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Between hectic airport lines, crowded public transit and dreaded delays, travelling is already stressful enough. Drab, poorly made luggage should be the last of your concerns. Enter Béis, touted as one of the internet's favourite places to shop for functional and stylish suitcases – at equally attractive prices.
For the uninitiated, the Béis luggage brand is known for its hard-shell suitcase sets and weekender bags that come in chic, monochromatic schemes. The brand prides itself on incorporating thoughtful touches. Business travellers? You get a separate laptop-sized compartment. Overpackers? There's a handle that tells you the bag's weight.
There's no denying the stylish designs, but we had to see for ourselves if they're as useful as they are easy on the eye. So, I took a Béis carry-on suitcase as my travel companion on a recent. I also compared notes with our GHI experts who regularly perform rigorous tests on suitcases to determine which ones best suit different needs.
Read on for our complete Béis luggage review, which combines one editor’s real-world travel experience with controlled durability testing conducted by textiles experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute lab in the US.
What is Béis?
Founded in 2018, Béis (pronounced "base") made waves with its colour-coordinated luggage, including a creamy beige shade that became the brand's signature and the bubblegum Atlas pink that perpetually sells out. TikTok helped propel the brand to viral fame thanks to enthusiastic endorsements of the Weekender Bag, while its luggage covers, totes and toiletry bags are also popular.
The suitcase line-up includes four styles: the Small Carry-On Roller, the Carry-On Roller, the Medium Check-In and the Large Check-In. Each case has a hard polycarbonate shell and 360-degree spinner wheels. And Béis also incorporates smart details like a retractable bag strap, a built-in weight indicator, and a padded trolley handle.
Pros
- Plenty of packing space
- Durable
- Built-in weight indicator
Cons
- Too big for some airlines' carry-on regulations
Key specifications
| Dimensions | 22.8" H x 15.7" W x 9.8" D |
|---|---|
| Weight | 3.79 kg |
| Capacity | 49 - 61 L (expandable) |
Our Béis luggage review
Durability
As with other polycarbonate suitcases previously tested by the Good Housekeeping Institute (both in our UK and US labs), such as Antler and Away, Béis suitcases feature a hard polycarbonate shell. Tougher than plastic and lighter than aluminium, polycarbonate suitcases generally earn high marks in our tests – and Béis's carry-ons are no exception.
When travelling with the Carry-On Roller, all my belongings (including my laptop, glass perfume bottles, and souvenirs) remained perfectly intact despite a bumpy ride in the luggage section of a shuttle bus. I noticed some minor scuffs forming on the exterior; however, there were no bumps or dents.
In the lab, textiles expert Emma Seymour also performed several tests on the Carry-On Roller to see how it might hold up over time. She put weights in the suitcase and dropped it repeatedly from a three-foot height, at different angles. Similar to my own experience, the Béis carry-on didn't dent during any of the drop tests, though we did notice a few scuffs developing.
Our expert also tested the suitcase's scratch resistance, and she found that it scratched and scuffed easily, especially around the edges by the zippers and handles. Fortunately, the textured matte finish hides the scratches and scuffs better than a shiny suitcase. We recommend buffing out scuffs with a sponge, such as the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
Ease of use
Whether you're traveling by tube, train, or bus, the Béis Carry-On manoeuvres like a dream. Its 360-degree spinner wheels glided smoothly across a variety of surfaces despite my heavy duffle being strapped on top. Another one of my favourite features is the cushioned, telescoping handle. The squishy padding made rolling the suitcase through crowds far more comfortable, and it added a luxe touch compared to more expensive suitcases I've tried.
All Béis suitcases also come with a built-in scale – a handy feature for when you need to check in your bag at the airport. Simply lift the suitcase by its side handle, and the discreet weight indicator window will turn red if your bag is over 50 pounds (22.7 kg).
Interior
Béis makes packing easy. I had more than enough room to stash essentials for a long weekend in the carry-on – though strategic packers (armed with handy packing cubes) could probably fit a couple of weeks' worth of clothing. I managed to fit in everything from winter clothing and a pair of boots to a Béis toiletry bag and a full-sized hair dryer.
The Béis Carry-On also expands from 49 litres to 61 litres of packing space, according to the brand. However, it's important to note that this model exceeds some airline regulations, which means you may be asked to check it in on smaller planes.
The case opens butterfly style, with a zippered compartment on one side and a main compartment on the other. Inside the zippered side, there are two additional pockets built in – one frosted and one opaque – for holding toiletries, underwear, chargers and more. A fabric divider keeps items organised, while the adjustable compression straps provide optimal packing room and help things shifting.
Just be careful not to overstuff the zip pockets; otherwise, it can be difficult to close the bag. An added perk I loved: all Béis suitcases come with drawstring bags for dirty laundry or shoes.
Is Béis luggage worth it?
For casual travellers, yes! Stylish and affordable, Béis luggage suits those who only travel a handful of times a year or those who don't mind treating their suitcases with a bit more TLC.
During both personal use and drop testing in the lab, the Carry-On was easily scuffed, so frequent flyers who need a suitcase to last them years of continuous use may want to invest in something sturdier. I also found the Béis slightly harder to zip up than other suitcases when fully packed.
What it lacks in durability, though, Béis makes up for with premium details: an ergonomic telescoping handle, a built-in weight indicator, a bag strap and a handy TSA lock system. Weighing in at 3.79 kilos, it's slightly heavier than cabin bags by Away and Antler, but as an overpacker, I find that added storage a fair trade-off.
Aesthetics aside, luggage is a big investment at the end of the day. Béis may offer some of the most attractive luggage we've tried, but it's on the expensive side at £244 for a carry-on. For context, a cabin bag by Away costs £220 (or £265 for the expandable version), and one from Antler costs £230.
More Béis luggage to consider
Béis shot to viral fame with its Weekender Bag – available in regular and mini sizes. TikTokers loved its sleek silhouette and clever details like a separate shoe compartment and a padded laptop sleeve.
Though the larger size is too big to work as a carry on for flying, the Mini Weekender can slot under a seat – and it costs less than £100. We also love the Béis Work Tote, a trendy laptop bag that you can take on trips, too.
If you prefer a backpack style, the Pro Rolling Backpack is a great alternative that I can't wait to try. It features wheelie-to-backpack functionality for hands-free travel. The Dopp Kit washbag was larger than I expected, conveniently designed with two separate compartments for my makeup and skincare. I had a difficult time getting it to lie flat in my carry-on suitcase when packed to the brim, but it did fit all the products I needed for my trip with room to spare.
Lauren Gruber is a shopping editor at Hearst Magazines with more than five years of professional writing experience. She specializes in fragrance, beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content for Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, and more. Before her time at Hearst, Lauren graduated from New York University and wrote for Shop TODAY, Entertainment Tonight, Self, V Magazine, L’Officiel, and more. When she’s not researching Prime Day deals or testing the latest perfume launches, you can find Lauren hanging out with her cat Serafina or flexing her AMC A-List membership at the movie theater.
Emma Seymour (she/her) is the associate director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance.
