various kitchen supplies across the restaurant experience) and hotels.
He also attended le cordon bleu to further his training in cuisine and patisserie and focus on creating simple and delicious dishes. Ryan is now formally working as a chef tutor.
The main benefit of cotton decorating bags is that they are always reusable, so you'll just need to wash them off between uses. This can be a bit messy, but cotton is durable and surprisingly easier to clean than plastic. Plus, it is the more environmentally conscious choice if you're not keen on the wastefulness of single-use plastic.
Cotton bags are also easier to grip, which will help you to achieve a professional finish. You'll have better control over the bag, so the icing flow will be smoother and therefore look neat. It's the best choice if you're looking to run a bakery or pastry business.
Plastic piping bags are your other option and come in several different varieties such as silicone, PET and polyethylene. PET bags are disposable and thin, which makes piping easier. You have to apply less pressure when squeezing thin piping bags, and there's no washing, which will save you time and effort. They can be wasteful if you get through a lot of them, but they might be preferable for occasional use.
Silicone piping bags, meanwhile, are thick, reusable and inexpensive, as they're a rubber-plastic hybrid with the appealing properties of both materials. They aren't as durable or easy to clean as cotton piping bags, but they'll be less likely to break and last longer than disposable options.
Some decorating bags come with a variety of nozzles (also called tips) and couplers. A coupler is a two-part plastic device that lets you change the tip to create different patterns. You push the bottom part of the coupler through the bag, and the top goes around the tip so everything screws together.
These sets are ideal for beginners who don't already own nozzles or couplers. It'll give you everything you need to get started, and you'll have a variety of options to experiment with different designs. Buying everything in a single purchase will save time, energy and money, so it's a win-win.
If you're not a beginner, you probably already own a few different nozzles. In this case, you might prefer to buy bags on their own that you can use alongside the equipment you already have – unless you are looking to upgrade your cake decorating tools, of course. Either way, look for stainless steel tips, as these are stronger and longer-lasting than plastic.
Finally, you'll want to consider what size piping bags you'll need. They usually start at 12 inches and go up to 28 inches, though you can often find sets with a variety of sizes if you'd like to try out a few different ones.
For drizzling, writing letters or intricate decorations, a 12-inch or 14-inch bag is best. You'll need less icing or chocolate for these tasks, so it makes sense to have a smaller bag. You have to tie or twist the bag at the end, so if you use the correct size, you won't end up with excess material that can get in the way.
Larger bags from 16 inches are ideal for frosting cupcakes and cakes, as you'll need more icing to cover these desserts. You can get more frosting into a larger bag, so you won't need to keep refilling it, which is both time-saving and more efficient!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bakery Direct 100% Recyclable 21" Piping Bags | ![]() | Strong, Disposable Bags You Can Recycle Too | |
2 | Zhenle Piping Bags and Nozzles Set | ![]() | An Affordable Set With a Cleaning Brush and Scrapers Included | |
3 | CFtrum Reusable Cloth Icing Piping Bags | ![]() | Cotton Bags in Three Different Sizes | |
4 | Wilton Disposable Decorating Piping Bags | ![]() | A Disposable Option From a Top Baking Brand | |
5 | Jatidne 24pcs Set Flower Piping Nozzles | ![]() | Lots of Nozzles for Beginners to Experiment | |
6 | Ateco Decorating Bag | ![]() | Durable Cotton Felt That Will Last for Years | |
7 | Wilton Colour Swirl Piping Set | ![]() | Get Creative With Your Cupcakes | |
8 | Waitrose Cooks' Homebaking Non-Slip Piping Bags | ![]() | Textured Bags With a Non-Slip Grip | |
9 | Tala Dual Icing Bag Set | ![]() | A Unique Set With for Piping Two-Tone Icing | |
10 | Tesco Piping Bags & Plastic Nozzle Kit | ![]() | An Easy Way to Order a Piping Kit and Ingredients Together |
Are you looking for a disposable bag that's eco-friendly? These bags are 100% recyclable, so you get all the positives of a disposable piping bag without harming the environment. This pack is also good value for money, as you get 100 bags. You won't have to buy any more for a while!
They're well-sized for frosting large cakes and cupcakes as well as being useful for big projects – or, cut them down if you need to. Don't worry about the quality either, as these are strong bags and won't break whilst you use them.
You'll certainly get your money's worth with the number of extras in this set. Tt comes with three scrapers to help you achieve a professional finish when covering your cake with buttercream icing. There's also a cleaning brush, which is handy for cleaning out your nozzles thoroughly.
In addition, there are 24 tips included, which are reassuringly durable as they are made from stainless steel. The reusable plastic bags are non-stick, so your icing will come out of the tip easily, and they're soft for a comfortable hold. A great buy for a beginner!
This cotton set includes three different-sized bags of 10, 12 and 14 inches, so all your decorating needs should be covered. Thanks to the comfortable cloth outer layer, these are really easy to use and control.
These bags are high quality and reusable too, so you can keep washing them without causing damage. All the bags also come with a hook to hang so you can better organise and store your baking tools and accessories.
These bags from reliable baking brand Wilton are a top-quality option ideal for anyone who already has a coupler and all the nozzles they need. You're not paying for any unneeded extras here, and you get a fair amount of bags for your money. They're also thin plastic, so the bags will be easy to squeeze for simple application.
They're ideal for special occasions as they're 12 inches long, which is perfect for intricate decorations. Plus, you won't have the hassle of having to cut them down to the right size.
Are you a beginner looking to make cakes or pastries? This piping set comes with a massive 24 nozzles and a coupler, so you'll have everything you need to get started! It also includes a box with dividers to store the different tips, so nothing will get lost.
It's easy to handle too as the silicone isn't too thick, so you can easily squeeze the icing out. Plus, the piping bag is dishwasher safe for easy, mess-free cleaning.
This piping bag is made from heavyweight cotton felt, which gives it excellent durability. Pro bakers or pastry chefs will get a lot of use out of this one, as it will last years. It also has a hanging loop at the top to store it on a utensils rack so it won't get dusty in a drawer.
The only downside is that these bags are more expensive per unit, so they may not be in everyone's budget range. However, there's a wide range of sizes to select from, and if you do require decorating equipment for regular use, you'll benefit from the higher quality.
If the main things you require a piping bag for are icing cakes and cupcakes, this Wilton set is an excellent pick. As well as six disposable bags, two nozzles and a three-colour coupler are included, so you can get creative with different shades and textures.
It would be better if the bags included were reusable, but once you have the nozzles you can always top up with a refill set, or purchase some non-disposable ones if you find yourself baking more often!
These disposable piping bags are textured and non-slip which makes them easy to grip, giving you better control and, hopefully, a professional finish! Most supermarkets only sell piping bag sets, so these are a unique find that you can purchase as a refill set with your weekly shop.
You can also cut the bags to whatever size you like, making these a good choice if you want something for multiple decorating tasks. Sadly, like most low-cost disposable piping bags, these aren't the best option environmentally as they're non-recyclable, including the packaging.
Here's a unique piping set that comes bags, nozzles and a coupler. The bag can hold two colours, so you're able to create a two-toned icing swirl effect. This is ideal for creating an intricate design with minimum effort.
They are advertised by the seller as easy to use, but unfortunately we wouldn't recommend this set for an absolute beginner as it can be fiddly and difficult to navigate.
Do you want to order your piping kit and ingredients at the same time? Well, now you can with these piping bags from Tesco. They even come with a handy how-to guide in the product description to help beginners.
This is a really affordable kit too, and the piping bags are high quality. However, owing to the budget nature, the nozzles included are plastic. This means they are a little flimsy compared to other stainless steel options and will be harder to control.
No. 1: Bakery Direct|100% Recyclable 21" Piping Bags
No. 2: Zhenle|Piping Bags and Nozzles Set
No. 3: CFtrum|Reusable Cloth Icing Piping Bags
No. 4: Wilton|Disposable Decorating Piping Bags
No. 5: Jatidne|24pcs Set Flower Piping Nozzles
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