The only way to know for sure which travel capsule is better is to try them both.
We’ve been fans of the award-winning travel capsule brand Cadence for years. When we learned that two brands on Amazon released strikingly similar product offerings at a lower price point, we had no choice but to see how they stack up against the originals.
A Little Bit About Cadence Capsules
If you haven’t yet encountered the lifestyle-shaping brand that is Cadence, allow us to do the honors. Founded by Steph Hon in 2018, Cadence has a core ethos of convenience and quality (and providing both to their customers). As a busy New Yorker, Steph sought a tool to help streamline the routines she relied on every day. Her goal was to create a product that was long-lasting, functional, and straightforward in its applications.
That’s how the Cadence capsule was born. They come in three sizes (0.56oz, 1.32oz, 2.75oz) and are TSA-approved, leakproof, customizable, and magnetically attachable. They’re designed for long trips and daily use (think: gym runs, commutes, or staying with a friend).
Most recently, Cadence released their long-awaited dopp kit called The Parcel (which sold out within days), made to store capsules and other personal items on the go.
The Competition
The infamous online marketplace Amazon carries several travel containers aspiring after the award-winning Cadence capsule design. We ordered two separate versions to compare to the Cadence Capsule System—an Amazon’s Choice selection and the #1 Bestseller in Refillable Squeeze Bottles—and then we evaluated them all according to price, quality, physical design, and functionality.
The Elephant in the Room, AKA Price: Amazon Containers
Cadence capsules cost between $15 and $38 each. This price reflects the extensive efforts that went into their engineering, and the intentional sourcing of materials (more on both shortly). That said, averaging roughly $10 per set of containers, Amazon stole this category. The less we pay, the happier we are! Then again, as the saying goes, you (usually) get what you pay for…
Category Winner: Amazon Containers
Production Quality: Cadence
When it comes to Amazon’s travel containers, the name of the production game seems to be silicone. This was an immediate red flag to us. Non-food-grade silicone can leach chemicals into whatever is being carried, thus tainting your products (and putting your body at risk for harm after they’ve been applied). What’s more, is that some types of silicone are porous, which means they slowly absorb whatever they’re holding—whether that be $8 face wash or $70 hair oil.
The irony of carrying personal wellness items in capsules made with potentially harmful products was not lost on us here. Luckily, the Amazon x Gemice set is composed of BPA-free (Bisphenol-A, a common plastic component known to negatively affect its contents) and food-grade silicone, while the Amazon x Mrsdry set features BPA-free silicone, too. There was no mention of food safety from the Mrsdry set. And as for porousness in either brand? There doesn’t seem to be any way to tell.
Cadence, we found, uses a blend of recycled plastics and new plastics, all of which are both BPA- and PFA- (Perfluoroalkoxy alkane) free as well as non-porous. Roughly 20% of every capsule is made with rescued, ocean-bound plastic, scavenged from beaches across the world by Cadence’s partner Envision Plastics. A final category note: both duped container sets are made in China, while Cadence capsules are made in Canada and Thailand.
After some discussion, we agreed that Cadence made a clear and concerted effort to not only keep their product as safe as possible but to communicate every detail of the process with their customers. The critical information gaps (missing mentions of “food-grade” and “PFA-free”) and potential porousness of both dupes left us skeptical of their value in comparison.
Category Winner: Cadence
Design & Appearance: Cadence
It’s impossible not to give a little attention to looks. We appreciated the available colors of each individual set, but the ribbed tubes and pots of Amazon couldn’t hold a candle to the aesthetics of Cadence capsules. Sleek, rounded corners and hexagonal forms allow the capsules to nestle together like honeycomb, whereas the shape of both Amazon sets was undoubtedly clunky and less ergonomic.
All 3 travel container sets are paired with clear travel toiletry cases. The Amazon dupes each include a zippered case for free, while Cadence sells their version, The Parcel, both individually and paired with capsules. Free is a nice price, but The Parcel is something else entirely. For starters, it’s quart-sized, and it functions as both a tray when open and a bag when closed. Plus, the self-locating magnetic closure on it is essentially break-proof, which we can’t say for the flimsy zippers of Amazon’s bags.
As a whole, Cadence is by far the most customizable brand of the 3, because their capsules are available for purchase à la carte or in pick-your-own-adventure capsule systems which allow customers to choose their own colors (pick from 8), labels (unlimited), and sizes (3). Both Amazon sets had color options as well, but size-wise customers are relegated to four of the same sized capsules in every set (with 3 and 4 size options, respectively). That might not seem like a big deal, but it is when it comes to everyday use…
Cadence capsules have been called “sexy,” and while exploring this category, we understood why. If we had to choose a travel capsule system to tote around for life, we’d be happiest looking at Cadence every day.
Category Winner: Cadence
Functionality: Cadence
This is the big one! What we needed most from each of these container sets was to carry essentials without altering (or losing) any contents. It quickly became clear to us that Cadence and their dupes are not aligned on how to achieve this goal.
Cadence capsules have industrial seals to protect from flight air pressure which doubly supports their leak resistance. According to Amazon reviews, no such seal was included in their design processes. That was shocking to us… the bare minimum of a travel container is that it can stay closed, right? A quick scan through the Amazon travel container reviews revealed all sorts of consequences to this missing design feature: products drying up, lids popping off, extensive leaks.
The Cadence and Amazon containers all feature a threaded, screw-on cap, but the Amazon x Mrsdry cap conceals a “no-drip valve.” This was appealing at first, but when we went to fill all of the capsules, we realized how limiting it was. (You cannot, for example, squeeze pills out of a no-drip valve). Not to mention, multiple customers complained that the squeezable valve was overly powerful and dispensed their contents in a projectile fashion.
On that note, the aforementioned fluidity of sizes within Cadence Capsule Systems was extremely accommodating, because every type and volume of product was accounted for. A-little-bit-goes-a-long-way serum? The Small Capsule. Daily medications? The Medium. Body lotion? The Large. Check, check, check. Both Amazon sets, conversely, require customers to pick one size for all 4 containers.
Neither Amazon set was magnetic, either, which is an extremely helpful design feature that Cadence flaunts. Between their magnetization, industrial seal, and personalizable sizes, it made sense to learn that Cadence has sold over 2 million capsules. The Mrsdry and Gemice Amazon sets have nearly 7,000 and 1,300 reviews, respectively. The staggering difference here felt tremendously significant. Just like pop music, the hits are hits for a reason.
Category Winner: Cadence
Long Story Short, We Went with Cadence
Three-fourths of our category votes went to Cadence, and in the end, our team was unanimous in acknowledging the product’s superiority. Between the carefully selected components and production process, as well as the consideration for customer experience (in terms of both safety and customization), we deemed Cadence the best option.
The price of Cadence capsules is a factor we’ve reckoned with since our very first order. They don’t charge chump change for their product. That said, this most recent investigation shed light on the alternative: a far cheaper product, made with unspecified, unsafe, and often ineffective materials. The latter would hardly get the job done… and no one’s saving $ if they have to continue buying and trying new models.
It pays to pick the original. Not always, but often. In this case, Cadence capsules are a one-time purchase that lend themselves to extensive use without breaking, leaking, or defecting. Exactly what we’d want and expect from travel capsules, whose very purpose is to resist wear and tear on the road.