The best budget suitcases for your next trip – for less than £100

If you’ve spent most of your holiday budget on flights and booking travel adventures for while you’re away, spending more on your luggage can feel like another inconvenient expense.

We’ve tested countless luggage sets here at the Good Housekeeping Institute over the years – you'll find everything you need to know before you invest in our comprehensive luggage buying guide. But what we've learnt from years of testing is that your luggage doesn't have to cost a fortune. We’ve pulled together a list of the best cheap suitcases – all under £100 – that have performed in our lab.

Here they are at a glance, or read on for the reasons why they make great travel buddies.

Concerned about hygiene when using beds at hotels during your travel? Fear not! Just remember to pack along one of these best mattress toppers and they can act as an extra layer of protection. And if you prefer a softer bed to sleep, a topper can make a hotel mattress feel more luxurious and comfortable.

What should I look for in a cheap suitcase?

You're not going to get some of the fancier features you’ll find on our list of the best suitcases – USB charging points, waterproof zips (some water seeped through all the zips on this list during testing), and even silent wheels all spring to mind. But that’s where the compromises end.

All the suitcases below are hard-sided, and have gone through extensive durability testing to make the cut – so your favourite straighteners, or that hand painted pottery souvenir you picked up on your travels, should be safe inside.

You don't have to sacrifice on space either – if you’re jetting off for a while, look for a case that's suitably roomy, but still lightweight enough to meet your luggage allowance (and you can always purchase one of our best packing cubes to make the most of the room). The same goes for cabin bags, since airlines are now giving weight specifications alongside size restrictions.

For ease when you’re on the go, look for a telescopic handle, wheels and a TSA-approved lock, which means that if your suitcase is pulled aside at the airport, security won’t have to break into it, as the agents have a universal key.

How we test suitcases

Whether we’re trialling a large check-in suitcase or a compact cabin bag, our Good Housekeeping Institute experts test each one as you would use it in the real world – packing them just as you would for a trip away. They weigh the cases when empty, then fill them with a set packing list, which should see them through either a break of a few days or two weeks, depending on the size.

They then see how well the suitcase moves across a range of different surfaces, including tarmac, carpet and even cobbles, to get an idea of what they’re like on the go and how easy they are to pull.

Finally, our experts carry out our famous drop tests, where each case is thrown on its wheels, sides and corners for a total of 52 times to ensure it will survive being bashed around in the hold. We even pop them in the shower, to make sure your luggage won’t get too damp if you get caught in a downpour.

Happy packing!