We use cookies to allow us and selected partners to improve your experience and our advertising. By continuing to browse you consent to our use of cookies. You can understand more and change your cookies preferences here.

Which? Best Buy cabin bags

by Kate Shipp
Only the most durable and easiest to manoeuvre cabin bags earn our Best Buy recommendation. Read on to discover the best hand luggage that topped our rigorous lab tests.

Put us to the test

Our Test Labs compare features and prices on a range of products. Try Which? to unlock our reviews. You'll instantly be able to compare our test scores, so you can make sure you don't get stuck with a Don't Buy.

Sign up nowor login

Your cabin bag is like a travel partner when you go away on a trip. It spends so much time with you that the wrong choice can be a major annoyance at best and a serious inconvenience at worst.

When you buy a cabin bag you need to be sure that not only is it lightweight and comfortable to carry around, but also strong and durable enough to withstand all the bumps and scrapes your trip might throw at it. A Best Buy cabin bag will ensure your case's contents are kept safe and dry, and that you won't end up sore from dragging it around a busy airport.

  • Our test lab compresses years of wear-and-tear into a month of testing so that when you purchase a Best Buy cabin bag you can be sure it will last
  • Our testing uncovers the cabin bags that could ruin your plans for a stress free holiday by breaking open mid-flight or failing to fit in the overhead lockers
  • We even perform our own no-holds-barred 'chuck test' to ensure that any cabin bag you buy is ready for the real world

Join Which? now to unlock our cabin bag recommendations on this page. Already a member? Log in now.

How we uncover the best cabin bag

Every cabin bag we review first has to pass through our state-of-the-art, purpose-built luggage test lab. It's there that a team of qualified scientists spend weeks putting each piece of baggage through its paces. They don't go easy on them either - in fact we have to buy two of each model we test as we frequently end up pushing them to breaking point.

Out of the dozens of individual tests carried out, these are some of the highlights:

  • Impact resistance: Each case is repeatedly pummeled with a weighted metal impactor to ensure it can withstand being punctured or crushed
  • Zip strength: The main zip on every bag is open and closed 100 times to make sure it doesn't snag or break

Cabin bag reviews you can trust

We are independent and impartial, and product reviews and recommendations are what we've done for over 60 years. There are no ads on our site - we don't work for the manufacturers, we work for you. We test the products, and pass the results on. It's that simple.

Want to find out which cabin bag is right for you? Join Which? now