Buy cardboard if…
You're moving out of province, need to ship or store sealed for months, or you want to keep the containers permanently. Bins have to come back to us.
Cost comparison · Greater Hamilton area
U-Haul boxes vs plastic moving bins: what 20 containers really cost
We priced it out the way you would. Twenty U-Haul medium boxes delivered to a Hamilton home came to $90.54 with tax. Sizing up to their large boxes pushed it to $125.12. Twenty reusable 102 L moving bins from Binsley are $113 with HST — dolly, labels, delivery and pickup included.
Within about twenty dollars of each other, the price stops being the deciding factor. What matters is capacity, whether the container survives the move, and what you're left holding at the end.
$5 per bin for the first week · $1.50 per bin each extra week · delivery & pickup included.
The numbers, side by side
Prices checked August 2026 for delivery to a Hamilton, Ontario address, taxes included.
| Option | Per container | Capacity | Total delivered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 reusable bins from BinsleyDelivery, pickup, dolly and labels included. | $5.00 / bin, first week | 102 L each · 2,040 L total | $113.00 |
| 20 U-Haul medium boxesAfter tax and delivery to a Hamilton address. Tape, labels and a dolly extra. | $3.21 / box (bundle of 20) | 3 cu ft (≈85 L) each · 1,699 L total | $90.54 |
| 20 U-Haul large boxesAfter tax and delivery to a Hamilton address. Tape, labels and a dolly extra. | $4.51 / box (bundle of 15) · singles jump to $4.89 each | 4.5 cu ft (≈127 L) each · 1,911 L total | $125.12 |
Per litre of packing space that's about 5.3¢ for medium cardboard, 6.5¢ for large cardboard and 5.5¢ for bins — before you add tape, a dolly rental or a second trip for more boxes.
Cardboard boxes vs reusable moving bins
| Binsley bins | Cardboard boxes | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 102 L per bin — about 20% more than a medium box | 3 cu ft (85 L) medium; large is taller, not wider |
| Under load | Rigid walls and a locking lid — stack three high, loaded | Bottoms give out and sides bow once books or dishes go in |
| Wet weather | Waterproof with a lid — fine on a rainy porch or slushy driveway | Softens and collapses within minutes of getting damp |
| Cleanliness | Washed and sanitized before every rental | Used boxes carry garage dust, and sometimes pests |
| Assembly | Fold the lid shut — no tape, no build time | Tape gun, box cutter, and a roll of tape per 15–20 boxes |
| Included extras | Dolly and reusable labels come with the order | Dolly rental and markers are separate purchases |
| After the move | We pick them up from your door on a Mon, Wed or Fri | Flatten, store, or haul to recycling yourself |
| If your move runs long | $1.50 per bin per extra week, billed automatically | No extra cost — but the boxes weaken with every reuse |
Rent bins if…
You're moving locally, packing in the days before the move, and you'd rather not spend the weekend after it breaking down cardboard.
The honest trade-off
Cardboard is yours to keep; bins are a rental for the week. At roughly the same delivered price, you're choosing between owning boxes you'll recycle and borrowing containers that hold more and don't fail.
How many containers will you actually need?
Twenty containers suits a one-bedroom. A two-bedroom usually lands near 40 and a three-bedroom near 60 — and with cardboard, running short means another delivery or another store run.
Use the moving box calculator to get a count for your home, or read our packing guide.
Cardboard vs bins: common questions
Is it cheaper to buy U-Haul boxes or rent plastic moving bins in Hamilton?
They land within a few dollars of each other. A bundle of 20 U-Haul medium boxes at $3.21 each came to $90.54 delivered to a Hamilton address with tax. Sizing up to 15 large boxes at $4.51 each came to $125.12. Twenty reusable 102 L bins from Binsley are $113 with HST, and that price includes delivery, pickup, a dolly and labels — so the real difference is what you get for the money, not the money itself.
How much more fits in a moving bin than a medium cardboard box?
A U-Haul medium box is 18 1/8" x 18" x 16" — 3 cubic feet, about 85 litres. A Binsley bin holds 102 litres, roughly 20% more per container. Twenty bins give you about 2,040 litres versus 1,699 litres from twenty medium boxes.
Why not just buy the large boxes instead?
The large 4.5 cu ft box is taller, not wider, so it only helps with bulky light items. Fill one with books or dishes and the extra height becomes weight the cardboard walls have to carry — that's where bottoms blow out and sides bow. Bins are rigid regardless of what goes in them.
What happens to cardboard boxes after the move?
You flatten them, store them or put them out for recycling — and used boxes that have sat in a garage often arrive with dust or pests. Binsley bins are picked up from your door, then washed and sanitized before their next move.
Do cardboard boxes hold up in the rain?
Not for long. A wet porch, a slushy driveway or a damp truck floor softens the bottom of a cardboard box within minutes. Our bins have lids, are fully waterproof and stack outdoors without losing strength.
What's included in the $113?
Twenty reusable 102 L bins with lids, a moving dolly, reusable labels, delivery to your door and pickup when you're unpacked. First week is $5 per bin ($100 plus HST); extra weeks are $1.50 per bin.
Where does Binsley deliver?
Across the Greater Hamilton area and surrounding areas, including Burlington, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Binbrook, Mount Hope, Westdale, Grimsby, Aldershot, Flamborough and Winona. Delivery and pickup run Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Local details for Hamilton and Burlington, or compare us to other box rental companies.
20 bins, $113, delivered
Dolly and labels included, picked up when you're unpacked. Check your delivery day in under two minutes.