Your whole day can be derailed by bad underwear—a terrible pair can pinch, pull, tug, and end up in all the wrong places. Many people have a drawer full of dozens of undies that just don’t quite fit.
And then there are the few favorites that rise to the top of the pile every time, rotating from your bum to your laundry bin and back again. Our goal was to find heroic pairs that will inspire you to evict the rejects from your drawer forever.
After extensive testing by a panel of Wirecutter staffers—with a range of body types and underwear preferences—five styles emerged as the best everyday undies: a classic, inexpensive cotton pair that comes in a multipack; a high-leg, retro-style bikini; a quick-drying, lightweight brief; a lacy pair of boy shorts; and a comfy, seamless thong.
