9 Essential Gadgets That Will Upgrade Your Summer Holiday Instantly — All Under £30
Summer holiday season is almost upon us, and I'm getting organised for my own annual excursion. I have a number of non-negotiables when it comes to holidays — and browsing the current Amazon Prime Day sale, I spotted that several of them are heavily discounted right now.
I also spotted a few more gadgets in the sales that I think would make excellent additions to my luggage, and I've rounded up all of my finds below, starting with nine instant winners for under £30 each, then moving on to some higher-priced devices that I'm sorely tempted by.
One of my absolute essentials for travel is a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones. We've tested both of the budget-friendly pairs I've included below, and were blown away by their performance for the price, but honestly I was spoiled for choice in this area — I have a separate guide to cheap headphones and earbuds that's worth checking out if neither of these appeal.
• View the full Amazon Prime Day sale
At the top of my travel wishlist is a pair of Loop Quiet ear plugs. I've heard nothing but good things about this brand's products, and as someone with sensitive ears and a strong desire not be to bothered while travelling, they look like they could be a game changer (I'll be pairing them with my blackout sleep mask for an undisturbed flight).
I also think this might be the year I invest in a video doorbell for extra peace of mind while I'm away. Amazon has some big discounts on Blink and Ring products for Prime Week, so it seems like a no-brainer.
Top travel tech
Pros
- Super-low cost
- Long-lasting battery
- Decent sound, for price
Cons
- Cheap-feeling build
- No app or EQ
- ANC is light-touch
Pros
- Solid ANC
- Lightweight build
- Truly low price
Cons
- Poor eartip fit
- Lean battery life
- Aggressive transparency mode
Bonus buys if you want to blow the budget
The below picks are outside of the sub-£30 budget, and require a bit more consideration before buying. However, they're all so heavily discounted that I felt it would be remiss of me not to at least mention them. We've tested most of these products, and they all scored highly — in particular the DJI Mini 4K (4.5 stars) and the Sony WH-1000XM5 (which we awarded a perfect five stars). I've linked said reviews under the 'More details' button if you want to find out more.
Pros
- Excellent value
- 4K video quality beats rivals
- Ideal first drone
Cons
- No object-collision sensors
- Lacks subject tracking found in pricier models like the Mini 4 Pro
Pros
- 7-inch display is great
- Fastest Paperwhite yet
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Expensive for a mid-range ereader
- Ads on lock screen in some markets (unless you pay extra)
Pros
- Light and compact folding design
- Powerful motor with fast airflow
- Versatile styling
- Multiple attachments
- Five modes and two speeds
Cons
- Attachments can make it bulky
- Curling nozzle is a let-down
Pros
- Excellent noise-cancellation
- Wonderful sounding performance
- Smart ambient features
- An app you'll actually want to use
Cons
- New design is less portable
- Still no water resistance
- More expensive than previous models
- Not a gigantic upgrade over the still-excellent WH-1000XM4
More Amazon Prime Day deals in the UK
- Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
- Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
- Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
- Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & De'Longhi
- Fans: from £20
- Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
- Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
- Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
- Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura
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