Compare self-storage in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Kiwi Self Storage, National Mini Storage, National Storage, Storage King and Kennards Self Storage were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Accessibility, Convenience of Location, Customer Service, Quality of Storage, Safety & Security and Value for Money.
See our Ratings Methodology.
Kiwi Self Storage has sent the competition packing, rated NZ consumers’ No.1 choice and the winner of Canstar Blue’s Self-Storage Award 2024.
Our review compares self-storage companies on customer satisfaction, so you can discover what other Kiwis think about our compared self-storage brands before you go ahead and choose a provider. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest friends which self-storage firm they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 527 Kiwis who had used a self-storage provider over the past two years for their feedback on the self-storage company they used.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their self-storage brands from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall Satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall Satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Ratings ResultsThis is the second time, across three awards, that Kiwi Self Storage has taken home Canstar Blue’s Self-Storage Award. In this year’s award ratings, it’s the only self-storage provider to earn a top 5-Star Overall Satisfaction rating from its customers. And it’s a rating it achieves across a further four fields: Accessibility, Customer Service, Safety & Security and the all-important category of Value for Money. For Quality of Storage and Convenience it earns great 4-Star ratings, cementing Kiwi Self Storage’s position at the top of our award ratings.
Kiwi Self Storage has three locations in Auckland (Ellerslie, Mt Roskill and North Shore) and two storage facilities in Wellington (Kilbirnie, Newlands).
Ratings ResultsNational Mini Storage places second on our awards table with a great 4-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction. Apart from our winner, it’s the only self-storage provider to earn multiple 5-Star ratings, for: Convenience, Quality of Storage and, notably, Value for Money – which is a clear indication of how highly its customers rate the services it provides.
National Mini Storage has 12 locations spread across Auckland.
Ratings ResultsPlacing in the middle of our awards table, National Storage earns a 3-Star rating for Overall Satisfaction. While this isn’t a top rating, it’s by no means an indication of displeasure on the part of the storage firm’s customers. Rather, a 3-Star rating shows they are happy with the levels of service and value they receive. This is clear from the 4-Star ratings National Storage earns for Convenience, Customer Service, Quality of Storage and Value for Money. National Storage is also one of only two providers to earn a 5-Star rating for Safety & Security.
National Storage is one of Australasia’s largest self-storage providers, operating over 230 centres across Australia and New Zealand. Here in Aotearoa it has 34 locations spread across the country.
North Island
Auckland: 8 locations
Hamilton: 5 locations
Tauranga: 1 location
Rotorua: 3 locations
Wellington: 8 locations
South Island
Canterbury: 6 locations
Queenstown: 1 location
Dunedin: 2 locations
Ratings ResultsStorage King earns a 3-Star Overall Satisfaction. However, across all categories it earns predominantly 4-Star ratings and above: 4-Star ratings for Customer Service, Value for Money and Safety & Security, plus a 5-Star rating for Quality of Storage.
Storage King is an Australian owned and operated company that has 20 locations across the North Island: 15 are spread across Auckland; three in the Waikato; one in Tauranga and one in Rotorua.
It has five storage facilities in the South Island: one each in Dunedin, Queenstown and Wanaka, and two in Christchurch.
Ratings ResultsA previous award winner, in this year’s award ratings, Kennards’ customers award the self-storage provider its top marks, 4-Star ratings, for Accessibility, Convenience and Value for Money. Across all other categories, including for Overall Satisfaction, Kennards earns 3-Star ratings.
Kennards Self Storage was the first company to open a self-storage facility in Australia. Today it operates 114 storage facilities across Australasia. Here, Kennards operates only in the North Island:
Auckland: 3 locations
Tauranga: 1 location
Hastings: 2 locations
Napier: 2 locations
Palmerston North: 1 location
Wellington: 1 location
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more brands to check out before making a self-storage rental decision:
Editor’s NotesAll Secure Self Storage has 13 locations across the country, in main centres from Auckland down to Christchurch and Timaru.
Guardian Secure Self Storage has four North Island locations: two in Auckland, plus Hamilton and Tauranga.
Safestore has three Auckland locations.
There are many things to consider when choosing the right self-storage provider to meet your needs. However, it’s essential to consider certain key factors when making your rental decision.
While 33% of those in our survey say their choice of self-storage provider is influenced by its proximity to their home, it’s interesting to see that location isn’t a factor in their overall satisfaction with their provider.
By far, Value for Money is the most important consideration for consumers, well above both Quality of Storage and Customer Service, which, surprisingly, is on a par with Accessibility.
The fact that Safety & Security are of least concern is a reflection of the high levels of security offered by storage providers.
Here is what the consumers in our survey say are the main things they consider when rating their choice of self-storage provider.
Self-storage: What to ConsiderWhen weighing up your self-storage needs, the first question you need to ask yourself is how much space you need.
Although we always underestimate the amount of space our possessions take up, you need to remember that when it comes to self-storage you need to visualise the whole volume, from floor to ceiling of your storage unit, and not just the floor space. This is because you should aim to pack in your possessions like a game of Tetris, if possible.
As a general rule of thumb:
Always thoroughly research the sizes of storage units available at your choice of provider and spend time working on an accurate estimation of your requirements.
It’s a good idea to ask your storage provider how easy it is to switch to a larger/small unit should your requirements change further down the line.
According to Canstar Blue’s latest research, most Kiwis hire their self-storage units for under six months:
| Time | % |
| < 1 month | 15% |
| 1-6 months | 37% |
| 6-12 months | 17% |
| >12 months | 28% |
Most storage units have one-month minimum storage periods. But if your plans are for the longer term, then it’s worth asking if any discounts apply. Long-term storage often comes at a discount, especially if you pay upfront.
But regardless of how long you plan to stay, it’s a good idea to check the notice period, so you don’t end up paying for longer than you need.
Self-storage facilities have different opening hours, so always check when you’ll be able to get easy access to your stored goods. Some providers also have 24/7 access and on-site managers available 24-hours if you encounter a problem.
Good security should cover general access to the facility and complete CCTV coverage. An extra level of security includes separate alarms on individual units.
However, just because a self-storage facility takes security precautions, don’t assume that your goods are safe … or covered by insurance. Generally, home contents insurance policies don’t cover your possessions if they are being stored away from your home. And self-storage companies don’t automatically cover your goods on their premises.
So, if you’re storing goods that have any kind of value, it’s advisable to organise separate insurance for them, either through your insurer, or through a policy offered by the storage-unit owner.
As we all know, NZ weather can be unpredictable, and humid. All storage units should be weather-tight, but if you’re storing particularly delicate items, or possessions that could be adversely affected by high humidity – for example fabrics or artwork – it’s worth looking into the availability of units offering climate or humidity control.
Will you be spending time in your unit for any reason and need access to power or wi-fi while you are there?
If you’re moving large heavy items, does the storage facility have a forklift and operator that you can access to do the grunt work for you? And does it provide a good selection of the other essential tools needed when you’re lugging around large boxes, such as pallet jacks, trolleys, trucks and trailers?
While packing materials are available to purchase from most storage companies, also consider any excess or used packing materials you might want to discard as rubbish. Often, the use of a unit’s skip bins comes with a small fee.
Self-storage means that you hold the key to your unit’s padlock – which you must provide. Of course, you’ll be able to purchase one from your self-storage provider, but if you’ve already got one going spare at home, you can BYO and save a few extra dollars!
If it can fit in a box, put it in a box. You don’t want to leave small items placed about, uncovered. Boxes provide great protection, and by using similar sized ones, it can help make stacking a breeze. Be careful to place the heaviest ones at the bottom, with lighter and more delicate ones on top. And be sure not to over, or under, fill them. This can lead to the boxes collapsing or bursting open.
If a box is half-empty, fill it with packing material, such as crumpled paper.
Place these in archival boxes or book cartons, and ensure documents are placed flat and neat. Keep in mind that books can be heavy, so don’t overfill your boxes. If you are concerned about the books’ covers, placing cloth or paper between each book can help to protect them.
Don’t hang up clothes in storage, as over a long period of time this can cause stretching and damage. Fold items neatly in acid-free boxes to avoid any discolouration.
It’s important to cover delicate furniture and upholstery. This should be done with sheets or moving blankets. If stacking items on top of each other, make sure a sheet, cloth or moving blanket is placed between them.
Plastic wrap and coverings make for good protection, but can cause mould and mildew during long-term storage.
Use tissue, packing or newspaper, and use a lot of it. Items of glassware, crockery, ceramics and porcelain should all be individually wrapped before being placed into a box or carton. Use more packing paper and tissue to fill in any gaps and to reduce movement between items. Make sure to fill any spaces so the box is sturdy, and don’t place heavier items on top.
Artwork and mirrors shoulder be wrapped, too. Preferably then placed in a picture carton.
Make sure everything is clean and dry before storing. If possible, place back into original boxes.
Whiteware items must be thoroughly cleaned and dried before storing. Leave any doors on ovens, refrigerators, etc, slightly open to prevent mould. A deodoriser can help prevent odours.
Label your boxes so you know what’s inside, and be sure to include a big, bold fragile warning if necessary. If there are certain items you’ll need access to, store them in more accessible places.
Make sure you don’t store anything perishable (such as food items) or living! While no-one is expected to store a pet, don’t forget plants need water and light and won’t do well in a storage unit.
Also, ensure you don’t store anything harmful, toxic or combustible, such as certain cleaners, solvents, petrol or paint. If you are storing lawnmowers or barbeques, make sure they are empty of petrol or gas. Also, make sure they are clean. You don’t want to bring any bugs, germs, or dirt into your storage unit.
This report was written by Canstar’s Editor, Bruce Pitchers. Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in the UK and Australasia, including ACP, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. Prior to Canstar, he worked as a freelancer, including for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority, and for real estate companies on both sides of the Tasman.
Only use self-storage when moving house: 37%
Used self-storage longer than originally planned: 35%
Value a close, accessible storage over price: 33%
Stored items even though knew would never need them again: 29%
Didn’t bother insuring goods in storage: 27%
Use self-storage to secure valuable assets: 13%
Ended up paying for more space than required: 15%
Use storage for car only: 9%
Use storage for boat only: 6%
Between homes: 42%
Not enough space in house: 39%
Moved to a different area for work: 13%
Home being renovated: 11%
Travelling overseas: 11%
Relationship ended: 9%
Rented out home: 8%
Through research on the internet: 42%
Due to proximity to residence: 36%
Through word-of-mouth: 19%
Convenience: 49%
Price: 30%
Features (e.g. 24/7 access): 18%
<1 month: 15%
1-6 months: 37%
6-12 months: 17%
>12 months: 28%
Yes: 32%
No: 63%
Didn’t think would need it: 40%
Never thought about it: 29%
Too expensive: 24%
Canstar Blue surveyed 5007 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who had used self-storage in the past two years. In this case, 534 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.
The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Self-Storage ratings:
Best-Rated Self-Storage - May 6th
How to buy in a retirement village
In New Zealand there are four common legal titles used when buying into a retirement village:
1. Licence to occupy
A license to occupy (LTO) is a legal paper that grants …
Best-Rated Self-Storage - April 8th
How to choose the right retirement village
1. Assess your needs and preferences
Start by evaluating your current and future needs. Consider factors such as location, lifestyle preferences, level of care required, recreational activities, healthcare facilities, and …
Appliances - March 28th
Why do I need to clean my water bottle/travel mug?
Cleaning your water bottle or travel mug regularly is essential for several reasons:
Hygiene: bacteria, mould, and other microorganisms can accumulate in your water bottle or …
– Read more
Bathroom Cleaners - February 18th
If you vacuum sucks at sucking, it could just need a deep clean. Keeping your vacuum cleaner in top shape ensures it provides optimal performance, lasts longer, and remains hygienic. This comprehensive guide caters to …
– Read more
Cleaning steps
Before you start cleaning, ensure that the BBQ is turned off and has cooled down completely. Also, make sure you disconnect the propane tank or natural gas line if you have a gas grill.
1. …