Amateur Photographer verdict
An attractive and well-made case, with extra kudos for the sustainability angle. The Camera Control cutout could be better thought out, though, especially for the price.- Made from sustainable materials
- Feels like real leather
- Looks great
- MagSafe compatible
- Cutout for Camera Control button not comfortable
- Only available in one colour
- Expensive
If you’ve splashed out on an iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, then you might be considering a case to go with it. While you can pick up all manner of cheap cases, sometimes investing in a more expensive model will save you money in the long run as they tend to last longer.
At a glance
- Made from Italian bio-leather (vegan)
- Machined-metal raised buttons
- Available for iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max
- £59
The Mujjo Maizcase is crafted from Italian bio-leather, which is made from corn and other cereals blended with recycled polyester. In essence, this is to give the same look and feel as real leather, but with the intention to be kinder to the planet. Alongside that, Mujjo says that 98% of the water used in the production of the case is recovered to minimise the environmental impact.
Build and Handling
Mujjo says that the Maizcase feels like leather, which I can agree with, and also ages like leather. That’s not something I can fairly comment on here as I’ve only been able to use it for a couple of weeks, but I can say it feels robust and well built and has very easily withstood being shoved in and out of pockets, inside bags and even roughly manhandled by a small child.
Inside the case, it is lined with “satin-smooth Japanese microfibre”, which although not something you will be touching every day, your phone will be and is designed to keep the back of your phone as fresh as the day it came out of the box. I find that particularly useful when it comes to resale time, to make sure you get the best possible price.
Around the camera bump, there’s a machined-metal bezel, which has an attractive sheen next to the matte appearance of the bio-leather. It also keeps your phone’s lenses away from the surface of say a table, helping to ensure they remain free of scratches.
Also machine metal are the buttons on the edges of the case, for the Action Button, volume button and power/side button. The iPhone 16 Pro series new Camera Control button is accessed through a cutout in the side of the case, and here is one of my only criticisms of the Maizcase.
Using the Camera Control button requires not a simple push like regular button, as it has haptic control. This means you need to slide your finger over it to control other functions, such as zoom. As the Maizcase uses just a simple hole in the case, this isn’t the most comfortable experience. If you use the Camera Control a lot, this may be a reason not to go for the Maizcase. For context, I’ve also been using the Peak Design Everyday Case, which has a sort of “graduated” hole instead. The Peak Design approach feels as if it’s been specifically engineered for the purpose, whereas here it feels a bit of an afterthought.
It’s perhaps also disappointing to only see one colour available here, albeit the “Steel Blue” being very chic in itself. Perhaps if the case proves to be popular, more colours will become available.
Compatibility with MagSafe is a must for any decent iPhone case, which happily is included here. That means you can use any MagSafe accessories, such as wireless chargers, through the case without having to remove it.
Available for both the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the case also impressively comes with a five year warranty against any manufacturing fault – I expect most will have upgraded their phone during that time, so it’s likely to cover the lifetime of you requiring the Maizcase.
Verdict
It can be tempted to stick a cheap or inexpensive case on your iPhone, but often it can save you money in the long run if you opt for something a little more hard-wearing.
Although there’s lots of leather cases on the market, the popularity of sustainable and vegan-friendly bioleather has increased in recent years. I find it hard to tell the difference between this and real leather – it feels and looks great.
Using the case is generally a lovely experience, with the metal buttons adding a touch of elegance and the soft feel of the inside helping to reassure you that the back is going to come out scratch free. It’s a shame that the hole for the Camera Control button hasn’t been better designed, though.
Overall, although this is reasonably expensive for a phone case, with its classy design, sustainable credentials and solid material, it still comes highly recommended.
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