Much as I’m loath to admit it, if you’re travelling with cabin baggage only then regulation ‘carry on’ wheelie suitcase gives you maximum space and minimum effort. They fit easily into the overhead lockers and are designed for wheeling over miles of tiled airport corridor.
We’ve got a couple of TravelPro (company set up by the pilot who invented wheelie bags) that are designed specifically to Ryanair dimensions but have an expansion to be bigger for use with other airlines. They’re lightweight rather than tough (Ryanair used to be strict about in cabin bag weight) but have lasted well – cabin baggage doesn’t take anything like the beating hold luggage does.
However, Ryanair dropped the weight rules (if you can lift it you’re OK I think) and although the bag sizing cages are still there it’s years since I’ve been at a desk where they were making people check their bag size and charging people to put oversize bags in the hold.
A mate who flys every week swears by Briggs and Riley – expensive (but you can find them discounted) and a lifetime warranty that they honour. Something on one of his bags broke and they sent him the new equivalent.