What Are the Best Travel Essentials on Amazon?
Want to know my top 20 travel essentials to make your life easier? No matter where you’re going or how you’re getting there, there are many travel essentials and gadgets that can make your travel planning much easier. From packing cubes to a great carry-on bag, these are the 20 things that will make your next trip a breeze.
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My Top 20 Travel Essentials
1. A Good Carry-On Bag
A good carry-on bag is essential for any trip, long or short. Ideally you want one with padded pockets and USB charging capabilities. I recommend luggage with plenty of pockets so you can stay organised on the go. I love this stylish black quilted bag, and the waterproof rucksack is perfect for trips where you need to carry shoes separately.
2. Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are a traveller’s best friend. Not only do they help you keep your belongings organised, but they also help you maximise space in your suitcase. There are two types of packing cubes; standard cubes and compression cubes.
3. Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Noise-cancelling headphones are amongst my must-have travel essentials for late flights and long waits. With these headphones, you can block out all sounds on a flight (even screaming babies) and enjoy some rest.
4. Portable Charger
A portable charger (or power bank) is a must-have travel essential if you rely on your phone for navigation or keeping in touch with your travel companions. There’s nothing worse than having your phone die right when you need it most, so make sure you’ve got a charger that can keep up with you. It will keep your devices charged and give you that extra piece of mind. You can also buy a case for your portable charger, I’ve included one below for you.
5. Airport-Approved Clear Liquids Bags
I love using these airport liquids bags because you can pack them in advance, they are much more durable than the thin plastic bags they give you at airports and the lock always stays sealed. I have never had a problem getting through airport security with these. When I first started using them, I was worried airport security staff might ask me to take everything out and use one of their bags. But these clearly state ‘CAA, TSA and EU Approved’ so I guess they can’t really argue.
EDIT: In May 2023, an official at London Stansted airport refused to accept one of these bags! I explained I have been through Stansted airport several times this year and not had a problem, but they were adamant. So beware – these aren’t foolproof. But that was the first time in dozens of trips that I have had a problem, so maybe I was just unlucky.
6. Scarf or Sarong
The most underrated of all the travel essentials, a scarf or sarong can be used for everything from keeping warm on a chilly flight to providing extra privacy when you’re sharing a hotel room with someone else. They also come in handy as impromptu towels if you find yourself caught in the rain without an umbrella. I have also used a scarf as a cover up when visiting religious buildings, to cover my head in extreme sun and also to avoid burning my legs on a very hot metal seat! You can also get scarves with hidden pockets (see below) which are very useful.
7. Travel Steamer
A travel steamer might not seem like a very obvious choice in comparison to the other travel essentials. However I once went on a long cruise, and to my horror, there was no iron in my cabin and none available anywhere on the ship. I had to wear creased clothes for the entire trip! I couldn’t understand how the glamorous women at dinner all had such perfectly pressed clothes. A travel steamer is the answer.
Now I don’t go anywhere without my travel steamer. Once I arrive at my destination, I hang all my clothes up and steam them – it takes a few minutes and is well worth it. Things like jackets and delicate items can’t really be ironed with a traditional iron anyway, but they can easily be steamed.
8. Neck Pillow
A familiar addition to a list of travel essentials, a neck pillow can be a lifesaver on long flights or road trips. There are lots of different types, but these two are my favourite, as they help prop your head up when you are sitting upright in a plane seat or airport chair. I have also got an essential travel blanket further down my list, which can be used as a pillow too.
9. In-Flight Wireless Transmitter
A wireless transmitter is a travel essential for anyone who uses wireless headphones/ear buds. It allows you to use your AirPods/wireless buds on the plane without having to plug in the airline headphones or any other wired headphones. A really cool feature of these transmitters is you can pair two sets of Airpods at the same time – great if you are watching one screen with a companion.
10. Travel Blanket
If I wrote a list of airline travel essentials, a blanket would be at the top of the list.
I am only recommending one blanket, and that is the Ever Snug Travel Blanket and Pillow. This is an excellent product and it is so soft and snuggly! It comes with a clip for your backpack, and a luggage strap on the back too. You can use it as a pillow or take it out and use it as a blanket on the plane. Once you have taken the blanket out, you are left with the empty pillow case, so you can put the airline pillow (or something else) inside it. Make sure you wash it before use, to get rid of any lint.
11. Folding Bluetooth Keyboard
For a while, I stopped taking my USB keyboard on trips, because it was too bulky. I really struggled trying to write blogs on the road during that time.
These portable bluetooth keyboards fold up small and connect via USB to your phone, tablet, laptop and other devices. There are minor issues associated with bluetooth (they use batteries) but if you suffer with joint/wrist issues, then a portable keyboard is a must.
The second keyboard pictured here is slightly sturdier and has a 24 month warranty. The first one is a bit more flimsy. They are both very useful.
12. Travel Towel
I simply cannot recommend another travel towel other than the Dock & Bay Travel Towel. These microfibre towels are essential for your travels. They dry almost instantly, sand doesn’t stick to them, they are great quality, they pack away really small and they come in a range of 40 pretty designs! I’ve included two striped versions below but there are lots of floral prints too.
13. RFID Blocking Pouch
As travel essentials go, this one is the most important for anti-theft measures. It is very important that you keep your bank cards safe by storing them in an RFID blocking pouch or an RFID travel wallet.
RFID tags are a data transmission feature stored in bank cards and identification cards. Thieves can access your information if you do not have a barrier to stop the RFID signal being picked up by a remote scanner. When you’re in the airport, thieves can scan your cards from a distance, and you wouldn’t know until it was too late. You may also want to consider an anti-theft sling bag or an anti-theft backpack.
14. Collapsible Water Bottle
A water bottle is always going to feature on a list of travel essentials, but a collapsible water bottle is even better. These are excellent for their space-saving properties once your water is finished. I recommend going for something that is not made of plastic, is FDA approved and BPA free. The black version below folds up the smallest.
15. Electronics Organiser
No list of travel essentials would be complete without an electronics organiser. These pouches help you keep all your electronics accessories and various cables together. They can accommodate cables, flash drives, memory cards, USB drives, charger plugs, headphones, power banks, pens and more. Gone are the days of fiddling around with tangled up cables and headphones! The pink one below fits slightly more items.
16. Sunglasses Organiser
A relative newcomer on my list of travel essentials, I now cannot travel without a sunglasses organiser. I still have nightmares about the time I opened up my hand-luggage to find two pairs of my favourite sunglasses broken in their soft cases!
These excellent organisers are great for both sunglasses and normal glasses, and you never have to worry about them being broken. Plus it helps to keep them all in the same place so you know where they are. By the way if you are interested, my favourite sunglasses are here and here.
17. Hat Clips
A recent addition to my list of travel essentials, the day I discovered hat clips was an enlightening day indeed. No more struggling with how to pack hats in suitcases or carrying them through airports in addition to my luggage. Now I always use these hat clips to attach my hat to my bag, backpack, luggage or even attach them to my clothing.
18. Mini Travel umbrella
Being British, I am well-versed in the importance of having a small fold-away umbrella in your bag at all times. Even in the height of summer in the UK, you can never rule out a downpour. For those from more temperate climes, you might not realise how often it can randomly, suddenly, and very heavily rain in other parts of the world! A compact umbrella is one of the most savvy travel essentials if you are visiting a country with unpredictable weather.
19. Travel Essentials Luggage Scale
A veteran of the travel essentials, you can avoid costly overweight baggage fees with a luggage scale. You can easily weigh your bag before heading to the airport to ensure that it meets the weight requirements for carry-on bags. Different airlines have different rules (budget airlines have more weight restrictions) so this is a simple but important device for your travels.
20. Universal Travel Adaptor
I used to have different plugs for different countries, but soon I discovered the universal travel adaptor which is much more efficient, small and compact. You can’t go wrong with these items. I’ve included an Apple travel adaptor for those who only travel with Apple products.
Travel Essentials Round Up
We have now reached the end of my list of 20 travel essentials for every savvy traveller. I hope you have discovered something new and/or useful after reading this list!
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What are your own favourite travel essentials? Is there anything you simply cannot travel without? Let me know in the comments below.
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