NYC’s going head-over-wheels for this year’s must-have bag — and its $30 dupe.
Ariana Rodriguez never leaves her Upper West Side home without her phone, her keys and one of her four Hulken totes. It’s a $125 foldable, rolling accessory designed to cart everything from groceries to gym gear, from dirty laundry to designer shopping hauls.
And it usurps the throne of the formerly viral Trader Joe’s tote, rising as the “It” accessory of 2026.
“I literally bring my Hulken everywhere,” Rodriguez, 36, a married mom of three and professional vintage procurer, told The Post. “In New York, you always end up buying a bunch of random stuff. So it’s just, like, so helpful to have a big, durable bag on wheels that’s both useful and stylish.”
The millennial’s Hulken collection — made complete by a mixture of two medium ($110 each) and two large metallic-colored bags — is valued at approximately $470.
But shopping addicts and fanatics on a budget, both in the Big Apple and beyond, are rushing to their nearest Aldi supermarkets for the chain’s $29.99 “Foldable Rolling Tote,” featuring a Hulken-like look, pull and fab finish.
Representatives for Hulken didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for a comment.
But Chantel Hailer, director of corporate buying at Aldi, exclusively told The Post that the store’s cut-rate replica is meant to give patrons a taste of economical elegance.
“You shouldn’t need a luxury budget to carry your groceries,” said Hailer. “Our team keeps an eye on what is trending and then works to create luxe products for less.”
“This bag delivers on both value and design,” she added, “giving Aldi shoppers what they want and deserve in the Finds aisle, without that luxury markup.”
“Over $100? Nah,” Aldi teased in an Instagram post, advertising their wallet-friendly reproduction, which officially hit shelves Wednesday in colors black, silver and rose gold.
And bougie bag buffs are going nuts over the knockoff.
“Anyone who is familiar with Hulken bags — run, don’t walk. Aldi is selling a dupe for $29.99,” raved Amanda, a married New York mom, in a trending video. “I just went to two different locations … the second store only had four [bags] left. They’re perfect.”
Janelle, a baker based in Philadelphia, also praised the copycat carryall for nearly matching the designer sack’s allure.
“It’s actually the exact same dimensions as the medium Hulken. It looks just like it. It’s moving pretty good,” said an impressed Janelle after filling the Aldi bag with groceries and testing its wheels on camera. “This dupe is legit.”
Mandy, a separate fan of the faux finery, lauded the everyday luggage in a clip of her own, saying, “I don’t have a Hulken beat because I refuse to pay that price for a bag — I just refuse it. But this is identical.”
“I bought the last two at my local Aldi,” continued the blond. “I’m so pumped.”
The Hulken — and its more affordable doppelgänger — is merely the latest carrier to be anointed the hottest commodity in recent times.
Before the Trader Joe’s tote craze reached a fever pitch in summer 2025, T.J. Maxx’s $35 “Lobster” purse shone as the most haute status symbol among Gen Z glamour gals — some even willing to “sell a kidney” for the crustacean-inspired add-on — last April.
Here’s hoping fashion fiends don’t resort to hawking organs for this year’s buzziest bagging gear.
