1. J-pillow Travel Pillow, RRP €46, from €18.40 on Amazon
Long journeys will pass like a dream with this highly-rated travel pillow. It squashes down flat enough to tuck in your hand luggage, but once inflated, the unique design gives all-round comfort for your head and neck, with a chin support to prevent any nodding dog impressions as you fall asleep. Once you’ve tried it, this handy travel accessory will be on your list of holiday essentials forever more. Want to shop around? Check out our reviews of the best travel pillows on the market.
2. G4Free Packing Cubes, from €24.19
Packing becomes effortless with this set of six cubes, with different sizes for anything from your smallest bikini to your hiking gear. Separate your outfits according to weather, or into clothing categories – think tops, bottoms, evening wear – for quick unpacking and repacking on your travels. You can even use individual bags as toiletry holders or cabin bags and it’s simple to swap cubes in between your checked and hand luggage if you tip the scales at check-in. Never get caught out at the boarding gate again, with our at-a-glance guide to hand luggage sizes and weight restrictions here.
3. BAGSMART Travel Cable Organizer, from €13.80
No more wrestling with your phone charger and mp3 cables mid-flight: this super-organised travel pouch will keep all your travel gadgets neat, tidy and instantly accessible. Tuck away rogue wires, and other small electricals with 12 elastic loops and 6 mesh pouches, plus 2 zip-lock pockets for your phone or spare battery pack. There are even SD card slots so nothing will get lost in the black hole of your carry-on bag ever again. Find more smart travel tech with our round-up of essential holiday gadgets for every kind of trip.
4. Vlando Travel Jewellery Box, from €9.40
Now you’ve organised your tech, apply the same expert packing skills to your jewellery, with this neat travel box for transporting necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings tangle-free. With removable dividers, you can rearrange the box to suit your accessory collection and the compact size is perfect for popping into a side pocket in your suitcase. A choice of eight colours means you can match it to your luggage like a true Hollywood jet-setter.
5. Microfibre travel towel set, €13.80
Travel towels are a definite holiday essential, particularly if you’re a seasoned traveller or are planning to live out of your backpack for a while. These slimline towels might not look much, but therein lies their value. Lighter than your skinny t-shirts and as easy to roll as a scarf, they’re actually made of extremely absorbent micro-fibres and will easily soak away the seawater after a long session at the beach. Hang them out afterwards and they’ll be dry before you make it back from the bar.
6. Samsonite Smarttop, from €106
Whether you want to skip past the baggage carousel and go hand luggage only or just need something for all your in-flight travel essentials, this offering from Samsonite is pretty efficient. Multiple zip pockets keep valuables in their place, including a handy top pocket so you can grab stuff quickly, even from the overhead lockers. Read our staff reviews of the best cabin bags around for more hard case and soft shell options.
7. Toechmo Eye Mask, RRP €46, from €8 on Amazon
Anyone who’s ever tried to grab 40 winks on an overnight bus or long-haul flight will know how essential an eye mask is. Block out light and movement so you can snooze in peace; this kit even throws in some ear plugs to stop any crying babies or squeaky food trolleys disturbing your peace. Though pricier than most, the ergonomic design of the Toechmo doesn’t press on the eyes, allowing for more natural eye movement as you sleep, and folds away in its pouch without losing its shape.
8. Betron KBS08 Wireless Portable Travel Bluetooth Speaker, RRP €34.60, from €17.23 on Amazon
For something just 8cm tall and weighing 200g, this Bluetooth speaker delivers big on sound and will connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device within 10 metres, from your laptop or tablet to both Apple & Android smartphones. It’s rechargeable through a mini USB cable, so perfect to take on holiday, to the beach, to a hostel party…And fear not if you don’t have Bluetooth – the speaker will still work the old-fashioned way as well, through a 3.5mm aux-in port.
9. Syncwire USB 4-Port Charger Plug with Travel Adaptor, from €16.12
This travel plug is a must-have for your holiday checklist, with adaptors for the US and Europe that will fit many sockets in Asia as well, depending on your destination. You can also charge your phone, camera and tablet and dry your hair at the same time, thanks to the 4 USB ports which automatically adapt their output to the device that’s plugged in. Need to know what not to put in your hand luggage? Read our guide to everything that’s banned on-board flights to and from Ireland.
10. Millya Waterproof Foldable Shopping & Travel Bag, from €9
Tuck a tote into your carry-on and you’ll be ready for all those trips to market, picnics in the park and long days at the beach. These funky bags from Millya are strong and waterproof too, so your soggy swimwear won’t get your souvenirs wet when it’s time to pack for home. Just fold into its wallet ’til you need it again.
*Published January 2017. Any prices are lowest estimated prices only at the time of publication and are subject to change and/or availability.
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