Which Piping Bag Works Best?

I am not the world’s most proficient cake-decorator. It’s something I badly need to learn or teach myself or whatever, but truthfully, I like simple decorations anyway, so that works out?

I do, however, use my piping bags quite often to make piped desserts: cookies, meringues, macarons, and pavlovas. And I recently got to thinking: what kind of piping bag works the best?

I had to recently chuck one because it got all gross and kind of moldy on the inside. I’d had it while, so maybe it was just normal wear-and-tear, but while I was shopping for a new one, I thought I’d do a test and see which kind of piping bag worked best for me.

I used three different kinds:

1. Traditional. These are easily available, I usually buy the ones by Wilton. They’re made from polyester, and while they’re kind of stiff when you first get them, the more you use them, the more pliable they become. They also come in a variety of sizes. I’m a fan of the 14″. They are pretty cheap–under $10.
2. Disposable: These are by far the cheapest option. Some cooking stores will sell them individually, or you may have to buy them in a package of 10. People like them because they make cleanup so easy. You just take your piping tip and coupler off, and then throw it in the garbage. Nothing messy to deal with. I do question if they are strong enough to deal with a heavier batter, though.
3. Silicone: These are really new on the market, and they have a lot going for them. They are more hygienic than the traditional versions, as you can put them in the dishwasher. This makes cleanup easy and delivers a much cleaner pastry bag as well. They are also going to be stronger. But how do they feel in the hand, as opposed to the traditional or disposable versions?

Here’s my test:

What’s your piping bag of choice? I’d love to hear. Let me know in the comments below.