The 2019 Bella Fino is more wallet than case — Here’s our review
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The wallet case for serious wallet people.
If you're the type of person that carries everything important with you in your pocket, your keys, your credit cards, your ID, your cash, and your iPhone, chances are, you'd benefit from having some kind of wallet case to tie it all together. Pad & Quill's Bella Fino Edition wallet case is about as wallet as a case can get, and it protects your iPhone at the same time. I'd been using the new Bella Fino for iPhone 11 Pro for a full week prior to the iPhone 11 launch because, aside from the camera cutout, it fits both models! After a good stretch of use, breaking in the leather like a baseball glove, I've really grown attached to the Bella Fino. It has its flaws, but it's features are worth it for many, especially if you're a wallet case kind of person.
More wallet than case
Bella Fino wallet case for iPhone 11 Pro
For people who want a wallet/case combo.
If you want to ditch having a separate wallet, but need room for all your cards and cash, the Bella Fino is more wallet than case.
The Good
- 4 card slots fits 8 credit cards
- Large cash slot
- Quality craftsmanship
- Now with elastic strap!
The Bad
- Oversized
So many pockets
Bella Fino wallet case for iPhone 11 Pro: The features
The Bella Fino is the wallet case of all wallet cases. I say this because it has four card slots that stretch to fit up to eight (that's right, eight) cards, one of them being a window slot for your ID, plus a stack of cash. Most wallet cases support 4 cards. Some don't have a space to carry cash at all and you end up shoving a couple of bills into one of the spare card slots.
The entire case measures in at 6" x 3 3/8" x 0.55", which is not a slim case by any means. It sort of reminds me of a woman's style clutch wallet (only not that big). It adds a bit of extra size around the length and width of the iPhone, plus fairly significant depth, depending on how many cards you put in it.
The hardshell case that snaps the iPhone 11 Pro into place protects from scratches and can be a glass-saving feature if you drop your iPhone (it's not drop-protected graded or anything, but it's better than nothing). It's a simple black hardshell case that is actually removable. It is stuck to the leather folio with a standard 3M adhesive.
The hardshell case by itself is velvety smooth to the touch, even though it's just made out of polycarbonate. The top, bottom, and side buttons are exposed for easy access to everyting you need.
This year's Bella Fino is upgraded from last year with one feature that a lot of people are really going to love:
The one complaint iMore case reviewer Karen Freeman had with last year's Bella Fino is that the case didn't lay flat when filled with cards. Though a long enough "breaking in" period usually fixes that, it can be a bother for some. This year, Pad & Quill added a handy removable elastic strap (in stylish colors) so you can keep that wallet completely closed up until it breaks in. Then, if you so choose, remove the elastic and go free, or keep the elastic on if you prefer the look.
The case is available in three different exterior colors, each with one or two interior color options.
- Chocolate and Deep Sea Blue
- Galloper Black and Plum
- Galloper Black and Slate Gray
- Whiskey and Deep Sea Blue
- Whiskey and Forest Green
They all come with either a black or brown elastic strap, but for $10 more, you can add a three-pack color option with light blue, yellow, and orange. If you want to add even more elastic straps to your style, you can pick from eight different colors at $10 each.
When you want to remove the elastic strap, pull the hardshell interior case from the leather folio to expose the elastic strap clips. You can take these off and put them on any time at your preference.
All-in-one
Bella Fino wallet case for iPhone 11 Pro: What I like
As far as wallet cases go, the Bella Fino is the premier case by which all other cases should be compared. It is beautifully stitched American full-grain leather with an attractive etched Pad & Quill logo on the binding. The complimentary interior leather tint brings an extra beauty to the overall look.
I'd used the Bella Fino with my iPhone XS when I traveled for the past year and always found it to be so much more convenient than having a case and wallet separate. Because it is big enough to hold as many as eight cards, I don't feel like I have to bring anything else with me than this case. Right now, I have six cards in my Bella Fino and don't even have more cards that I feel I need to add to it.
Cash fits nicely, folded in half, into the large-for-a-wallet-case cash slot. You can't keep your dollar bills unfolded, but it's darn close.
I love that Pad & Quill added an elastic strap to the Bella Fino. Though my case didn't take long to break in and lay flat, it was somewhat annoying for the first month or so, trying to get that binding to soften up. With the elastic strap, the case stays closed.
Though I never find my self needing to do this, I do like that I have the option to pull the hardshell case off the leather folio and just go with a minimal protective case. It's by no means pretty — it's just a simple black case — but it feels nice to the touch.
Too much wallet?
Bella Fino wallet case for iPhone 11 Pro: What I don't like
The Bella Fino is a big case. Make no mistake, this isn't a minimal, slip-it-in-your-back-pocket design. In fact, it probably won't fit into some back pockets. It adds a lot of depth to your iPhone 11 Pro (nearly twice as thick as without a case), though it only extends around the height and length a few centimeters.
This luxury wallet case is designed for men and women that prefer to keep their iPhone inside a purse or bag (probably a luxury leather one). If you are looking for a slim simple wallet case, you may want to look elsewhere.
Though I'm in love with the new elastic strap, especially the colorful options, it tends to get in the way of such things as wireless charging and taking pictures.
Some charging pads are robust enough to make it through the additional thickness of the elastic strap, but it can be finicky. I found myself taking my iPhone out of the case before settling in for the night because I'd struggled to find the sweet spot for wireless charging.
If you aren't careful, the dangling wireless strap will fall in front of the back-facing camera, getting in the way of that impromptu shot. With just a bit of memory training, however, I remembered to always hold the strap away from the lens, thus avoiding obstruction.
Bottomline
Bella Fino wallet case for iPhone 11 Pro: Conclusion
If you're a wallet case kind of person, and you know who you are, the Bella Fino ticks all the boxes. With four card slots to hold up to eight cards, plus a cash slot, you can leave your wallet at home and replace it with this all-in-one wallet case.
It's big, though. Do you usually protect your iPhone 11 Pro with a thin case? Do you wear tight jeans and keep your iPhone in your back pocket? The Bella Fino may not fit your style.
Personally, I don't use my Bella Fino every day. I use an ultra-thin clear case (because I like to be as pure as possible while protecting my iPhone). I switch to it whenever I travel. The wallet/case combo helps me pack less while making things much more convenient for me.
More wallet than case
Bella Fino wallet case for iPhone 11 Pro
For people who want a wallet/case combo.
If you want to ditch having a separate wallet, but need room for all your cards and cash, the Bella Fino is more wallet than case.