Packing cubes do one thing well: they turn a suitcase full of loose clothing into a small set of labelled blocks you can lift in and out. Most people buy them to save space, then keep using them because finding a t-shirt no longer means dismantling the bag.

Our compression sets add a second zip that squeezes the air out once the cube is full — that's where the space saving comes from, and it's substantial with bulky items like knitwear and jackets. The standard sets skip compression and are better for anything you don't want creased. Both come in graded sizes so you can run one cube per category, or one per person if you're sharing a bag.

If you're buying your first set, the five-piece covers a typical week for one traveller. Families usually want two. They work in any bag, though they're at their best in our travel bags and carry-on range, which are cut to the same proportions.