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The Best Piping Bags & Sets - Our Guide!
• Lynsey Macdonald
If you’ve been shopping for piping bags, you’ll know; there are a lot of options on the market. So, when it comes to finding the right option for your needs, it can be hard to narrow it down. That’s where we come in! We’ve put together a quick guide to help you figure out the best piping bags and sets for your project.
We’ll also explore the benefits of disposable vs. reusable piping bags, and answer some of your most frequently asked questions when it comes to these must-have decorating tools.
This blog is a companion piece to our post: The Best Piping Tips for Every Bake.
Quick Reference Guide: Best Piping Bags by Project
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Project Type |
Top Pick / Bag Style |
Why You Need It |
Ease of Cleaning |
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Heavy Thick Icing / Churros |
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Easy to clean - dishwasher safe and grease/oil resistant. |
|
|
High-Volume Bakery Use Disposable |
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Disposable - no need to clean. |
|
|
High-Volume Bakery Use Reusable |
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Easy to clean - can be boiled and dishwasher safe. |
|
|
Multi-Colour Buttercream |
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Disposable - no need to clean. Pack of 50. |
|
|
Beginner Bakers - piping simple cakes and cupcakes |
|
Disposable - no need to clean. Pack of 10. Recyclable. |
The Best Piping Bags Reviewed
FMM Reusable Proofed Nylon Savoy Piping Bag
Best for: Heavy Thick Icing / Churros
The FMM proofed nylon savoy piping bag is an excellent reusable, environmentally friendly choice. It’s available in a wide range of sizes, and made with a grease resistant material. It’s dishwasher friendly, so easy to clean, and has strong seams making it ideal for piping thicker mixtures. Use for making churros, pastries and piping thick buttercream.
Simply Making 12 Inch Disposable Piping Bags
Best for: High-Volume Bakery Use (Disposable) (100 pack)
Best for: Beginner Bakers piping simple cakes and cupcakes (10 pack)
The Simply Making Disposable Piping bags are hygienic, with a sterile interior, and are suitable for all cold, hot, light and heavy food and cake fillings. They’re available in a bulk pack of 100, perfect for busy commercial bakeries, or a pack of 10, great for hobby bakers. With an easy grip, anti-slip coating, they are really easy to use.
Wilton Featherweight Decorating Bag
Best for: High-Volume Bakery Use (Reusable)
The Wilton Featherweight Decorating Bag range is ideal for busy bakers looking for a reusable option. They are dishwasher safe AND can be boiled, meaning they’re easy to keep clean. They come in a range of sizes, and are made of coated polyester, which is strong, flexible and stops grease seeping through. Kinder to the environment than disposable, but much easier to keep clean than other reusable options.
Ateco 18" Dual Stripe Piping Bag Insert x 50
Best for: Multi-Colour Buttercream
If you’re looking to pipe more than one colour, the Ateco Dual Stripe Piping Bag Insert is a game-changer. Simply fill one side with one colour, the other with another, and then place the bag inside a regular piping bag. You can then pipe a beautiful two tone swirl of buttercream onto your cakes, cupcakes and traybakes. Ateco piping equipment is excellent quality, trusted by pros.
Best Piping Bag Sets
If you’re a beginner baker who has decided to take your cake decorating a little more seriously, it might be worth investing in a set of piping tips. Many of these come with piping bags included, and can be a great way to start building your collection. Here are three of our favourites!
Wilton’s Cupcake Decorating Set of 12
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Set includes 4 essential piping tips for cake and cupcake decoration
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Star tip 1M, Star tip 4B, Round tip 2A and Drop Flower tip 2D.
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Also includes 8 disposable piping bags
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Great option for beginners
Wilton ColorSwirl Tri-Color Coupler Decorating Set Of 9
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Set includes 2 piping tips and a fantastic coupler designer to pipe a three colour swirl of buttercream
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Star Tip 1M and Round Tip 1A
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Also includes 6 disposable piping bags
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Great for intermediate level bakers
Ateco 14 Piece Cake Decorating Set
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Set includes 12 piping tips and a standard coupler
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2, 4, 12 (round tips), 16, 30, 32 (star tips), 48 (ribbon/basketweave tip), 80 (speciality flower tip), 98 (speciality shell tip), 104 (petal tip), 133 (multi-open tip) & 352 (leaf tip)
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Also includes a 12 inch reusable flex piping bag with hem and hanging loop
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Ideal for bakers taking their craft more seriously and looking to build their piping tips collection
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are reusable piping bags or disposable piping bags best?
Whether reusable or disposable piping bags are the better choice all depends on the project and your own circumstances. Disposable piping bags are very hygience but less environmentally friendly. Reusable options can be hard to keep clean but are kinder to the envionment.
To learn more about the pros and cons, check out our post: Reusable vs. Disposable Piping Bags.
How do I prevent my piping bag from blowing out?
To prevent the seams on your piping bag from blowing out, be sure not to overfill it. Only fill your piping bag around half or two thirds of the way, to avoid putting too much pressure on it.
If this isn’t the culprit, it may be that you’ve snipped too much off the end, allowing the piping tip to slip through and burst the seam. Make sure you only cut off a tiny amount, enough for the very end of your piping tip to stick through.
What are the best piping bags for buttercream vs. royal icing?
A larger, more heavy duty piping bag (14” +) is ideal for working with buttercream. The Wilton Featherweight range is a good option. Whereas for royal icing, a thinner, disposable option in a smaller size (9” or 10”), like the Colour Mill piping bag, gives you more control over your piping.
How do I clean my reusable piping bags?
Check the product description of the individual bag you have bought. Some specify that they are dishwasher safe, which is always handy! If it is not, turn them inside out, remove any significant leftover frosting, and wash thoroughly with hot water and dish soap. Leave it to air-dry thoroughly.
How do I use a coupler with my piping bag?
A coupler comes in two parts - the base and the ring. Place the base INSIDE your piping bag and snip the end off the bag. Then, attach your chosen piping tip and secure it with the ring on the OUTSIDE. This allows you to easily switch piping nozzles while using the same bag of buttercream, ideal for designs like Lambeth cakes!
Stock up on the perfect piping bags for your project!
Ready to take on your next piping project? We hope this guide to the best piping bags has helped build your confidence and show you exactly what you need.
Don’t forget to share your cake photos with us! We're at @the_cake_decorating_co, and you can use the hashtag #CakeDecFamous so we never miss a post.
Related posts:
The Best Piping Tips for Every Bake
