There are two types of smartphone users: the kind that use cases, and the kind that don’t. Now that I have two kids, it’s important for me to have a strong protective case on my phone at all times. Even when I didn’t have kids, it was still important for me to have a case on my phone because I’m also quite clumsy and have a pretty good track record for dropping my phone where it shouldn’t be dropped - mostly pavement.
To make a long story even longer, the bottom line is I’ve been using cases for a long time. As I get new phones, I also get new cases each time. At this point I have a pretty good feel for the cases that I think are the best quality, so I wanted to share with you guys which cases I like to shop for each time I get a new phone.
I put Bear Motion in 5th place because although I love the quality and the feel of the case, it’s not exactly the most protective of cases on the market.
I purchased my first Bear Motion case for my HTC One, and after several failed case purchases previously, this case was the one that won me over because it did exactly what I needed it to do: give me a better grip on the phone. For any phone that’s made out of extremely slippery material, or for those of you who are like me and are just clumsy, the very texture of this case made it almost impossible to slip out of the hand.
The case also provided a slight lip over the front of the device, so it’s not left completely unprotected; however, when it comes to heavy duty protection for your smartphone, Bear Motion probably isn’t that case.
It’s worth mentioning that I actually liked the case so much that I purchased it for my Moto X (2013) as well.
Poetic cases are my 4th top pick. I like that Poetic cases are available for even the most elusive devices. The reason Poetic sticks out to me was because it was one of the only decent cases available for my Nokia Lumia 928, which had a shockingly low amount of cases catering to it. I’ve pretty much been able to find a Poetic case for every phone I’ve ever owned, and of the ones I’ve purchased, all have held up wonderfully for the life of my phone and have kept my phone safe from some ugly drops and mishaps. The cases are usually rather subtle in design as well, which can be really nice if you just like the way your phone looks initially.
If I had made this list back in 2010, OtterBox wouldn’t have made my list because I once refused to purchase the case due to the fact that I found the design so repulsive. I still don’t like the OtterBox design, but it’s hard to deny that their brand of cases protect any phone wonderfully. I’ve used both the Commuter and the Defender series of OtterBox cases, and while I prefer the less invasive Commuter myself, the Defender certainly protects the phone a lot better.
OtterBox has also gotten better at offering different colors and designs over the years, so while I still find the overall design somewhat of an eyesore, at least there are more choices now. I don’t see OtterBox as a case that I would go to for looks, but I do trust that this brand of cases will do a fantastic job of protecting the device (which is the point, right?)
Incipio is another one of those brands that offer cases for just about everything. What I like most about Incipio’s cases most is that they have so many different designs, colors, and features to choose from. Their selection is massive. Recently I purchased an Incipio Atlas case for my iPhone 5s, and the quality of this case is really great. I actually wasn’t expecting much because I purchased the case during a massive sale, so this $80 case was only $8 for me. Fortunately, the purchase really paid off and the case has been working out great. Combining this experience with my previous experiences with Incipio (I also love the Feather series of cases) I have to say that Incipio is well-deserving of this number 2 spot.
In the number one spot is Speck, and that’s for a few reasons: the cases are protective, there are plenty of design options available, and the cases are extremely affordable. I always purchase a Speck case for my phone if the case is available. It’s a nice mix between rubber and plastic, usually giving the user a good grip when needed, shock protection for their phone, and a sleek design.
All in all, I could probably take the numbered ratings away from the cases because I would recommend these brands to anybody, depending on what they wanted most out of a case. These are all companies that I’ve had multiple purchases from over the years, and none of these cases has ever let my phones down yet. I’m confident that these cases are quality and will give your phones the upmost protection.
Case-loving readers out there, which cases are your favorite, and which ones do you recommend to other readers out there? Let us know in the comments below!
