The 7 Best Handbags Under $500 of 2025
Top pick
Testers loved the vintage-yet-timeless vibe of this ultra-spacious bucket bag. It fits a 13-inch laptop, offers above-average interior organization, and is made from supple leather that should wear in beautifully.
“I had a Coach bag just like this from the ’90s!” Upon viewing the bag, multiple testers uttered some version of this. For the record: According to a brand rep, this bucket bag is not a replica of any one vintage Coach style, “but the details of the bag are inspired by vintage Coach details.”
This big ol’ bag delivers more than just nostalgia. Unlike many handbags, it can fit tall and bulky items, such as a 13-inch laptop or a 32-ounce water bottle. And compared with most bucket bags (which are notorious for becoming bottomless voids), the Bleecker offers better internal organization, with a generous inside pocket that snaps closed and a removable zippered pouch. (So you can actually find smaller necessities, like your wallet and keys.)
Despite its size, this bag feels surprisingly light. At 11 by 11.5 inches tall, the Bleecker bag is decadently spacious. (Staffer Maggie Duncan was able to fit her headphones, laptop, a large wallet, and a 32-ounce water bottle.) When the bag is empty, it weighs 1.7 pounds (it’s the second heaviest of our picks, after Marc Jacobs’s The Large Dual Bag), yet it’s still pretty light in the grand scheme of things, especially considering how much it can carry.
The wide, adjustable strap makes carrying heavy loads a little more comfortable. The Bleecker bag’s thick strap distributes weight well, and it can be adjusted to a maximum length of 39 inches. (A thoughtful touch: The grommets on the strap are sturdy and reinforced.)
Most testers, ranging from 5-foot-1 to 6 feet, were able to wear the bag as a cross-body; some testers found the strap too wide to wear on their shoulders.
It’s built for the long haul. Over the past 80-plus years, Coach has earned a reputation for high-quality leather goods. (And its vintage bags are enjoying a huge resurgence.) The Bleecker Bucket Bag lives up to those high standards: It’s made from pliant-yet-substantial leather with a beautiful natural grain (it also comes in suede, which we haven’t tested). And it appears to be well constructed, with strong seams and firmly attached hardware.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
The small, clip-style closure can be annoying. To close the bag at the top, you have to connect a small piece of hardware (the same type of clip found on a dogleash). As one tester put it: “The bag’s closure is the biggest flaw. It doesn’t seem very secure, yet is difficult to get into and requires two hands, which could get frustrating, especially if my hands are full.”
Style-wise, it’s not the most versatile. Between this bag’s large size and its slouchy, unstructured shape, this bag has a decidedly casual feel. Compared with some of our other picks, like Madewell’s The Sculptural-Buckle Shoulder Bag and Marc Jacobs’s The Large Dual Bag, it doesn’t translate as well from day to evening.
Key specs
- Materials: natural-grain leather exterior, unlined; also available in suede
- Measurements: 11 by 11.5 by 6.5 inches; also available in a smaller version, the Bleeker Bucket Bag 21
- Weight (empty): 1.7 pounds
- Strap: length 24 to 39 inches, drop 11.5 to 19 inches
- Closure: metal clip
- Colors: five
