The Best Dog Crates in Australia

Bringing home a puppy means buying several things at once, and choosing the best dog crate gets harder when every listing promises comfort and security. For a small dog, we’d start with the MidWest iCrate Starter Kit: its divider, bed, bowls and cover make it a practical first purchase, backed by independent recommendations.

If you’ve already bought those extras, the Amazon Basics metal crate is the cheaper choice. For a large dog’s travel kennel, look at the Petmate Ultra Vari instead. Measure your dog before choosing any of them; a useful bundle or a low price won’t make the wrong size fit.

The short answer

The best dog crates in Australia

• Best starter kit for puppies: MidWest iCrate Starter Kit
• Best budget metal crate: Amazon Basics Single Door Metal Crate
• Best travel kennel for large dogs: Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel
• Best soft crate with an included mat: Veehoo Collapsible Large Dog Crate
• Best lower-cost soft travel crate: Amazon Basics Soft-Sided Travel Crate
• Best furniture-style crate for small spaces: Hzuaneri DFC85514B
• Best furniture-style pick for more internal room: Hzuaneri DFC85114B

Product		Price
	MidWest Homes for Pets iCrate (1524PK-KIT)	from $107.59 at Amazon	$107.59 at Amazon
	Amazon Basics Single Door Folding Metal Dog Crate (9001N-24A)	from $54.90 at Amazon	$54.90 at Amazon
	Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel (21554)	from $343.61 at Amazon	$343.61 at Amazon
	Veehoo Collapsible Large Dog Crate for Indoor Outdoor (CWB2541CP30XL)	from $123.49 at Amazon	$123.49 at Amazon
	Amazon Basics 2-Door Collapsible Soft-Sided Folding Travel Crate Dog Kennel (12002-36-APL)	from $99.00 at Amazon	$99.00 at Amazon
	Hzuaneri 26.8'' Wooden Dog Crate Furniture (DFC85514B)	from $132.04 at Amazon	$132.04 at Amazon
	Hzuaneri 31.5'' Wooden Dog Crate Furniture (DFC85114B)	from $157.69 at Amazon	$157.69 at Amazon

1. Best starter kit for puppies: MidWest iCrate Starter Kit

If you’re buying a crate, bedding and bowls for a new puppy, the MidWest iCrate Starter Kit saves you choosing each separately. Our take is that this bundle earns its extra cost over the basic metal crate when you need the accessories.

The divider is the feature we’d prioritise for a puppy: you can adjust the space inside rather than use the whole crate immediately. The included bed and cover also mean fewer separate purchases, although they’re less valuable if you’ve already bought them.

Good Housekeeping recommends the iCrate as best overall for its folding design, easy-clean tray and puppy divider. Gentle Dog Trainers recommends it for puppies. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check.

The catch is size. This particular listing is for small breeds up to approximately 11.3 kg, so don’t buy it expecting it to accommodate any puppy through adulthood. Amazon Australia was the only retailer shown stocking this kit in our supplied checks; check the warranty and returns terms before ordering.

Our verdict: Buy this if you’re starting from scratch with a puppy or small dog that fits the listed size. Choose the cheaper metal crate below if you already have the accessories.

2. Best budget metal crate: Amazon Basics Single Door Metal Crate

Already have a bed and bowls, and don’t want to pay for another set? The Amazon Basics Metal Crate is the cheapest pick in this guide and our value choice for a dog that fits it.

Folding flat makes sense if the crate will spend some of its time in storage. The removable tray is useful when cleaning needs to be straightforward. You get those practical features without paying for a starter bundle or furniture styling.

Good Housekeeping recommends it as its best-value option for occasional use and travel, citing the folding frame, divider and removable tray. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check.

Its single front door limits where you can place it while keeping access clear. That’s worth checking before you order, especially beside a sofa or in a narrow room. Our stock data shows Amazon Australia alone carrying this model, so read its warranty and returns conditions.

Our verdict: This is the sensible low-cost buy if the dimensions work and you don’t need bundled accessories. Check the door clearance as carefully as the dog’s fit.

3. Best travel kennel for large dogs: Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel

Planning travel with a large dog calls for a different purchase from a small lounge-room crate. The Petmate Ultra Vari Kennel is our travel recommendation, with an independent recommendation and a design aimed at that job.

The tie-down holes give you something specific to check against your transport arrangements. Petmate’s claim that it meets most airline cargo specifications is useful as a starting point, but confirm your airline’s requirements for the exact kennel before buying it for a flight.

Good Housekeeping recommends the Ultra Vari as its best travel crate. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check.

This is the dearest pick here. We’d pay that extra for a travel kennel that matches the dog’s measurements and the carrier’s requirements; we’d skip it for someone shopping mainly for a cheap indoor crate. Amazon Australia is the sole stockist in the supplied retailer data, making the warranty and returns terms worth checking before this larger purchase.

Our verdict: Choose it for a large dog’s travel needs once you’ve confirmed fit and transport requirements. Its extra cost is harder to justify for basic home use.

4. Best soft crate with an included mat: Veehoo Collapsible Large Dog Crate

Packing bedding as well as a crate adds another item to organise. The Veehoo Collapsible Crate combines a folding soft crate with an included mat, making it worth considering for temporary resting space at home or away.

We’d consider the included mat a useful reason to spend a little more than on the Amazon Basics soft crate below. Veehoo’s stated quick setup also suits buyers who expect to put the crate away between uses.

But the maker explicitly warns against using it with pets that chew aggressively: intense scratching or biting can damage the mesh and zippers. That rules it out if your dog already attacks fabric enclosures.

It was ranked number 1 in Dog Enclosures on Amazon Australia when we checked. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check, so its place here rests on sales rank and the listed features. Only Amazon Australia stocks it in our data; check warranty coverage and returns terms, particularly for fabric damage.

Our verdict: A practical soft-crate choice if you want bedding included and your dog doesn’t chew or scratch at fabric. Take the maker’s damage warning seriously.

5. Best lower-cost soft travel crate: Amazon Basics Soft-Sided Travel Crate

If you need a soft crate you can pack away without spending as much as the Veehoo, consider the Amazon Basics Soft Travel Crate. We’d choose it for straightforward setup and access rather than extra accessories.

The top and front doors give you two ways to reach inside, which should make arranging bedding less awkward. Folding flat is the other reason to choose it when storage matters.

Its zipped fabric design wouldn’t be our choice for a dog that bites or scratches at an enclosure. Saving money isn’t useful if that design doesn’t match your dog’s behaviour.

This model was ranked number 2 in Basic Dog Crates on Amazon Australia when we checked, and we found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check. Amazon Australia is the only retailer listed as stocking it; check the warranty and return conditions before committing.

Our verdict: Buy it if you want a lower-cost folding soft crate and the dimensions suit your dog. Choose the Veehoo if its extra room and included mat justify the difference for you.

6. Best furniture-style crate for small spaces: Hzuaneri DFC85514B

When the crate needs to sit beside your lounge furniture, appearance becomes part of the decision. The Hzuaneri Small Furniture Crate is our smaller furniture-style pick, with a top the maker says can serve as a side table.

Three-door access gives you more freedom to position it than a front-entry crate. Our take is that the furniture styling is worth paying for if the crate will remain in a visible spot, but fit comes first.

Hzuaneri describes its construction as anti-chew and anti-escape. We’d treat those as maker claims rather than a guarantee that it will contain a determined dog.

It was ranked number 1 in Furniture-Style Dog Crates on Amazon Australia when we checked. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check. The retailer data lists Amazon Australia as its sole stockist, so review warranty and returns terms before ordering.

Our verdict: Choose it for a small dog when you want the crate to work with the room’s furniture. Don’t sacrifice internal space to get the smaller model.

7. Best furniture-style pick for more internal room: Hzuaneri DFC85114B

If the smaller furniture crate leaves your dog short of room, the Hzuaneri Larger Furniture Crate is the size to consider. We wouldn’t pay extra for it unless those larger internal measurements solve a fit problem.

You get more internal length, width and height than in the smaller Hzuaneri, while retaining front and side access. That’s a useful upgrade for fit, rather than a reason everyone should buy the larger one. Hzuaneri’s anti-chew and anti-escape descriptions remain manufacturer claims.

This model was also ranked number 1 in Furniture-Style Dog Crates on Amazon Australia when we checked. We found no independent owner rating at the retailers we check. Amazon Australia alone appears in its stock data; check the warranty and returns policy before choosing it.

Our verdict: Buy the larger Hzuaneri when your dog needs its extra internal space and you want furniture styling. Otherwise, the smaller model costs less.

How we chose

Our reviews are based on owner ratings where available, maker specifications, independent recommendations, and price and stock checks. All seven picks were in stock at Amazon Australia in the supplied checks, but none had an independent owner rating at the retailers we check.

Products with independent recommendations come first. The remaining picks were selected on Amazon Australia sales rank, then ordered by their listed features, price and the needs they address. Sales rank shows popularity, not an owner satisfaction score.

Dog crate buying guide

If you’re worried about buying the wrong size

Measure your dog before comparing crates. Your dog needs room to stand up and turn around, and internal dimensions are more useful than the model name.

Amazon Basics advises measuring from nose to hind end and from the top of the head to the floor, then adding 10 cm to determine the required length and height. Use the exact listing’s sizing instructions and check whether its measurements describe the inside or the outside.

Don’t rely on a breed example alone. If the listing doesn’t provide the measurements you need, resolve that before ordering.

If you’re choosing the best crate for a puppy

Start with fit and whether you need a divider. A divider lets you adjust the available space inside a larger crate, but it can’t make that crate bigger once your dog outgrows it.

We’d choose the MidWest kit when its small-breed size works and you need the included accessories. If you’ve already bought bedding and bowls, the budget metal crate is a more economical starting point.

If your dog chews or scratches at barriers

Don’t choose a soft crate because it folds neatly. Veehoo specifically warns that biting and intense scratching can damage its mesh and zippers.

Equally, don’t read “anti-escape” as a promise. Locks and construction matter, but a maker’s description doesn’t establish how a crate will cope with your dog’s behaviour.

If the crate will stay in the lounge room

Furniture styling can make sense when you want a permanent spot for the crate. Check the dog’s internal space first, then the room available and where the doors will open.

The smaller Hzuaneri costs less; the larger one is worth considering when its additional internal room is necessary. We’d spend on fit before appearance.

If you need a travel kennel

Decide whether you’re buying a temporary resting space or a kennel for a particular transport service. A folding travel crate and an airline cargo kennel aren’t interchangeable purchases.

For flights, confirm the airline’s current requirements for the exact model and your dog before buying. Petmate’s “most airline cargo specifications” claim doesn’t guarantee acceptance on your booking.

If you’re searching for top rated dog crates

None of these seven picks has an independent owner rating in the supplied retailer checks. Don’t mistake an Amazon best-seller position for a review score.

Independent recommendations support our first three choices. For the other four, decide whether the listed design solves your problem and read the returns terms before buying.

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