Skyroam Solis: Mobile WiFi Hotspot & Powerbank

If you are someone who relies on a solid internet connection to maintain productivity while travelling, then the Skyroam Solis is the ultimate pocket-sized smart travel companion. The Solis X is the first on-the-go smart Wifi ‘Smart Spot’ with a built-in smart assistant powered by IFTTT. You can use this ingenious connectivity gadget to purchase an unlimited internet day, month or pay as you go per gigabyte via voice control. Once you have activated your chosen deal, the device will begin counting down your available data. And there is no need to worry about losing connection or the network being slow – Skyroam has 300 carrier partners worldwide and guarantees that the device will always use the network that offers the fastest connection no matter where you are. 

The Solis X is a compact device, weighing just 11 ounces and measuring just 3.5 inches by 1.25 inches. Despite being designed to fit in any pocket, this travel gadget packs a whole lot into not a lot of space. Each device comes with one USB-C to USB adapter, a USB charging cable and instructions on how to use the device and set it up on your iOS or Android device. The Solis X also provides enough power to connect to 4G and LTE. Providing a strong wifi network for up to 10 devices for approximately 16 hours at a time, the internal 4,700mAh battery can be shared through USB-C. The battery can even be used as a power bank to charge your phone. However, while this is a handy feature, it charges at a rather slow rate at 5V/1A. 

The main thing I like about this travel gadget is how incredibly simple and flexible it is. With only one button for use, the instructions on how to use the Solis X are fairly straightforward. To get started, all you have to do is press the lone button or download the Solis app and scan the QR code on the bottom of the device to connect. Beyond the single power button on the top of the device, it features a white lined batter indicator and three indicator lights to establish data transmission and internet connection. The flexibility of this device is mind-blowing. The Skyroam Solis X is an all-in-one travel tool for those who always need to stay connected. Whether you are a business-oriented professional taking a ‘workation’ or simply a digital enthusiast who can’t be without their tech, this compact travel gadget is a must-have for your next trip.

Bluetooth Tracker: Tile Mate Pro

If misplacing your keys is a common occurrence for you, then you need to get yourself a Tile Mate Pro bluetooth tracker. This item tracking gadget will let you find anything that might get lost. For travellers, this can include anything from keys, passports and luggage. The device is incredibly easy to use – simply tap the icon in the smartphone app and it will play a tune to signal the whereabouts of your misplaced item. The Tile’s compact and lightweight design means that you can easily attach it to most objects that you are worried might go missing. For example, you can hook it to your car keys, to your laptop, handbag or suitcase. With a 200-foot range, you can keep track of any items that might go walkabouts.

To get started with this tiny travel gadget, you simply need to download the Tile app on your smartphone. On the Tile app’s home screen, you can view all the Tiles you have connected. You will see a green ring around any Tiles that are within bluetooth range and you will be notified of the last known location of those which are out of range. The app even has a map features which allows you to see where all of your Tiles are at once. From the app, you can also rename your Tiles and give them custom icons. If you’re having trouble finding a Tile, you can click on its icon and select ‘Find’. Your Tile will then release a loud tune to alert you of its location.

There is also a Tile Premium upgrade which adds a few great new features to the tracking experience. Sadly, however, you have to pay for them: premium is available for £30 for a year, or £2.99 a month. By far the best feature of Tile Premium is Smart Alerts which allows you to set locations within the app. You can then assign specific Tiles to specific locations and set up alerts when you leave without them. This feature is super useful as it prevents you from misplacing items in the first place.

The ability to change the battery makes this one of the best item tracker gadgets out there. Replacing the battery on other item tracking devices can be an annoying inconvenience, often requiring separate tools that you might not have handy. There is no such inconvenience with the Tile Pro. The Tile’s battery will last about a year and is now replaceable. The portion of the back panel covering the battery is clearly marked – all you need to do is press down with your thumb and slide the back out to change the battery.

Smart Home Automation: Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug

The Wemo smart plug lets you control your electronic devices from a single device. Using your existing home WiFi network, this smart home plug can provide wireless control of lamps, fans, air conditioning, heaters and more. To get started, all you need to do is plug the smart plug into an electrical outlet, plug a device into the plug and control it using the Apple Home App and Siri on your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch.

The Wemo Insight smart plug is the must-have travel gadget for travellers who want to feel more at home while they’re away. Perfect for adding a touch of personalisation to a hotel room or increasing the comfort of your rental, you can use this smart plug to ensure your accommodation meets your needs and preferences wherever you are in the world. For example, using the Apple HomeKit, you can easily schedule the air-con to come on just before you get back, ensuring the room is nice and cool. Or, you can schedule a lamp to come on so that you never come back to the dark.

The Belkin smart plug is also a great option for travellers who want to monitor their energy consumption. When travelling abroad, guests can easily forget their responsibilities to the environment, often upping their energy usage dramatically. When away from home, it is much more difficult to consider the amount of energy you are using. However, using this smart plug gadget, you can consciously monitor your energy consumption and be more aware of your impact on the planet. Through the app, this smart device presents real-time and average data for power draw, usage time and operating cost for whichever device is plugged into it. Those who are really serious about tracking their power usage can even output the data from the app to a smartly organised CSV file.

Even if you don’t plan on taking your smart plug with you, the Belkin can be used as security for your home while you’re away. You can set automatic schedules for any device that is plugged in. When set to ‘Away Mode’, the smart plug will turn plugged-in lights on and off randomly to make it look like you’re still home, even when you’re not.

Smartphone Stand: Kenu Stance Compact Tripod

The Kunu Stance compact smartphone tripod is an incredibly smart multi-functional travel gadget. This pocket-sized gadget will solve travel problems you didn’t even know you had. Whether you use it for taking high-quality, steady videos or for watching films on the plane or taking a hands-free call, this super cool travel gadget packs a lot of potential without taking up much room in your bag.

If you’re often reaching for your smartphone to take those keep-sake travel pics, then a tiny travel tripod is a handy accessory to have. The Kenu Stance is among the smaller phone stands, weighing a mere 1.2 ounces and measuring approximately three inches wide which makes it perfect for travelling with. This cool gadget features a compact ball head that allows you to adjust the position so you can get the perfect angle. You can easily set up your phone to stand without assistance to take group shots, or to steady it for taking videos or images with a long shutter speed.

The Kenu Stance is also great for hands-free video chats, live streaming and watching videos. Simply plug the device into your smartphones charging port and you’re good to go. The centre leg has a ball head with a mount connector (an orange Lightning plug for iPhones or a green micro USM plug for Android devices). The other two legs swing out so that it sits steadily on a flat surface.We all know how important it is to stay connected while you’re travelling these days. This smartphone stand ensures that you can keep in touch with your loved ones from anywhere in the world.

To top off this innovative little gadget, it doubles as a bottle opener, meaning that you can effortlessly enjoy a nice cold beverage wherever you are.

Tiny Travel Speaker: Dodocool Mini Bluetooth Speaker

This ultra-compact travel bluetooth speaker packs a whole lot of sound into a tiny size. Crammed into this 1.44 inch wide aluminium frame is a single 3W speaker that is able to produce a surprising level of volume. A must-have travel gadget for anyone who needs a soundtrack to their travels, this super-compact and lightweight travel speaker can easily be packed into any size bag and carried anywhere.

At 3.2 ounces you get four hours of battery and a 33-foot connectivity range. When the speaker runs out of charge, simply plug it in and 3 hours time it will be fully charged again. With a simple but effective design, the Dodocool Mini bluetooth speaker is incredibly easy to use. To turn the speaker on, simply hold down the power button on the bottom of the device and it will automatically enter ‘pairing mode’. Once registered, just connect to the ‘dodocool-DA84’ device in your smartphone’s Bluetooth menu. When connected, hit play on Spotify or whichever music player app you are using and listen to the music play.

The all-in-one multi-function button makes listening to music extremely uncomplicated. Simply hold the button to pair with a device and control it from your smartphone, iPad or Apple Watch. This same button also allows you to control the connected device’s camera. A single press enables wireless remote shutter control so that you can get those selfies in with ease. The Dodocool travel speaker even features a built-in microphone for hands-free calling. This hands-free calling function allows travellers to answer calls without delay no matter where they are in the world.

Go take a look at the best travel apps of 2022 and the best space saving travel gadgets, too.