This tote from Dagne Dover is our favorite work bag we've ever tested

July 2024 · 4 minute read
Updated 2024-04-02T17:03:22Z

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

Dagne Dover Allyn Tote Check price at Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover hasn't been in the bag-making business for very long — only since 2012, actually — but it's already made a lasting impact on the lives of countless working people who've come to rely on the company's ingeniously designed totes for their ample storage space and designated compartments for all the essentials.

I, for one, am a big fan of the company and carry my Dagne Dover Allyn Tote to work every day. It's the epitome of the perfect work bag, and I'm not the only one who thinks so. The tote has repeatedly sold out since its first launch in September 2017.

It comes in three colors (onyx, bone, and graphite) and three sizes (one that fits a 13" laptop and one that fits a 16" laptop).

Some quick facts

Standout features: Dagne Dover's Allyn Tote is a sophisticated and spacious work bag with a padded laptop sleeve, water bottle holder, and other thoughtful interior pockets that keep you organized and always ready to go.

Things it's good at: It keeps all of your essentials in order and easy to get to, and its gorgeous pebbled leather design is perfectly suited to the office.

Concerns: It's expensive. The Allyn Tote costs between $340 and $360, depending on the size.

Why we love the Allyn Tote

In 2017, Dagne Dover's founder and CEO Melissa Mash told Business Insider that, as far as work bags go, "It's no longer good enough to just be 'arm candy.' Nowadays we expect the services and products we use to multitask, to be data-driven, and to work harder." 

The Allyn Tote, heeding Mash's formula, is polished for the office, convenient for carrying everything you need on the commute there and back home, and easy to keep organized.

The interior of the Allyn Tote. Dagne Dover

Dagne Dover really considered every detail when they designed the Allyn Tote, from the detachable key leash that makes house keys easier to find and grab in a pinch to padded laptop compartment with a zipper closure that ensures valuable tech always remains protected. 

The bag also has a discreet pocket on the back of it where you can stow your keys or phone so that they're readily accessible, a magnetic tab closure and an interior adjustable snap fastener that give you more space when you need it or the ability to close it quickly, a shoe duster you can use to stow comfortable flats so that they don't make contact with your other essentials, and dedicated pockets for your phone, pens, lip balm, Metro Card, and whatever else.

Here's a look at the Allyn Tote in Onyx Leather. The tote also comes in four other colors. Dagne Dover

Depending on your needs, you can make the tote 5 3/4" longer by unsnapping the bag's adjustable interior fastener and magnetic tab closure, instantly creating a lot of extra room. I personally love the magnetic tab as an alternative to a full zipper to close the bag.

Not to mention, if you're a teacher or member of the military, you're eligible for a 20% discount on any Dagne Dover purchases you make. Just fill out this form using your official education or military email address and the company will give you an exclusive code to use at checkout.

The bottom line

My personal opinion is that work bags don't get any better than this one, so do yourself a huge favor and buy the Dagne Dover Allyn Tote.

Check price at Dagne Dover spanEllen Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of the Service Journalism division, where she oversaw Insider's reviews, reference, and personal finance coverage./spanspanEllen joined the company in 2015 as the founding editor for reviews and grew the team to more than 30 editors, reporters, and fellows. For the last six years, she has led the strategic planning for coverage of major retail sales events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. She has also appeared on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria" as a product expert./spanspanIn 2018, she was "Highly Commended" by the panel for the FIPP and UPM Rising Stars in Media Awards./spanspanPreviously, she was the shopping editor at Refinery29. She graduated from Fordham University with a degree in history and economics./spanspana href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-reviews-expertise-in-product-reviews"Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here./a/span Former Editor-in-Chief, Service Journalism Ellen Hoffman is the former Editor-in-Chief of the Service Journalism division, where she oversaw Insider's reviews, reference, and personal finance coverage.Ellen joined the company in 2015 as the founding editor for reviews and grew the team to more than 30 editors, reporters, and fellows. For the last six years, she has led the strategic planning for coverage of major retail sales events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. She has also appeared on Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria" as a product expert.In 2018, she was "Highly Commended" by the panel for the FIPP and UPM Rising Stars in Media Awards.Previously, she was the shopping editor at Refinery29. She graduated from Fordham University with a degree in history and economics.Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Read more Read less

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.

Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxno6nGrbGOnZigppVisbDCxKtkmqScrrtuwM6tnGaqlau2psM%3D