Browsing for the best chest of drawers or, perhaps, the best dressers (a USA-ism that seems to have travelled across the pond) certainly feels an adult task of an afternoon. Buying a bed frame is a no-brainer, picking out one of the best mattresses to go with it seems equally justified but, a chest of drawers? Buying a chest of drawers is the official first foray into adulthood. Scary stuff. Alas, the late twenties have crept up on me despite my Joey-from-Friends protests ("Why God, why!?") and it's time to swap out that single clothes rail for something more substantial. Let the drawer search begin.
Entering phase one of research, it dawned on me that different buyers, homeowners and renters will have different dresser requirements. While you, Jess from Fulham, might have lucked out with the master bedroom in the Spare Room housemate draw (you lucky gal), Samira from Manchester might very well be dealing with a 7x7 metre box room. I, myself, fall into the latter category and so finding a storage solution for all my many (many) Uniqlo obsessions - mini shoulder bags x 5 included - is a task and a half. Reader, when space is of a premium you have to get creative and, when it comes to a chest of drawers, that means looking upwards rather than outwards. Enter the tall boy dresser.
Indeed, my curated list of dressers covers both said tall and narrow dressers and, if you've more living and bedroom space, I've sought out large pieces and wider chest of drawer units, too. While some are so wishlist worthy and design-led - so much so you'll want to use them as display cabinets and nothing more - others are more practical and less personalised to your home decor. See this Jonathan Adler beauty; with six drawers and a choice of two colours, it's like something straight out of one of the Soho Houses. By contrast, this Pappas unit from Wayfair is more pared back for busier bedrooms with less floor space; nonetheless, it'd look just as at home in an AD Open Door video (and we'd be none the wiser about its reasonable price point). Kick your feet up on the footstool, lay back and get scrolling - it's time for a serious step into adulthood with the leg work taken care of, courtesy of team GLAMOUR. But first, some FAQs.
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What material is best for dressers?
Most dressers on the market are made from a wood base, be it MDF or solid oak. There are exceptions, such as steel, but wood makes up the majority of the market. Within that category there are choices upon choices, and knowing which wood is a high-quality pick can be tricky. Naturally, a solid oak chest of drawers will stand the test of time, as will pine, ash, cedar, walnut, mahogany and mango wood…to name a few. On the flip side, chipboard and MDF - reconstituted and engineered woods, respectively - will not provide as aesthetic and smooth a finish to your furniture, but MDF is still a top pick for durability and is used in pieces from many household-name brands - think M&S, John Lewis etc. The woods to avoid? Keep balsa and bamboo at the front of your mind as you browse for the the best dressers. While balsa is soft, bamboo is said not to last as long in furniture, so you'll want to avoid these as best you can.
What is the best chest of drawers that you can buy?
Best chest of drawers - The GLAMOUR top threeFor more from GLAMOUR UK Commerce Writer Lucy Smith, follow her on Instagram @luceeeeesmith.
Keep scrolling for our full edit of the best chest of drawers and dressers for statement clothes storing in 2023
1. Best chest of drawers overallFranco 5 Drawer Chest, BlackSpecifications:- Standout features - Available in a matching wardrobe and bedside table (plus other iterations), and is available at a lower price (astonishingly) if you order it pre-assembled, as opposed to flat pack with self-assembly at home.
- Size - 96 x 85 x 40cm
- No. of drawers - 5
- Materials - Cane rattan, MDF, particleboard, pine, rubberwood, steel
- Delivery time - Within three days
Why we love it: A top pick on all fronts - price, design, delivery and quality - this Dunelm five-drawer dresser has a modern look (with echoes of warmer climes), received high praise from previous buyers, and offers both small and large drawers for all your storage needs.
Save money on living room and bedroom storage solutions by using these Dunelm discounts when you checkout
2. Best dresser for couplesLarsen Six-Drawer DresserSpecifications:- Standout features - Features a unique resin clay inlay (forming the tropical greeny-blue pattern) and hammered iron legs. This piece of furniture also arrives pre-assembled and is available in a smaller item sized nightstand.
- Size - 85 x 178 x 46cm
- No. of drawers - 6
- Materials - Handcrafted resin inlay and painted tropical hardwood dresser reinforced with engineered hardwood, plus metal drawer glides and hammered iron tapered legs
- Delivery time - 1-2 weeks for delivery from when the item has been dispatched, starting 2 March 2023
Why we love it: If colour is your interiors forte then this six-drawer dresser from Anthropologie needs to be the newest addition on your furniture wishlist. Complete with a generous amount of space beneath the unit to avoid interrupting your floor plan, as well as a vast 178cm dresser top for all things coffee table books and flower vases, the Larsen is a serious homeware find.
Save money on high-quality sideboards and large dressers with these Anthropologie discounts
3. Best chest of drawers for changing tableLucia 3 Drawer Chest, Painted and Lacquered MahoganySpecifications:- Standout features - Scalloped detailing for a more modern dresser finish, not to mention having a more elevated matte white finish compared to some high gloss white models which, I might argue, is a tad dated nowadays.
- Size - 96.4 x 83 x 43cm
- No. of drawers - 3
- Materials - Painted and lacquered mahogany, plus metal with a brass finish
- Delivery time - 8 weeks
Why we love it: While it may appear a dusky, pale beige, the Lucia set of drawers is actually white - you just need to set your eyes upon some of the lifestyle images from matching pieces in the range to believe it. Aside from the scalloped detailing on this wood dresser (which we're head over heels for, BTW), the Lucia is the sort of clothes organiser that leaves you lusting after the matching side tables and five-drawer tall boy even though TikTok has now deemed furniture sets uncool. Call us millennial etc. etc.
4. Best dresser for a lot of clothesWillow 6-Drawer DresserSpecifications:- Standout features - A nod to maximalist interior design with the bobble-style legs and edges, but in a more stripped back and minimalist navy colourway so as not to overwhelm small spaces.
- Size - 142.4 x 48.2 x 81.2cm
- No. of drawers - 6
- Materials - Poplar wood, MDF, plywood, Kauri veneer, metal
- Delivery time - 2-3 weeks
Why we love it: If you're into all things wavy mirrors, tufted cushions and bubble plates, then this bobble-legged large chest from Urban Outfitters will make an ample addition to your existing 70s haul. Personally, I think it'd look extra lush sat next to a butterfly armchair (tufted cushion an' all), but you do you.
Save money on everything from dressers for your entryway to bedroom furniture and bookcases with these Urban Outfitters discounts
5. Best solid wood chest of drawersPappas 4 - Chest of DrawersSpecifications:- Standout features - Made from solid wood, comes in your choice of five different drawer front colourways and requires minimal assembly - you'll just need to attach the real wood legs.
- Size - 90 x 85 x 40cm
- No. of drawers - 4
- Materials - Mango wood and Indian rosewood
- Delivery time - 4-5 weeks
Why we love it: A exemplary mid-century modern piece, if I do say so myself, this rounded four-drawer chest of drawers not only offers plenty of storage space with 74cm wide drawers, but it somehow manages to be at once minimalist and statement piece of furniture, two. As such, in a small bedroom this unit would provide ample storage space without appearing as though it's swamping your room.
Save money on kitchen dressers, espresso machines, wine racks and more with these Wayfair discounts
6. Best quality chest of drawersNewark 4+2 Drawer ChestSpecifications:- Standout features - A solid oak wooden chest of drawers, this tall chest - with four spacious drawers and two smaller ones - will offer enough room for all your jumpers and dresses, not to mention taking up far less room than a wide chest with 3+3 drawers.
- Size - 110 x 80 x 40cm
- No. of drawers - 6
- Materials - Solid oak + oak veneer, chipboard and MDF
- Delivery time - 5 weeks
Why we love it: A simpler design and one that doesn't fool you with flimsy ‘oak effect’ veneers (and a falling-apart balsa wood base), but rather a real rustic oak dresser to see you through many a wardrobe clear-out. In a guest room, it'll provide you with extra storage while your temporary lodgers are treated to 80 x 40cm of surface space atop the dresser (weekend bags, makeup bags etc.). And, what's more, for £599 this chest is competitively priced for its quality which, coincidentally, is one of the main reasons M&S is my go-to furniture store.
Save money on dining room furniture, bedroom chest of drawer units, sofas and more with these M&S discounts
7. Best living room dressers 2023 UKKiki Six-Drawer DresserSpecifications:- Standout features - Features velvet fabric drawer liners, a recessed base (creating the illusion that the unit is floating) and comes in your choice of a teal or white chest of drawers
- Size - 132.1 x 54 x 82.6cm
- No. of drawers - 6
- Materials - Brushed brass and lacquer
- Delivery time - 10-14 business days
Why we love it: Granted, the price point may be out of some buyers' reach, but if you do have the disposable income, the design of these Jonathan Adler living room, dining room or bedroom drawers (let's face it, they'd look impeccable in all three) is exquisite. No knobs, it'll take up minimal floor space with its recessed base and, to be quite honest, it looks like a bespoke piece - I am, quite frankly, obsessed. Plus, with a glass top and an overall finish that leaves the unit looking like a glazed dresser (in the Krispy Kreme sense), this piece will be a talking point and one that could easily double as a console table in a hallway. It's versatile in every sense.
8. Best bedroom chest of drawersBrunel Tall Chest Dark WoodSpecifications:- Standout features - Constructed with classic hand joinery and brushed metal legs for a gorgeous industrial finish, and offers buyers two deep drawers at the base for thicker/bulkier clothing items
- Size - 47 x 45 x 108.6cm
- No. of drawers - 5
- Materials - Solid American walnut and powder coated steel
- Delivery time - 1 week
Why we love it: This five-drawer tall chest is a top pick if you've only got the floor space for a small dresser but, in an ideal world, your dresser (or walk-in wardrobe, if we're really blue-sky thinking) would have a generous eight drawers. Alas, we're not in said ideal world and rental prices are on the up (*sigh*). There is, however, a solution: the tall dresser. Taking space upwards as opposed to outwards like a wide chest of drawers, this narrow chest should offer you roughly the same functionality and space as, say, the Pappas unit above. Genius.
9. Subtly stylish sets of drawersJohn Lewis Bow 5 Drawer Tall Boy Chest, OakSpecifications:- Standout features - Inverted drawer pulls, for a more pared back finish, as well as having a lovely natural wood grain that will complement wooden floors and bring a welcome earthy feel from the outside in.
- Size - 124 x 50 x 45cm
- No. of drawers - 5
- Materials - Solid oak and oak veneer
- Delivery time - Free standard delivery within three days or next day delivery for a surcharge
Why we love it: Much like the Brunel above, the Bow is another space saving storage solution and this one comes with free delivery. Whether you're planning on using it as a hallway unit for miscellaneous bits (takeaway brochures, batteries etc.) with a cute table lamp and plant atop it or, rather, in your bedroom there's not much to dislike here.
Save money on everything from the best mattresses to trinket trays, dressing tables and more with these John Lewis discounts
After more from GLAMOUR interiors? Check out our guide to the best garden furniture, the best vacuum cleaners and the best small desks now.
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