Rimowa Classic vs. Original vs. Essential: Differences and Reviews 2025

Rimowa Classic vs. Original vs. Essential: OverView

#1 Rimowa Classic

Price：$1,450起

Reviews: Rimowa’s Classic Cabin suitcase is the evolved form of the Original Cabin. It looks very similar to the Original but with a few tweaks. The primary difference is that the handles are wrapped in premium leather. With two sleek color options to choose from, including Silver and Black, the Rimowa Classic is made from high-end Anodized Aluminum Alloy for long-lasting durability. Available in three carry-on sizes, two check-ins, and a large trunk in black and silver color options.

Like Original Rimowa, each of Rimowa Classic suitcases features TSA-approved locks that can be opened by security during airline baggage checks without causing any damage. Packed items are kept in perfect order during transit with the height adjustable Flex Divider, which can be adapted to suit your belongings.  The customable height adjustment and an ergonomic grip with a leather insert on the underside can offer you optimum comfort.The patented Multiwheel system guarantees stable and effortless steering thanks to ball-bearing mounted wheels with cushioned axles.

#2 Rimowa Original

Price：$1,375起

Reviews: The Rimowa Original is one of the most iconic suitcases of all time. Engineered in Germany out of top-of-the-line aluminum, the grooved suitcase is equipped with everything you need for holiday travel. On the inside, the height-adjustable Flex Divider helps to keep your gear well-organized on the go, while the interior zip pocket options mean that every one of your precious travel essentials is kept safe in transit.\

With 2 TSA locks (1 at the top and bottom), the Rimowa Original will remain well-protected against forced entry by security agents. Telescopic handle engineered to offer seamless stage-free adjustment for maximum comfort and smooth manoeuvrability.The only disappiont is that the handles on Rimowa Original Cabin Carry-On aren't aluminum. They're plastic. It's available in three carry-on sizes, two check-ins, and a large trunk. Silver, black, and titanium colors are also available.

#3 Rimowa Essential

Price：$850起

Reviews: The first polycarbonate to hit the market in 2000, the Rimowa Essential remains one of the brand's best-selling collections.  It is  also a more affordable option from RIMOWA. The Essential collection only uses virgin polycarbonate, the cases themselves are exceptionally strong, resistant to both damage and extreme temperatures, and hold their color. Polycarbonate shell also makes it much lighter than Classic and Original aluminum Rimowa.

Available in a bunch of glossy and matte color options in a carry-on, check-in and trunk version, the  Essential collection get the RIMOWA’s Multiwheel system, adjustable dividers, a sturdy telescopic handle, and TSA-approved locks. The cavernous interior is beautifully lined, and your packed items can be kept perfectly well-ordered in transit using the adjustable Flex Divider that adapts to suit your belongings. The Multiwheel system enables the case to glide smoothly alongside you, and the stage-free telescoping handle makes it easy to find the perfect setting to suit your height.

Where to Buy Rimowa Classic, Original and Essential Luggages?

rimowa.com  (2.8-3.5% cashback)

24s.com (4-5% cashback)

neimanmarcus.com (2.5-3% cashback)

bloomingdales.com  (1.5-2% cashback)

neimanmarcus.com (2.5-3% cashback)

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Rimowa Classic vs. Original vs. Essential: Differences

Before diving into my in-depth discussion, look at the table below to get a key specs of them.

1. Design and Materials

Rooted in heritage,  RIMOWA Classic features a high-end anodised aluminium alloy, polyester insides, and hand-made leather handles.It has distinctive Rimowa grooves running against the edge, riveted high-gloss aluminium corners, and TSA locks integrated into the luggage.

Made of gleaming high-end aluminum with its distinctive grooves, the RIMOWA Original is one of most iconic Rimowa luggage pieces of all time. It also offer Rimowa’s standard features - TSA locks, hard plastic multi-directional wheels, flex dividers for organization, and a sturdy telescopic handle.

Rimowa Essential  is made out of tough-to-break polycarbonate plastic, which the company started using in manufacturing its luggage in the 2000s to achieve its lightweight feature. Polycarbonate is a material with outstanding strength, stiffness, and impact resistance which  can be moulded into head-turning designs (Rimowa grooves) and coloured in a range of pop colours, elevating it to status-level luggage. Additionally, the suitcase has a telescopic handle, KK metal zippers, and a TSA-approved lock.

2. The Wheels

The Rimowa Classic has a high-end multi-wheel system featuring wheels made of hard plastic (polycarbonate).  The hard plastic material can handle any terrain, and the ball-bearing wheels guarantee stable and effortless steering.

The Rimowa Original uses Rimowa’s high-end multi-wheel system with four hard plastic ball-bearing wheels. The spinner wheels guarantee effortless steering when rolling your luggage through the airport.They are screwed tightly to the body using rivets and are easy to replace.

The Rimowa Essential luggage stands on hard plastic 360 degrees ball-bearing wheels with cushioned axles.

3. The Handles

The Rimowa Classic has three handles altogether. There’s the telescopic wheel handle and two other side handles (one on the top and the other on the side). Two of the three handles are made of leather which is excellent. Only the telescopic handle is made of aluminum and plastic which extends from the back of the Classic for smooth manoeuvrability. The telescoping handle makes carrying another bag a breeze. You can put your luggage on the Rimowa Classic luggage and put it on the extended telescoping handle while rolling the suitcase.

The Rimowa Original have flap back handles. This means the handles are pushed back towards the suitcase, so they don’t flap around. There’s a rubber cushion on the handles, so they don’t make noise when they flap back.The handles are made of tone-on-tone plastic with a matte finish.  There is also a telescopic main handle, also plastic, which created to offer seamless adjustment and let travellers easily manoeuvre it. You can  still add a bag on the top and extend the main handle so that you can carry both.

The Rimowa Classic's three handles are all made of plastic. The telescopic handle are engineered to offer seamless stage-free adjustment for maximum comfort and smooth maneuverability! Stage-free means that you won’t be limited by the 3-4 default heights that other suitcases have.You can adjust the handle height to match your needs perfectly.

4. The locks

The Rimowa Classic has two TSA-approved locks “sitting on” the luggage. The locks are more vintage-looking. Each lock has a hinged arm with a small protrusion that swings into a hole in a combination lock system.

The Original has two TSA-approved locks too, which sit in dedicated slots. The sleek-looking locks also use a number combination system with three rotating discs sitting on their sides. The locks of the Original can also act as leverage to help you close your suitcase better.

The Rimowa Essential , like other models, has TSA-approved locks positioned on the side of the suitcase. You can open your bag anytime using your secret combination key. You can lock it too by resetting the numbers.

Bottom Line

Whether you buy the Classic or Original or Essential, you’ll end up getting a top-quality lifetime travel buddy.  The Rimowa Original is the iconic collection that RIMOWA is known for. The Rimowa Classic  is a modern take on the Original collection and features a high-end anodized aluminum alloy, riveted high-gloss aluminum corners, and hand-made leather handles.The Rimowa Essential is a more affordable option from RIMOWA, made from polycarbonate instead of aluminum. All the three are durable and have Rimowa’s signature grooves and many premium features (like plush interiors, TSA-approved locks, telescopic handles, easy-to-roll spinner wheels, etc.), but  Essential polycarbonate luggage will cover scuffs and dents better than Classic and Original aluminium.

So the question of which one you should go for boils down to personal preferences. If you want a shinier look or a more ergonomic grip, choose Rimowa Classic . If you want a more impressive exterior and lock system, the Rimowa Original is good choice for you. If you prioritize a sleek and stylish design, with the durability to match, the Rimowa Essential is the way to go.

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