12 Mini Gadgets You Can Take On The Road

It's always a hassle to know what to pack when you're heading off on a trip. Some people prefer to pack light, taking only the essentials with them, while others like to be prepared for any eventuality. No matter whether you fall into the former or latter camp, deciding which gadgets to bring with you while you're on the go doesn't have to be a dilemma. There are plenty of useful yet compact gadgets out there that won't take up too much space in your luggage, and many of them won't break the bank either.

Among other things, these gadgets promise to make rest stops more enjoyable, capture memories with family and friends, and avoid common road trip pitfalls. The common theme across all of them is that they're small enough to slip into bags, suitcases, gloveboxes, or in some cases, even cupholders. They barely take up any additional space in your luggage, yet they all offer something that makes them well worth considering when you next head out on the road.

Whether you're heading out for the day or preparing for a longer road trip, it's always wise to bring a power bank with you to help keep smaller devices topped up. The Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank offers a 25,600mAh capacity, yet it's still compact enough to fit into a laptop bag. That capacity is enough to recharge many common laptops, but small enough that it's still allowed on airplanes. There are plenty of ways to access that power too, with the Sherpa 100AC featuring two USB-C ports — one of which delivers up to 100W — plus a 15W wireless charging pad, two USB-A ports, and a 110V AC port.

We tested out the Sherpa 100AC at its launch and found its varied ports a useful tool while on the road, although we found that the 110V AC port was only really useful for charging small devices like drones and cameras. The other big downside to the Sherpa 100AC is its price: at a retail price of $300, it's not an insignificant investment. Thankfully, it can regularly be found discounted, and as of this writing, it's available on Amazon for a price of $187.

There are plenty of reasons to consider a portable Wi-Fi hotspot. For example, it means you won't have to rely on the hotspot capabilities of your smartphone, and won't have to worry about draining its battery. A hotspot can also be fitted with a SIM from a different carrier to ensure you always get service even in areas where your smartphone's SIM signal is patchy. Plus, a hotspot can be more easily shared between multiple people, providing the whole family with a connection while you're on the road.

One popular Wi-Fi hotspot is the NetGear Nighthawk M1 Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot, which retails for $350 but is discounted to $144 on Amazon as of this writing. It's compatible with leading networks like AT&T and T-Mobile, and boasts a rechargeable 5,040 mAh battery that provides up to 13 hours of runtime per charge. It can reach download speeds of up to 1 GBPS and upload speeds of up to 150 MBPS, and can run via both 3G and 4G networks. It also doubles up as a small portable power bank, with the USB-A port able to deliver charge to small devices like smartphones and cameras if needed.

Rapid advancement in smartphone camera technology means that most people now have an easy way to capture detailed, vivid images right in their pockets. However, those digital images can lack the character of an old-school physical photograph, even if they're far superior in terms of quality. That has led to the rising popularity of cameras like the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12, which offer a retro design and retro functionality, allowing users to snap a photo and develop it straight away using the instant film.

The film comes in twin packs comprising 20 sheets each, and three twin packs are included with the $149 retail price of the camera. However, it's worth noting that once those packs are used up, replacements can be costly. The novelty of small, physical photos is a welcome one in a world where most people have thousands of photos on their smartphone, many of which they might never look at again.

It won't be for everyone, but the Instax Mini's limited sheet capacity — and the high cost of replacement sheets — means that the act of taking a photo becomes more of an event than any smartphone selfie ever can be. Whether it's at home or on a road trip, this quirky camera offers a refreshingly analog way of capturing those fleeting moments.

While bulky power banks like the Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC are the best bet for charging multiple devices including laptops, anyone who usually travels lighter — only taking their phone and another similarly small device — won't need so much capacity. In that case, the 10,000 mAh capacity of the Ugreen Magnetic Battery Mini should be more than enough. The battery pack can magnetically attach to your smartphone and provide up to 15W of wireless charging while on the go, or up to 20W from the USB-C port.

While we found it to be relatively bulky if it's in your pocket – the power bank is thicker than the iPhone that we charged with it — its versatility was much appreciated. The battery capacity is enough to completely recharge an iPhone 15 Pro Max twice over, and you can continue using the phone while it's charging too thanks to the built-in kickstand. The Ugreen battery pack retails for $50, but as of this writing, it's reduced to $30 on Amazon.

JBL's reputation as one of the best budget-conscious speaker manufacturers on the market didn't come about by accident. The brand has churned out a range of powerful, durable speakers for years now, making it a great starting point for anyone looking to take their music with them while they travel. The JBL Flip 6 is a popular option within the brand's range, and it retails for $130. For that price, buyers get a speaker with up to 30W output, 12 hours of runtime, and an IP67 rating against dust and water ingress.

The dedicated woofer and tweeter promise hefty bass without compromising on clarity, and for added punch, two or more speakers can be linked together thanks to JBL's PartyBoost feature. When it's out of juice, the brand says that a full recharge will take around 2.5 hours. The speaker's compact dimensions ensure that it won't take up too much space in your luggage either — it's around seven inches long and a little under three inches in diameter.

The Black+Decker Dustbuster QuickClean Cordless Handheld Vacuum is one of the most popular small vacuums on Amazon, retailing for $30 and promising an easy way to deal with the mess and grime that inevitably accumulates while you're on the road. We recently put the vacuum through its paces and came away largely impressed. It picked up plenty of crumbs, dust, and general dirt, although dog hair proved to be more of a challenge. That's hardly surprising, as even some full-size cordless vacuums can struggle with embedded hair left by furry friends.

As a compact, hassle-free option for giving a car a quick tidy, the Black+Decker is well worth considering. It's far from the most exciting gadget to add to your arsenal of travel ready tools, but depending upon how messy you and your passengers are, it's arguably one of the most useful. Plus, it's one of the most affordable on this list to boot.

Many people habitually pull out their smartphone while they take a coffee break, be that while they're at work or on a road trip. Even if they do so with good intentions, it's easy to get sucked into the trap of mindlessly scrolling endless social media feeds. Buying a separate small device like an Amazon Kindle is a great way to ensure that doesn't happen. The Kindle Store offers a huge range of books and magazines, and with a battery life of up to six weeks, it can be taken on long road trips without needing to be recharged.

The latest iteration of the Kindle features a six-inch display with improved maximum brightness to remain clear in all lighting conditions. A dark mode is also available to prevent eye strain when the sun goes down. It packs 16GB of storage, enough for several thousand books, and retails for $110 with lock screen ads. Amazon offers the option to remove lock screen ads for an added $20 premium.

Anyone with an iPhone can track their luggage and other personal belongings via an AirTag, but they come with some limitations. Their accuracy depends on another iPhone being nearby, their built-in battery only lasts for a limited amount of time, and — of course — Android users miss out on being able to use them completely. However, there are plenty of other mini Bluetooth trackers that perform the same function, such as the $25 Tile Mate. Its battery is significantly longer lasting than an AirTag — up to three years versus the latter's one year — and it's compatible with both iOS and Android devices.

The tag can be attached to keys, bags, or suitcases, and can be located via the app if that item is misplaced. It can also emit an alarm sound to make it easier to find items that have gotten lost in cluttered homes or workspaces. The tag's BlueTooth range extends up to 350 feet, and it's IP68 rated against dust and water ingress, so there's no need to worry about its durability. For all those reasons, the Tile Mate was previously crowned one of our favorite Android luggage trackers, alongside its pricier lineup sibling, the Tile Pro.

The GameSir X2S Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller is an affordable way to add an extra layer of immersion to smartphone gaming, with a retail price of $40. It fits a wide variety of popular smartphones and is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. SlashGear's reviewer found the GameSir controller to be impressively customizable and compact enough to carry on the go, and it only caused minimal phone battery drain even over longer gaming sessions.

It offers a lot for its price, then, even if its looks don't do a brilliant job of selling its overall talents. The gray plastic and button layout makes it look a little like a knock-off Switch Lite, albeit one that can fit a much wider variety of screen sizes, including folding smartphones like the OnePlus Open our reviewer used to put the controller to the test. That said, get past its appearance and it's arguably a solid addition to your travel gadget arsenal.

There's no getting around the fact that a $200 mug will be a tough sell for a lot of people. Still, the Ember Travel Mug 2+ packs plenty of interesting features for buyers who can stomach the asking price. Its main selling point is its ability to keep your hot drink of choice at an exact temperature for up to three hours at a time thanks to the built-in battery. That temperature level is adjustable from 120°F to 145°F.

The battery offers enough juice to keep drinks at the right temperature while you're on the go, but when the mug is placed on its charging coaster, it lasts even longer — up to a full day, in fact. That said, how good a coffee will taste after being kept hot for 24 hours is another matter. Of course, the appeal of the mug is that it's just as good at temperature control no matter where you go, and inevitably that means there's a chance of misplacing it while you're out and about. To combat that, the mug is compatible with Apple FindMy, and so can easily be located as long as it has enough battery remaining.

It's IPX7 water resistant too, and so is suitable for use in all weathers. This all comes with one rather large caveat — that asking price. It's hard to justify the mug on usefulness alone, but as a fun novelty or a present for a coffee-loving tech enthusiast, it might be worth the cash.

Previously appearing on SlashGear's list of the best mini photo printers, the Kodak Mini 2 Retro offers a middle ground between the old-school charm of the Fujifilm Instax Mini and the modern convenience of smartphone cameras. It can connect to both Android and iOS smartphones to print photos on the go, although much like the Instax Mini, it relies on proprietary sheets to do so. A $140 bundle is available on Amazon that includes the Kodak Mini 2 Retro Photo Printer and 68 sheets, but when those run out, refills won't be cheap.

That said, the ability to print out physical photos to share with friends and family on the spot is one that's arguably worth the price premium. Particularly for anyone with older, tech-adverse members of the family, sharing digital photos can be a long-winded affair. Using a mini printer cuts out the hassle, allowing everyone to take a memento of a happy occasion back with them on the journey home.

While the NOCO Boost Plus GB40 Car Jump Starter doesn't offer the fun factor that many of the other compact gadgets here do, it's still worth considering for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road. It can jump start gas engines up to 6.0L in displacement and diesel engines up to 3.0L, yet at roughly eight inches long, five inches wide, and four inches high, it can be easily stored away until it's needed.

The simple red and black connectors make connecting the jump starter to the battery as straightforward as possible, but just in case of mistakes, the device features reverse polarity protection. It's also IP65 rated, and so can be used in all weathers, although it shouldn't be submerged or subject to prolonged streams of water. The jump starter retails for $125, with that price including the device itself, a carry case, and a USB recharging cable.