I'm A Travel Editor – Here Are The Travel Products Actually Worth Spending (And Saving) Your Money On

Including items that will save you from blisters, luggage fees, and pickpockets.

Hi! I'm Emma, and I've been a travel writer and editor for a decade. I've visited over thirty countries while working and it's safe to say I now have some ~very strong opinions~ on what travel bits are worth splurging on (and the ones that will save you £££). I've compiled them all in a handy list, so your next trip can be as smooth as possible!

Instagram: @petite.blondine

💰Save on: sunglasses💰

I used to spend a lot on fancy sunglasses until I realised how easy they are to lose – a pair of designer shades got stolen in Berlin, and another got left behind in a New York hotel room. These cheaper sunnies do the job just as well but won't leave you out of pocket if they do go missing.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

Some of the best sunglasses I ever used were a bog standard pair that I found washed up on a beach in the Caribbean – they were brilliant until they got blown back out to sea on a boat trip three days later. The sea giveth and taketh away. 

This pair is the closest I've found to them. They come in loads of different colours, are really comfy to wear, and most importantly have UV400 protection, so your eyes will be safe no matter how hot the weather. 

Price: £4.75.

💸Splurge on: a universal travel adaptor💸

I had a massive drawer full of different adaptors at home – and still ended up with the wrong plug type on so many trips – until I invested in a universal adaptor. It covers over 150 countries!

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

You use the sliders on the side of this adaptor to switch between UK, Australia, US, and Europe plug types, which covers just about everywhere – I've not had to buy a different adaptor yet. I also think the multiple USB ports on this adaptor are incredibly handy. I'm addicted to my devices, so it's great that I can charge my laptop, phone, and tablet all at once (or charge my phone while I style my hair). It comes with a compact charger for iPhones and Android phones and I keep it all in the adaptor case in my suitcase so I know I'm always covered for charging abroad.

Price: £22.97.

💰Save on: unexpected baggage fees💰

Overweight luggage fees are no joke. After loading up on a few too many bottles of souvenir wine on an Italy trip I was threatened with an excess weight charge that made me want to vomit. I had to ditch the wine and swore then and there: never again. I now use this pocket sized scale to make sure I know exactly what weight my bag is before I fly.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

You just clip it onto your bag handles to weigh it and save yourself from any frantic reshuffling at the airport (or unavoidable costs). The scale's highly accurate and has a max weight capacity of 50kg. It also powers off after 60 seconds and has an energy saving mode to preserve the battery life, and is only 90 grams so ridiculously portable. 

Price: £13.99.

💸Splurge on: a travel pillow💸

Listen, if there's one travel commodity you can't put a price on, it's sleep. I'm never able to resist the cheap early morning flights that mean a 3am wake up (or the late night ones that maximise my time in a place). But it also means I've ended up having sleep deprived meltdowns on arrival. Enter: this revolutionary travel pillow.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

It's less a travel pillow, more a travel scarf with a neck brace in it. It secures around your neck with velcro and properly supports your head so it's in a much more comfortable position for sleeping upright. I've had proper, hours long, drool inducing sleeps with it on both early morning flights and red eyes. 

PricE: £29.99.

💰Save on: phone replacement costs💰

I have lost a total of three – THREE – phones on trips, all due to water damage. The sea is a cruel mistress who demands regular tribute. I now use this waterproof phone case and haven't lost a phone to her salty depths since.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

This case has multiple genius parts. First, you can still take pictures and video footage while using it, even underwater, as the touchscreen works through the crystal clear plastic. This is great for me, as my many phone losses have always happened while trying to get a shot too close to the water. Second, it comes with a handy strap so there's no risk of you losing it while you swim. It's definitely waterproof too – I've taken it on multiple snorkeling trips to test it and can confirm it's leakproof.

Price: £9.34 for two.

💸Splurge on: solid toiletries💸

If you're travelling with only cabin luggage, save yourself a world of stress and invest in solid toiletries. I've sworn by Mitchum's stick deodorants for years while this rice water shampoo and conditioner bar makes my hair feel amazing, and there's no drama trying to squeeze them into a little plastic bag for security.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk, Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

I used to faff with putting my shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and moisturiser in travel bottles, and it was always a nightmare. One would get lost somewhere and end up making my case get pulled for a search (super fun when you're running late for a flight), or they'd not all quite fit in the diddy plastic bag you get alongside a deodorant roll-on and my makeup and perfume. Switching to solid travel toiletries has made getting through security so much easier, I honestly cannot recommend it enough.

Mimozu shampoo and conditioner bar price: £14.23.

Mitchum deodorant price: £4.99.

💰Save on: blister plasters💰

If, like me, you walk everywhere when you're travelling, you need to invest in these heel protectors. The money I have spent on plasters over the years is eye-watering, but these have completely replaced them.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

I've been known to wrack up over 60,000 steps just on a single long weekend and I love an insensible shoe (high heeled boots are my weakness) so my heels are no stranger to being rubbed raw. These silicone heel covers completely cover all my key blister spots (the back and sides of the heel and higher up near the ankle), while also giving extra cushion and support so you'll generally have less achy feet. 

I was spending over £6 per pack of blister plasters (regular plasters do not cut it) and these cost less than a tenner for two pairs, so work out to be much better value.

Price: £8.97 for two pairs.

💸Splurge on: anti chafe balm💸

Even if you're not a big walker it's hard to escape it when you're travelling. Even just getting around an airport will see me adding 5k to my step count. So an anti chafe balm is well worth the investment.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

It might not be something you think of for travel, but this little balm has saved me so many times from the agony of rubbed raw thighs. Chafing is insanely painful and is more common when you're travelling as you're moving about so much. Seawater is another chafe causing culprit – as I learned the hard way on a beach walk when I decided to take a dip midway – so this is an essential for me even on lazy beach holidays. It glides on effortlessly and gives all day protection. 

Price: £14.99.

💰Save on: hotel laundry service💰

I'm always getting stuff on myself when I travel, but I've never really believed in bringing travel detergent with me (I use hand soap if I need to give something a quick wash). I swear by these stain pens though.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

I don't really ever need to do that much laundry on trips, even for two weekers, but I do have a real issue with dropping food on trousers and skirts I should be able to get multiple wears out of – or T-shirts that I won't wear again on the trip but also don't want to let a tomato-y stain dry on. This stain pen completely fixes this problem. It means I can spot clean stains without having to do a big sink wash or pay for a hotel laundry service.

Price: £5.54.

💸Splurge on: a travel steamer💸

The other thing that keeps my clothes looking ~fresh~ while I'm travelling is this steamer. It's super portable and way more effective than an iron.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

Not everywhere I stay has an iron easily available – especially if I'm in more budget places – and this steamer is incredibly handy for making sure I'm not stuck wearing suitcase crushed clothes. For the record, the hanging your clothes next to the shower 'hack' has *never* worked for me, but this does. It holds enough water to steam about two to three items in one go and is really easy to refill. You also don't need an ironing board to use it which is an added bonus in smaller rooms.

Price: £42.98.

💸Save on: getting pickpocketed💸

I recently did a birthday trip to Marrakech, one of the cities I've been pickpocketed in (alongside London and Berlin), and made each one of my friends buy one of these travel money belts for the trip.

Amazon

Pickpocketing is unfortunately something to be wary of around most major cities and tourist sites. Last time I got pickpocketed I ended up wiring *a lot* of money to the British Embassy for emergency travel documents, and decided then it was time to find a solution. This belt is very much it. I've been wearing it on trips since 2019 and being able to move through crowded markets and streets without constantly checking my pockets or bag is so good. 

You wear it under your clothes so it's really secure, and it fits a passport, cards, keys, money, and even your phone. I also have very sensitive skin and wearing this doesn't irritate it at all! 

Price: £14.99.