Many auctioneers in the United States travel all over the world for a variety of auction events.
As such, many are flying to destinations, and in need of excellent quality luggage.
After discussing this issue with several auctioneers who should know (and my own experiences,) it would appear there are basically five different companies making luggage sufficient for frequent travel. All of these five offer high quality products which withstand harsh conditions, and stand behind their products.
Briggs & Riley makes our #1 spot with full-featured, high quality luggage with what Briggs & Riley calls their “Simple as that” guarantee which covers the repair of all functional aspects of their bags for life. Briggs & Riley has been making luggage since 1993.
Hartmann comes in #2 on our list. Hartmann makes a variety of quality suitcases and garment bags with what they call their “Absolute Assurance Guarantee” lifetime warranty. Hartmann has been making luggage since 1877.
LuggageWorks comes in #3 on our list. LuggageWorks is the choice of almost every airline pilot and many flight attendants. Very durable bags, with a 3-year limited warranty. LuggageWorks has been making luggage since 1989.
Travelpro takes the #4 spot on our list. Travelpro is the choice of flight attendants around the world, and is about one-half the price of comparable LuggageWorks items. Warranties extend from product defects to lifetime warranties, depending upon the model. Travelpro has been making luggage since 1987.
Tumi rounds out our list at #5. Tumi is known for state-of-the-art quality workmanship. Their warranty is unconditional for the first 12-months of ownership, and then limited to workmanship thereafter. Tumi has been making luggage since 1975.
The only real difference between auctioneers’ opinions seemed to regard the warranty issue. Some said, “I want luggage made so well, I don’t need to worry about the warranty,” while others were on the side of, “My choice of luggage is no more than the value of their warranty.”
Auctioneers tend to choose luggage based on style, color, texture, features and price; however, those traveling frequently are overwhelmingly choosing one of the five brand names listed herein.
Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, CAI, AARE has been an auctioneer and certified appraiser for over 30 years. His company’s auctions are located at: Mike Brandly, Auctioneer, Keller Williams Auctions and Goodwill Columbus Car Auction. His Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/mbauctioneer. He serves as Adjunct Faculty at Columbus State Community College and is Executive Director of The Ohio Auction School.
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