Besides your clothes and sun cream, headphones and Kindle Fires, there’s a few other products we can’t travel without to make our holidays run smoothly. We’re talking plug adaptors to help charge the phones, tablets and speakers that we take with us, the travel pillow to stop our necks straining on a flight, and the scales that prevent us falling foul of any fines from exceeding weight restrictions.
We’ve rounded up our favourite travel-friendly gadgets along with some need-to-know information on the latest travel rules and restrictions.
Which luggage scales to buy
All airline companies have their own maximum weight allowance for hold luggage, and if you’re partial to overpacking, it’s worth buying a pair of luggage scales to avoid the embarrassment of repacking your bag at the check-in desk.
This set of scales from Salter features a loop design which makes picking up your luggage really easy to grip, allowing for a really accurate measurement. It comes complete with the required battery (lithium CR2032, so not one you’d necessarily have floating around the house), and the LED design clearly states the weight in kilograms. It’s also slim enough to pack, so you can weigh again on the way home, once your bag is stuffed with holiday buys…
Which travel pillow to buy
These have come a long way since the identikit U-shaped design you’d pick up at the last minute from the airport. The IT Luggage Memory Foam Travel Pillow has, as the name suggests, a memory foam function that adapts to how you position yourself, so it’s not as hard or rigid as the traditional pillows you’d typically buy.
IT Luggage Memory Foam Travel Pillow
The interior pattern (where the pillow would typically hug your neck) has a bumpy texture, which gives a subtle level of grip, and the drawstring strap allows you to secure it so it doesn’t slip around. As it’s memory foam, it subsequently doesn’t deflate like some do, so you’ll need to allow for space or capacity to carry. We've found it stocked at Dunelm and IT's direct website.
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Which hand-held fan to buy
Ventilation on trains and planes isn’t exactly their strong point, so a travel fan is the perfect option to keep you feeling cool. We’ve tested plenty of fans, and for budget and size, the Jsdoin hand-held fan is a solid choice. It’s small enough to keep in your bag when you’re out and about sightseeing, and with five speed settings, there’s plenty of variation. The foldable handle means you can prop it on a surface nearby and go hands-free, too.
Which travel adaptors to buy
Remember the basic single plug adaptors that used to be the only offering? Our needs have increased hugely (along with the amount of devices we have), and there are now options that feature USB ports, too.
European Travel Adaptor with 2 USB Ports
This version of the Status European Travel Adaptor comes with two USB ports, which turned out to be particularly handy when our tester wanted to charge in the airport lounge. It’s a little bulkier than your stander single plug adaptor, but much more useful.
If you’re travelling further afield, the Anker Universal Travel Adaptor 5-in-1 is compatible with UK, EU, US and Australian sockets, along with two USB-A and two USB-C ports, essentially allowing you to charge up to five devices in one go.
Anker Universal Travel Adapter 5-in-1 for UK/EU/US/AU
Despite its capabilities, it’s a slimline gadget with foldable prongs, and slots into sockets easily without any stiffness or difficulty.
Another adaptor that gets our vote is the Tessan European Travel Plug Adaptor, which has four AC outlets, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C ports alongside the traditional socket so you'll never feel like you're out of options.
TESSAN European Travel Plug Adapter 2 Pack
Which water bottle to buy
At airports, you can take your own water bottle with you on a flight provided it’s empty when going through security (there are water fountains in the departures area where you can fill up). Some airports now allow you to take a full bottle through under their liquid allowance (usually 2 litres), but it’s always worth checking ahead before you head there.
Thermos GTB Super Light Direct Drink Flask
For a sturdy, reliable product, we love the Thermos GTB Insulated Super Light Drink Flask. It keeps liquids at the original temperature for hours (for hot this is 10 hours, with cold drinks up to 24 hours), so ice-cold drinks are guaranteed even during a heatwave (good news for us!). The lock design on the spout keeps the bottle watertight, and it pops up easily with the push of a button. While it’s hand-wash only, it can be easily dismantled to ensure it’s cleaned thoroughly.
Which travel bag to buy
A tech travel organiser, or cable tidy bag, is a perfect solution to keeping your loose wires and equipment in one place when you're out and about. Top of our list is the Belkin Tech Travel Organiser.
It opens out into three main compartments, each of which has further sections in a variety of sizes. The design means that you can keep even small items safe and secure. For example, there's a mesh zipper section and elastic straps. There's also a loop that would fit an Apple pencil, and a sewn-in strap for Belkin's AirTag holders (sold separately).
Belkin Tech Travel Bag Cable Organiser
Our tester could fit a large laptop power brick and cable, portable hard drive, card reader, mouse, various USB cables, earbuds, pens and various odds and ends with ease. For under £20, it can handle a serious amount of kit!
