10 Game-Changing Gadgets For Your Next Roadtrip

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When you’re on a road trip, the journey is just as important as the destination. A car’s capacity to make every trip more comfortable, smoother, and convenient has come a long way over the years, no matter how far you drive. From heated seats to auto-dimming rearview mirrors, little luxuries let you better enjoy the time you spend on the road. But whether you have an older model or a brand new car that’s fully loaded with tech, you can create your road-tripping experience to your needs with a few handy car accessories and gadgets.

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Tech accessories will give you more control over your comfort and security. The right ones can make life more convenient by putting amenities within arm’s reach. Even better, they mean you won’t need to spend a fortune on a brand-new ride just to get the best traveling experience. These 10 gadgets contribute to an epic road trip experience and deserve a spot in your vehicle.

Amazon Echo Auto

The Amazon Echo Auto lets you bring Alexa with you wherever you drive. This slim smart speaker connects to your Alexa apps and acts like a hands-free assistant while you drive. You can tell Alexa to text people on your contacts list, play music, make phone calls, or even control other devices like your smart home technology. It includes five microphones that can pick up sound from anywhere in the car and can hear you over conversations or music. You also have the option to turn off the microphones.

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Having an Alexa speaker in the car gives you an extra set of hands, and it’s ideal for drivers who don’t have a built-in voice assistant already in their cars. It comes with an adhesive mount so you can place it just about anywhere in your vehicle. One thing to keep in mind is that this device is only compatible with models that have either Bluetooth or an auxiliary connection. The speaker will play any commands or responses through your car’s speakers. You can get the Echo Auto on Amazon for $54.99.

V300 Car Dash Cam

As a budget dashboard camera, the Veement V300 offers a compact, affordable solution for capturing your road trip on video. At just over 3 inches wide, the camera is small enough to not be distracting, and it attaches to a swivel base so you can get just the right angle. It’s also super quick and easy to set up.

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This dash cam includes a mobile app that lets you livestream the video while driving. To do this, you’ll need to establish a connection between the dash cam and your mobile phone. There’s also an indicator light on the camera so you’ll know it has power and is recording. It’s a decent dash cam for a good price: You can get the V300 on Amazon for about $30. Keep in mind you’ll need to purchase an SD memory card separately, so your total investment will be a little higher if you don’t have a spare memory card already.

Bestek Car Power Inverter 300W

Most cars offer USB charging ports or “cigarette lighter” ports, but these aren’t enough to keep all of your favorite devices juiced. For laptop chargers and other cables that require a traditional AC plug, a car power inverter can be immensely helpful. This inverter uses your car’s 12V accessory socket for power. It includes two AC outlets and two USB ports so you charge or power devices on the go.

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Road warriors that work remotely know the beauty of unlimited battery power, and this inverter can help you keep your laptop fueled up, allowing you to stay productive. In the era of too many cords and USB types, you can skip the need for endless adapters and dongles. This helps to keep the cord clutter at bay, and since the inverter is roughly the size of an iPhone, it can store just about anywhere without taking up much space. Amazon has this car power inverter on sale for about $30.

Carlock Real-Time Anti-Theft Car Tracker

Car alarms can be effective deterrents against theft, but built-in alarms don’t always work. And even if they do, if you’re nowhere near your car, you’ll have no clue that someone is trying to ruin your day. Carlock fixes the issue with its real-time anti-theft car tracker. It uses a device and app to keep you up-to-date on whether your car isn’t where you left it.

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On a road trip, you may lack knowledge of the area where you’ve stopped, and its car theft rate. What might seem like a good place to park could be anything but. Carlock sends you an alert on your smartphone when your vehicle has moved from its last location or if it detects unusual vibrations (such as a person trying to break into the vehicle). It can also alert you to suspicious driving behaviors, such as jerky breaking or extreme acceleration, which is why some parents add Carlock to their teens’ vehicles. If something does happen to your vehicle, you can track it in real-time on your phone via the device’s GPS. Carlock is available from Amazon for $49.95, which includes the device and app. You will also need to subscribe to the service for real-time tracking and historical data, which is less than $10 a month.

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Barthelemy Waterless Car Diffuser

Between fast food, feet, and old clothes, cars can get smelly on road trips. This waterless diffuser will rescue you from funky smells while you travel, and it can be calming during heavy traffic. Traditional diffusers use water and essential oils to create unique blends of scents, but this waterless version uses high-pressure air to diffuse the oils. Because you can use whatever essential oils you like, you have total control over how your car smells and the intensity of the fragrance. It also lets you avoid the toxicity of synthetic fragrances, which can irritate allergies.

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This waterless diffuser offers three spraying modes and four timers, allowing you to get a fresh burst of fragrance every 15, 60, 120, or 180 seconds. Since it doesn’t require water, there’s no risk of a mess in your car if the diffuser is accidentally turned upside down. It only works in an upright position so there’s no risk of essential oils leaking into your floor mats or cup holders. It’s rechargeable too (with a USB-C connection) so you don’t have to worry about replacing batteries or taking up a charging port in your car. You can find the Barthelemy waterless diffuser on Amazon for $32.99.

Vector Portable Jump Starter

Don’t let a dead battery slow you down. Do it yourself and get back on the road with a Vector portable jump starter. This rechargeable lithium battery-powered jump starter lets you fire up a dead battery without having to rely on the kindness of strangers. You won’t need another vehicle to get back up and running and on to your next adventure.

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The jump starter includes a built-in LED light in case you need to work in the dark or connect the clamps in small, dark places. You’ll get a full charge in about five hours. And once charged, the device will remain charged for up to six months. Like many rechargeable devices these days, the portable jump starter also doubles as a power bank. When you’re not using it in emergency car situations, you can juice up your other rechargeable devices like phones, Bluetooth speakers, tablets, or your waterless car diffuser. You can grab the Vector portable jump starter from The Home Depot for $89.98.

Fanttik Slim Car Vacuum

Car messes happen, and when you’re on the road, you don’t have the luxury of using your home vacuum or other big tools for cleaning your car. The Fanttik V8, however, is a compact, cordless, rechargeable vacuum. It’s designed for cars so it doesn’t take up much space, plus it’s slender so it can get to those hard-to-reach areas that other vacuums can’t.

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The Fanttik breaks away from the traditional dustbuster-style handheld vacuum in favor of a more compact design. Multiple attachments tackle everything from pet hair to corners to dust that settles on your air vents. A flexible hose gives you more reach, which is ideal for grabbing dirt and crumbs under seats. Along with vacuuming, the tool can also inflate, blow, and pump. A full charge can last you up to 40 minutes (less if you’re using the max mode). It charges completely within 2.5 hours, plus you can charge it while you drive so it’s ready for your next use. The Fanttik hand vacuum is available on Amazon for $75.99 at the time of publishing.

Roadside assistance emergency kit

A roadside assistance emergency kit like this one is more of a need than a want — you don’t want to be left without one on the open highway. This 142-piece kit from Lianxin has thought of every detail to keep you prepared for every road trip, from useful tools to how they’re packaged. It’s designed for use in all types of weather, including snow shovels, emergency lights, raincoats, and more. Components like the heavy-duty alligator clips are made to resist cracking or freezing in cold weather.

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No matter where you live or travel, this is a kit that can provide peace of mind at a time when you need it most. Components include a tape measure, utility knife, test pencil, various screwdrivers, pliers, a hammer, insulation tape, jumper cables, a traction rope, gloves, a flashlight, reflective safety triangles, a lifesaving blanket, a distress whistle, reflective vests, and so much more. Buying each component individually would cost several times more than the kit. More than 4,000 customers on Amazon have given the Lianxin roadside emergency kit 4.7 stars out of 5.0 stars. You can get your roadside assistance emergency kit for about $34.

Koolatron Portable Iceless Cooler

Ice-cold drinks are always welcome on long road trips. With Koolatron’s portable iceless cooler, you never have to worry about refueling on ice. This electric cooler is handy for camping and it will keep your contents cold on the go, too. It uses thermoelectric technology and a brushless fan motor that continuously cools to 40 degrees Fahrenheit without ice.

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The soft-sided cooler can hold up to 23 standard soda cans at a time, which seems like a lot given its compact size. Outer storage pockets can hold other items, such as the charging cable or snacks that don’t need to be cooled, so you can save your cooled space for drinks or other cold items. Recharge the cooler each night to keep your drinks cold during the next day’s travels. And since it doesn’t require ice, there’s no risk of leaking or dripping in your car. The Koolatron soft-sided portable iceless cooler normally retails for $120 on Amazon.

Full-Back Heated Seat Cushion

You don’t need built-in heated seats to enjoy warmth and comfort while driving. This full-sized heated seat cushion from Sunny Color will give you complete heat whenever you need it most. Covering the back and cushion of your car’s seat, this pad is designed to stay in place even on bumpy roads. Elastic bands secure it to the headrest and back of the seat, while non-slip rubbers on the bottom piece grip the seat.

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Since there’s no hardwiring involved, this heated seat cushion works with any car model. Its soft velour material feels smooth and silky to the touch and adds a luxurious look and feel to your vehicle. Customers say it wipes clean and doesn’t create static electricity, even if you’re moving a lot in your seat. You can expect even heating across the entire cushion. It heats quickly, plus you can control the amount and duration of heat. This heated seat cushion is available on Amazon for $54.99.

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