10 Best Cheap Men’s Underwear (With Quality)

When you’re pinching pennies, but you still need underwear, what do you do? Stay calm and opt for a reasonably priced choice, with a few key criteria in mind.

First of all, you always want to stay fresh and clean, regardless of your income or budgetary limits. This means wearing only clean undies in good condition, tossing and replacing them when they become irreparably stained or torn. Some other main factors to consider are:

• Is the underwear brand known for its durability?
• Is it made of a quality fabric?
• Am I able to find precise sizing?
• And last of all, is it available in a seamless/tagless version?

If you’re on the hunt for cheap underwear, but don’t want to sacrifice quality, we’ve got you covered. We’ll show you what to look for when looking for budget briefs, and our the best cheap underwear you can buy right now.

Top 10 Best Cheap Underwear for Men

1. Polo Ralph Lauren Men's Microfiber Pouch Boxer Brief

A pop of color to brighten up your day: A best seller in Amazon’s Men’s Underwear category, these brilliant boxer briefs are super soft with a traditional fit, tasteful lower thigh logo, and cozy contoured microfiber pouch. Polo Ralph Lauren® offers a sizing chart for your best sizing and accepts returns when necessary of unworn, unwashed items in original packaging with tags intact. Available in 5 stunning color combos.

The downside: Some reported hems loosening and unraveling after only a short time. We recommend hand washing to prevent this, even though package instructions say machine washing and drying are fine -- when in doubt, you can never go wrong with hand washing and air drying your skivvies.

2. Hanes Tagless, Tartan Boxer with Exposed Waistband

So soft and lightweight, you’ll forget you’re wearing them: These rank in at #5 in Amazon’s Men’s Boxer Shorts, perfect for wearing under pants and mid-thigh length shorts. Lots of different color and pattern combos per package. These are roomy enough for straight-up boxer lovers, with a non-gaping fly, and a sturdy waistband.

The downside is that some felt the material was too thin, and felt that indicated quality had diminished since the last time they ordered these. Others noted the sizing chart was inaccurate.

3. Fruit Of The Loom Men's Breathable Underwear

15 styles of breathable comfort: Holding their own at #11 in the Amazon’s Men’s Boxer Briefs category, lots of reviews swear these are the best underwear they’ve ever found due to their extraordinarily thick, breathable fabric, softy and comfy waistband, no riding up, no chafing, and superior moisture wicking.

For the downside on these, others found the waistband pulled away from the rest of the fabric on theirs after several washes, leaving rips and holes. You know what we always say -- hand-washing and air drying can help extend the life of your undies.

4. Gildan Men's Regular Leg Boxer Brief Multipack

Supportive and soft: All the good stuff like moisture-wicking, tag-free backs, and cozy waistbands are found within this Amazon’s Choice product. With 100% USA-grown cotton in the solid-colored varieties and 90% in the sport greys, the fabric is high quality enough to match the superior design. Leg bands hold the lower legs in place for taller fellas. These are a great way to transition from tighty whities. Offered in 5 sizes and 5 color combos (not all colors are available in all sizes).

The downside is some reported pulling apart at the seams after washing, while others felt they were a bit more snug than expected from the sizing guide.

5. New Balance Men's 6" Boxer Brief Fly Front with Pouch

Supportive and snug, but light: Choose from 16 color combos and 4 sizes of these 3-packs of boxer briefs. Coming in at #3 in Men’s Boxer Briefs, these Amazon favorites feature quick wicking and an elastic waistband. Snug but light enough that you’ll forget you have them on. Nice fit for most, pouch is supportive and well-sized. Tagless. Great for athletes. Be sure to follow precise laundering instructions.

Downside: Some complain they tend to roll up or down a bit, especially for those with large or muscular legs.

6. Adidas Men's Sport Performance Climalite Boxer Brief Underwear

#9 in Amazon’s Men’s Boxer Briefs category: Most found these deliciously comfortable with soft stitching and an itch-free, tagless waistband. Moisture wicking helps with warm summertime workouts, and their no ride-up design keeps legs in place for all heights of gents. Available in 7 sizes and 16 unique color combos per 2-pack.

The problem with these? Some complained of chafing after very long runs or military-length exercise intervals. Others reported their waistbands became flimsy and loose after several washes. 

7. Knocker Nylon Stretchable Compression Boxer Briefs

Conveniently One-Size-Fits-All: These have accidentally become a favorite not only for the boys who love them, but for some of their lady friends as well. Anybody who enjoys a stretchy, hold-it-all-together feeling (and doesn’t mind that there’s no fly) would probably like these -- and rumour has it they also work great under skirts. They’re seamless, compressed boxer briefs in one of the brightest assortments of colors you’ll find anywhere (trust us), available in a 6-pack.

The downside is slimmer folks complain that they nearly slide off their hips. Others report they need to readjust their goodies constantly throughout the day as the undies keep climbing up and eventually wrap too snugly around them. And while they may highlight the best of your physique for the most part, they also show too much of certain aspects (i.e. too short for some, show too much crack in the back for others).

8. EYUSHIJIA Men's No Ride-up Breathable Bamboo Fiber Modal Boxer Briefs

Extraordinary comfort and precise sizing:  Gorgeous colors, super soft fabric, and no complaints on the sizing. The double pouch is a favorite among all who wear these, as is the bamboo modal fiber. The thick waistband prohibits pinching and double stitching keeps everything intact during the average wash and dry cycles. Highly breathable and won’t ride up on most wearers with an average activity level.

The downside is their very high rating may have come at a price. Several reviews mention being offered a free packet (or several) of underwear in exchange for a positive review. Some also say they roll up or down in spite of other reviews stating the opposite, and for gentlemen who are active all day, they require frequent readjustments in the bathroom. Most do, however, claim they’re very comfy, fit well, and make great gifts to boot.

9. 5Mayi Men's Underwear Boxer Briefs

Feels like a second skin: 7 different sizes allow for precise sizing and 17 dazzling color combos allow you to pick your tip top fave out of these eye-popping 5-packs. Most reported they loved the fit, appreciated the sturdy elastic 1.35-inch waistband, and enjoyed the comfort of the ergonomic ‘separating’ fly pouch. Be sure to order up a size if your legs are particularly large or muscular.

What’s the downside? They tend to ‘bunch up’ on those who are very active for long periods of time, i.e. folks who squat down, climb up, reach high etc., often during work. Some reported they fit strangely (loose in the behind, long in the waist), and the material seemed a bit on the thin side.

10. Wirarpa Men's Underwear Multipack

A delight against the skin: Each pair is uber lightweight, takes up little space, perfect for bringing along on vacation.

These richly multi-colored gentleman’s bikini brief 4-packs are available in 6 different sizes with flattering full coverage on the backside and double layered no-fly contoured pouches. Waistbands are covered in thick fabric and each pair is comprised of 95% modal, 5% spandex for a superbly silky soft feel. Many report feeling as if they aren’t wearing anything or forgetting they have them on.

What’s the downside? Some felt their package arrived with larger sized briefs than anticipated, while others were annoyed at how long it took for theirs to line-dry. Still more reported an annoying seam ran down the front of theirs, which did not show up in advertisement photos and was not mentioned in the description. Your best bet? Check return policies at time of your order to make sure you can exchange the wrong size (if you get it) or return them in case of any other such error.

Best Cheap Underwear Buying Guide

Waste not, want not. So goes the old saying from 1800, reminding us to be thrifty with what we have so we’ll never need to go without. It may sound wacky, but it’s actually wisdom that endures to this day. The gist: Whether you’re on a tight budget or not, you should always go for optimal durability, and, of course, take good care of what you have.

With that in mind, we should make sure our clothing, including our underwear, lasts as long as possible. This means choosing a brand name well known for its durability. Using an effective stain remover (we like OxiClean Powder--but not on wool or silk) and handling/washing gently can help extend our undergarments’ longevity as well.

The best fabrics are always more natural than synthetic, especially when you’re wearing it against your skin. Cotton is the champion of underwear fabrics, with its superior breathability, softness, absorbency, and overall affordability. Find underwear with the highest percentage of cotton possible. Other winning fabrics (often found combined with cotton, or on their own if you can’t find cotton) include modal, nylon, rayon, and silk.