Before you get tempted by the low prices of TK Maxx luggage – let’s step back and assess the risks of a suitcase-based holiday disaster!
There is a reason that you have never heard of the hard-shell and soft-shell luggage brands at knock-down prices at your local TK Maxx. Aside from the occasional real brand, most suitcases are ‘generics’. All made in the same Chinese factories, with the same low-quality standards and given a plausible brand (though bland) name.
Generic / non-name luggage will break after just a few trips.
For me the only question is whether the wheels, lock, zips, or shell will break while you are on holiday – or whether you get super-lucky, and it happens at home…
This page covers more than just the luggage at TK Maxx. Any discount retailer selling luggage requires caution. Poundland, Home Bargains and B&M come to mind… there are 100’s more local versions.
Better Value Alternatives to TK Maxx Luggage: Named Brands at Great Prices
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You’ll find detailed information on these value alternatives to TK Maxx Luggage below. First up, lets dive deeper into exactly why no-name generic luggage is not as cheap as it first appears.
TK Maxx Luggage: Why Cheaper Prices Don’t Mean You Got a Bargain
Broken luggage will quickly turn your holiday into a nightmare.
It is not just breakage that makes cheap suitcases a trap. The first thing you should consider is price per trip.
Read this list and you’ll get the idea immediately:
- Let’s say a £50 suitcase lasts 2 trips before becoming an embarrassment (or unusable).
- You go for a brand name with decent quality. Now you pay £90+ and are still good five holidays later.
- How about a case with full warranty, fully tested and top-quality. This one might be £150+, yet it is still in service 15 holidays later.
Per trip costs:
- Cheap Case: £25 per trip
- Quality Brand: £15 per trip
- Top End Brand: £10 per trip
Sure, these are ballpark numbers.
After 6 years in the luggage business, I stand by them.
And I’ve not even included the difference in how it feels to arrive at the airport with an ugly no-name ‘good enough’ case vs a smart one from IT Luggage, Samsonite, or Antler. The difference is night and day!
Weight, Wheels, and Security: Don’t Buy TK Maxx Luggage Before You Test These Factors
Here is a checklist that no traveller should ignore.
If you mess up on any of these in search of a supposed ‘bargain’, you’ll have shot yourself in the foot before your holiday even gets started.
- Weight: I’ve seen cases at 3.5kg+ (medium) getting advertised as ‘Super Light’ in a TK Maxx suitcase department. Those no-brand cases are not made of lightweight materials compared to the newer plastics of branded cases – make sure you are not walking away with a heavyweight dud.
- Wheels: If anything is going to break first on discounted luggage, it is the spinner wheels. My Samsonite case has tested wheels that are guaranteed. How sure are you really that some unknown brand will still have four wheels when it appears back on the airport carousel?
- Security: Your current holiday might not be to the USA, but what about next year? Make sure you have a TSA lock to future-proof your case. I’d also check the combination lock closely; cheaper cases can be opened so easily that the security is often just for show.
Here are some smaller (but still important) things to watch out for: Does the plastic cover resist stickers without becoming marked? Is your TK Maxx bag rainproof? How will it show scratches and the inevitable dings? Is the telescoping handle wobbly? How is the inside organised? Are there elasticated straps, inside pockets or meshed compartments?
With TK Maxx Suitcases it is a Case of Buyer Beware
Again, I’m not saying you can’t grab a bargain on luggage at TK Maxx, Poundland or any other discount retailer.
Now and again, there are branded luggage bargains to be snatched up. You’ll need to know which are the premium brands of course. I even saw some children’s luggage with Disney characters on my last trip – though no Trunki!
Here is an example, a fantastic Ted Baker case, in among the tat:
Better Value Options than TK Maxx Luggage for the Long-Term: Here are the Alternative Cases from the Table Above
The cases below have way better price per trip than generic tat luggage from discount retailers.
#1 – Hard-Shell Alternative – American Tourister Bon Air Spinners
Get brand quality at under £100 with American Tourister.
Many people don’t know that this brand is part of the Samsonite family. You get that same build quality (especially the wheels) at a fraction of the price.
My favourite hard-shell from American Tourister is the lively Bon Air range.
These spinners have a unique look and come in a wide range of colours (you can see how each size looks in each colour on the page linked below). You get carry-on, medium, or large options – with a set of three possible too. The inside is worth checking. One side is open, with an elasticated strap. The other side zips closed and has meshed pockets – there is also a smaller zipped compartment next to the hinges.
American Tourister cases are top quality (for a great price per trip) and look the part too.
See the Bon Air spinners and colour combinations now – over on this dedicated page at the American Tourister official Amazon.co.uk store!
#2 – Soft-Shell Super-Light Cases from IT Luggage
IT Luggage are pioneers when it comes to super-light suitcases.
Their ‘World’s Lightest’ were the first to have that ‘wow’ factor. You lift them and can’t quite believe how light they are.
Since then, IT Luggage have expanded their soft-shell range. The distinctive panels, wide handle options and subtle logo and styling keep people loyal to this brand.
My pick is the new Lykke range. For the price / quality balance, these IT cases put any no-brand range from TK Maxx to shame. Lykke suitcases are super-light and have small (though super-sturdy) wheels on each corner. Best of all, they are made of recycled bottles. Not only will you save the environment compared to other brands, your case will be wipe-clean and strong too.
If you have any doubt about the quality – the 10-year warranty for going direct with IT should give you peace of mind.
Check out the unique style and light build of the Lykke Suitcases for yourself now – over on this page at the official IT Luggage UK Store.
#3 – Timeless Design from a Great British Brand – The Stamford Range from Antler
You simply won’t find suitcases which balance the elegance and practicality of Antler at discount retailers like TK Maxx.
Antler is a British brand with a long history. I have tested multiple cases (for example the new Brixham range), and strongly believe that the ‘per trip’ value is hard to beat. They are the best £200+ you will spend, when it comes to elegance, build quality and luggage that will last and last.
I love the ridges going across the black Stamford cases, though it works brilliantly in the lighter pastel shades too. Antler places their locks on top. This is more than just a distinctive design feature; it makes their cases easy to use on the go too.
Check out the colour options and sizes for the Stamford range at the official Amazon.co.uk Antler store now!
#4 – Grab a Luggage Set with a Ton of Feedback: Coolife Hard-Shell
This set from Coolife has something that TK Maxx luggage will never be able to offer – almost 3,000 reviews!
You’ll find plenty of real comments from people that have enjoyed multiple holidays with these cases. I won’t rose-tint things, it is not all good. What you will get is a solid, dependable hard-shell suitcase set with spinner wheels at a great price.
Most people opt for the black, though there are bright colours (including a fluorescent green which is a little over the top for me, oh and a smart wine-red).
Coolife are not the lightest hard-shell cases, though at this price point, few brands can match them for the sheer amount of feedback received.
Check out the value luggage sets from Coolife on this dedicated page at the Amazon.co.uk Coolife cases store.
#5 – Beautiful Designs: Samsonite Lite-Shock Luggage Will Last for Years
I’m a huge Samsonite fan and have never been happier than that ‘my goodness’ feeling whenever I pick up my Lite-Shock suitcase ahead of a trip.
If you do one thing to make your travel easier this year, pick up one of these cases!
They feel flexible to a light press, when you press hard, they instantly toughen up. Spinner wheels, state of the art material and metallic-effect colours that stand out a mile at the airport carousel.
Samsonite have the best warranties in the business.
Lite-Shock cases are not cheap. But when you combine the durability, design and how amazing you’ll feel when using one (and compare it to the cost of other designer brands), you’ll wonder why you punished yourself with cheap luggage for all these years.
Check out the colour options and spec now, on this dedicated page at the official Samsonite Store at amazon.co.uk!
Wrapping Up: Is TK Maxx Luggage Really all that Bad?
Unless you get lucky and happen to find a designer brand (unlikely but can happen), then I’d personally avoid no-name luggage – however much of a bargain is looks like.
Almost all luggage at TK Maxx and other discounters is generic unbranded luggage that is mass produced in China.
You’ll feel like you saved money, only to deeply regret not spending just a little more when your holiday turns into a busted-luggage nightmare.
Instead of thinking of bargains, think in terms of value per trip – and in terms of how great you’ll feel arriving with beautiful luggage instead of those ugly lumps of plastic on wheels sold at TK Maxx!
Here is the table one more time – I hope my options make perfect sense after reading the information above:
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