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The Best Zippered Tote
Moment MTW Tote
The Best Purse
Cuyana System Tote
A Cute and Capable Tote
Baggu Duck Bag
A Runner-Up Purse
Cuyana Oversized Recycled Sling Bag
Everyone needs a good bag. Backpacks are great—and we have lots of favorites—but tote bags and purses are just as capable if you’re commuting to work or toting textbooks around campus. Whatever your needs or style, we have an option you should like. These totes aren’t the thin, pocketless bags we all seem to accumulate. We tried bags that make organization easy, and that can stand up to the elements and the normal amount of wear and tear that life brings.
If you prefer a backpack or a messenger bag, we have guides for those too, as well as a roundup of all our favorite types of bags made from recycled materials.
Updated January 2024: We’ve added three bags from Lo & Sons: the Patchwork Tote, O.G.2, and Catalina Supreme.
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Photograph: Moment
The Best Zippered Tote
Moment MTW Tote
Moment’s Tote is one of our favorites because it can keeps you organized and distributes weight like magic. No matter how much junk is shoved inside, it shouldn’t give you shoulder pain as you go about your day. It’s also made from recycled nylon.
This bag has pockets within pockets, next to pockets. Your 16-inch laptop, Kindle, water bottles (yes, plural), and cables all have a place. And because it comes from a photography brand, it’s made to protect all your expensive gear with padding, weatherproof recycled nylon, and a full-zip closure. It also holds Moment’s camera insert for even more organization and protection.
★ Another great organized tote: The Bellroy Tokyo Tote ($129) is a solid runner-up to Moment’s. This one is similarly pocketed, with a soft sleeve to cradle a 13-inch laptop, two 5-inch pockets for a phone, wallet, cables, or a small notebook and larger “pop” pockets on either end that extend to hold a water bottle, umbrella, or shoes. I was even able to fit a tall water bottle with a straw, though I needed to do a little finagling to get the zipper over it. It’s made of recycled plastic bottles, and its straps have a nice rubbery grip to keep it on your shoulders.
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Photograph: Cuyana
The Best Purse
Cuyana System Tote
A nice bag is an investment you can make, instead of accumulating a bunch of cheapies. The Cuyana System Tote is beautiful, with a design that should outlast trends. It gets its name for the add-ons that work as an efficient system for your needs, taking you from work to dinner to weekends away. But you have to pay a premium for those, even the laptop sleeve. The organizational insert ($98) has a pocket for your laptop and water bottle. However, the bag itself isn’t padded. It also snaps closed in the middle, but there isn’t a zipper.
Purses sometimes suffer at the point where the strap meets the rest of the bag—the more you stuff into it, the more weight those straps hold, and flimsy threads can unravel. With this bag, the straps are integrated into the leather. There is, of course, stitching elsewhere, but I threw this bag around while it was filled to the brim and it held up.
★ More accessories: You can add a flap bag ($128) that works as a clutch when that’s all you need, or as an inner compartment to hold essentials. An adjustable strap ($58) makes the clutch or the entire purse a cross-body bag. We recommend getting the laptop sleeve first and the others later if you need them.
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Photograph: Baggu
A Cute and Capable Tote
Baggu Duck Bag
WIRED reviewer Brenda Stolyar loves her Baggu duck bag. She had been looking for a lightweight bag that was comfortable to wear with a coat (tote straps tend to annoyingly slide off jacket sleeves). Her boyfriend gifted her the embroidered floral version and it’s been the only bag she’s worn since.
An adjustable strap makes it easy to switch between carrying it as a crossbody or a traditional tote. Both ways are comfortable, whether you’re bundled up in a coat or not, plus you can hold it from the top handles too and leave your shoulder free. She regularly loads it with a 15-inch MacBook Air, a change of clothes, and a book. The smaller, inner pocket holds her wallet, chapstick, and keys. It’s roomy, comfortable, and effortlessly cute, plus the recycled cotton canvas is machine-washable.
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Photograph: Cuyana
A Runner-Up Purse
Cuyana Oversized Recycled Sling Bag
I loved Cuyana’s System Tote so much, I tried its Oversized Sling made from recycled plastic. It zips fully closed and is a little more casual, but it fits a ton—I brought it on a plane and shoved in everything I couldn’t fit in my suitcase, including a deflated pool floaty and a high heel (the other was shoved in a different bag).
For more organization, you can add Cuyana’s tote insert if you want to, but it carried a laptop just fine without it. It’s also machine washable as long as you use a mesh bag. This oversized option is best for work and commuting, but there are small and medium sizes too.
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Photograph: L.L. Bean
The Best Budget Tote
L.L. Bean Hunter’s Tote Bag
Cheap purses have flimsy faux leather and fragile straps, but an affordable tote is much easier to find. Gear editor Michael Calore loves this bag and says he uses it for everything. Really! He takes it on quick grocery runs or farmer’s market trips, camping, and beach days, as well as on flights. We think it could be useful for work too, though it doesn’t have a laptop sleeve, so you might consider getting a case to put your computer inside.
Like most of L.L. Bean’s merchandise, its rugged construction is designed for long, wet mornings spent trudging through the New England muck. All of the seams are double-stitched, the thick polyester shell is reinforced with a second layer of material along the bottom, and the handles are beefier than an Aberdeen Angus, as Calore says. The lining is a rubbery plastic. While it isn’t leakproof, the tote can haul frozen foods or snowy boots, and it wipes clean with a paper towel. It has a removable strap and comes in medium, large, or extra-large—Calore uses the extra-large. He says it holds a week’s worth of veggies, plus a couple of half-gallon cartons of oat milk and a 12-pack of hard kombucha. It’s also available as an open-top tote, but get the zip-top version.
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Photograph: Lo & Sons
For Weekend Trips
Lo & Sons O.G. 2
I (Adrienne) decided I needed a different bag for when I didn’t want to look like a child in my backpack. The O.G. 2 is a larger version of the brand’s Nouvelle purse (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It comes in a medium and a large version; the medium is adequate, but you need the large if you have a laptop bigger than 13 inches. I like that it’s low-profile and has both smooth leather grab handles as well as a shoulder strap. I have kicked it under plane seats and around airports and my kid’s dance classes, and the nylon doesn’t show any damage. It also has sturdy feet on the bottom so you can sit it on a counter or table without it falling over, or on a floor without the bag getting gross and dirty.
I also liked a hidden shoe compartment on the side if you’re traveling from a cold to a hot location and want to switch to sandals. The toothed zippers do tend to crinkle and snatch at your knuckles when the bag gets overstuffed, but I suppose you could always, uh, avoid overstuffing your bag. Overall, it’s a light bag that works well for work and travel. —Adrienne So
★ More Lo & Sons bags: Lo & Sons is quickly becoming one of our favorite brands. The Catalina Supreme Tote ($338) was also great for a weekend away. It was capacious and there’s also a bottom compartment for a pair of shoes, or anything else you need to keep separate. Don’t need a separate compartment? Just unzip the bottom of the main compartment to create one larger space. The Catalina Supreme is made from a durable recycled material that kept its shape even when empty. We also tried the canvas version, but it was too floppy to stand upright.
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Photograph: Lo & Sons
An Upcycled Woven Tote
Lo & Sons Upcycled Patchwork Tote
Another Lo & Sons bag! This is probably what you picture when you think of a tote—it has one large compartment with two smaller internal pockets and it doesn’t snap or zip closed. Still, it comfortably fits a laptop, books, and day-to-day accessories. It’s made from returned and damaged Lo & Sons bags, which gives it a fun patchwork style and the available colors are pretty, especially the deep green and blue.
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Photograph: Newhey
The Best Budget Laptop Purse
Newhey Laptop Tote Bag
If you’re in school or newly entering the workforce, spending over $100 on a bag is hard to stomach—it’s still hard for me. We tried three inexpensive, highly rated bags from Amazon, and this Newhey was the best. The inside is well organized, with two pen slots and side pouches for a phone or wallet. A large zipper pocket runs down the middle of the bag, and a padded laptop sleeve is secured with a Velcro strap.
There’s a lot of room inside, but it’s thin when it isn’t stuffed full, so it feels nice and comfortable under your arm. The outside is a soft faux leather, made of polyurethane, with adjustable handles and a removable strap for slinging it across your body if you need to. However, I could see a clear difference in quality when it came to the stitching and materials. I don’t see this bag lasting forever, but if you treat it well, it should be OK for a while. It was under $30 nearly all of 2023, but it has gone up a bit since then.
★ Another budget bag: We also tried and liked the Lovevook Laptop Tote ($36). The interior is nearly identical to the Newhey, and it has a pretty V-shaped pocket on the outside, like the Lux and Nyx bag below. The faux leather is stiffer, but it’s hard to say if that makes it more durable long-term or if its structure is more prone to cracks.
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Photograph: United By Blue
The Best Tote-Backpack Combo
United by Blue Convertible Carryall
This is our favorite recycled bag because nearly everything on it is made from recycled materials. It’s also a great bag that you can wear as a tote on one shoulder or unzip the hidden straps to wear as a backpack. But it can be hard to find.
The padded laptop sleeve is big enough that you can keep your laptop in a case if you want, but you don’t need one. It has organizational pouches inside the front zippered pocket for a phone, wallet, or pens that you need to access quickly. Two side pockets hold water bottles in place, and expandable elastic straps can hold bigger bottles or keep smaller bottles tightly secured. When you’re ready to go from backpack to tote, just unclip and hide the straps away again in the back compartment.
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Photograph: Longchamp
A Sustainable Cult Purse
Longchamp Le Pliage Green Shoulder Bag
When I first got to college in 2012, every cool girl in a sleek outfit had a black and brown bag under her arm. (Even Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton have them!) Eventaully I found out it was the original Longchamp Le Pliage. I’ve now tried a Le Pliage of my own, but this one is made of recycled polyamide canvas, which is constructed from old fishing nets and carpets.
What makes the bag so popular among students and professionals alike is its durable, weatherproof fabric. Rain, snow, or spilled coffee won’t ruin your belongings, and you’ll look nice too. It also zips fully closed. If you’re traveling and want to take this as your backup purse, not only is it incredibly thin as it is, but you can fold it up and snap it closed to about 10 inches by 6 inches, plus the straps. On the minus side, it doesn’t have a dedicated laptop sleeve, so you’ll have to buy your own.
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Photograph: FJÄLLRÄVEN
Another Convertible Bag
Fjallraven Kånken Totepack
We love the Kanken backpack. The Totepack is essentially the same bag, but can be used a tote or backpack like the United By Blue option. This one is more compact, though. It’s nice to be able to effortlessly switch back and forth, like when you get on a crowded subway and don’t want to knock people over, or when you’ve packed it full of groceries on the way home and one shoulder holding the weight won’t cut it anymore.
Like on the backpack, there’s a pocket for a 13-inch laptop, a smaller one to fit a tablet, notebook, or Kindle, plus a large main compartment for everything else. There are two side pockets on the outside for water bottles or a small umbrella—but they’re tight, so don’t expect to fit a large bottle in there. The rigid fabric should repel water if you get caught in a rain shower. It comes with a thin foam seat pad that adds protection to the laptop pocket but also works as a cushion in a pinch if you need to sit on an uncomfortable surface.
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Photograph: Verloop
Recycled Yarn-Stuffed Bag
Verloop Scrap Stuffed Tote
Verloop’s mini tote is one of my favorites when I don’t need to carry much. This is a slightly bigger bag from the brand, and it’s made from paper-thin nylon stuffed with scrap yarn. The result is a cool, colorful explosion reminiscent of the ’90s. I haven’t seen anything like it. There is a matching pouch too that you can use in whatever other bag you prefer.
It won’t fit your laptop but you could put a tablet or a Kindle in here. The biggest issue is just how loud the nylon is when you touch it. It’s like walking with a chip bag.
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Photograph: Chrome Industries
Chrome Industries Barrage Tote
Chrome bags are known for their durability, which is why we already like the company’s backpacks and messenger bags. The Barrage tote is just as strong, “built twice” with a welded, waterproof liner and a tough nylon shell. There are two internal sleeves that fit a 13-inch laptop. They aren’t padded, but you can squeeze a case over your laptop if its paper-thin. There’s a key clip inside, too, and two external water bottle pockets.
A cargo netting front can expand and contract to fit whatever you need in there—a bike helmet, a small bag of groceries, shoes. Hidden behind the netting is a zip pocket, and there’s also a zip pocket on the back that runs the entire length of the bag. If the bag is packed full and heavy, you can sling it on your back while a removable stabilizer strap goes across your chest.
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Photograph: Mission Workshop
If You Need a Pocket for Everything
Mission Workshop The Drift Laptop Tote
Try to count the pockets on this bag. I’ll wait.
This is another of editor Michael Calore’s favorites. He says it feels designed especially for people who always carry an army of gadgets with them. There are two zippers along the top of the Drift; one for the 28-liter main compartment, the other for a padded laptop pocket that fits a 16-inch PC. The front of the bag has a smaller zip-up slot for a Kindle or iPad, plus an exterior compartment with several pockets for cables, pens, chargers, notebooks, and other smaller stashables. A dedicated phone pocket on the side of the tote is lined with a fuzzy non-abrasive fabric that won’t scratch your screen. The other side has a slot for a water bottle. (It fits a slim Klean Kanteen, but not a chubbier Nalgene.)
But it’s kind of a beast, Calore notes. If you’re traveling with it, it won’t fit under your airplane seat if it’s fully loaded, though you can stash it in the overhead compartment. When traveling by car, train, or bus, you’ll be good, and a grippy coating on the bottom keeps it from sliding around. Also, Mission Workshop’s bags are made in the US and come with a lifetime warranty, which makes their higher prices easier to swallow.
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Photograph: Lux and Nyx
A Gorgeous Weekender
Lux and Nyx Origami Large
This bag is stunning, with a design that can go from work and the gym to dinner or the airport. It’s one of my favorite bags that I tested, but it has a downside: It’s made of neoprene. While the fabric stands up to water, it’s made from petroleum and doesn’t biodegrade. The company makes up for some of that by adding straps made of upcycled leather coming from shoes and bags, but it’s still something to keep in mind.
There’s a padded laptop sleeve, two interior side pockets that can hold mini-umbrellas or even a flat shoe, a small zip pocket hidden inside the exterior V-shape sleeve that holds a phone, and a luggage passthrough on the other side. You can pack this full of a weekend’s worth of stuff, thanks to its expandable edges, and it comes with a removable crossbody strap.
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Photograph: Stuart and Lau
If You Prefer Briefcases
Stuart & Lau Cary Briefcase
I think a tote or backpack is a more modern choice. However, Stuart and Lau’s Cary is very versatile, though quite pricey. It’s made from twill with leather accents, so it looks nice but not pretentious. The organizational details are also thoughtful—the internal laptop case pops in and out, which is genius. The bag also has two small additional pockets. On the opposite side is a sleeve, plus four pockets and two pen slots. The exterior hosts five additional open slots, a small zippered one, and loops to hold an umbrella.
Plus, it’s waterproof to protect your electronics while commuting. It even comes with a reusable shopping bag.
★ Alternative: Stuart and Lau’s Campaign Briefpack ($385) converts from a super organized briefcase to a backpack. With both options, you can tell the brand put thought into the construction of its hardware and leather accents. Unfortunately, they’re both expensive.
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Photograph: Madewell
Even More Totes We Like
Honorable Mentions
- Lojel Niru 3-Way Tote for $55: Lojel has a few nice bags made of recycled nylon. This tote has become my go-to pool bag, with its big open space and a zipper compartment for holding my card. Lojel’s three modes of carry include holding it by the handles or the strap. Technically, the third is that you can roll it up when you aren’t using it. I like the convenience, but I wouldn’t call it a method of carrying it.
- Troubadour Featherweight Tote for $195: The Troubadour Tote looks nice but isn’t trendy–which means it will last you a while and go with whatever you’re wearing. It’s not overly feminine if that’s a concern for you. It snaps closed, so your stuff is not completely protected from the outside world, whether that’s rain or sneaky hands on the subway. There’s a laptop sleeve secured with a snap, zippered and elastic internal pockets, plus side snaps to slim it down when you can. There’s also a small clip to hook onto a wallet or keys.
- Incase ARC Tech Tote for $90: I like how compact this bag is, without losing its ability to keep your life together. It’s made of weather-proof, recycled polyester. A faux-fur-lined pocket secures a 13-inch laptop, and there are organizational slots for a pen or two, a phone, a wallet or small headphones, plus a water bottle. The front zipper pocket is big enough to fit a Kindle or tablet, plus it has organizational slots of its own. It has small handles, though, so you’ll probably get more use out of the adjustable (and removable) strap. We liked the backpack version of this bag, and like that one, it has a separate zipper pocket inside that blocks radio frequency identification. It’s a nice addition, but not necessary.
