The 12 Best Travel Gadgets For Any Trip

There are two sides to every vacation: the wondrous escape into an environment you’ve never encountered before, and the tumultuous planning and lead-up that precedes it. Whether you’re in for a long flight, train ride, or even just an Uber ride to the local airport, traveling can be an extremely strenuous process — and you don’t need to tell us twice just how much of a sour taste it can leave after a trip if things don’t go smoothly. And while these forms of transportation may try to accommodate us with a variety of entertainment options to take our mind off of just how long things are taking, that never quite manages to cut it, which is why we always seek out some superb travel gadgets to take along.

Thanks to all of the available modernized tech these days, there’s no need to endure all of travel’s ailing qualities without some additional accessories to assist us. Looking to make life simpler for you as you get ready to go out and about, our guide to the best travel gadgets to buy is sure to ease any sense of travel uncertainty.

how we chose our picks

For all of our gadget guides, we select products we trust and put good design and performance above all else. This time around, we’ve picked gadgets that will make traveling not only more peaceful and entertaining, but also safer and more productive. This guide includes devices like headphones, handhelds, and speakers for comfort and play, along with more practical gear like a hard drive, trackers, and chargers, so you can get some work done with peace of mind knowing your devices will have enough juice (and so you don’t lose anything). Everything on this list comes from well-known and trusted brands in their respective industries, and we leverage our decade-plus experience reviewing these products and covering the tech space on a daily basis to become intimately familiar with the gadgets before deciding to include them.

Tile Mate

Best Tracker: There are few hardships as tumultuous as losing something you cherish in a foreign land. With that in mind, a Bluetooth tracker is a necessity when you’re traveling, and who better to trust than Tile? As the brand that started it all, its water-resistant Mate tracker boasts a 3-year battery that you can replace when needed, so it’s intended to keep your valuables in check for a number of your upcoming vacations, as well as once you get back home.

Quip Electric Toothbrush

Best Toothbrush: In a similar vein to wrinkles, hygiene upkeep most certainly doesn’t take a vacation just because you are. With that in mind, a smart toothbrush with seamless smartphone connectivity is the way to go. Maintaining oral hygiene is vital, and keeping track of just how long you’re brushing is made equally important thanks to Quip’s app that informs its users on their top-and-bottom row coverage and overall intensity. For those looking to have fresh breath throughout their trip and also make their dentist proud on their next visit, this is the way to go.

Anker Power Core Portable Charger

Best Portable Power Source: Anker’s vast catalog of gadgets spans from projectors to magnetic charging stations to practically everything in between, but its PowerCore Portable Charger speaks for itself, your phone, and a couple of other devices too. It boasts a 26800mAh battery that can practically endure an entire vacation without dying, and even comes equipped with an additional pair of charging ports that are sure to assist anyone accompanying you on your trip.

LaCie Rugged Mini

Best Hard Drive: You may have caught a glimpse of these ubiquitous hard drives at your local coffee shop or even on your favorite TV show — they’re just that popular, because they’re just so powerful. LaCie’s Rugged Mini is the ideal portable piece of technical gear thanks to its bolstered, shock-resistant exterior, 4′ of drop resistance, as well as dust and water resistance, allowing you to take this along with you across any terrain. On top of that, you can pack it up with movies, shows, and documents to peruse throughout your flight.

Sonos Roam SL

Best Bluetooth Speaker: The newly-released Sonos Roam SL boasts an intricately-engineered pair of the audio manufacturer’s signature Class-H digital amplifiers, simple AirPlay connectivity, an ergonomic composition, and a countless number of other things that make it the perfect travel speaker. What sets it apart, though, is its IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, ensuring that you can take it with you whether you’re basking oceanside at a beach resort or venturing through sand dunes. Measuring just over 6.5″ tall and right under 4.5″ wide, it’s built to squeeze into any backpack or suitcase with ease.

Oura Smart Ring

Best Health Tracker: Boasting all the intricate health details you get from a smartwatch and then some, this Smart Ring tracks your sleep and fitness, and has up to a week of battery life. Weighing less than 6 grams and composed of durable, lightweight titanium, the Oura is a seamless addition to anyone’s accessory assortment and also features easy user-friendly connectivity to Google Fit and Apple Health. Available in a quartet of sleek colors, accentuate your look and wardrobe with a piece of jewelry that provides some much-needed functionality.

Nintendo Switch OLED

Best Handheld Console: Whether you’re an old-school gamer or an Animal Crossing enthusiast, there’s no shortage of fun to be had on the ultra-portable Nintendo Switch. With the Japanese giant’s newly-released OLED-equipped model hitting the market just last year, you can revel in its glorious 7″ display as you play anything from its vast array of nostalgic Virtual Console games to the latest Kirby platformer. Plus, if you’re traveling with a friend, there’s no need to worry about lacking an extra controller, making for a conveniently inclusive playing experience.

Away The Carry-On

Best Carry-On: While we already touched on a pair of gadgets that can charge your phone on the go, none boast the state-of-the-art appeal of an electronic suitcase. Away’s The Carry-On may feature a rudimentary name, but the unique piece of luggage is far more than meets the eye, as it comes equipped with an ejectable USB charging port that is bound to come in clutch when you’re amid any lengthy flight delays. Not to mention, it’s lightweight, sleek, and sits on a quartet of 360-degree spinner wheels, making it an ideal carry-on for the average tech junkie.

GoPro HERO11

Best Action Camera: If you need something to document your trip and the latest smartphone camera technology just isn’t quite cutting it, instill your faith in GoPro to provide the market’s optimized action camera. The S.F.-bred techies’ HERO11 is an incredible choice thanks to its use of the brand’s state-of-the-art GP2 engine, paving the way for rapid-fire performance and the frame-doubling abilities that result in the smoothest footage possible. Capable of shooting up to 5.3K videos and snapping 27MP photos, you’ll be able to relive your trip in a manner so crystal clear that you’ll forget it ever even came to a close.

Astrohaus Freewrite Traveler Typewriter

Best E-Ink Writer: For all the writers out there who can’t stand looking at their laptops anymore and aim for a more traditional experience, this is an incredible choice, even if you don’t find yourself gearing up for vacation. Astrohaus’ unique gadget boasts a whopping four-week battery life and features an E-ink screen with no glare or blue light, shedding much of the strain our eyes endure on a common basis through constant smartphone usage. With enough space to hold well over one million pages of drafts, writer’s block is truly the only thing to fear when purchasing the Freewrite Traveler.

Apple AirPods Max

Best Headphones: There are countless wireless headphones to choose from, but Apple’s ergonomic offering takes the cake. This hi-fi option boasts a dynamic driver designed by world-renowned gadgeteers and features immaculate noise-canceling capabilities that are bound to come in handy on any of those stressful and noisy flights you have booked. In addition to that, they are compatible with spatial audio and feature dynamic head tracking, allowing you to make the most of Apple Music’s ongoing work with Dolby Atmos en route to crafting an immersive listening experience.

Apple iPad Pro

Best Tablet: It’s already more than likely that you’re traveling around with an iPhone in your pocket, so why not add to that with some more Apple gear? The Cupertino geniuses dominate the tablet game by all measures, and it hasn’t been close ever since Apple unveiled the very first iPad generation. The latest and greatest iPad Pros are powered by the brand’s almighty M2 Chip, resulting in lightning-fast speeds and otherworldly performance across the board. Round that out with a gorgeous Liquid Retina display and a long-lasting, all-day battery, and you’ve got yourself a portable entertainment and work center built to take on the world at your side.

The Best Camping Gadgets Right Now

While these picks are great for traveling, you might need some more rugged gear for camping. That’s where our best camping gadgets guide comes in.