We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A set of packing cubes that'll help you fit a LOT more stuff in your suitcase than you thought was possible.
The set comes with four packing cubes of various sizes, as well as a laundry bag.
Promising review: "I was skeptical about packing cubes, but finally decided to give them a try and I won't travel without them now! It helps with organizing and to prevent wrinkles. Especially helpful when I’m going to multiple destinations so I don’t have to completely unpack or dig through my suitcase at each stop. My son has used them when packing a duffle bag, and I can’t imagine using a duffle bag without them. The quality of the brand is very good, and I love that each cube has their own handles. I ended up buying a second set since one wasn’t quite enough for extended travel." —April
Get a set of five from Amazon for $21.99 (available in nine colors).
2. A super soft, adjustable Trtl neck pillow designed to hold your head in a comfortable position when sleeping upright so you can stop waking up every time your head starts to nod on long plane rides.
BuzzFeed editor Ciera Velarde loves this! Here's why:
"I've used this for the past few years and swear by it! Before this, I always found traditional neck pillows uncomfortable and would end up ditching them halfway through the flight and getting frustrated. The Trtl pillow is adjustable — you wrap the pillow around your neck and secure it with Velcro, and if you find it's too loose, just make it a bit tighter! I've truly never slept better on a plane than with this pillow."
Get it from Amazon for $44.99 (available in three colors).
3. A mini steam iron because you spent way too much time picking out perfect vacay outfits only for them to be wrinkled beyond recognition by the time you reach your destination.
Promising review: "I took this iron on a 5-week trip to a desert climate, and I used it to iron linen, cotton, and silk. It did a better job than many full-sized irons. Never again will I wear those hot, ugly, 'wrinkle-free' travel clothes. It is also lightweight, tiny, easy-to-use, and cute. One of the best travel purchases I have ever made" —Eliyahu
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in packs of two and three).
4. A pack of Tide To Go stain removing pens to save the day and remove those unexpected stains that happen while you're exploring (and eating) your way through a fun (but potentially messy) trip.
Promising review: "These were a lifesaver. I was walking to the bus and decided it was a great decision to drink coffee while walking. Like a scene from an infomercial, I spilled coffee all over my white shirt. Yes, the classic coffee on the white shirt. Luckily I had one of these in my bag (I put one in each of my most-used purses in anticipation of my clumsiness). I went into a store bathroom and quickly scrubbed the Tide To Go on my shirt. All of the coffee blobs went away and once the awkward wet splotches dried up, my shirt was perfectly white again. You've got yourself a big fan, Tide." —NAD
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $7.74.
5. A sleep mask featuring contoured cups designed for reducing pressure on your eyes while blocking out the light pouring in through the window your seat neighbor *insists* on keeping open for the entire flight while you're trying to rest.
Promising review: "I’ve been using this mask for over a week now, and I must say that it’s the best mask I’ve ever used yet. I have used a sleep mask every night for... probably the last nine years, and it’s the most comfortable one I’ve ever used. I love the strap. No Velcro to get caught in your hair! It’s got adjustable wide elastic that is soft and comfortable. Not the stiff stuff! The mask has nice memory foam in it which cushions your face when sleeping on your side. It has nice deep eye pockets so there is never any pressure on your eyes or eyelashes, which I love. Overall, this is the best mask I’ve ever had. It’s made so well; I feel pampered in it." —DePlume
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in five colors).
6. A portable charger that packs enough power to charge your phone up to *three times* so you can freely use the GPS and take all the photos and videos you want while traveling *without* the constant anxiety of being in an unfamiliar place with a dead phone.
Promising review: "This is an amazing rapid power charger! It charges an iPad faster than plugging it into AC, even while using it! The size is very manageable — about the size of a deck of cards. I travel frequently, and I'm not always near a power source. I just make sure to charge the Anker each evening and then none of my devices will be without power during the day. I was so happy with it, I purchased two more — one for my husband and one for my sister who can't seem to remember to keep her devices charged." —Cathy K
Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in four colors).
7. And a six-port wall charger in case you and your travel buddies have way more devices to charge than there are outlets in the hotel room. It's also great for crowded airports!
Promising review: "This is a great product! I travel frequently, and I am always challenged with the number of USB ports I can get with the number of outlets available (and where) in hotel rooms. With this product, the number of ports problem goes away, and what's great is that it extends the charger interface out from behind a bed or nightstand, or other inconvenient receptacle location, up onto a work surface for easy access. As far as power, I have had an Asus transformer, two iPads, HTC one M8, and two iPhones connected to it at the same time, charging for hours with no heat on the device whatsoever. It works great at home too. I have always had good luck with Anker products, good quality." —bishop
Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in two colors).
8. *And* a charger organizer because nothing is more stressful than digging through your bag to track down your various cables, adapters, and headphones that you SWEAR you packed.
Mister Crafter is a small business that creates handmade, personalizable travel products, wallets, and accessories made from 100% top-quality genuine cowhide leather.
Promising review: "I bought this for my husband before a trip and he loved it! The quality and durability were obvious the moment I took it out of the box. Definitely recommend this company and product." —Maureen Murphy-Weiss
Get it from Mister Crafter on Etsy for $39.80+ (available in two sizes and two colors; personalization also available).
9. A tiny, portable doorstop with a built-in security alarm that'll 1) emit a loud, high-pitched sound when door pressure is applied and 2) prevent the door from opening or being pushed in. The alarm is loud enough to wake you and possibly even neighbors so you can feel extra secure while staying in a hotel or Airbnb.
Promising review: "This small, but very capable product out preformed itself on our recent vacation with our grandkids. While his mother and sister slept, our 3 year old grandson tried to sneak out of their motel room. Fortunately, we had given our daughter one of these alarms. He only managed to pull on the door and the very loud alarm sent him running back to bed. He never tried to get out again. Would highly recommend this product." —evie
Get it from Amazon for $13.25.
10. A set of dip clips you can attach to your vents to make on-the-go meals a lot more convenient while road trippin'.
They'll fit onto horizontal or vertical air vents *and* can hold sauce packs from all popular fast food chains to make eating in the parking lot wayyyy easier!
Promising review: "Love the design and functionality of it. Even if you aren't really a person who eats in the car, it's great for others to use while you drive. Got this for a co-worker's birthday, and she loved it!" —Eden
Get two from Amazon for $10+ (available in four colors and in multipacks).
11. A portable espresso maker that lets you use Nespresso pods to make a perfect cup of coffee no matter where you are! It'll come in handy if you're trekkin' through nature miles away from the nearest cafe *or* if the coffee at your hotel isn't quite up to your usual standard.
Promising review: "The best thing for traveling ever!! I have to have espresso every morning and most small hotels and gas stations don't have espresso coffee so this is perfect! Easy to use. The cleaning takes 30 seconds; just rinse with water and let it dry." —Joanna Verdeja
Get it from Amazon for $54.90 (and here are some Nespresso pods to go with it).
12. A pair of AirPods Pro — the impressive noise-cancelling technology and customizable fit make them a dream come true for when you wanna block out the world and let your favorite podcast lull you to sleep while soaring through the sky from one chaotic airport to another.
Promising review: "I wish I could give more than 5 stars. I’m a very picky person when it comes to what sounds are flooding my ears and I tell you, I’ve owned Bose and thought those were the game changers. I was more than pleasantly surprised at how these sound and fit. I’ve never used any Apple products in my ears, especially with the price of Apple nowadays. These are hands down the best ear buds I’ve ever owned! They stay perfectly in place through some rigo