If you’re about to embark on an overseas trip, you'll need a sturdy suitcase. Find the best luggage for your travels with our test results, buying guide and expert picks.
Buy the best luggage for your trips
We’ve tested a range of large and small cases to find which are most durable and easiest to use.
We asses suitcases for:
• tolerance to repeated dropping
• resistance to punctures
• resistance to rain
• ease of carrying and wheeling across different surfaces.
Best luggage of 2025
Embarking on your next adventure? Our expert recommendations help you find the perfect suitcases for your journey, considering size, weight, budget, and shell type.
Best small case
Best carry-on case
Best large hard-shell case on a budget
Best small soft-shell case
Get access to Consumer & see all reviews
Thousands of expert product/service reviews
Personal support through our Consumer Rights Advice Line
Premium articles and in-depth buying advice
Add a Consumer magazine for even more exclusive content
Definitely don't buy this suitcase
The price might be good, but this cheap suitcase is a dud. See which suitcase our experts suggest you avoid.
What you need to know when buying luggage
Carry-on bags and suitcases are essential travel companions. But how do you choose? Read our buying guide for the essential features to consider, including shell type, size and weight, zips and locks, pockets, expandability, wheels and handles.
The guide also talks about the weight and size restrictions for check-in and carry-on luggage across different airlines and the potential costs of exceeding limits.
Preparing for your travels
Equip yourself with everything you need for a worry-free trip. Find out what to check before you head away, the importance of travel insurance, your rights when travelling, keeping tabs on your luggage, the best ways to manage your spending and other travel tips.
7 things to check before you go on holiday
If you’re about to head on a trip, you’ve probably already got a big to-do list you’re working through. Here are seven things not to forget.
Compare travel insurance policies
Compare insurance policies to find the right one, making sure you're covered for all situations that might arise on your trip. Then read our article on 5 ways to get the most from your travel insurance.
Your rights when travelling
What are your travel rights? We’ve looked at domestic and international flights, lost luggage, accommodation cancellations, car hire and refunds.
Travel money: the best cards to use overseas
What’s the best way to access your money while travelling? We’ve considered the pros and cons of all the options for spending while you’re overseas – cash, debit card, credit card, travel card and Wise.
Top travel tips from Consumer NZ staff
Plan a smooth trip and avoid forking out too much money with this travel advice from Consumer NZ staff.
Which tracker is the best for keeping tabs on luggage?
Worried about losing your luggage? Read about our trial of Bluetooth trackers to see how well they perform for keeping tabs on your suitcases.
How we test luggage
Our durability tests mimic the worst you might expect from years of rough handling to see how well the suitcases will protect your belongings over time. We repeatedly drop the cases onto their wheels, drop a pointed cylinder onto them and shower them with water for 10 minutes.
Then we get several testers to take the cases over rough and smooth surfaces, indoors and out, up and down stairs, through doorways and into lifts, to see how easy they are to wheel and carry.
