Best hamster cages: Our favourite hamster cages for Syrian and dwarf hamsters from £43

Hamsters have long been a popular pet among both adults and children. And though it may seem that your choice of cage is less important than keeping your beloved pet fed and stopping it from escaping, many cages are not designed to last, are too small, or have other glaring faults.

The good news is that the best hamster cages needn’t leave you needing to remortgage your own home. There is a great selection of affordable options to choose from, some that come pre-equipped with the tubes, wheels and other accessories, and others that have multiple levels for your pet to explore. Irrespective, the best hamster cages should focus on granting your hamster as much room to safely run and burrow as possible.

The other good news is that we’ve sifted through the vast array of hamster cages on the market so that you don’t have to. What follows, then, is our pick of the best hamster cages that offer both excellent living conditions and easy maintenance at an affordable price.

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Best hamster cages: At a glance

• Best value hamster cage: Zoozone Habitat medium
• Best hamster cage for Syrian hamsters: Savic Hamster Heaven
• Best budget hamster cage for Syrian hamsters: Savic Sky Metro
• Best cage for dwarf hamsters: Ferplast Duna Fun
• Best cage for multiple dwarf hamsters: Zoozone Habitat large
• Best cage if money isn’t an object: Ferplast Duna Maxi Multy

How to choose the best hamster cage for you

How much do I need to spend?

The cheapest hamster cages roughly cost £30, but sadly most of these offerings do not have the required space or accessories for a hamster to lead a happy life.

Cages start becoming much more hospitable for your hamster at around the £60 mark and most cages around the £90 tick all the boxes. If you are particularly intent on your hamster never wanting for anything, then there are even some sensible options north of £100.

What does my hamster cage need?

Simply housing your hamster in a metal cage is not enough; it needs ample space to sleep, hide and run around. Furthermore, there should be plenty to keep your hamster engaged and happy, such as tubes, wheels and items to gnaw on.

Some cages will come with many of these things inbuilt, but sometimes it can be just as effective to buy a cage with plenty of space, before purchasing these items separately and adding them in.

How big does my hamster cage need to be?

Size is one of the most important factors when buying a hamster cage. Many cages do not offer enough space, and if a hamster’s living area is too small it will become stressed, unhappy and unhealthy. Indeed, hamsters need lots of room, and the cage must have enough room to house nesting material and the aforementioned items of enrichment and entertainment.

Blue Cross state that ideally Syrian hamsters should have 4,000cm2 floor space in their cage. We advise that Blue Cross’ guidelines should be used as the benchmark for space, so aim for a cage with floor dimensions of at least 75cm by 40cm. As dwarf hamsters are smaller, they can comfortably live in smaller cages. According to Blue Cross, their cages should have a minimum of 1,800cm2 floor space, but ideally they should have more. We recommend aiming for 3,000cm2 floor space as this should ensure they live happy lives.

In any case, a good rule of thumb is to buy as big a cage you can afford and accommodate.

Which materials should I look out for?

Plastic and metal are the best options. Having a deep base of transparent/translucent plastic is ideal, because it enables you to check up on your hamster as it burrows. Avoid wood as it is absorbent, so over time, it becomes unsanitary, pongy and rotten.

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The best hamster cages to buy

1. Zoozone Habitat medium: The best value hamster cage

Price: £43 | Buy now from Amazon

The medium-sized version of Zoozone’s Habitat series is far more spacious than many cages in higher price brackets. The emphasis here is clearly on living space – you can fill the Zoozone with every item a hamster needs and could ever want, and they’ll still have plenty of room to roam around.

You’d be forgiven for thinking more space results in more effort to look after. The lid is secure but can be removed easily, so cleaning the Habitat is less finicky than in other cages. It is also transparent, so you have great visibility of your hamster at all times. The cage is tall enough so your hamsters won’t be able to escape through the top, but if you want peace of mind then we recommend applying mesh, which thankfully can be done easily and cheaply.

One thing worth noting is the Zoozone doesn’t come pre-equipped with additional accessories such as wheel and house. However, because it gives your hamster so much space at such an affordable price, it should still be cheaper and more spacious than many rivals once fully equipped.

Key specs – Accessories: Water bottle holder, food bowls; Dimensions: L72cm x W46cm x H20cm; Total floor space: 3,312cm2; Weight: 3.5kg

2. Savic Hamster Heaven: The best hamster cage for Syrian hamsters

Price: £75 | Buy now from Pets at Home

As Syrian hamsters are the largest pet hamster on the market, they need a larger cage than their smaller counterparts. We recommend this offering from Savic as it offers a great variety of accessories, without sacrificing space. It even comes equipped with a penthouse suite, so if your hamster has a taste for the finer things in life, you can rest assured that they’re lounging in style. Another feature we like is the tube that runs over the top of the cage, which is great for any hamster that’s feeling particularly adventurous.

Despite this large number of accessories, the cage is surprisingly easy to assemble, so we’re sure you’ll like the cage almost as much as your beloved hamster. Many cages that come pre-equipped with items sacrifice vital open space for your hamster, but we’re happy to report that this isn’t the case here. Although the hamster Heaven comes wonderfully equipped, there is still ample space for your hamster to stretch its legs.

Key specs – Accessories: Water bottle, food bowls, wheel, house, tunnels, platforms, slides, toilet; Dimensions: L80cm x W50cm x H50cm; Total floor space: 4,000cm2; Weight: 5.5 Kg

Buy now from Pets at Home

3. Savic Sky Metro: Best budget Syrian hamster cage

Price: £65 | Buy now from Pets at Home

A slightly less kitted-out version of its Hamster Heaven, this Sky Metro by Savic is a great option if you’re looking for an affordable home for your Syrian hamster. Despite its reasonable price, the cage still comes equipped with a wheel, tunnel and platform to keep your little friend entertained. The Sky Metro also comes furnished with a water bottle, food bowl and a cosy igloo for your hamster to sleep in, so you needn’t worry about acquiring the essentials separately.

Savic hasn’t neglected the owner’s needs either. The large door on the front of the cage provides easy access while the two handles on the side allow you to pick it up with ease. These are two great features for when you need to clean or move the cage. Please note, though, that some users have reported the wheel needed replacing with a bigger one, as the one provided was too small for their hamster.

Key specs – Accessories: Water bottle, food bowl, wheel, igloo, tunnel, platform, slide; Dimensions: L80cm x W50cm x H50cm; Total floor space: 4,000cm2; Weight: 5 Kg

Buy now from Pets at Home

4. Ferplast Duna Fun: The best hamster cage for dwarf hamsters

Price: £100 | Buy now from Amazon

The Ferplast Duna Fun comes equipped with everything your little friend needs. It has a great variety of levels, tunnels and hideouts to keep it entertained. The cage itself is sturdy and the accessories are very secure, so even the most mischievous hamsters will have trouble breaking or dislodging anything.

There are also a few housekeeping features that we love. For instance, you can refill the water bottle using a jug without going through the trouble of taking it off the cage. Furthermore, the wire grid at the top of the cage opens, which comes in handy if you want to do some quick maintenance or just give your little friend some affection. If you want to do some bigger maintenance work, then don’t fret, as the base is removable.

Key specs – Accessories: Water bottle, food bowl, wheel, house, external tube; Dimensions: L71.5cm x W46cm x H40cm; Total floor space: 3,289cm2; Weight: 5 Kg

5. ZooZone Habitat large: The best hamster cage for multiple dwarf hamsters

Price: £80 | Buy now from Jollyes

By spending an additional £20 over the medium-sized version, this large Habitat cage from Zoozone offers almost 2,000 extra cm2 for your hamsters to live in. This makes it a great option for housing multiple Dwarf hamsters because even when the cage is fully furnished, they’ll have ample room to have a quiet snooze by themselves when they’re finished playing.

The Zoozone is very similar to the Duna Maxi Multi (our pick for the best hamster cage if money isn’t an issue), in that it has enough space to provide any hamster with the perfect habitat. The only difference is that it is less robustly built and the plastic is more prone to breaking, but considering the far more affordable price, this is only a small drawback.

While Dwarf hamsters are more sociable than Syrian hamsters, and can often enjoy sharing a home, it’s important to note that groups must be formed early in their lives, and you should be prepared to house your pets separately if they don’t get on well together.

Key specs – Accessories: Water bottle holder, food bowl; Dimensions: L101cm x W51cm x H22cm; Total floor space: 5,151cm2; Weight: 6 Kg

Buy now from Jollyes

6. Ferplast Duna Maxi Multy: The best hamster cage when price is no object

Price: £108 | Buy now from Amazon

The Ferplast Duna Maxi Multy is one of the costliest entries on this list, but for good reason. While many cages are so small that they verge on cruel, this model’s capacious design comfortably trumps almost every other offering. Pair this expansiveness with a deep base ideal for burrowing, and your hamsters have the perfect home. It’s so large that once it’s been filled with all the accessories your hamster needs, it will still have plenty of space to run around.

The bars in the Maxi Multy are under 10mm, making them suitable for any species of hamster. As it is so spacious, it can comfortably house a Syrian or multiple Dwarves with no issues. The entire lid lifts, which makes the entire cage easy to access and clean thoroughly. It also has safety hooks on the lid, to prevent any unwanted escapes.

The only con here really is it doesn’t come pre-equipped with all the items your hamster will need. Coupled with the already high asking price, and the Maxi Multy certainly represents a considerable investment. Considering it will provide any hamster with the perfect home, however, we’d say that’s an investment worth making.

Key specs – Accessories: Removable grill, wire mesh roof, safety clips on lid; Dimensions: L99cm x W51.5cm x H36cm; Total floor space: 5,098.5cm2; Weight: 7 Kg