Road trip season is finally here, and it’s time to get your car ready. You’ll want to make sure your car’s tuned up of course, but there’s also plenty of other non-essential upgrades that can help turn any trip into an enjoyable one.
Here are a few options to consider that will bring upgrades and additional conveniences you can add to any car—old or new.
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1 Anker Compact Jump Starter and Portable Charger
Amazon | $80
You can never have too many sources of power when you’re on the road. Anker’s Compact Jump Starter and Portable Charger will not only help keep your portable devices powered, but it can also jump start your car. The last thing you want on a road trip is a dead battery. Anker even includes a built-in flashlight for good measure.
2 Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug
Amazon | $23 and up
You can easily find a cheaper travel mug, but Zojirushi’s stainless steel wares have long been racking up recommendations as the go-to mug if you want to make sure your beverage stays hot (or cold) for hours on end. They’re available in 12, 16, or 20-ounces, and in a range of different colors—all of which come with a five year warranty on the mug’s vacuum insulation.
3 Wagan 12V Cooler/Warmer
Amazon | $82
Sure, you can bring that old beat up cooler you’ve had since college, or you can step up to something like Wagan’s 12V Cooler/Warmer that can keep your beverages cold or your food warm until you’re ready for a lunch stop. It’s big enough to store four 2L bottles upright and can get up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit on the warm setting or 32 to 36 degrees below room temperature when switched to cool.
4 iClever Himbox HB01 Bluetooth 4.0 Hands-Free Car Kit
Amazon | $25
This is another gadget that may be unnecessary if you’re driving a newer vehicle, but anyone with an older ride can make a cheap and easy upgrade by adding a bluetooth car adapter. iClever’s Himbox HB01 is singled out by The Wirecutter for its ability to pair with multiple devices, which could make things easier if you have a couple of passengers looking to take turns playing music.
5 Spigen Kuel A230 CD Slot Car Phone Mount
Amazon | $14
The last thing you want to be doing while out on the highway is be fumbling with your smartphone. A good smartphone mount will help keep it in place and easily in view when you need help with navigation. Spigen’s Kuel A230 mount simply slips into your car’s CD slot and a set of magnets holds your phone in place (one in the mount itself and one that can either be stuck to your phone or inserted between your phone and its case).
6 Anker PowerDrive 4
Amazon | $17
Whether you’re using your smartphone for navigation or not, you’ll want to make sure you have a car charger, assuming your car doesn’t have its own USB ports. Anker’s PowerDrive 4 will give you four USB ports that’ll charge everyone’s smartphones and tablets. If you’re traveling with a smaller crew or a less gadget-inclined bunch, however, you can probably get by with the two-port version, which save you a bit of space.
7 Garmin DriveAssist 51
Amazon | $300
A standalone GPS unit isn’t the must-have gadget for a road trip that it used to be, but there are some advantages to leaving your smartphone in your pocket in favor of a dedicated navigation device. That’s even more true with a high-end unit like Garmin’s DriveAssist 51, which offers a range of driver awareness features to keep you alert as well as a built-in dash cam that can automatically save video and log GPS details in the event of an accident.
8 Mobile Hotspot
You can always use your smartphone’s tethering feature to get your laptop or tablet online when you’re on the road, but a mobile hotspot could be a better option whether you’re traveling solo or with a group. The best hotspot for you will depend on your carrier, but one like AT&T’s Unite Explore ($50 on contract), recommended by PCMag, will let you easily provide wifi to a car full of people and all of their devices. It will also likely pick up a signal in areas your phone may not, and you can even add an external antenna if you really want to push the limits.
[“Source-popularmechanics.”]
