Travel Electronics That Make Your Trip Easier

Many of us bring electronics with us when we travel. We rely on cellphones to be a still camera, video camera, document storage, map, translator, television/movie theater/radio, and much more all rolled into one! But don’t forget the supporting tools that will keep everything up and running while you are exploring.

A set of nesting travel adapter plugs, separated into three pieces. Each piece is black plastic, with silver plugs of different sizes extending from each piece. There are also open slots and various words and numbers, such as Made in China and 250V-3A embossed on each piece. — Multi-purpose adapter plug kit

There are a few essential items that travelers should always bring with them to stay connected and charged up on a trip. Pack these small but essential items on every trip.

Essential Electronics for Travel

Over the past several years I have stepped up my travel game. I went from taking a trip every few years to now taking several larger international trips a year. Along the way I have found a few key travel essentials that I now ensure I bring on each trip. Read below to see which essential electronics I always bring with me.

A black portable power bank is on the right, with its black mesh carrying case on the left. The power bank has the word Charmast in gray near the bottom.

The underside of a black portable power bank is shown, with two built-in lightning cables extended - one on the left and one on the right.

Portable Battery Charger or Power Bank

A portable battery charger or power bank can come in very handy while traveling. Having a portable charger while traveling is good practice, just in case it is needed when you are on the go. I love this one, made by Charmast. It is about the same size as a cellphone and has a convenient carry pouch, so it is very easy to just toss into my day bag. I also love that it has built-in lightning cables so I do not need to bring extra cables!

Switching to Airplane mode (and keeping Airplane mode on throughout the trip) will also help save battery life along the way.

A shiny, rectangular, black plastic case with the words Sharper Image embossed in white in the middle.

The underside of a shiny, rectangular, black plastic case with a thumb grip to slide the top section open shown.

Power Adapter Plug

Another key factor with international travel is whether or not a power adapter plug is needed for anything that needs to be plugged in.

More and more places, both hotels and cruise ships, have USB ports readily available, which helps with keeping many devices charged without needing an adapter.
However, you may still have things that use a full plug, and for those an adapter may be needed.
I found this multi-purpose adapter many years ago, and I throw it in my suitcase for every trip. It has several different plug size adapters all nested together in a small, compact cube.

Watch

This may sound a bit silly and obvious, but hear me out on this one! I have recently switched back to wearing a simple analog, non-digital watch that is easy to read, easy to reset, doesn’t need to be recharged, and is not expensive or flashy. I like being able to easily set and reset the time as I travel from one time zone to another.

Pro tip: change the time on your watch to your destination time zone the moment you get on the plane…it will help you mentally adjust to the new time zone more quickly!

Common Questions

What kind of portable charger do I need?

It will depend on the type of electronics you need to charge and how often you plan to charge them. A 10,000mAh power bank is smaller and therefore easier to carry with you. It can be used for 1-2 phone charges per day before needing to be recharged. A 20,000mAh power bank will be bulkier and will take longer to recharge; it can be used for 3-4 phone charges before needing to be recharged.

What’s the difference between a plug adapter and a voltage converter?

Check the label on the device you will be using for the input voltage (e.g. 100-240V). A dual-voltage (100-240V) device will work in most countries and will only require a plug adapter for the shape, if it differs from the one on the device itself. A single-voltage (120V only) device will only work in North America/Japan and will require both a voltage converter and a plug adapter for use in 220-240V countries such as Europe, Asia, and Africa. Most phones, laptops, cameras, etc are dual-voltage; high-heat appliances like hair dryers and curling irons are often single-voltage.

Do you recommend buying a separate plug adapter for each type of plug shape?

If you are only traveling to one destination with a different plug shape, it may make sense to just buy a plug adapter for that plug shape. However, if you are traveling to a variety of destinations and will need two or more plug adapters, it may make more sense to buy a combination one for ease of use.

How do I know what plug shapes are used?

A quick internet search will get you the information you need. Simply start your search with the words, “plug shape” followed by the name of the country you are traveling to (eg. “plug shape Japan”).

Is it ok to use an electronic/digital watch such as an Apple Watch or Fitbit while traveling?

Of course. Many people use electronic watches both in their daily lives as well as when traveling. My personal experience is that I prefer a more analog (non-digital) watch while traveling. For me, it is just one more thing that needs to be recharged along the way! But you should use whichever is easiest and makes the most sense for you.