The best minimalist wallet for 2020

In the immortal words of George Costanza, a wallet is "an organizer, a secretary and a friend." But the traditional overstuffed leather clamshell can so easily turn into an oppressor. In addition to giving you a place to hide (and forget about) old receipts, ticket stubs and expired credit cards, a big, old-school wallet can weigh you down, both physically and emotionally. 

Enter the minimalist wallet -- a diverse breed of super svelte, lightweight containers designed to accommodate only your most critically important items: identification, a few credit and debit cards and some money. The best of them combine a stylish appearance, durable construction and -- most importantly -- a minimalist design that forces you to be ruthlessly economic in your choices about what to carry around every day. With that in mind, we've put together this list to help you find the best minimalist wallet.

The best minimalist wallet for 2020 Picture 1

The minimalist wallet category itself has, ironically, become jam-packed with thousands of designs being sold online and in stores by well-known brands, high-end boutiques and Chinese upstarts. Most of them cost between $10 and $40. But there are plenty of wallets with a minimalist design that cost $100 or more -- often built from heavy-duty materials, like high-quality leather, or stocked with extra features, like a bottle opener or multitool.

Though there are plenty of bifold and trifold options, we're mostly focused on one-panel design wallets here. These usually hold between four and 10 credit and debit cards, though some do it more artfully than others. Many come in a variety of fabrics and colors, and some are hybrids, which combine wallet and money clip or elastic band. Most offer some type of RFID blocking technology, which is advertised as a protective measure against electronic pickpocketing, like scammers skimming data stored on your contactless credit cards. (That may be an overblown concern, however.)

We've put them through their paces, with an eye on quality, durability, style, functionality and price. Take a look at our recommendations below, which we'll update as we test new products. And if you own any of these wallets with minimalist design, tell me about your experience with it in the comments.

Minimalist wallets, compared