I've traveled to Europe more than 20 times, and these are the 9 best gadgets I've taken with me

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I've been lucky enough to have traveled to Europe almost two dozen times, and spending that much time in airports and on planes has taught me the right gadgets can make a huge difference when it comes to comfort and safety when you travel. 

That means keeping a tracker in my wallet so I know the minute it goes missing, and a spare charging cable in case the one I bring frays or gets lost. It also means taking a Kindle instead of paperbacks and bringing a tablet to get my work done instead of a computer. I've learned that stuffing my bags to the brims with tech makes little sense, so these gadgets are the ones that have really earned their spot. 

Whether you're in coach or business class, have a smooth experience or miss your connection, sleep for a couple of hours or need a distraction, you'll find the best travel tech I've used in the slides below.

Noise cancelling headphones

Amazon

Sony WH1000XM2 Noise Cancelling Headphones, $298, available at Amazon

Between the sound of the plane's engine, a crying baby, and people having a loud conversation next to you, getting sleep on a plane can seem almost impossible. That's why I always pack a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. 

The best pair I've tried are Sony's WH1000XM2s, which sound great, block out an incredible amount of noise, and have earpads that make the headphones comfortable to wear for several hours. The right ear cup on the headphones is touch sensitive, and placing your hand on top of it will lower your music and turn on the WH1000XM2's microphones, so you can hear airline announcements and talk to your airplane's staff without taking them off. 

An external battery pack

Amazon

Anker PowerCore 15600, $39.99, available at Amazon

A couple of years ago, I missed a connection and had to spend the night in a German hotel. I'd left my power adapter with some friends who were staying abroad longer, and had no way to plug my phone in to charge it.

Thankfully, I had one of Anker's battery packs, which had enough juice to keep my phone alive through the night, and my international flight the next day. This one has enough power to fully recharge an iPhone around six times and offers two USB ports so you can charge multiple gadgets at the same time. 

Modern planes have outlets, so you can charge your tech while you travel, but that won't help you if you get stuck, or your phone dies midway through the day while you're out exploring.

A travel adapter

Amazon

Travel Smart by Conair All-in-One Adapter with USB Port, $20.59, available at Amazon

A power adapter plugs into the outlet in a foreign country and allows you to charge your US gadgets, and it's an absolute travel essential. This is the updated version of the adapter I've been using the past few years, which has worked flawlessly.

This adapter can be used in mainland Europe, England, South America, Australia, and Japan, and has three plugs, plus a USB port. You can charge four gadgets through it at once, which is a lot more efficient than carrying around multiple single-use adapters. 

One thing to keep in mind is that this adapter will not convert voltage, so make the gadgets and appliances you travel with are designed to handle both 110 and 220 volts of electricity, or you'll burn them out. 

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