These Sunglasses Cost Under $20 But Make Me Feel Like a Million Bucks

My relationship with sunglasses used to be dramatic.

I’d occasionally splurge on a designer pair—complete with luxury name and three-figure price tag—that looked and felt lavish but gave me perpetual, low-grade anxiety over the thought of losing or damaging them.

When I eventually did misplace a pair, I’d punish myself by buying sunnies at the dollar store. Those glasses would downright embarrass me as their hinges loosened to a comically wobbly degree and the cut-rate plastic of the frames sustained unsightly nicks and cracks.

Switching to Sungait Vintage Round Sunglasses put an end to all that. These are the lowest-priced yet (in my opinion) best sunglasses we recommend in our cheap sunglasses guide.

In style, sturdiness, and comfort, the Sungait glasses rival premium sunglasses costing (no joke) 12 times as much. At well under $20 a pop, Sungaits are so ridiculously affordable that I stash multiple pairs in my purse, my car, and my house, so they’re always at the ready, whenever or wherever I may need them.

These sunglasses were the most comfortable and sturdy of the affordable round pairs we tested. Plus, they come with a lifetime warranty and money-back guarantee.

May be out of stock

In three-plus years of testing, we’ve consistently found Sungait Vintage Round Sunglasses to be durable and resilient. The frames are made of TR90, a pliant, lightweight plastic that resists damage and breakage. As with all of the cheap sunglasses we recommend, this pair’s lenses provide UV protection. And they’re polarized, which can reduce glare and eyestrain while increasing clarity. To prove it, Sungait even sends you a little card with an illustration that you can see only through polarized lenses. (Not all of the Vintage Round variants feature polarized lenses, though, so double-check before you buy.)

As a bargain hunter who’s always searching for a good dupe, I love how the preppy-chic Vintage Round pairs look more expensive than they are, with upgraded features that you may not find even in much-higher-priced sunnies.

In our cheap sunglasses guide, we note that this pair resembles Ray-Ban Erika Classic sunglasses (currently $175), which rely on cheaper nylon frames that can turn brittle over time. I’ve also found that my Sungaits look a lot like Michael Kors Adrianna sunglasses (currently $125), except those don’t offer polarized lenses.

Every pair of Sungait sunglasses comes with a lens cloth, a glasses bag, and a mini screwdriver (to adjust the hinges, if you need to fine-tune the sizing or the arms start to loosen over time). I routinely make use of all three extras. I tend to remove my sunglasses by pulling them off to one side, so one arm usually starts to wobble before the other. The mini screwdriver, outfitted with a key ring for take-everywhere portability, makes quick work of fixing that.

The glasses bag is made from the same microfiber fabric as the lens cloth. So I just use the bag to wipe my glasses as needed, and I have repurposed the cleaning cloths for dusting off my record collection and tech devices. Of course, a hard-sided case would offer more protection, especially when jostling around in my everyday tote. But considering the overall sturdiness and low price of this pair, I haven’t bothered to buy one (though plenty are available online for a few bucks).

The most impressive Sungait freebie, though, is the lifetime warranty. The company will issue you a full refund or a free pair—without requiring that you return the original pair—whether the glasses arrive defective, turn faulty, or accidentally break, or if you just don’t like them. (While I’ve never experienced any defects with my Sungaits, some Amazon customers have logged complaints about the hinge screws falling apart after only a few weeks or months.)

I’ve yet to encounter a situation where my Sungait sunnies weren’t exactly what I needed. They’re tough enough to wear on a run, a bike ride, or a hike. They boast unisex appeal (I’ve lent them to my husband, and he looks great in them). And they’re on trend no matter the dress code. I would wear them down the shore; I would wear them to the store. I would wear them on a plane; I would wear them touring Spain.

Of course, the primary reason I look so cool in my Sungait glasses is that I’m no longer stressed about ruining a pricier pair or mortified about sporting a junky pair. I’ve finally found my forever, Goldilocks pair, the sunglasses that always look and feel just right.

This article was edited by Alexander Aciman and Annemarie Conte.

Rose Maura Lorre

Rose Maura Lorre is a senior staff writer on the discovery team at Wirecutter. Her byline has appeared in The New York Times, Esquire, Salon, Business Insider, HGTV Magazine, and many more. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, and lots and lots of houseplants.

by Justin Krajeski

The perfect pair of sunglasses protects your eyes from the sun while matching your own personal style. Try one of these 11 comfy, high-quality pairs.

by Wirecutter Staff

These 100 useful things were the most-purchased Wirecutter picks in June 2021.

by Gabriella DePinho

These are the 100 things our readers loved most in July, from sunglasses to vacuums.

by Bob Howells

After performing 120 hours of testing, we think the versatile, high-value Ryders Seventh photochromic glasses are the best outdoor eyewear for most people.