I’m sure you’ll agree that when it comes to holiday outfits, it’s good to have options. That’s why, if the weather forecast is looking a touch volatile, I will justify packing a coat, linen shorts, 15 pairs of ‘just in case’ pants and everything in between.
Yes, I’m that person who brings a puffer jacket to a record-breaking Spanish heatwave. If you relate, I expect your suitcase tends to look a bit like mine (a bombsite), resulting in clothes strewn around the hotel while you try to find that one black top.
Recently, however, I was faced with some extortionate check-in luggage fees and realised I’d have to survive a week-long trip with just a tiny cabin suitcase. How could a chronic overpacker possibly cope? Enter: packing cubes.
The EONO packing cubes in a nutshell
Pros
- Significantly increases suitcase capacity while keeping clothes organised
- Mesh front allows you to see what’s inside
- Great value assortment – includes 5 compression cubes and 1 shoe bag
- Can be packed into the smallest cube when not in use
- Range of colours available
Cons
- Compression zip is slightly fiddly to do, but easy to get the hang of
I bought these packing cubes for three reasons: 1) they promise to actually compress your clothes instead of just compartmentalising them, 2) they’re pink, and 3) they were much cheaper – and you get more of them – than the other top-scoring options in our best packing cubes roundup. They were on sale, too (still are!).
The set contains five compression packing cubes in various sizes, plus one shoe bag – because no one wants to pack their pants next to their trainers. The cubes, fittingly, arrived in the post tightly packed inside the smallest one.
How they work
The premise is simple: stuff packing cube full of clothes, zip it up with the regular grey zip, squeeze out air, then zip it up again with the black compression zip to keep everything flattened. This reduces the amount of air between your clothes, so you can pack more into your suitcase, more easily. It’s like a less intense (and less wrinkly) version of a vacuum bag.
In practice, this is pretty easy to do, though it does get more fiddly to close the compression zip when the packing cubes are at max capacity. Not difficult, but a bit like closing a stuffed backpack – you’ve just got to tuck everything in and pull.
Suitcase packing – do they really make a difference?
This all sounds well and good, but I knew the real test would be actually packing my 55 x 35 x 20 cm suitcase (it’s the GHI’s best budget cabin bag, by Aerolite. Yes, it’s great). First, I packed all the clothes I wanted to bring on my week-long trip and tried to close the suitcase zip. No dice, even after sitting on it. It cooperated only after I took out five outfits, which I simply couldn’t accept.
Time to try the packing cubes. I divided up my clothes by tops, bottoms, jumpers and pants/socks, double-zipped them into the compression cubes and popped a pair of shoes into the shoe bag. To my delight, I was now able to fit everything in the suitcase without taking out any outfits – and my bag zipped shut with minimal squishing required.
I found the compression particularly effective for squashing the air out of fluffy, spongey items like jumpers, fleeces and down jackets. My clothes were also instantly organised (instead of being a hellish jumble), and I love how you the mesh allows you to see what’s in each packing cube at a glance, so you can pull out your T-shirt and shorts as soon as you arrive.
Final verdict
If you’re also someone who regularly bats away ‘kitchen sink’ comments, you’ll know the struggle of squeezing as much as possible into a miniscule suitcase. These brilliant packing cubes let me continue to pack for every eventuality, even as luggage restrictions tighten.
Last weekend, my partner flew with just an under-seat bag (could never be me) and took a couple of these packing cubes to max out his backpack space – zero luggage fees! Considering the extortionate cost of extra luggage these days, we both agree that this was 22 quid well spent.
The only downside? With your luggage packed more densely and efficiently, you may be in danger of exceeding weight limits – so make sure you have one of the best luggage scales to keep an eye on it.
The Good Housekeeping Institute verdict
Eono Compression Packing Cubes, Set of 6 – Fuschia
Eono Compression Packing Cubes, Set of 6 – Fuschia
Score: 85/100
The Good Housekeeping Institute gave this set of Eono Compression Packing Cubes the title of ‘best value buy' in our best packing cubes tests. Testers were impressed by how much they could fit into each cube, as well as the handy see-through mesh, and grab handles. And the cherry on top: they all pack down into the smallest cube for compact storage. A great value set.
Jasmine is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s homes writer. With a background in design, she is committed to sorting the good products from the great –and helping Good Housekeeping readers do the same.
Throughout her career, Jasmine has written extensively about product quality, craftsmanship and sustainability, and is passionate about consumer rights. She previously worked as a writer and researcher at the product longevity platform Buy Me Once.
If she isn’t reviewing the latest gadgets for your home, you can probably find Jasmine cooking elaborate meals or crafting something weird and wonderful!
