Essential Travel Gadgets (for some people)
For some people, there are things they wouldn’t leave home without. For some, their backpack is their home, so having some essentials (as well as some luxury items that make life easier while on the road) is very important. Here are some luxury essentials.
1. Handpresso – For the espresso addict
Handpresso.com for €82.50 plus tax ($120 CAD). Amazon for $210
This is an essential item for anyone who loves espresso coffee. In some places around the world, a good cup of joe just isn’t that easy to come by and if it is, it can cost a small fortune. The Handpresso is the perfect gadget for the budget conscious coffee fiend as it can pay itself off after just a couple of months. In Italy, a single shot of espresso costs around €1.50, a 250g bag of Lavazza coffee €2 and makes 30 cups – this pays for itself off after a couple of bags.
Basically, it’s a manual pump, handheld espresso machine that can make a perfect cup of espresso every time. It’s small and compact.
2. The Cube Projector – For the movie buff
On Amazon.ca for $610 CAD or Amazon.com for $270 USD
Budget travellers deserve to have a TV in their room too! Download a movie onto your laptop or smart device, hook it up to the cube, position it away from a wall and hit play. The Cube fits in the palm of your hand, but can project a screen big enough for any home theatre room – up to 100 inches of bright and vibrant display on any wall.
The built-in speakers aren’t very loud, but most people travel with a good set of speakers anyways.
3. Range Extender – For the social media junkie
ca.dlink.com. On Amazon.ca for $47 CAD
To deal with weak wifi in your hotel room, this plugs into the wall and connects to the hotel’s router to eliminate dead spots and grow bars.
4. Luggage Scale – For the chronic overpacker
iGadgitz.com. On Amazon.ca for $11 CAD
To check if your bag is overweight, use this portable luggage scale to weigh your bags before heading to the airport. You can then distribute the weight or get rid of some heavy items to ensure that you don’t pay any overweight baggage charges.
Many airlines charge $25 for the first kilo of overweight luggage, so it only takes one time to pay this little gadget off two-fold!
5. Luggage GPS – For the person who always loses their luggage
Trackdot.com. On Amazon.ca for $90 CAD
Charge up this pocket-sized tracker, hook it up to the tracking app on your smart phone and never worry about where your bag is again. If an airline loses your luggage, you can give them exact coordinates of your bag’s location. Another potential money saver, this is useful if you’re taking a flight, a bus or a train, or even just leaving your bags in your hotel room for the day.