Reviewing the BIIGELL Wallet: Modern Metal Minimalism

Key Points

• Metal wallets are sleek and more convenient than traditional leather or textile wallets, but there are tradeoffs to switching over.

• If you usually carry eight or more cards, a minimal single-slot wallet like BIIGELL's offering might not be the right choice for you.

• While leather and textile wallets break in and develop a patina over time, minimal metal wallets like this one from BIIGELL do not get better with more use.

Slim, minimalist wallets — and especially metal wallets — have gained popularity in recent years due to their practicality and efficiency. While traditional bifold and trifold wallets are still popular, more and more people are starting to see the benefits of a minimal wallet.

Wallet with AirTag Holder

$25.95

by BIIGELL 

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11/29/2023 08:21 pm GMT

Why Should You Consider Switching to the BIIGELL Wallet?

Before I get into my review of the BIIGELL wallet, here are some things you can look forward to if you decide to make the switch.

Reduced Bulk

One of the main advantages of a slim wallet is its compact size. Traditional bi-fold wallets can become quite bulky, especially when filled with various cards, cash, and receipts.

Improved Comfort

Slim wallets are less intrusive and more comfortable to carry in a front pocket. Sitting on a traditional wallet, especially one that's thick with cards, cash, and receipts, can lead to discomfort and even back problems over time.

Helpful Organization

While minimalist wallets are slimmer, they are often designed with thoughtful organization in mind. They encourage you to carry only the essentials, helping you declutter and prioritize what you really need. This can lead to better organization and quicker access to your most important cards and cash.

Less Clutter

Traditional wallets often become repositories for unnecessary things like old receipts, loyalty cards you rarely use, and other miscellaneous items. A minimalist wallet forces you to keep only what's essential, reducing clutter and making it easier to find what you need.

Improved Security

Slim wallets can offer improved security thanks to built-in RFID blocking, which modern wallets are featuring more and more often. Principal engineer at Intel Research Roy Want further explains radio frequency identification (RFID) technology: "In recent years, radio frequency identification technology has moved from obscurity into mainstream applications that help speed the handling of manufactured goods and materials. RFID enables identification from a distance, and unlike earlier bar-code technology, it does so without requiring a line of sight."

Because they're often carried in a front pocket, they're also harder to reach and remove without their owner noticing. What's more, the BIIGELL wallet has an AirTag slot. AirTag wallets are becoming more popular among commuters and travelers for the convenience, security, and peace of mind they provide. However, be careful. Thieves were able to outsmart an AirTag in August 0f 2023.

Style To Spare

Minimalist wallets often feature sleek and modern designs that are more visually appealing to some individuals. If you prefer a clean and contemporary aesthetic, a slim wallet might be more in line with your personal style.

Adaptable for Various Occasions

Slim wallets are versatile and appropriate for a variety of occasions, whether you're dressing casually or formally. They fit well in suit pockets, jeans, or even small bags.

Ultimately, there are a lot of great reasons to switch from your traditional bifold or trifold wallet to a slim, minimal wallet. The choice just depends on your personal preferences and needs. If you value simplicity, organization, and comfort, a slim metal wallet like this one from BIIGELL could be an excellent option for you.

Key Highlights of the BIIGELL Wallet

Andy Frakes for Men's Lifestyle

Of the three minimalist wallets I reviewed recently, the BIIGELL wallet stood out as a favorite. In my time using it, the wallet provided the best blend of convenience and protection. The anodized aluminum construction of the wallet's outermost layers is a nice touch that provides some extra peace of mind.

A few key traits include the elastic band for holding cash or receipts, the ergonomic comfort of the shape overall, the quality of the elastic and other materials, and the aesthetics of the wallet. The elastic cash strap — in particular — was nice; while I don't see myself using it after several days of carrying this wallet, I'm glad BIIGELL opted for that instead of a stiff metal money clip on the outside of the wallet.

The transparent single-card slot on the outside of the wallet is another standout feature. It allows you to display an ID or keep your main debit card more accessible. This is something I wish other minimal metal wallets could adopt.

Who Needs the BIIGELL Wallet?

If you're currently carrying a thick wallet that wore out more quickly than you expected, the BIIGELL wallet might be pretty tempting. It is as slim as a modern phone, and unless you damage the elastic, it's unlikely to wear out anytime soon. This is a wallet for someone looking to move beyond the traditional wallet choices — a modern person's way of traveling light, even if they're only traveling to the nearest café.

My Experience With the BIIGELL Wallet

Andy Frakes for Men's Lifestyle

I've owned a handful of different wallets in the last decade-plus. Most have been leather, but I've tried a Ridge Wallet before, and in a few instances, I used a phone case wallet or a slim card holder.

For my reviewing process, I used the BIIGELL wallet over the span of three days, mostly at home. However, I did use it on a grocery trip when I also bought gas; on that outing, I took the wallet out of my pocket and used it three different times to pay for fuel, coffee, and groceries.

By carefully pre-arranging my debit card and a few other items in the wallet ahead of time, I was able to confidently pull the right card from the stack when I took the wallet out. However, this would have been a lot easier if I could have fanned out the cards and quickly looked at them. This style of wallet holds everything tightly together until it's been fully slid out, and this factor only gets more difficult to work around when you overfill it. When I paid for my groceries, I actually had to remove all five of the cards I was carrying to find my debit card and my grocery store frequent shopper card.

While getting out the right payment card and membership card at the same time was difficult, my driver's license was neatly in the transparent external card slot. You can probably guess what happened — I had to take my ID out of its holder for the store clerk to find my birth date, anyway. At least it was more convenient to grab than the cards jammed inside the main card slot.

At the end of my three days of using the BIIGELL wallet, I have to admit I went back to my thick, heavy vegetable-tanned bifold leather wallet. As a creature of habit, I was too accustomed to being able to flip open that bifold wallet and see where my most important cards were. The convenient accessibility of all your cards in a bifold or trifold wallet is hard to beat. A traditional bifold or trifold wallet is also tough to beat in terms of overall storage; cash is simply worse off in a wallet like this one from BIIGELL.

However, I gained a new appreciation for how a minimal wallet like BIIGELL's could reshape my everyday carry. During this review period, I found myself carrying fewer cards than ever; I was also more intentional about the organization of my cards within the BIIGELL wallet, and I started carrying the cards in my front-left pants pocket rather than one of my back pockets. Since I usually keep my car and house keys in that pocket, this took some intentional rearranging, and it ended up being a change I couldn't stick with.

Pros

• It has a slim profile as long as you carry fewer than eight cards.

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• The sturdy exterior comes in a variety of colors.

• It has an AirTag slot for more peace of mind.

• The elastic strap for carrying cash is unobtrusive when you don't need it.

Cons

• You can easily surpass a leather wallet in thickness if you carry too many cards.

• The elastic band for carrying cash feels loose and insubstantial compared to a metal money clip or stash pocket.

• The elastic holding the primary wallet pieces together is tight enough to cause cards to become jammed in main card slot.

• When removing cards, you probably need to just take them all out to find the one you want.

• If you use your wallet a lot to purchase meals and swipe cards for public transit, this style of wallet can quickly scratch and damage your cards.

Why This BIIGELL Wallet Is an Exceptional Buy

Andy Frakes for Men's Lifestyle

For roughly $26, you're getting a wallet that could potentially outlive you. That's its biggest value statement, other than a boost in convenience and ergonomics if the wallet fits your needs.

The BIIGELL wallet is a simple, sturdy, and ergonomic way to carry your cards without the use of a traditional folding wallet or multi-slot holder. For many people tired of their bulky or worn-out old wallets, this BIIGELL wallet checks all their boxes. It's not often you can do that for the cost of a decent restaurant entree.

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