13. Tucano Agenda Booklet Case
Price: $39
This case is a bit-old school in its notebook feel. The angled elastic ribbon that holds the cover shut is strong and easy to slide on and off. The inside cover has four storage pockets and comes with a padded cleaning cloth, but we're not fans of the corner straps that hold the mini in place.
Verdict: 3/5
14. Tucano Cornice Folio Case
Price: $56
This is the slightly more expensive version of the Ala case. The only real difference is the stand, which here is a more traditional three-folding version similar to Apple's Smart Cover. Thankfully, this provides much more stability, but we still can't warm to the other elements of the case.
Verdict: 2/5
15. Jison Case Quilted Leather
Price: $80
The diamond pattern effect here probably won't be to everyone's taste, but if it does tickle your fancy, then you could do much worse than this model. The iPad mini is held perfectly in the leatherbound shell (there's no rubber anywhere) and the magnetic clip stand is superb as well.
Verdict: 3/5
Sleeves - four carry cases to keep your iPad mini easily accessible
16. be.ez LA robe for iPad mini
Price: $23
The LA robe is fairly rigid for a soft sleeve, but that's no bad thing when it comes to protection. The iPad mini fits snugly into the top, although it's a bit of a struggle if you also have a Smart Cover on. At $23 though, we were hard pressed to find anything else as good as this for the price.
Verdict: 5/5
17. Outback iPad Sleeve
Price: $39
The Outback has a waxy exterior with a leather finish. It's both stylish and very thick, burying your iPad mini in plenty of soft padding on the inside. We also liked the decent clasp to hold your mini in place. As far as sleeves go, this one's a winner - it comes highly recommended.
Verdict: 4/5
18. GEAR4 NeO - iPad mini
Price: $30
Similar to the other two neoprene cases here, the GEAR4 NeO has a nice fit, but it's much softer than the material used for the be.ez LA robe. Frankly, the arced front - which is meant to allow getting the iPad in and out easier - is neither attractive nor ideal for protection if you drop it.
Verdict: 2/5
19. QuickSilver Blue Checks
Price: $23
Although this neoprene case is well-made overall, the zip around the top tended to touch the iPad as we closed it each time. This is annoying and could easily damage the corners of your device. You really have to shove the iPad mini into the case with gusto to have any chance of avoiding this.
Verdict: 2/5
Rugged cases - looking for the ultimate in iPad mini protection? Then take the rugged option
20. Griffin Survivor for iPad mini
Price: $59
If you get your iPad in and out of its case regularly, then the Survivor might not be for you - it's fiddly at best. When it comes to extreme protection, however, Griffin's case is hard to beat. Griffin is quoting it high, but if you shop around, you can pick it up for less than half that price, with a great color selection to choose from too.
Verdict: 4/5
21. Gumdrop Drop Tech Series
Price: $60
Don't be fooled by the Gumdrop's clichéd tire tread design; this rugged product is a fine heavy-duty case. The Griffin Survivor edges it in terms of features, but this case is much easier (and therefore quicker) to get your iPad mini into, and for a bulky concept, we think it's rather stylish, too.
Verdict: 4/5
22. Cygnett Workmate
Price: $40
You won't find many cases with rubber as thick as the Workmate's (it's actually made up of hard plastic and heavy rubber, interlaced for stronger protection). It works well as a heavy duty design, but, depending on your usage scenario, you might want the front covered, too.
Verdict: 3/5
23. Cygnett Armour
Price: $40
We're not a fan of claw grips on any iPad case, and the Armour case doesn't do enough to convince us otherwise. A shame, because the leather quality and thick padding makes this folio/rugged hybrid the ideal choice for those looking for a really tough case as well as a stand and a magnetic locking cover.
Verdict: 2/5
Shells - Keep the back of your iPad mini in tip-top condition
24. Incipio NGP
Price: $25
As you might expect from a hard shell, the Incipio NGP is made of semi-rigid rubber. It's very good quality and easy to apply, although getting your iPad mini out again isn't always as quite as simple as it should be. The harder shell design of the other Incipio model sorts that problem, though.
Verdict: 3/5
25. Cygnett FlexiGel
Price: $20
The cheapest rear shell here is just as good when it comes to quality as the others. We like the hole-punched area at the bottom to form a grill above the iPad mini's speaker. The rest of the cut-out sections to expose the mini's buttons are a little untidy, being all square cut, but it's still a great price.
Verdict: 3/5
26. Kensington Back Cover
Price: $20
Kensington's effort is almost identical to the Incipio NGP. There's also next to no difference in price, so ultimately, it really comes down to which color range you prefer. We like this "Eggplant" version, though for $5 less, the Cygnett is the more attractive option when it comes to semi-rigid rear shells.
Verdict: 3/5
27. Incipio Feather
Price: $35
The Incipio Feather is the only non-flexing rear shell in this test. The Feather series has been very popular on the iPhone because of its light, slimline design, and that design is carried through beautifully here. It's easy to apply and gives you the best access to your iPad mini's exterior controls.
Verdict: 4/5
