Those of us fortunate enough to travel might have a ritual when it comes to getting ready. Perhaps it involves the way they fold their clothing, how much they decide to bring, or when they decide to pack. Such methods usually stay the same, but what often doesn’t stay the same are the travel gadgets you bring with you.
From headphones and gaming systems to cables and storage, here are the best travel gadgets you can buy right now.
Best travel gadgets:
Editor’s note: We will update our list of the best travel gadgets as new products launch.
1. AmazonBasics Geometric Luggage
Even if you’re visiting a location for only a few days, having luggage is vital if you want to bring clothing, toiletries, small possessions, souvenirs from your trip, and much more. To that end, we recommend the AmazonBasics Geometric Luggage three-pack.
It’s not that we aren’t fans of smart luggage around here. The problem is airlines aren’t big fans of smart luggage due to the batteries inside of them. For example, Delta Airlines forces you to remove the batteries in all instances. That means carry-on and checked smart luggage can’t have batteries in them before you board the plane.
Keeping these restrictions in mind, it makes more sense and is cheaper to just get regular luggage. The Geometric Luggage three-piece set comprises of 22-, 27.5-, and 32-inch cases. Each case features four spinner wheels, a rugged exterior, and a recessed TSA lock.
The AmazonBasics Geometric Luggage three-piece set is available for $186.79.
2. Sony WH-1000XM3
The newer Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 has a sleeker design, but the Sony WH-1000XM3 remains our top pick for over-the-ear noise-cancelling headphones.
The touch-sensitive earcups let you skip and pause your music, change the volume, and bring up your phone’s personal assistant. You can also hear what’s around you if you cup your hand over the right earcup.
Also read: Sony WH-1000XM3 review: Still the best
More importantly, the Sony WH-1000XM3 sound great and exhibited the best noise cancelling in the business in our testing. The headphones use Sony’s own LDAC Bluetooth codec for improved data streaming rates. Even the microphone quality was impressive and flat.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 is available for $348.
3. Nintendo Switch Lite
The Nintendo Switch is easily the most fun I’ve had with a game system, but it’s not exactly the most portable system. Also, the $299.99 price puts it out of range for those whose wallets don’t stretch that far or those with several Nintendo fans at home.
Enter the Nintendo Switch Lite.
Also read: Android is unofficially coming to the Nintendo Switch
The weight difference between it and the regular Switch isn’t much on paper, but you notice it in real life. Plus, the smaller size means you can stuff the Switch Lite in places you couldn’t fit the regular Switch. You get access to the Switch’s impressive catalog of games, which include The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, Doom, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
However, you can’t dock the Switch Lite. There’s also no rumble support, auto-brightness, or removable Joy-Cons. Finally, we don’t yet have an official tally on how many people are affected by the stick drift issue. There’s a class-action lawsuit against Nintendo over the issue, though most people should be fine.
The Nintendo Switch Lite is available for $199.99.
4. Amazon Kindle Paperwhite
The Amazon Kindle Oasis is objectively better, but the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is the best for most people. It’s also extremely travel-friendly, thanks to its six-inch display and diminutive design.
Also read: Best e-readers to spend your money on: Kindle, Kobo, and more
The Kindle Paperwhite’s five display LEDs let you adjust the brightness and allow for uniform backlighting. The e-reader also features an IPX8 rating for water protection, Bluetooth, support for Amazon’s Audible service, and weeks of battery life.
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite starts at $149.99 for 8GB of storage and ads.
5. Aukey USB-C Power Bank
Whereas other 20,000mAh portable batteries tend to be large and chunky, the Aukey USB-C Power Bank is surprisingly slim. Thanks to the power bank’s slim profile, you can easily slide it in and out of the airplane seat pocket in front of you or your bag.
Also read: Best 20,000mAh power banks you can buy
The Aukey USB-C Power Bank features three USB-A output ports, one USB-C port for input and output, one micro-USB input port, and even a Lightning input port. That means those with iPhones can bring only one cable to charge their phones and the power bank.
The Aukey USB-C Power Bank is available for $39.99.
6. Tile Mate
Assuming you took our advice and opted for regular luggage, maybe you want a way to keep track of it. Heck, you’ll want to keep track of everything you have when traveling. That’s where the Tile Mate with a 200-foot range comes in.
Thanks to its small size and loophole, the Tile Mate fits on your key ring, in your bag, and everything in between. The Tile app lets you keep track of the Tile Mate and sends you location updates for your stuff. Better yet, you can anonymously recruit other Tile users within the app if you misplace your stuff.
The Tile Mate is available for $69.99.
7. Peak Design Tech Pouch
If you’re bringing several devices with you, that means you’re bringing cables. Even if you don’t have many cables, you might have other small accessories, such as pens, a notepad, or chargers. The Peak Design Tech Pouch is a great accessory if you want to remain organized.
Featuring a two-liter capacity, the Tech Pouch isn’t lacking in storage. You can store pens and SD cards in elastic accessory loops near the top, while the large pockets are perfect for chargers, portable batteries, and cables. There’s even an external zip pocket with a cable pass-through for simpler charging.
The Peak Design Tech Pouch is available for $59.95.
8. Anker Powerline II 3-in-1 Cable
If you own several devices with different connections, carrying around all of those cables can be cumbersome. Meet the Anker Powerline II 3-in-1 cable, which lives up to its name with three connectors.
Also read: The best USB-C cables
On its own, the cable features a micro-USB connector. There are also two attached Lightning and USB-C connectors. You must place the connector on the micro-USB connector to get output, but this is a nifty option if you have a mixture of old, new, and Apple devices.
The Anker Powerline II 3-in-1 cable is available for $17.99.
That was our list of the best travel gadgets. We’ll add more top travel gadgets to this list as more useful travel companions become available.
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