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"Definitely a great investment for frequent travelers" —one reviewer whose life has just been changed thanks to the fact that a backpack with built-in compression exists.

Promising review: "Very useful, especially when traveling with kids. Provided easy access and storage to things like water bottles, hand sanitizer, snacks, wipes, and headphones. I didn't have to access my carry-on." —JJ

Check out BuzzFeed writer Emma Lord’s Airplane Pockets review for more deets!

Promising review: "This cup holder is perfect! It helps me a lot! Last time, I took a plane with a suitcase and a cup of coffee, and when it was my turn to check my passport and ticket, the coffee cup fell to the ground and coffee spilled. It was a nightmare! This time, I bought this cup holder! I don't have to worry about where my cup and phone are! I can free my hands to do other things. I love it so much! Hope you love it too." —Philip

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in 17 colors).

Promising review: "I have an SUV, and it works great! I travel a lot and am always on the road. It is a good size. I have it attached to the center console, and it sits in the back. It gives plenty of legroom for backseat passengers. I use the side pockets to hold my car needs: flashlights, books, etc. I use a regular plastic bag to line the can so I do not have to clean the cloth as much. I like this better than a regular small car trash can because it does not spill or tip over. The top keeps everything in, and there is a small strip of Velcro on the bottom of the bag to keep it in place." —Debra Henegar

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "I’m really impressed with this backpack! The vacuum seal feature makes it so easy to compress my clothes and save a lot of space, which is perfect for travel. The material feels durable, and the zippers are sturdy. It has plenty of compartments to keep everything organized, and the design is sleek and modern. I also love how comfortable it is to carry, even when it’s full. Definitely a great investment for frequent travelers." —Katherine

Get it from Amazon for $89.99+ (available in six colors).

It's recommended for kids ages 4–11 or 40–100 lbs.

Promising reviews: "Bought it for a trip to Europe. It saved us a lot of money because we didn’t have to rent a child seat in the car rental. It is comfortable for the kids and lightweight to fit in the carry-on bag." —Maria Ines Vera

"I had my doubts initially but decided to order this for a trip with our five-year-old. I’m so glad I did! It worked great and was super convenient. It collapses quickly and is light so I carried it in my carry-on bag and then was able to quickly inflate while waiting for our ride share. It positioned my child appropriately for the seat belt, and I was especially impressed with the shoulder strap positioning, which is not even a feature on many normal backless boosters. It was so helpful to not have to worry about ordering and waiting for a car with car seats/boosters." —LynnS

Get it from Amazon for $37.99+ (available in three colors and a two-pack). 

Promising review: "I bought the pen pal to help make my travel makeup bag not so bulky with a bunch of different items. I really like how smooth every product is. The colors were pigmented and great. I probably wouldn't use this on a daily basis, but when I travel, it'll be really nice and compact in my suitcase!" —Kara E.

Get it from Alleyoop for $20 and Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three color combinations).

Promising review: "So many times I have been stuck using a public restroom with no hand soap. Total nightmare, especially nowadays. I can't stress enough how handy this product is. I keep one everywhere: one in my purse, one in my car, one in my diaper bag. They're small enough to fit anywhere. The packaging is super cute; a bit cheap feeling, but they do the job. The actual soap is amazing. It lathers up really well and doesn't leave a residue layer, nor does it leave your hands feeling mega dry. Definitely recommend!" —Giovanna

Get a pack (50 sheets total) from Amazon for $5.49 (available in two colors and also in larger packs).

I *finally* convinced myself to buy these for a two-week Europe trip that I planned to only bring a carry-on for — and they were great! Being able to pack fewer pairs of socks, bras, and undies (while still having plenty to see me through any nightmare "I pooped myself" scenarios) freed up a surprising amount of room in my suitcase. Some reviewers put these in their checked bags, but I did not. They went through security in both the US and Europe just fine! I did have one small hiccup, though: The sinks at the hotels (and this is probably more of an issue with hotels rather than Airbnbs) were either very shallow or had no drain stopper, so actually getting enough liquid in a sink to pour in the detergent and wash my clothes was a challenge. Through sheer luck, I had a square umbrella bag from a random museum and was able to fill that with water, which I then dumped my clothes into and agitated to clean everything. Using the packets in the shower while wearing your dirty clothes could be another option, but that didn't seem ideal. So! I would recommend getting a waterproof laundry bag if you're worried about the sink situation on your vacation.

Promising review: "I have taken these packets on travels throughout the world. They are small and fit in my bag. They are good for a wash in a sink or a wash bag. Glad to have them. They don’t leak either." —Barbara Jefferson

SlumberPod is a woman-owned small business that appeared on Shark Tank as a portable way to give kids a dark, private place to sleep, even when the family is traveling away from home.  

BuzzFeed Shopping contributor Danielle Healy says, "My brother and SIL swear by this thing when they travel, which is quite often, to keep their (very cute) son on a consistent sleep schedule when they're out of the house. I've helped set it up several times and can attest that assembly is quick and easy peasy."

Promising review: "We bought the SlumberPod on the recommendation of several friends before our family vacation. Our son was a chronic early riser, especially if even a tiny bit of light got in his room. I was dreading our vacation and certain I was in for 5 a.m. wake-ups every day. The first morning after using the SlumberPod, he slept until nearly 7 a.m. (for the first time in months). Every night and for every nap, the baby went down without complaint in the perfectly dark SlumberPod and often had to be woken up from naps because he was out cold! I was also nervous that the temperature would be iffy with zipping the baby into what is essentially a tent, but it was well-ventilated!! Absolutely recommend this product to any parent who wants to travel with their little ones and still ensure a good night’s sleep — worth every penny!" —Brianna

Get it from Amazon for $199.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to get it for $159.99). 

Promising review: "I took my first solo trip and ordered this for extra security. It was super easy to install and didn't require me to leave my hotel door ajar for an extended period of time for installation. My hotel door didn't even move when I tested out the lock. 10/10 recommend for a peace of mind."—Haley Gribble

Promising review: "I travel for a living and take injections. The frozen insert does everything it claims: It keeps my medicine cold through even the longest airline delays, even in this summer’s intense heat. The true test was when I got to my latest destination, and the refrigerator was broken. I used the cooling top for the first time, and I’m blown away. It’s been a full day; my frozen insert is still completely frozen due to the cooling top, and my medication is still safe. In the pictures, I’ve scratched off the frost to show how cold the cooling top stays. This is worth every penny and works better than I expected. Thank you for this wonderful product!!" —LadyLaff

Get it from Amazon for $139.99 (available in blue or magenta).

Promising review: "I love my new everywhere scarf/shawl. I purchased the silver for travel and am now wearing it almost daily. It is sooooo soft and versatile. Looks great with jeans and a sweater as a scarf. Looks really nice as a shawl with a dress or slacks and blouse. You will love how you feel wrapped up in it on an airplane or in the car on a trip. Don’t pass up owning this great accessory, enjoy it!" —George K.

Get it from Amazon for $42+ (available in 11 colors).

Plus, it's BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

Promising review: "This is my favorite water bottle for traveling. I love how light and compact it is. It's great to carry around, and when it's empty, you can just roll it up and put it in your pocket. The carabiner clip is great for clipping it to your bag or hanging it from whatever you want. I would hook it on the belt clip of my pants when walking around, or just carry it around on my finger. It's much more durable than you'd expect, as well. I was robbed in Brazil and thrown down concrete stairs, and the bottle is still fine. It has been through a LOT and still works great. It definitely does not look new anymore (lots of wrinkles), but it works just as well." —Geoffrey J.

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in a variety of colors and sizes).

Promising review: "This is a must-have for road trips with people in the back. No longer do they have to bring their own super long cables and fight to the death for the car port to charge their phone as they take a million pics from the backseat! Power bank for the car with its own long cables, so everyone can be charged up and ready to use all their devices without anyone being left uncharged. Really compact but packs a punch and the price ain’t bad. Really liked this and recommend it!" —hollywoodhorror

Get it from Amazon for $31.99+ (available in three sizes/styles).

Heads up — you can only use this if you're sitting in a seat that has access to a full window!

Promising review: "I used this for the first time on a 737. It was fabulous! It didn't intrude into my sitting space nearly as much as I expected. Because the actual window is recessed from the side wall, it only sticks out from the side wall about an inch. If you're considering this, you likely fly enough to know that seats aren't always aligned with the windows. If your window happens to be right beside your seat or the seat in front of you, this won't be of much use. But because it doesn't jut out as much as I thought, you can use it in more situations than I expected. And when you can use it, it's great! I love not having to have my entire tray table down just to hold a 3-inch cup. My only suggestion would be to add a place to hold trash until the flight attendant picks it up. This is very small, very lightweight, and very useful. I'll be taking it on every flight from here on." —JBC

Promising review: "Cushion fits perfectly in my truck. Good for long drives and traveling. It also helps relieve glute pressure during long trips. The product also comes with a gel content, which helps cool off your bottom in case it gets warm from sitting for hours. Highly recommended for quality and price." —Jun S.

Get it from Amazon for $51.99+ (clip the coupon on the product page to get it for $45.89+; available in gray and black).

Promising review: "As a single guy who travels with mostly a few shirts, I find that this has been a great addition. It helps me travel with no bag a lot of times; I am able to fit most items right into it! Very economical buy when used properly. High quality." —Abbasbeydoun95

Promising review: "Completely satisfied! I have a bulging disc in my neck and related neck/shoulder pain, so I can't afford to fall asleep uncomfortably when I travel via car or plane. This neck pillow looks a little goofy (as most do!), but it definitely works. It essentially helped me sleep sitting up on and off during a 10-hour car trip with no discomfort or pain. Once your head starts to fall to the side just a little, it will hold you up. I didn't feel it was as comfortable or natural to put the support under my chin, but it could definitely work that way if your head tips forward when you fall asleep. I will definitely take this on any and all long trips where I want to sleep and ensure I have proper neck support!" —Kris

Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in four colors).

It also comes with a USB-C charging cable, travel pouch, keychain holder, quick-start guide, and a manual.

Promising review: "I love this gadget. I fly a lot, and this works on the majority of wide-body planes I've taken over the past six months. Just plug into one of the three-prong outlets (or single outlet in economy), and you can connect any Bluetooth device. Doesn't always connect on the first try, as I have several devices that my headphones are searching for, but if you turn off all other devices, it seems to connect right away. Once connected, it works for many hours. A few planes I've taken recently (Qatar Airways) have USB charge points so close to the headphone jack that you can even plug it in while it's working and never lose the charge. Highly recommend for travelers." —Joseph Sikorsky

Get it from Amazon for $34.99+ (available in four styles and five colors).

You can switch between pound and kilogram measurements. 

Promising review: "Works great, a must-have when flying. Very accurate scale. Easy to read with the light on it. It's a must if you have a wife like mine who loves to shop for clothes and fill up her suitcase along with mine, or if you want to stay under that 40 pounds and avoid paying the extra for overweight baggage fees. Easy to use, very accurate, well made, and a nice design. Very pleased. Saved me money." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $11.34+ (available in five colors and as a two-pack).

Promising review: "I never write reviews EVER, but this product seriously deserves all the stars. I’ve tried so so many different dry shampoos, as I have very fine hair that gets oily after 8+ hours. I took this with me on vacation as I couldn’t bring any aerosols, and it has been a godsend — never going back to anything else. It’s light and compact and has lasted so long for me, unlike others I’ve sprayed that only last two weeks. I would highly recommend using a brushing motion on your hair so as not to create too much buildup on your scalp (I made the mistake of tapping it in initially, and it was too chalky). I don’t worry about second day hair now thanks to this!" —Molly

Get it from Amazon for $17.60+ (available in five shades, refills, and a set).

Promising review: "This is the one you want! I promise it’s worth the extra cost! The seat unfolds and locks into place easily, whereas cheaper brands use suction cups, which are a pain to remove. I don’t want to fight a public toilet seat, as I barely want to touch it. It fits on every public toilet we’ve come across so far. It doesn’t move when my toddler is sitting on it, but you do want to be careful when lifting it off, as it could cause it to slide. The bottom being flat without cut-ins makes it easy to sanitize after use and feel like you’ve truly gotten it clean. It folds down really small and is easy to pack into a diaper bag/toddler backpack. I love this seat and will recommend it to everyone!" —Bee Gee

Promising review: "Never fly without these! Before I found these, I endured excruciating pain in my ears upon descent and landing. Felt like a hot poker being driven into each ear. My ears would also be plugged up, and it would often take two to three days for them to resume their normal state of being. I insert them about an hour before landing, as the plane is making its slow descent. I'm comfortable, and the most discomfort I experience is a slight adjustment of pressure feeling in my sinus. NO PAIN. NO TEARS." —K. Tombrella

Get a pack from Amazon for $7.89 (also available in packs of 3, 5, and 10).

Promising review: "Wish I could give it 10 stars! I used this wonder blanket while staying in the ICU with my son for four nights. This warm and cozy blanket saved me from freezing and was so much warmer than the hospital blankets that were also available. I am relatively tall and this blanket was plenty long as well. I cannot recommend this snuggly but compact blanket highly enough! (It could also be used as a small pillow when folded into the little travel bag that it comes in!)" —J Bauer

Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in seven colors).

Promising review: "I used this recently on an overnight flight to Europe. Definitely made me more comfortable to have my feet elevated off the floor (I'm 5'3"). It could have been a little wider (I have small size 7 feet). But it was ample enough and compact to travel with. It did not bother the person in front of me (I had it attached to my tray table). Glad I made the purchase, definitely felt like it gave my legs some relief." —daydoo72

Promising review: "Perfect for a cruise vacation where you have to iron clothes in laundry room (if the ship has one). My husband and I found these very helpful, as did family members whom we shared them with. It's not the same result as an iron, of course, but good enough for what we needed. Definitely recommend!" —MJ

Promising review: "Great for travel and packs a powerful punch. Rich, smooth, and creamy lather that leaves your face clean and soft." —aclark

Get a two-pack (64 sheets total) for $13.99+ (available in four formulas).

Promising review: "This has really made long drives with my daughter so much better. She used to get car sick when holding her iPad on her lap, so this allows her to keep her head up while watching movies, so she doesn’t get sick. She’s not great at navigating the downloaded movies yet, so being able to swing this so I can change the movie or adjust the volume from the front passenger seat has made my life so much easier. It’s really easy to set up and move around however you need it." —Marissa

Promising review: "Bought this handy little thing to use on a family vacation since our flight didn't have in-flight entertainment screens. It clipped right onto the pull-out tray just like the product photo and kept my toddler entertained (thank god) for our short flight. Love the simplicity — it's light and compact (folds to the length of my palm), has good rotation (head clicks into place), and is surprisingly versatile. I use it to browse articles in the morning (folded into a kickstand on the table), follow recipes in the kitchen (clamped to a cabinet door above my cutting board), and to watch stuff hands-free (clamped to a side table) when the kiddo/husband is hogging the TV. Buying another one for our next vacation since this one is staying at home!" —ThatCookieCutterLife

Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in seven colors and multipacks).

Promising review: "I was tired of fumbling around in my cosmetics case and saw this. I was skeptical, but...WOW! On my recent two-week trip to Europe, with constant laying out and packing up, this item was wonderful. I could find what I wanted quickly, right away. Packing up was just a matter of pulling the drawstring. At first, I wasn’t sure about changing to this bag, but now I could not do without it." —Mojosharkey

Get it from Amazon for $19.95+ (available in 3 sizes and a variety of colors and patterns).

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Plus, tips for traveling with a carry-on, a guide to the best luggage brands, road trip essentials, packing cubes, finds for frequent travelers and travel-friendly strollers, bags, and perfumes.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity. 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.