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Packing can be stressful. Believe me, I've traveled to 5 continents, driven cross country multiple times, and have had to pack for two small children daily; I know that any kind of trip prep can cause anxiety. However, if you have the right travel essentials, small inconveniences can start to disappear. To help you make your next big trip go a little smoother, I've rounded up the best genius travel gadgets that you need to have in your suitcase (and they start at just $8). And, believe me, they are game changers.
So, keep on scrolling and check out the best travel essentials and genius gadgets for any kind of trip. This travel gear is highly rated, portable enough for your carry-on, and can make your next journey stress-free. Phew.
Shop the Best Life-Saving Travel Accessories
A Luggage Scale So You Won't Have to Check a Bag
Etekcity Handheld Digital Luggage Scale
This handheld digital luggage scale features a "high-accuracy sensor" that can weigh bags up to 110 pounds. It was made to be super easy to use — all you have to do is hook it onto your suitcase, lift it, and the scale will read it and automatically lock onto the weight.
- Available colors: 6
- Why It's a Life Saver: Helps you know how much your luggage really weighs before you head to the airport.
- Shoppers say: "A great investment if you travel a lot, like I do. It is easy to use and provides an accurate weight measurement. I no longer need to worry if I'm over the 50lb limit when I put my baggage on the airport check-in scale."
A Portable Charger to Keep All Your Devices at 100%
INIU Portable Charger
This slim, portable charger can charge up to three USB-C devices at once. Plus, it comes with over 56,000 5-star Amazon reviews.
- Available colors: 4
- Why It's a Life Saver: So you don't have to rely on airport/bus station/train station outlets.
- Shoppers say: "I recently purchased this portable charger, and it has exceeded my expectations! Its ultra-slim design makes it incredibly portable, easily fitting in my pocket and bag, while the 10000mAh capacity provides multiple full charges for my phone."
A Super Soft Travel Blanket & Pillow Combo
EverSnug Travel Blanket and Pillow
Measuring 65 x 40 inches, this super soft travel blanket (that easily folds into a case as a pillow) is a travel must-have. Plus, when it's in the pillowcase, it can easily slip over the handle of your suitcase.
- Available colors: 6
- Why It's a Life Saver: Makes it easy to get some much-needed sleep on a plane, bus, or car.
- Shoppers say: "Bought this for a very long airplane ride, and it was perfect. You can also use it as a pillow if you don’t want to unfold the whole blanket. Soft, cozy, nice material, and very warm."
A Wireless Charging Station for Multiple Apple Devices
Iseyyox Magnetic Wireless Charger for iPhone
Wirelessly charge your Airpods, iPhone, and Apple Watch all at once with this wireless station. And because it's foldable, it's lightweight and super easy to throw in your carry-on.
- Available colors: 6
- Why It's a Life Saver: Wirelessly charge multiple devices at once, in one easy, foldable package.
- Shoppers say: "I recently purchased this charging station for Apple devices, and it's been a game-changer for me, especially when I travel. It works perfectly with all three of my Apple devices: my iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. The best part is that I no longer need to carry multiple charging cables or scatter my devices around the hotel room to charge them."
A Set of Packing Cubes That Will Transform Your Suitcase
Veken 8 Set Packing Cubes
Believe me, packing cubes are 100% essential. They make it so much easier to find things in your suitcase. This set comes with 8 pieces of different sizes, including an accessory bag, shoe bag, cosmetic bag with a hook (for hanging in a hotel bathroom), and more.
- Available colors: 17
- Why It's a Life Saver: Everything in your suitcase is neat and organized, so it's super easy to find what you're looking for when you're traveling.
- Shoppers say: "Me and my family took a big / long trip out of the country, and I thought I should try out these packing cubes. They were a GAME CHANGER!! [...] Having the kids stuff in packing cubes saved me SO much time finding things for them!! It was awesome."
A Phone Holder That Easily Mounts to the Seat in Front of You
- Available colors: 11
- Why It's a Life Saver: Makes it easy to watch videos on your phone while you're flying (and saves your neck).
- Shoppers say: "This phone holder will save your sanity on long flights. I was able to position it and reposition it easily. It holds on to the tray table and the phone really tightly. It packs down to a pretty small size, so it is easy to fit it in your bag. I will use this a lot."
An Apple AirTag for Keeping Track of the Important Stuff
Apple AirTag
Just slip in an Apple AirTag to your luggage, on your pet's collar, in a wallet -- anywhere, really. It'll help you find your lost belongings and give you peace of mind.
- Why It's a Life Saver: Easy to use and can help you track down lost luggage.
- Shoppers say: "The Apple AirTag was an absolute lifesaver on our trip to Europe! We put one in our luggage, and I’m so glad we did because our bag did not arrive with us. Thanks to the precision tracking and real-time location updates through the Find My app, we were able to pinpoint exactly where our bag was, which helped the airline locate it and get it to us much faster."
A Portable Sound Machine for Soothing Rest
Hatch Rest Go
This portable sound machine is designed for babies, but is great for anyone on-the-go. It comes with 10 soothing sounds and can help lull you to sleep when you're in a new place.
- Available colors: 5
- Why It's a Life Saver: White noise and nature sounds to lull you to sleep when you're jet lagged.
- Shoppers say: "Perfect for travels. Battery charge will last a long time."
A Collapsible Water Bottle That Doesn't Take Up Room in Your Bag
E-Senior Collapsible Water Bottle - 20 oz
Tired of lugging a giant water bottle everywhere? Well, check out this collapsible water bottle. It easily folds when it's not full, doesn't leak, and is made of BPA-free silicone.
- Available colors: 14
- Available sizes: 3
- Why It's a Life Saver: Keeps you hydrated and doesn't take up a lot of room in your bag.
- Shoppers say: "I bought this for my trip to Europe, brought it with me everywhere. Easy to use, keeps water decently cold, does not leak and can withstand hiking."
A Bluetooth Transmitter for Wireless In-Flight Entertainment
MEE audio Connect Air in-Flight Bluetooth Wireless Audio Transmitter
There are a few handy uses for this Bluetooth audio transmitter -- it can give you wireless access to your in-flight entertainment, can make it easy for two people to watch the same thing, and more.
- Available colors: 3
- Why It's a Life Saver: Wireless connection to your in-flight entertainment.
- Shoppers say: "Love it for travel! My wife and I can watch movies or listen to music on the plane together. Very useful and worth the money!"
A Cup Holder Tray for Long Road Trips
Macally Cup Holder Tray for Car
Eat with ease on the road with this handy tray. It fits into a cup holder and conveniently holds a burger, a phone, your wallet, and more.
- Why It's a Life Saver: Convenient place to rest objects while you drive.
- Shoppers say: "Used it on a two-week road trip and it came in handy the entire trip! Love this thing! I did not put anything real heavy on the tray though. Easy to install and adjust."
A Tube That You Can Stuff With Clothes & Use as a Travel Pillow
- Available colors: 1
- Why It's a Life Saver: Does double duty as a bag and a travel pillow for your neck.
- Shoppers say: "The TUBE Pillow was a savior on my last trip. It held a surprising amount of clothes and doubled as a dirty laundry bag. I used it as an on-the-lap pillow, but it was a tad awkward to maneuver. Still, for extra storage without extra fees, it's worth it!"
A Mini Razor That's So Easy to Pack
Gillette Venus Extra Smooth On The Go Razor
Beloved by Paralympian Anastasia Pagonis, this mini razor is a toiletry bag must-have. It has the blades of a larger razor, just in a smaller package, so you're still getting the smoothness you want.
- Available sizes: 1-pack, 2-pack
- Why It's a Life Saver: If you're hairy, you can get a smooth shave anywhere.
- Shoppers say: "I would always forget my razor and have to worry about putting it in something to travel with, but now I leave this in my travel bag and always have one. It’s the perfect size for on the go and Venus gives the best shave!"
A Travel Toiletry Bag That Can Hold SO MUCH STUFF
NISHEL Travel Toiletry Bag
With tons of space and easy-to-view compartments, this travel toiletry bag is essential. It can hold full-size products and plenty of makeup, plus it easily folds and includes a hook for convenient hanging.
- Available colors: 7
- Available sizes: large and medium
- Why It's a Life Saver: So easy to hook over a hotel room door and easily find your makeup and other toiletries.
- Shoppers say: "This is like a clown car for cosmetics! You won’t believe the amount of stuff that can fit inside this bag, including some full-size products. Packing is so much easier, I just hang it on my towel hook in my bathroom and load it up! So many different compartments make organizing everything so simple!"
Check out these 16 travel essentials recommended by our editor (who used to travel for a living).
—Originally published Feb. 21, 2025
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As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think our readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not E!. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.